Quite proud of herself

Good, steady, not holding into anything, more than a couple of steps WALKING.

She crouches down to pick something up (usually a ball) then she’s off again.

It’s so cute to watch, her little legs stomping up the hallway, half raised zombie arms out the front.

But possibly the cutest part is her teeny voice saying ‘go, go, go, go!’ as she builds up speed and ‘yay!’ as she reaches her destination or lunges into my outstretched arms.

She’s taken her time (no-one is going to rush our Millie, she’s determined to do everything her way), but now she is taking steps I’m a little sad. Crawling about was just about the last baby thing she still did.

Millie is 17 months old and one of the last (maybe the last?) bubs from my mother’s group to find her feet.

She took her time to crawl too, so I knew it would happen on her terms.

Not quite crawling at 12 months, I took Millie to a child’s physiotherapist just to make sure there wasn’t something preventing her from getting mobile.

The physio was great, so reassuring and told me that my headstrong and determined little girl was just a “happy sitter”. The fact she was a premmie meant she was likely going to hit these first milestones a bit later, she said.

It was such a relief.

Armed with little exercises to do at home, Millie seemed to all of a sudden be crawling, standing and cruising around the coffee table.

Why am I telling you this? You can’t help but feel a lot of pressure if your child isn’t doing the things at the exact point in time the books say they should be. They will walk. Surround yourself with people who don’t stress you out about the milestones and take the time to watch your baby discover the world – at their own pace.

A Fisher-Price plastic walker that a friend gave us became Millie’s favourite mode of transport. She loved that ugly plastic thing. It gave her independence and the chance to get off her knees.

Note the wind in her hair, she was going that fast

She will wake tomorrow and her little life will never be the same. She will be able to get from A to B all by herself. She will be able to carry things with her as she goes. She will be able to follow her friends around at playgroup. She won’t be frustrated.

So I guess the talking thing is next. I can already tell Little Miss Chatterbox will have no problems in that department.

The Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Musical Activity Walker is available from ToysRUs

Physio for Kids is in McKinnon, Melbourne

The post Ready, Steady, Go! We Have A Walker appeared first on millie mummy melbourne.

Finn is now 13 months old and bang on for hitting his development milestones, but I’m not ready. I want to savour these days watching his little nappy-covered bottom crawl up the hallway. Enjoy the last weeks/months of breastfeeding (I’m trying not to get annoyed if he wakes at 3am for a feed, I’m really trying). Marvel at his beautiful little face when he falls asleep in my arms. The ‘big boy’ things can wait. My last baby needs to stay a baby for a while yet.

Finn and Millie in Bobux shoes

Finn’s sister Millie was a late walker – almost 17 months – so I felt like she was my baby for a good while and needed her mumma for longer before toddling off. Finn is a different kid. He’s been a busy boy from day dot and is into everything already. He’s a goer. He opens and closes doors and cupboard, turns the DVR on and off, reaches for things way above his head and empties bags/buckets/toyboxes in a flash. I feel like I finally know what everyone was going on about when they were saying how exhausting it is looking after a crawler. Millie was such a placid little girl, so much so that we never had to put locks on cupboards or move our valuables out of reach. She just wasn’t interested.

When we take Millie to the park with her bike, Finn likes to have a go at this walking business

With every developmental leap I can see such a change in my boy. He’s louder, faster, more inquisitive. Walking will only make him more so. Bring it on! Watching Finn learning from his sister is one of the best things about being a mum-of-two. Up until recently Millie would play and Finn would follow her around, but he wasn’t allowed to join in. Now he’s bigger, Millie is starting to involve him in her games and they’ll often be playing together. If Millie is using her toy guitar, Finn will often go and bang on his drum. If Millie has Peppa Pig, she’ll hand Finn the George.

Look mum, one hand!

But one constant this time around has been the shoes on Finn’s feet. I’m no longer tempted to buy cheap plastic or synthetic shoes like I was with my first baby (sorry Mille!). Finn wears his soft-sole Bobux shoes almost daily. They’re cute, they’re flexible, they stay on and they don’t restrict those growing tootsies.

I love Finn’s soft Bobux boots for winter

Bobux launched in 1991 with the world’s first all-leather soft sole shoe. Always with healthy foot development in mind, Bobux shoes are stylish and good for little feet. I’m so in love with the Bobux shoes I’ve chosen for Finn – and Millie – and will have them both in this brand until those feet are too big for kid’s shoes.

And the dusty little impressions on the outsole of Finn’s first ever pair? I’ll treasure those tiny footprints and one day he and I will marvel at how far those very feet have taken him.

With every pair of Bobux Xplorer shoes purchased online or in store you will receive a gift to help document your child’s first steps. Offer valid for a limited time only.

*MillieMummyMelbourne is a brand ambassador for Bobux

The post Those First Steps For The Last Time appeared first on millie mummy melbourne.

This summer we crammed in All. Of. The. Fun. Things. I was determined to provide her with every happy experience possible in her last summer as a pre-schooler.

I used to push Millie around in the pram and walk past local schools and see the mums taking their HUGE school kids to class. I smugly thought that stage of my life was a long way off. How wrong I was! It’s gone by in a blink and I’m now that mum and that sleeping bundle of joy now a joyous, inquisitive, funny and thoughtful preppie. How can it be??

I’ve become a lot more emotional since becoming a mum so there’s absolutely no doubt I’ll cry tomorrow. It’s a momentous day.

This new prep has been my sidekick for 5.5 years. My first baby, I resigned from my job as a newspaper editor to make this girl my number one. I’ve been there for every tear, every new discovery, there to answer every question, squeeze and hold her hand when she worries and gently encourage when she’s nervous. I’m her mum and I love her more than anything else on this earth. My girl.

But I have to pass the baton.

When I cry it won’t be in front of her.

She has gone to bed tonight singing: “School tomorrow! School tomorrow! I’m going to school tomorrow! Yay!”. It’s hard to remain sad about something she’s just so damn enthusiastic about.

As mums, everything we do is for our children. It’s hard to let go. It’s harder still to let them walk into class and not be privy to everything they are hearing or doing. We’ve got to have faith in our schools and the staff that they too have our child’s best interests at heart. I’m certain they do and will wave her goodbye tomorrow with every confidence.

What I can feel good about is that I’ve done everything I can to prepare her for this day. She is ready. I probably should have spent more time working on making sure I was too!

I can’t wait for her to come home and share news of the new things she’s been taught, the tasks she once thought impossible that she can complete with ease. My daughter is right at the start of a wondrous new adventure that awaits her.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”

Your teacher and classmates are so lucky to get to see you every day Millie Moo. I hope you are always this happy about going to school, always willing to learn new things, that you always ask questions, stand up for what you believe in and that you do it all with a smile on your face.

I’ll hold tight the memories of 5.5 glorious years – the best years of my life – with you under my wing.

Can’t wait to see the wonder you become.

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