Clapping

Yesterday, William clapped his hands for the first time. He's been really close to clapping for a while. When he gets excited, he laughs and moves his arms like he's conducting an orchestra. More and more recently, he would get his arms going like that and end by clasping his hands together (it is cute). He also likes to make clapping noises by beating his hands against his high chair tray, against his chest when he not wearing a shirt (like a little gorilla), and against my arms or legs. Over the weekend a couple of times, he grabbed my hands and clapped them together, squealing with delight. I thought, he is so close to clapping! I tried to show him how it is done by clapping his hands together, but every time I tried that, he would squirrel his hands out if my grasp or ball them in to fists. I started clapping around him more frequently, when he did something cute or did a good job eating his food. He would get very serious and study my hands as I clapped.

And then yesterday, he just did it. After breakfast, while his hands were still messy, he giggled and clapped them together. It kind of startled him. He paused and got a little quiet. I wondered, did that really count as clapping? Just a few minutes later, I changed his diaper and then sat him down in his pack and play while I cleaned up. He clapped his hands together again and giggled. He did that a few more times during the day.

Today I wondered if he would forget all about clapping his hands or if he would keep doing it. Early this morning I got my answer. I'd put him in the pack and play while I cleaned up our breakfast mess, and when he saw me walk back into the room, he squealed and clapped. All throughout the day, he would look at me and giggle and start clapping. I gave him some cheerios and he clapped. I gave him some peaches and he clapped. I put him down on the floor and gave him a toy and he clapped. It's like I've got my own cheering section here.

I'd never really realized that clapping was a milestone that babies are supposed to reach until a couple of months ago when the yoga moms I hang out with started talking about their babies clapping. Will has been so late with all the other milestones that it is sometimes hard for me to be around other moms whose babies are doing the things they are supposed to be doing. I don't read books or look up stuff on the internet because I don't want to know all the things he is supposed to be doing now that he is not. I've done everything right, you know? I don't know why he is so slow. It worries me.

At least now he's clapping, so that's one less thing to worry about.