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First Movements
Olivia's first few crawls were when I was holding her favorite stuffed animal across the living room floor. The average age for babies to begin crawling is 5-11 months (pg. 141) with Olivia being a bit earlier at six months. After her first crawl she was all over and under the place! -
Baby Food
Not too long after Olivia's first steps, my husband and I noticed that she has been eating a lot more than normal and chewing quicker. It wasn't until we realized that she was able to eat solid foods, and she was able to chew on chicken and rice! Babies around Olivia's age, at six months, tend to transition to solid food (pg. 136). -
Tertiar Development
We've noticed that Olivia's was trying to play soccer by picking up the ball. At around 12-18 months babies tend to develop tertiary reactions by picking up and dropping things (pg. 187). Olivia was able to do this when not too long after her 1st birthday! -
Potty Incident
Olivia first learned to pee on her own while she was in the middle of playing her toys with a few friends. I thought she wouldn't make it, but she quickly ran to the bathroom! Around two years old, toddlers are potty trained (pg. 184). Olivia's had incidents where she'd pee her pants and never realized it, but I think she has it figured out. -
Stair Master
Olivia normally goes up and down the stairs using her dominant right leg, stopping and stepping with her right leg again. Today, she was so excited to come down from school that I noticed she wasn't doing it step by step anymore! Young children usually master going up and down the stairs around age six (pg. 237). Ever since this day, Olivia loves to run up and down so much that is part of her daily exercise routine. -
Frustrations Begin
Olivia loves to try new things that interest her and her latest is art, so I have gotten her a new painting set with fine paper. She has been very grumpy as she finds it more complex to copy or paint certain objects. Around her middle childhood, it is known that Olivia will find several challenges in her new activities yet still highly enjoyable (pg. 320). -
First Shark Week
As Olivia's was out playing with her friends I get a phone call, as she was confused. The summer before seventh grade she was becoming a lady and experienced her first shark week, also known as menarche (pg. 343). Although she wasn't prepared exactly when it would happen, she knew it was coming sooner or later. -
Party Animal
I normally trust Olivia that she makes the right choices when I give her the freedom that she has earned and deserves. One night I recieve a call from a friend of mine, Olivia's best friend's mother, in the middle of the night informing me some of the few terrible choices they've made. She told me she caught the two girls sneaking in after a party reeking of alcochol and marijuana (pg. 353). It is known that teenagers are more likely to be involved in substance abuse when around their peers.