Leo lacks the motivation to walk that Violet had as a baby.

[SarahBear]

Violet and Leo have two completely different ways of going about learning to get mobile. As a baby, Violet was able to support her weight from the time she was born and hardly crawled, but did it in order to get to something to pull up and cruise. Here's a picture of her at just shy of 4 months old:

She crawled at 7.5 months and started taking independent steps at 10.5 months.

Leo on the other hand was always very strong, but like most newborns, was not interested in supporting his weight on his legs. From a very early age, I could tell that he would crawl early. He ended up crawling before 6 months, although his front and back limbs weren't really coordinated with each other until 6 months. At that point, he took off quite quickly. He started pulling to stand prior to 7 months, but unlike Violet, he wasn't driven to walk which meant he ended up not pulling up to stand for a long time after his initial interest. At this point, he is almost 10 months old and barely cruising. I know some kids are barely starting to crawl at this age, but he was mobile prior to 6 months and his sister was starting to take independent steps at 10.5 months, so I thought he would at LEAST be cruising more than he is.

I'm wondering which way this is going to go. Will his lack of motivation mean that he just crawls a ton until he's ready to just take off walking a bit after a year old, or will he surprise me and start working on independent steps in the next month? Baby development is mysterious and amazing, so who knows! Talking is another milestone that may or may not happen before his birthday. Violet had said 3 words by her first birthday but didn't sign. So far, Leo has used 3 different signs, but has not continued to use them so much... We shall see when words pop up!

 

[HoneyBee144]

Sounds like they both have their own strengths, like you I find baby development amazing especially how they are all so different! Be interesting to see if Leo does cruise, sounds like he may go straight to walking.

My DS1 wanted to be on the move from an early age, he crawled at 7.5 months and cruised from 9 months, took steps independently from 11 months but didn't properly walk until a week before his first birthday. My DS2 only wanted to move from about 6 months, he's been walking holding our hands from about then. Just yesterday he's started taking steps independently (he's now 10 months) and is trying to walk. I can see him being properly walking by 11 months. However he flat out refuses to crawl and wont be on his tummy for more than 30 seconds without having a meltdown. Its crazy how different they are!

 

[lewood88]

Hey Hun, my 2 girls was completely different with development dd1 didn't walk t she was 18 months old and dd2 walked when she was 13 months old, I wouldn't worry Hun he will walk when he is ready just remember every child is different xx

 

[Zeri]

Each baby is so different. My DD seems to have an independent personality- she was anxious to walk on her own, feed, dress herself etc. By 11 months she was cruising well and on her way to walking by herself. My DS is 15 months and never really wanted to stand or support his weight much. He started to crawl on his hands and knees only at 13 months. Before that he was mostly sitting and scooting on his bum. He just started to stand on his own but barely cruises. I don't think he's going to walk before 16 months. My DD was more interested in doing things and I guess that motivation helped her walk earlier.

It's difficult to say which way your son will go. Maybe he might be comfortable crawling for now until his legs get strong enough to support his weight.

 

[SarahBear]

Each baby is so different. My DD seems to have an independent personality- she was anxious to walk on her own, feed, dress herself etc. By 11 months she was cruising well and on her way to walking by herself. My DS is 15 months and never really wanted to stand or support his weight much. He started to crawl on his hands and knees only at 13 months. Before that he was mostly sitting and scooting on his bum. He just started to stand on his own but barely cruises. I don't think he's going to walk before 16 months. My DD was more interested in doing things and I guess that motivation helped her walk earlier.

It's difficult to say which way your son will go. Maybe he might be comfortable crawling for now until his legs get strong enough to support his weight.

Oh, he's plenty strong enough to support his weight! He first pulled to stand at under 7 months. Then after he mastered it, he stopped for a couple weeks. Then he went back to it and has even stood for a second without support. He took a while before started trying to cruise and he CAN cruise now, but doesn't like to. He'll go a few steps if he has to but would rather be picked up or crawl. He does like to stand. He just doesn't like to cruise even though he's capable of it.

Also, although he's 50th percentile for his weight, his weight is only 5th percentile for his height, so he doesn't have much weight to lug around.

 

[Zeri]

Each baby is so different. My DD seems to have an independent personality- she was anxious to walk on her own, feed, dress herself etc. By 11 months she was cruising well and on her way to walking by herself. My DS is 15 months and never really wanted to stand or support his weight much. He started to crawl on his hands and knees only at 13 months. Before that he was mostly sitting and scooting on his bum. He just started to stand on his own but barely cruises. I don't think he's going to walk before 16 months. My DD was more interested in doing things and I guess that motivation helped her walk earlier.

It's difficult to say which way your son will go. Maybe he might be comfortable crawling for now until his legs get strong enough to support his weight.

Oh, he's plenty strong enough to support his weight! He first pulled to stand at under 7 months. Then after he mastered it, he stopped for a couple weeks. Then he went back to it and has even stood for a second without support. He took a while before started trying to cruise and he CAN cruise now, but doesn't like to. He'll go a few steps if he has to but would rather be picked up or crawl. He does like to stand. He just doesn't like to cruise even though he's capable of it.

Also, although he's 50th percentile for his weight, his weight is only 5th percentile for his height, so he doesn't have much weight to lug around.

Oh ok. Maybe he's quite happy crawling for now, then? Maybe it's a matter of personality, like you said - he may be more 'laid-back' about things than his sister. I wouldn't be too concerned....although I do understand the curiousity and excitement in wanting to see him actually take those first steps. I've been wanting my son to walk and talk more since FOREVER....lol! But he's taking his own sweet time. It's definitely been a lesson for me in patience and allowing him to do things at his own pace.

 

[CaptainMummy]

I love seeing my girls develop at their own pace, and how different they can be.

My dd2 was cruising and pushing a pushalong walker at 7 months. She never had any fear and was always (literally) launching herself into things. At 9 months exactly she started to stand unaided and the next say she was throwing herself off of furniture and taking steps. A few days later she was walking about.

My youngest, however, had always been alot more cautious. She too was cruising etc at 7m, was steadier and could stand unaided from 8 months. I was certain she would be walking before 9 months but she just never took those first steps. She wasnt confident enough and it wasnt until 9.5m that she finally took a few steps (was walking full time in 2 weeks)

They have been so different in some areas, it's crazy!

 

[ClairAye]

My kids were totally different. My first would push up on his legs from 5 weeks old, cruised at 7 months and walked a few days after turning 9 months old. However my second only started pulling up at 8 months and she's stand for a few seconds then sit, she was very lazy on her feet and preferred to crawl. She took her first steps at almost 13 months. However, my son was rubbish at hand-eye things and with his fine motor skills and speech but these were/are my daughter's strong points!