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What to expect from an 8 month old (tango) baby

I just passed the 8th month mark of my tango life. If I were an 8 month old baby, this is how my world would look:

Some of the major milestones for the 8 month old include:

* Crawling backward and forward. (Well it certainly can feel like crawling. Trying to walk while remembering to tighten my core, relax my hips, stay in line with my feet, lower my shoulders and breathe . . and of course, relax.)

* Babbling and recognizing some words. (My painful attempts at castellano.)

* Loving to imitate people they know. (helloooooo YouTube!)

* Being very curious, and exploring everything. (Classes, workshops, books, practicas. If only I could give up sleeping and eating, I would have more time for tango! Also, see above: YouTube.)

* Being frightened by new experiences, new people, and being upset when left behind. (oh yes....tango anxiety. The internal dialogue of: why can't I remember to collect! Why didn't so-and-so ask me to dance? What if no one asks me to dance? What if someone new asks me to dance?)


"Baby may sit up on her own for longer periods. Baby can reach for things without falling because she doesn't need to prop herself up with her hands. Baby's neck and back are getting stronger, so she sits up straighter, too."


Well, my back and neck certainly seem stronger . . . And I'm still working on that "reaching for a high shelf" posture reminder. As far as reaching for things without falling . . well, all I can say is that if I do fall, I try to do it in time to the music.
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Comments

AlexTangoFuego said…
"reaching for a high shelf whilst remaining grounded" posture...nearly impossible to teach and actively learn...but it will come...in time...
October 26, 2009 at 9:34 AM
Frances R said…
Not bad at all. I remember, at my 8 months , I was comparing myself to an 8 months embryo, not a baby :)
October 26, 2009 at 2:42 PM
Mari said…
Alex - thanks for the encouragement. I think that's going to be a "work on that the rest of my life" kind of thing.

Frances - I definitely have days (weeks? months?) where I feel like a newborn, capable of only two things, gibbering and falling on the floor. :)
October 27, 2009 at 6:48 AM
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