Touchpoints

Recently I have been reminded of T.B.Brazelton's theory of "Touchpoints" in development. Before a child has a growth spurt or develops a new skill, they often regress in another area, or have difficulties. Often, it is seen in their sleep habits. My kids follow this pattern like clockwork. I remember Augi waking in the night just to rock on her hands and knees just before she crawled. Before she walked, she wouldn't fall asleep until 10 pm, then she would wake at 3 a.m. and be ready for play. Well, now the M&M is doing the same thing. He has been tossing and turning all night for several nights now. He flips around like a fish out of water. Tonight I was still rocking him at 9:30. He wanted to practice blowing, rub my face, bang on the wall and hang on the headboard. I bet he will walk in the next week. All day today he has been taking one or two sideways steps without holding on to anything. He'll walk in about a week. You'll see. Then, we will get sleep again at our house until he starts talking...