The View From Here
This is Gracie.
Gracie is ten months old. She likes apples, sweet potatoes, and yogurt. She enjoys chewing on my bangle bracelets and playing with her brother.
You know what she doesn’t like?
Moving.
Any kind of forward motion.
Specifically, any kind of forward motion that she must do on her own.
Gracie refuses to crawl. She won’t do it. She won’t even scoot. If you put her in one place and leave the room for 10 hours, you’d probably come back to find her incredibly angry, but still in that same spot.
We have tried putting her on her stomach and showing her how to crawl. We’ve tried modeling it for her (well, we make Bean do it). We’ve tried skipping the crawling altogether and going straight to pulling up by herself or standing.
Nada. Nilch. Zip. Nothing.
I’m not the kind of mom who freaks out over milestones. I don’t really even know what milestones I should be watching for. But this crawling thing is starting to drive me crazy. Why won’t she move?!?!?
Someone at church told me that when babies are slow to move, they must be happy with the service they’re getting. “If they had complaints, they’d move around to fix them. She must be pretty happy where she is!” she told me. And that made me feel a little better.
My mom says she’s going to buy Gracie a rickshaw for her first birthday. Then we can hook it up to Bean and she won’t ever have to move on her own.
I asked her pediatrician about it and she just laughed and asked if Gracie was a talker. She definitely is. She babbles and coos and squeals whenever she has an audience to listen to her. Our pediatrician said that some kids are walkers and some kids are talkers. If they talk early (or babble), then they will probably walk (or crawl) late. If they walk (or crawl) early, then they will probably talk (or babble) late.
Who knows.
For now, Gracie seems to be taking her own sweet time. And, while I’m mildly concerned and overly motivating, I’m trying to focus on all the things Gracie can do. Like babble uncontrollably, and laugh and smile like whatever she’s seeing is the funniest thing on the planet, and point to her head and mouth when you ask her where they are.
But I wish she would enjoy where she is just a little bit less… GET MOVIN’ GRACIE GIRL!
31 Comments
Liz McCracken
I feel your pain! My daughter didn’t move at all til 11.5 months. No scooting, nothing. But she FINALLY did crawl, and at 14 months walked, and now she’s 2 and nothing’s stopping her. So, Gracie will do it when she’s ready!
Christina @ Marriage from Scratch
Aww sweet Gracie girl. Don’t worry, mama. I am sure one of these days she will surprise you all 🙂
Candice
I heard the same thing about walking vs talking. My son is the opposite of Gracie – he rolled over, stood, and cruised around early… but he is in no rush to do a ton of talking. I was also told this mean he’s happy and doesn’t need to say much b/c we’re so quick to respond him – which, like you, makes me feel good… buuuuut, you know, you still think, “Oh, c’mon, just a little more…” They all catch up, eventually, though – just on different tracks.
Sarah
My Ped told us the same thing when at 11 months Jackson was walking and wouldn’t/couldn’t say but a word or two! He babbled and laughed, but not as much as other kids. But the Man was on the move! He’ll be 18 months in a few days and is talking up a blue streak. I guess it all evens out over time.
Rachel {Lines Across}
Aww she is getting so cute and grown up. My son, Benjamin would NOT crawl at all until he was almost 12 months. He learned to scoot, then belly crawl, then regular crawl basically in the same week. Then he was a late walker too. It’s true that you can’t help but worry even when you know you have nothing to worry about 🙂 They just go when they’re ready I guess. My daughter, on the other hand, crawled early and is now a trouble-magnet.
Krista
I have a good friend whose baby was exactly one week younger than mine. Our baby girls were very similar…until they hit about 6 months. My daughter started crawling and hers didn’t….until she was 10 months. By then my daughter was an expert crawler and started to take some steps. Within a couple months, they both were walking. So, basically, my daughter just got a few extra months of crawling and I had a few more months of chasing her around.
My kids have always been ahead in both walking and talking, which is fun, but at the same time, I really enjoy a baby who just likes to sit and play.
She must just be super content. And that is a good thing.
Megan
Thank you for posting this at the exact time I needed to hear another mother going through the same thing 🙂 My 10-month old is the happiest baby with ZERO interest in moving either.
Rebekah
My 2 1/2 year old never crawled until AFTER she started walking at about 13 months. Before she started walking she mostly rolled to get to where she wanted and occasionally she scooted on her bottom. It was the funniest thing to see her roll from one side of the house to the other!
Jen @ Caved In
Sweet little Gracie, she’ll get there. Sullivan seems to only do either moving or talking, but not both. One week he’s babbling like crazy and only crawling, the next he hardly talks but walks everywhere pushing his train. Kids are strange and they’re all different, God love ’em.
Ashley @ A Recipe for Sanity
I didn’t walk until 12 months, and before that I rolled everywhere! But…I was talking much earlier. So I think your doctor is right on track! Gracie will just start talking and tell everyone what to get her and how they can serve her. Atta girl! 😉
In all seriousness, she will get there!
Dawn
My oldest girl was like that…and it was hard for me because my bff had a son only 5 days older than my girl who crawled at 6 mos. and walked at 8 mos!!! Crazy!! Then, one night she rolled onto her belly, got up on all fours, crawled to the couch, pulled herself to standing and walked the length of it. We were gobsmacked…she just looked at us like, “What?” She was 11 months old…it will happen…however, she is now almost 11 and still hesitates to do anything she can get anyone else to do for her! She is the Queen of Delegation, let me tell ya. 😉
Margaret
Our pediatrician said that as well. Our son was a walker (he walked at 14 months but he’s incredibly, almost freakishly, coordinated), but he didn’t talk much til after he turned 2. She’ll get there!
Angela
I don’t have any kids but when I was a baby my 4 year old sister & Dad spent hours on the floor with me, wanting to teach me how to crawl. But apparently I was more content to just sit watch, or sit down and raise my hands when I wanted to go somewhere.
would YOU want to move if someone was carrying you for your whole life? Haha, don’t worry, before you know it she’ll be running around the house
chasing Lucy
Amber@ClassyConfessions
I don’t have any kiddos of my own to comment on but I know that I was over a year before I walked and never really crawled too much. Why would you when someone will pick you up with a cute little smile like Ms. Gracie’s?
RJ (Kids and Cast Iron)
My girl is the other way around, she is working on walking and climbing on stuff. She doesn’t talk too much though nor is she into eating much. I try to tell myself it all happens eventually. No eighteen year, leaving for college, still hasn’t figured out walking, talking, and where to go to the bathroom.
Tabitha @ From Single to Married
That Gracie is adorable – even if she isn’t crawling yet! 🙂 And don’t worry… she will. Especially with an older brother around!
Diana @ A Little Bit of Life
My 13 month old won’t stop moving! I must have pulled him off the fireplace 10 times this weekend. Gracie will get there too and you’ll be thinking – why was I in a rush to get here?
Rebecca
Crawling is NOT a milestone so I wouldn’t worry about it. Plus she is still so young, she will be moving before you know it! BTW, Gracie is adorable….good luck!
Allison P
That’s so funny! My friend’s baby was the same way! If you set one of his favorite toys just out of his reach, he would rather find something else to do than move to get it. I can’t remember when he crawled, but he didn’t walk until about 16 months. He was just content! Now he is a perfectly normal 5 year old boy. He just had his own timeline. 🙂
Lori @ I Can Grow People
Porter didn’t crawl until 10 or 11 months. And I have heard that if babies are early teethers they will be late crawlers. Don’t know how true that is, but it was true in Porter’s case for sure. She’s move in her own sweet time–she’s just building suspense! Now if only Bean could get Porter to use the potty…that’s where I feel we’re behind in our house.
Laura
I know you are getting a ton of these, but I’ll just add mine too. My little girl didn’t start crawling until 2 weeks before her first birthday and didn’t start walking until 18 months! She did talk very early and was content observing all the action around her. She didn’t get any teeth until 11 months so she was a late teether too.
HeatherM
I agree with the others- I wouldn’t worry just yet. I also think that the advice from the church lady & your pediatrician were very sage and sound. I would definitely say don’t encourage Gracie to skip crawling, as it is how the brain learns balance and spatial relationships. I also would avoid using any type of exersaucer or jumparoo, as these have been known to contribute to orthopedic and development problems in babies. You could do exercises to build her core muscles, like you sitting cross-legged and then doing tummy time with her balancing on your leg “superman style,” doing tummy time with her propped up on a boppy, and putting objects where she has to adjust her balance to reach them. These are all exercises the physical and occupational therapists do with babies in the hospital. And like Diane said, savor your last month or two of not having TWO mobile babies.
Sarah
I think the advice you got is pretty true… at least it was for me. My mom always said I did EVERYTHING late except talk and she’s pretty sure I did that from the time I was conceived.
Kat
I bet she’s going to walk! Jon and I bother skipped crawling (which isn’t even considered a milestone!) and walked around 9-10 months!
Lindsay (Young Married Mom)
Does cute count for anything, because I think Gracie is VERY advanced in that sense? Also, the idea of a baby with a rickshaw is one of the greatest ways to start a day.
Jennifer
My son didnt crawl until his first B’day, as in his actual B’day . He did some little inch worm move, but it took him forever to get anywhere. He rolled a lot, but it was a full year before any real crawling. Then I think he walked around 3-4 months later.
KAT
Sweet Gracie. If it makes you feel any better, I have a 7.5 month old little boy and he’s ALL over the place. Sometimes, I’m like…dude, could you please stay still, you are scaring me. And, you are too little to scale the fireplace. Anyway, his older sister didn’t crawl until 8 months…so they all figure it out in their own time. And when Gracie does, you’ll be like: “whose idea was it to teach her how to move anyway?”
Kiersten
You say that now Katie but once she starts running you’ll wished she stayed little. lol But I’m sure she’ll get going soon enough.
Mairs
My 10 month old is the same way! He “talks” constantly but refuses to crawl. He does get around my rolling but will not scoot, crawl, or pull himself up! I’m glad I’m not alone, it’s starting to get really frustrating! Haha in their own time I guess.
Karen
My little girl (now almost 4) didn’t crawl until 10 days before she turned 1. We tried everything–putting her on her hands and knees, then moving one hand/one knee, and the other. She thought it was a fun game. She was actually quite content to just be carried around and was a talker also. The main thing I’ve learned with her is that she will do things on her own time and will not be forced into anything (as others have said as well)! Bean and Gracie are just adorable!
Monica DeLaCruz
I totally agree with the pedi. My four were wide ranging. But she would always say that tods put all their energy into one basket so sometimes other achievements come later. BTW – What a cutie you have on your hands! She looks so happy. :o)