At Her Own Speed

Evvie didn’t walk until she was thirteen months old. We had prepared for her to be mobile so much earlier, as her siblings were all walking between nine and ten months and riding scooters by eleven months.  Not only was she not interested in walking, but being mobile in general seemed to make her nervous. Evvie is a cautious child and one that is very deliberate about her physical motions. She is overly aware of her surroundings, and chose not to move around for a while. Therefore, we carried her. A lot. So it shouldn’t have been at all concerning when she didn’t walk for a full four months beyond her siblings, or surprising that when she did become mobile, it was solely on her own terms-and still is.

All of that said, our little Evangeline is learning the ropes of being a tough little toddler care of her older brother, Beau. She’ll wail when he gets within a foot of her for fear that he will knock her down and show no mercy (as is usually the case). Seven months of walking, running, dancing and climbing onto everything she sees and our delicate flower baby has begun to turn over a new leaf. I’m thrilled about it, because I want her to feel safe and confident in her body and surroundings, and comfortable knowing she might be able to handle a situation that arises that directly involves a certain energetic and completely wild four year old. Between the two of them, there are almost always collisions, scrapes, cuts, bruises and plenty of tears. They play hard together, and individually they seem to set limitless boundaries for themselves. Beau and Evvie can be lifted from tears to smiles in a jiffy with character bandages like Finding Dory, Superman or the new colorful Oh Joy! Band-Aid designs. I don’t leave home without them.

We’re definitely looking forward to a new set of adventures this summer with all six of us mobile and super active, though I’m sure it means a slew of new boo-boos from slips, trips and stumbles. Summer temps have already started to tease their way into our lives lately. Northern California can be a little fickle, but we can always pretty much plan on sunny days. The main difference that the warm weather brings is our activities; Hot weather means pool time and water balloon fights. Memorial Day Weekend is a time that we head to Lake Tahoe to fish for crawdads and float around in the crystal blue water, but the rocks are always sharp and slippery. I cannot wait to take Evvie up to play, and I’m not overly concerned about accidents. We don’t tend to spend too much time dwelling on little ouchies, especially when they’re often easily cleaned, bandaged and forgotten about. Our summer Oh Joy! First Aid kit will include a mix of character bandages, Neosporin, and definitely Band-Aid Water-Block Plus for their 100% waterproof properties and ability to keep germs out even during water play.

I don’t often feel like anything is predictable when it comes to raising my children. They’re all on their own paths and keeping me always on my toes, especially when I’m least expecting it. Evvie needs ample attention and at least one set of eyes on her at all times, so I’m guessing that this first active summer will be an adventure in learning and experience for all of us. It certainly eases my mind knowing when I’m prepared for those accidental situations, and knowing I can make sure to care for their bodies and keep them happy as much as possible (and my blood pressure normal as well).