The growing list of things we can't do

Two weeks ago Zach called from work and I answered by saying, "Guess we can't leave Sabine on the couch and walk away anymore." She'd been sitting up against the back of the couch when I walked to the other side of the room. As I started to head back she rolled to her side, then her belly and started to crawl forward, all in one motion. I lunged for her and made the catch in mid air. She looked up at me and laughed.

The week before that Sabine officially started crawling. Her motions were no longer predictable, she'd begun moving in erratic patterns based on what caught her attention in the moment. We declared it was no longer safe to leave her on the living room floor while we made quick trips to the basement for the rabbits or laundry.

Last week I was getting ready for the day while Sabine was playing safely in the middle of the bed. I left for a moment to retrieve something from the bathroom and when I came back Sabine, now going for something on the bedside table, was one hand placement away from falling off the bed. I grabbed her up and later announced to her other caretakers that it wouldn't cut it anymore to leave her playing 'safely' on the bed.

A little while ago Zach called from work to get someone's phone number. On my way downstairs for the address book I caught him up on the latest news. "So as of literally ten minutes ago we can't leave Sabine unattended in the co-sleeper." Minutes earlier I'd been on the floor sorting through something and turned around to see Sabine standing up in the co-sleeper with her hands on the edge and face peering down at me from over the side, her center of balance dangerously close to making a date with gravity.

Sabine is constantly on the move now. She has little tantrums if we dare to lay her down for a diaper change, try to dress her, or basically do anything that gets in the way of her explorations. Taking something away from her elicits great shrieks. She's starting to make little babbling noises, still sings her little songs when falling asleep, and she'll sing along with you if you're singing to her. She's going to give us a run for our money...