Micro Milestones

Before Matthew, I had no idea that children's major developmental milestones were comprised of many micro-milestones.  I guess I hadn't ever thought about it, because all though it is likely that every child has to go through the micro-milestones to get to the major ones, they do them for a very short period of time.  

I remember Alyssa and Jackson cruising (walking holding on to furniture), then standing independently, then walking.  I'm learning that even those seemingly interim steps to walking are predicated by more micro-milestones, like putting pressure on the legs, getting on 'tall knees', learning to stand by putting nose over toes, supported standing, learning to shift balance, etc.  I'm sure Alyssa and Jackson had to hit these micro-milestones before they walked, but I didn't notice because they did them for a day or maybe a week.  I notice with Matthew because he does them for weeks, maybe months.  He is making steady progress, hitting micro-milestones consistently, but the major milestones are a slow struggle. 

Matthew on 'tall knees', a step toward walking.

Just this morning, for the first time,
we found Mattie standing in his crib.
Guess he's figured out "nose over toes".