Second Child Syndrome

As Caitlin closes in on her first birthday, I've started thinking back to where we were with Brigid at the same time, and even though it seemed like THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD when it was happening, I can't even begin to tell you what milestones we were and weren't supposed to be marking off at this point in her young life. Lucky for us, I spent hours and hours of my time documenting just those very (tiny) details about life, so at least I have a reference for where I'm failing my darling second daughter.

Because sometimes, I feel like I'm doing it all wrong with Caitlin. She doesn't pull herself up into a standing position, yet. She doesn't come close to trying to walk. Honestly, she doesn't even CRAWL at this point, either. She doesn't wave hi or bye, she's not a giggler, she doesn't dance.

She, uh, does have more teeth than Brigid, though? So that counts for something? And I didn't fight the transition to adult food nearly as much this time around, although that was mostly more about me being lazy than anything else, but I think I can still mark it as a win for this round. And even though she doesn't crawl, it hasn't stopped her from being completely mobile in her own way, which is bad news for us in that the dogs' water bowl has developed some weird sort of magnetic pull for her, and I now have to move the stupid thing outside when she's on the move unless I want the entire bowl emptied all over my kitchen floor and the rotten little 10-month old that occupies that floor.

I don't read to her as much as I read to Brigid, I don't think there are as many toys out and within her reach as what Brigid had, I don't think we've made her work on developing her skills as much as we did with Brigid. And I know it's ridiculous to compare the two of them, because all kids are different, but the fact of the matter is that when Caitlin doesn't do things at the same rate at which Brigid did them, I feel like it's my fault.

And I kind of feel like I'm about to channel all of this parental concern into the upcoming end-of-formula-times that are upon us. At age one, Brigid was done with formula and done with bottles, and it was my favorite of all of the milestones (Seriously, I might have enjoyed this time even more than the first time she said mama.). IT WAS A BIG DEAL, AND I WILL NOT LET CAITLIN FALL BEHIND ON THIS MILESTONE.

Start practicing, kid...