Grainy, like a Sasquatch photo
Apparently a certain premie missed the memo. She ain’t supposed to do that yet. Or is she? The picture to the left is her standing unassisted. For the first time. Ever. The picture is so bad because I had to haul the mail (my posterior) to my office to get my phone and then haul it back to 1. take the picture and 2. be there in case she experienced gravity for the first time.
So I was one for two, sue me.
Why is this a big deal aside from the gratuitous bragging of any father who thinks his kids are more special then everyone else’s? Well, to you it probably isn’t, but for us… I mean, I can’t even tell you the day Frank walked for the first time. He was into his 15th month, I know that. It was a special moment as it is for all of us when our kids walk or stand for the first time, but this moment with Anne Marie has a little more excitement and quite frankly a little more surprise in it then when Frank first went bi-pedic.
Now she’s not walking, just pulling herself up on to her feet. But we’ll take that. She’s 10 months old technically. But she was born 3 1/2 months early so her adjusted age is 6 1/2 months old. You get the hang of the definition and mathematics of “adjusted age” pretty quick when your kid weighs 1lb 12oz and is 12 inches long at birth. What gets hard to keep up with is development milestones.
She smiles when she farts, oh is that supposed to happen at 5 months actual or 2 months adjusted? (apparently that’s not really on the milestone chart, who knew) Her melon is as big as a volleyball – crap, is it supposed to be that big at 6 months actual or 3 months adjusted? It can be a guessing game. I’ll admit a fun one sometimes.
Standing at 10 months actual. No guesses needed. That’s freaking huge. I don’t even care where it falls on the development chart. The bigger issue is the problem solving she engaged in. Using the rungs on the chair she hoisted her self to her feet. She’s under the kitchen table because she wanted to see what’s under there. That’s not reflex, that’s thinking and curiosity. For me those are better indicators then her actually standing.
Here is what she looked like at 1 week actual, negative 3 months 1 week adjusted – meaning still supposed to be in the womb.
Great grip for a baby 3 months pre-mature. Another golfer I think.
At the time of this picture we really weren’t sure she would ever open her eyes let alone stand. That’s my not very fat or very long finger she’s holding. She was barely longer than my hand at that point. So to go from the picture on the left to this one –
Caught ya!
– is a pretty momentous occasion for all involved. And no I didn’t cry, something flew in my ey… yeah OK I cried a little. Yeah alright I cried a lot, but not like a school girl cry, well maybe a tough school girl.
Anyway, then next important question is what would she do with her new found skill. That was an easy one. No need to check the milestone chart, age adjusted or otherwise, for that answer.
Don’t mess with the premie!
She opened a can of pint size azz whuppin, that’s what. In technical terms she converted the potential energy generated by standing up straight, into kinetic energy by comin off the top turnbuckle with an atomic elbow and falling at 9.8 meters per second per second (3.22 ft per sec per sec for you english only folk). Or in this case sliding sideways off the ottoman after losing her grip, landing squarely on her brother. Same thing really. It is.
Trust me man, I’m a scientist.
But I’m also a betting man. So now that she has stood upright like those Homo Erectus, (Erecti?) so long before her, it’s time to take bets as to when she will walk for the first time. Make your guess in age by months. In other words she stood up at 10 months actual, will she walk at 12 months actual, 13 months actual etc…
Once she does take those first steps Frank and I will come back to this post and pick the person closest to the number one way or the other.
Frank’s Place T-shirt
The winner gets their choice of a Frank’s Place T-shirt or one of the 5 original rough drafts of the book, shown here, complete with errors and edits.
psst… go for the t-shirt
So guess away in the comment section. Lets hope we get a winner sooner than later.
Frank's Place 
Well given that she has been Jersey Strong so far…I say she will walk by 11 1/2 months!!
I hope you’re right but that may be wishful thinking. Although from some of the following comments you seem to have picked a popular date.
Well Kathy took my guess so I’m hedging on a strong female vibe here and that she will walk by 11 months 10 days!
Vikki, welcome to my world since I was a kid. She was always taking something of mine.
Oops, didn’t leave name above…Vikki
Amazing! I’ll admit … my eyes teared up. Courageous, strong, determined … chip off the ole block(s). 🙂 So, my guess would be that Anne Marie will walk unassisted by 13.5 months. I’m going for the book. Congrats Fran, Tracy, Frank and Anne Marie … awesome milestone!
Thanks Susan. This one feels like the winner, although I hope it’s sooner than that.
What a beautiful sight. I say 11 months 2 wks actual age. I think she is making up for lost time. You all better watch out!
I think Frank is in the most trouble. But he’ll enjoy running around outside with her once she gets moving.
That’s amazing! Go Anne Marie!
Okay, I’m guessing: 12 months, actual age.
Thanks. Although I’m not eligible, this is my guess too Kate.
Ok, Kathy took my guess, so I’m going to say 11 months 25 days. And I’m here to tell you that I cried too! I believe that 2013 is going to be the Linardo Family’s year! Lots of love to you all! xoxoxo
Y’all need to start a “Kathy took my guess” club. Very precise guess, now I’ll have to do math.
Like you said, it is always special when our children get to those momentous times in their development. It must beall the more so when they have such an auspiscious start like your daughter did. May she grow to have many more moments and make you very proud.
Thanks, and thanks for the visit.
My pleasure.
She’s stubborn In a great way. I’m guessing she will stubbornly hold out choosing the carry me Daddy over the have to do it myself method sooner path. I peg 13 month 2 days.
I’m hoping for 12 months but my gut says you may be right.
I say 12-1/2 months. She sure is a cutie pie. We are so happy for all. Josie & Jim
Thanks Josie. Thankfully she takes after Tracy in the looks department.
12 months, 8 days…and on the 8th day…well you get it.
Ha!
I’m thinking 13 months, 15 days…
BTW – Vikki said as long as you cried like a strong girl, it was ok…
Thanks Andy. As old and feeble as I am now a strong school girl might take me.
Didn’t get my name in there either…Must be a Traugot flaw…Add it to the list…
Andy
Ha! That’s a short list.
HI! Just started following your blog. I’m a mom to a micropreemie. My guess is 15 months. My boy just started “walking” this week at 15 months actual/12 adjusted.
Hey! Thanks for the follow.
Precious. I’ll go for 12 months, 5 days.
Thanks Amparo.
So glad that Anne Marie is doing so well….she is such a cutie. My guess is that she will take that first step at 12 months, 3 days.
Thank you Nancy. Luckily she takes after Tracy.
That girl is amazing but I think we all knew that when she was two days old. I say she will walk any day now if something interests her and she has to check it out!
Well, she has tried to venture out from the coffee table one time. She wasn’t pleased with the results. So you may be on to something there Jane.
attention aux bibelots ,la chasse à la découverte est lançée,courage et sérénité
Thursday
PS check your conversions I beleive 1 g is 32.3 fps/s At least that’s what we used
Right. Bad decimal placement.
Thursday
PS check your conversions I beleive 1 g is 32.2 fps/s At least that’s what we used
13 months is my guess. Though she may get there sooner at the rate she is going….!
Thanks Ellie. I have you down for 13 months.
[…] you , the loyal readers, to guess when she would walk by herself. You can re-read the post here: A Girl Stands in Knoxville. The person closest to the date would have their choice of a Frank’s Place T-Shirt or one […]