Nate Sure Likes His Train

It was like Christmas* all over again at our house last weekend in an effort to get Nate and Seth some new challenging and fun toys since they've gone pro and then some with all of the learning type toys they already had. They are especially good at sorting shapes, so I found a more complex shape sorter with at least a few shapes they were not already familiar with, a puzzle board with latches and a groovy train with shapes that can be stacked in endless and inventive ways.

The complex shape sorter? Already mastered.

The puzzle board with latches? They solved 4/6 on the first day. It's a toy meant for 3 years and up (although product reviews indicated it was fun for toddlers as young as 14-18 months). In hindsight however this was probably a huge mistake since it's basically teaching them how to get into stuff. You know, as though they need lessons for that. *sigh*

But the train. The TRAIN! It's a hit with Nate in a huge way.

– 'Dis my train everyone! 

– Hey Seth, wanna play with my train? 

– I will share it with you as long as you know 'dis my train. 

– Oh boy! I love 'dis train!

Seth is a little more take-it-or-leave-it with the train so he wandered off in search of something that would pique his interest. 

Only to find himself reunited with his first love once again. 

Nate might have his train, but Seth's bucket never gets old. 

•   •   •   •   •

Mommy note: The last time I posted about the boys sitting unassisted was shortly after our 9 month visit with the pediatrician where I mentioned that sitting unassisted is a major 9 month developmental milestone and it was an update to say that Seth decided sitting was a cool thing to do after all. This was about 2 weeks after our appointment and he's been sitting like a champ ever since.

Nate was still strongly in the "sitting is for suckers" camp at the time, and has remained steadfast on this point. He was pulling himself up to a standing position and liberally cruising, but no sitting. Playtime was strictly tummy time style and that didn't change until shortly after the boys celebrated their first birthday. Then Nate decided maybe kneeling would be alright.

I'm sure if you aren't Nate's mommy (or you haven't heard me mention my concern over this) you probably haven't even noticed anything was up – and while I'm not laying-awake-at-night-worried about it (yet) I made a point of following up with the pediatrician at our 12 month visit. Nate not only has some pretty malleable joints, but he was restricted enough in utero that he was born with fairly significant plagiocephaly as well as torticollis and I was concerned that his inability to sit up was physiological in nature. Even with support, he will often list to one side in his highchair for example (or squirm and cry until he finds a comfy slouchy pose).

Our pediatrician checked him over, particularly for a spine curvature (scoliosis) and didn't see anything that would indicate an obvious physical impediment. Nate was happy to show off his new kneeling pose and so she was able to note the "W" formation that his legs make when he kneels. It's not an uncommon thing for kids to do, but she did encourage me to get him to sit on his bum as much as possible.

As though I hadn't already been doing that.

We've continued to work on it without much success. Exactly once I was able to distract Nate sufficiently that he sat for about 45 seconds before he'd had enough. The rest of the time he simply flips over onto his tummy and crawls off.

All this to say, I was pretty surprised yesterday when Nate sat in his bath for the first time without support. Although afterwards I realized it was probably because we were having a fun time splashing and he was distracted enough he was tolerating it. Or he just didn't notice.

Because, of course, in lieu of a physical problem the next most obvious answer is that Nate doesn't sit on his bum because Nate doesn't want to sit on his bum. And knowing Nate, I could kind of buy that actually – but the truth is we just don't have an answer right now. He's a very physically capable little guy in all other regards.

And today he surprised me yet again.

I've seen this pose before, but not often and only recently. It's the half-kneel with one leg out at the side: 

But then he brought that leg around into what looks like a pretty comfy sitting pose and he sat and played that way for quite some time: 

I realize the rest of that pose looks a little painful (very painful?) and I'm not really sure how he managed it (it looked worse in person), but he was comfy and happy. And me? I'm feeling encouraged for the first time in a long time that this might just sort itself out after all.

Go Nate! 

- L. 

*The title of this post was lifted from a song off a fun new album I ordered for the guys which happened to arrive just this week – along with their new GAP pajamas (Pirates! Monsters! Yay!) and a few other things as well. It really was like Christmas all over again. If you're looking for some adult-friendly songs for kids that won't make your ears bleed I highly recommend our new hip jams from Leslie Bixler, collaborating with Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and featuring Dick Van Dyke (doing some funk-rap no less). Their album, Rhythm Train, is the awesome.

I had "Cole's Train" in my head all day watching Nate loving his new train. Go check it out!