My youngest sister, Leah, is in Prince George, Canada, studying environmental science. I posted this cute picture of Natalie on facebook….
Its okay, Mom. Don't be worried. I'll lead the way.
and Leah wrote, “I see Natalie is falling into her auntie’s stream ecology footsteps!” Since stream ecologists (never knew that was a profession!) are likely good at math and science, and great people to go on a trip with, I could support this. As long as it doesn’t mean Natalie follows her auntie (and her boyfriend) up to Canada! We’re trying to get them back here!
In other cute Natalie news, she may have discovered her feet and hands today. I saw her staring at them for brief moments. She also was so excited to have my sing her favorite pumpkin song (thanks again Megan and Molly B!), that she tipped over. So adorable.
Now, for parental advice… Natalie seems to have a case of “oh my gosh, my mom left the room, I’m going to freak out”. You might call this stranger anxiety, but it doesn’t mean she doesn’t like to be by others, rather she just always wants to be able to see me. Advice, please?!?!
I love the stream picture! These days when I take Jaspy to throw sticks in the creek, it turns into a game of how much of his body he can get covered with mud instead.
On the separation anxiety thing, I think I remember reading that it’s around six months that they start to realize cause and effect, so when she sees you going out of the room, she realizes that you won’t be right there whereas before she couldn’t really put the two things together, if that makes sense. She isn’t big enough to understand that you’ll be right back though. Jasper has gone through stages of separation anxiety since about that age too. He’ll be fine for several months when we leave him at church or the gym or with a sitter, and then he’ll freak out about it for a few weeks straight. And then he’s fine again. I think it’s just stages of increasing independence or something, if that makes any sense? Just keep leaving her, and she’ll soon figure out that you always come back!
I like how Natalie was leading the way! I reallllllly miss her. Cant wait to see her soon! I get to hold her most of the time in Eagle River right!?! 😉 (jk… sort of)
Can you send us more pics from the trip?
Love the pic! So cute! I agree that she doesn’t understand that you’ll be back. I laminated a picture of myself and put it in Annalise’s crib (and also kept it by her if I had to go do laundry quick, etc.), and that helped a little. Good luck!