Following Her Lead

After Caterpillar Girl was born, we carried her all the time. She enjoyed being close to me or to her father, and we rarely left her alone in her chair or bassinet. She cried, fussed, and refused to sleep when left alone. People chuckled at my "ignorance" and suggested that she needed to learn. But I don't regret those early weeks. Now, only two and a half months later, she wriggles and fusses for me to let her down so she can squirm and push herself--on her back--across the living room. (She hasn't flipped over yet so she uses her heels to slide on the rug.) I didn't have to force her into independence. When she was ready, she began her own forays, and frankly, it's sooner than I expected. Sometimes, I wish she would still let me hold her all day long. But I am content to know that when she is really tired, she still loves to be held against my shoulder, warm and loved until she falls asleep.