Flopping Baby

What makes toddlers think that it's a good idea to arch the back and fling their bodies backwards when they're mad? Certainly if someone is there to catch the flopping baby before she smacks her head on the ground then it can be quite dramatic and a great way to get Mom's or Dad's attention. But it's also a great way to get a headache if Mom or Dad don't move fast enough.

I admit that I laugh when Anna flings herself back onto my robe or an extra soft blanket and then snuggles down into it. It's a little bit less cute when she tilts her head and shoulders and knocks her head against the wall repeatedly and downright annoying when she does that against my collar bone. Lucky for me, I haven't caught a flopping Anna with my face yet and lucky for her, she hasn't flopped back onto the tile or the hardwood floor yet.

She especially loves to flop when I'm trying to lay her down and change her diaper, so she's already closer to the floor and often gets a bump on the head that results in even more crying. And I'm still waiting for the day when she "successfully" flings herself out of my arms and is temporarily airborne. I'm hoping she can learn about gravity a different way.