I know several mothers with babies similar in age to my own 4 month old and for the last couple weeks it seems every day someone posts triumphantly on facebook that their baby has just rolled over. Non-parent people no doubt are thinking: "Who the heck cares?" while fellow parents rejoice with a flurry of "likes" and tearful, emotional comments: "Way to go baby!". Let me try to explain this seemingly boring phenomenon for you non-parent types. I'll just come out and say it: babies don't do much. They do hours of somersaults for months while in utero and as soon as they are birthed...nothing. They just lay there. And cry. And sleep. Oh but it's fantastic when they start to smile and give off the occasional coughy laugh. But still they have no idea their bodies actually exist unless they are wet or hungry. You can imagine if you were under the impression that you were just a floating head, you probably wouldn't trouble yourself to try and move. Move what? But gradually babies start to see things floating past them, occasionally wapping at their floating head. Then they realize that they can move their head a little and catch those things going by in their mouth. Aha! Hand! That's about all for a few weeks. Mothers and fathers rejoice that baby has found his hands and encouragingly stuff toys and rattles into his hands to elicit play. Nothing. See baby has not figured out that he controls those fleshy things that keep floating past, but they sure taste yummy.
Parent: "Here baby! Have this fun toy!"
Baby: "Who cares? What happened to those yummy warm things?"
For the coming weeks or months it's more of the same. Absent-minded hand waving and finger-sucking. Then finally they figure out they control their hands and discover they can reach their feet. The process of grabbing their feet from lying on their backs propels them onto their sides. And some get lucky! Some babies are so eager to get to their feet that they launch themselves right onto their stomachs and "Wahoo!! Honey get the camera! Call your mother! Do you think a 5 minute video is too long to post on facebook? Oh who am I kidding, people are going to be dying to see how cute she is!" Other babies, like both of mine, prefer to taunt their parents. Both of my babies for weeks around rolling-over time get themselves at a 45 degree angle from the ground and then roll back the other way. Really? Come on! I must admit that at times the temptation was too great and I just shoved them the rest of the way. Can I count that? I guess not...
My husband was the first to see our firstborn roll over. Then it took nearly another week for me to see her complete the roll. He was also the first to see her stand and take her first steps. I was sure that with my second baby, since I'm a full-time mother this time, I would be the first to see her roll over. I was totally confident about this. I would be the one to witness the Great Roll and proclaim joyfully to my husband once he came home from work that she had rolled over. On Friday my mother-in-law came to watch the kids while my husband and I went out for coffee. (I know, you can be jealous) When we returned she proclaimed calmly and cheerfully that the baby had rolled over. What?! Are you kidding me?! I missed it again?? My thoughts ranged from happiness, to disappointment, to "well I guess we'll have to have another baby so I can be the first to watch it roll". (Sorry honey, that's just the way it's going to have to be.) Okay to be fair to myself, I was waiting for her to roll from back to stomach which she has not actually completed yet. Rolling from stomach to back is usually an accident anyway. (This is what I keep telling myself.)
Claire's anger propels her from stomach to back.
So you see, the Great Roll is so thrilling for parents because it's about time their babies actually started doing something. Up to this point, let's be honest, it's been a real snooze-fest. So while my second baby has not yet completed the greatest of the Great Rolls, it is sure to be around the corner. And you can be sure that when she does, I will broadcast it joyfully all over facebook. My fellow parents will no doubt share in the jubilation and you non-parents can just smile and nod.
