Look What Ben Can Do! (illustrated by brother John)

      This isn't Ben...this is a picture of John at ehhh... about 4 months or so. I would not call either of my children a diehard fan of tummy time, but John was strong from a very early age. Started rolling over and very adamantly sleeping on his tummy just before he was 3 months old, scaring his What to Expect toting mama to bits. Then when I realized he could do this:

...I felt fine about it. That began the era of the much-loved sleeping with a tushy in the air. If you have ever seen a baby do this, you know what I'm talking about. 

Anyway. I have been waiting for Ben to get up on his little elbows. And waiting...and waiting.......and......... waiting. Waiting and praying. Who would ever think that your wish would be for your nearly 18 month old boy would be to get into tummy time? Let me assure you that he is capable of doing this - I've seen him do it with my own eyes! He just hates it - in the same way that I hate touching feet - not gonna happen. Trying to get him into this position and keep him there long enough to get myself situated so that I can adequately distract him and get him to start playing is like trying to put pajamas on a cat. While I try to quantum leap into a position that might engage Ben, he just rolls his sweet self onto his back and smiles as if to say, "Ahhh, that's more like it. I don't like working, lady, so lay off. Now go make me a sammich." Just kidding - Ben isn't even close to eating sandwiches, and he's way too sweet to ever say such a thing...it's just the look on his face.

Well. TODAY (sound the trumpets), we got Ben onto his hands and knees, and this led to an immediate forehead plant, one of his favorite I'm-gettin'-out-of-this-while-the-gettin's-good maneuvers.  Then something, well, different happened. He picked his head up a little bit. He pushed himself up onto his hands - way up - onto his HANDS! Did you hear that?! HANDS, I say! He smiled his irresistible, squooshy, sweet smile as I stuck one of those Sesame Street you-push-it/drag- it/twist-it/wiggle-it-and-it-pops-up-and-sings-to-you toys right in front of him. I was all prepared to be given the sammich look, but the most amazing thing happened. He settled in on his elbows and played with this toy! I now consider this toy the finest toy ever made by toymakers, so if you happen to know that it was made in China, just don't even tell me. When he grew tired, rather than roll over, he just nestled his little cheek (ok, his big, chubba wubba cheek) on the rug and listened to Laurie (our DT) sing Twinkle Twinkle. And when the song was over, he propped himself back up and played some more - I didn't even have to adjust him! I just watched. Really. Just watched my little boy play. That is a big deal to a mom whose every single tiny decision was mostly inconsequential the first go-round but this time is fraught with implication--- Am I using the right spoon? The one with the ridges on the bottom so it will help combat his oral defensiveness or the one that vibrates so that it will reduce his sensitivity? If I leave his helmet off for his nap, will that flat spot come back? Has he been sitting in that high chair too long? Have I done enough stretching today? Did he stand in his stander enough times this week? Did I slip him enough fish oil/olive oil today? What kind of difference will that make for his brain development? Will it make his brain grow and thereby his itty bitty head? That doesn't even skim the surface, really... This afternoon, for just a little while, I got to be just Ben's mom instead of his mom/full-time therapist.  Oh, it was such a treat. A short treat, a long-time coming treat......the sweetest treat of all.