The Boy Can Climb

When Kayde started crawling at the tender age of 6 months I thought I was really in for it. By my estimation, this meant he would most likely be running through the house causing all sorts of mayhem by about 10 months. Wow, was I wrong!

In 9 days Kayde will be 1. Despite the fact that I cannot believe my baby will celebrate his first birthday already (I plan on dwelling on that fact later in the week), I also find it hard to believe he is still showing no interest in walking.

Don't get me wrong, he is not developmentally challenged and I am not disappointed at his ability to delay this huge milestone. You see he keeps me on my toes in other ways...

Kayde can climb, not only that but he can scoot as well.

Although not yet showing much interest in walking, Kayde will happily cruise around the furniture - something he has been doing for months now. He will spot a box or toy that may be used as a climbing aid, push it to wherever he desires to be and start climbing. The couch is usually his spot of choice, he happily clambers up and romps around before laying tummy down, head resting in hands to watch what is going on around him - or to get a good view of a particularly riveting episode of Play School, Jaz's current favourite.

Climbing aside, Kayde also keeps me on my toes with his scooting.I imagine you are wondering what on earth I am yapping about. Well you know those scoot along toys/bikes that often double as a walking stabiliser in the early days? He loves them. On he climbs and off he goes, I mean seriously, why walk when you can ride everywhere right?

So having mastered climbing and scooting it came as no real surprise when a few days ago he crawled up to his Bouncing Zebra, climbed on and started bopping up and down. He just never stops!!! I really am noticing the difference between having a quiet, placid little girl to having a boisterous, climbing, scooting, bouncing boy!

I think what amazes me the most though is how obvious it is that in the nature vs nurture debate, nature has a way of getting them started.

In the way of toys, we mostly have dolls and other traditionally girlie toys owing to the fact that Jaz came along first and so most of the toys in the house are hers (though along with Christmas came an abundance of trucks and the like for Kayde) - yet Kayde will hunt out the cars (even if it's the barbie car) and zoom it along the ground saying VBBRRRMMMMM as he does it. He has not been taught to do this, he just does it and it's adorable but it really does show that there are just some things that come naturally, whether nurtured or not.

Jaz on the other hand, though she loves motorbikes and diggers and Thomas the Tank Engine - is fascinated by dancing. Always wanting to show me her 'ballet' dances (she doesn't do ballet, but hey! what a girl cannot learn from Angelina Ballerina......) Jaz loves to dance and will sing a song to dance to if the music is lacking. Jaz loves to play 'families' and her favourite treat is to have her nails painted (ok, some of that has been nurtured lol). But my point is how very different two children can already be - even before their first birthday has been celebrated, when raised by the same parents, with the same values and essentially the same environment.

I feel very blessed to have two completely different but equally engaging, entertaining, loving, funny children to celebrate each and every day.

Now to come to terms with my 'baby' turning ONE!!!! Oh the melodrama!!!