Feature Baby: Nate

We are very excited to celebrate our next feature baby - Nate!  We first met Nate and his parents in Mini Movers class when he was four month old.  He already loved tummy time, but was able to learn some other fun challenges when on his tummy and back.  By the time we saw him the next month in class, he was starting to get his hands free for sitting! After three months of Mini Movers classes, Nate was ready to take on a Master Movers series!  He started crawling, pulling up to stand, and cruising.  By the end, he was taking a few independent steps and had his first birthday!!  We really enjoyed getting to know Nate and his village.  We had the pleasure of seeing him, his parents, and many other family members along the way!  This little guy is thriving with all the love that surrounds him, and he loves to be the center of attention! 

“We love Babies On The Move! We started going to classes when Nathaniel was about 4 months old and we loved it ever since (he just celebrated his first birthday). Nate was already a tummy time champion, but as first time parents, we wanted to encourage his motor development further (while keeping it fun). Mini and Master Movers classes were exactly what we were looking for. Every class we learned something new - how do some advance tummy time, how to practice sitting, correctly position our son for standing and what muscles our LO is strengthening (just to mention a few). We learned all the different little things our son needed to master before moving to the next milestone. We were amazed to suddenly notice all the small movements that he was so tirelessly practicing - without us even realizing it!

Becca and Rachel always answered all of our questions and showed us what we can practice at home throughout the month. They always had some new fun excercise in mind, and it was always tailored specifically to Nate and his personality.

Most important, Nate had a great time every class as both Becca and Rachel are incredibly engaging and affectionate! We cannot recommend these classes enough! They eased us into the parenting learning curve and truly gave us a new perspective on our son’s development.

Thanks for having us and teaching us so much!

”

— Hanna & Erez Cohen (and Nate!)

Feature Baby: Nora

We are excited to announce our next feature baby -- Nora!  We first met Nora and her mother Johanna at Baby + Co's new mom's group.  She and Nora's father Vince signed her up for her first Mini Movers series when she was not yet 3 months old.  Nora became a pro at tummy time and was learning how to sit and take weight for standing during that three-month series.  She started her next series the following month, and soon had mastered sitting and became mobile on her tummy, switching over to Master Movers by the final class in that series!  She has a few more Master Movers classes under her belt now, and last time we saw her, she was crawling, pulling up to stand, and starting to stand without support!  It's only a matter of time before this little one is taking off walking independently!!  

Feature Baby: Charlie

This month, we are featuring our adorable friend Charlie! We first met Charlie and his parents, Ray and Ashley, in December 2016 when Charlie had just turned three months old. Charlie was a show off from the start, enjoying being on his tummy from that first Mini Movers class. They signed up for a Mini Movers series, and over the next three months, we watched Charlie progress in his rolling and sitting. Charlie was also a big 'talker' and always made sure that he was heard in class! :) 

Charlie moved up to the Master Movers class in May, and came with a whole new set of tricks!  He was crawling on his belly, pulling up to stand, and playing in standing. Over the new few Master Movers classes, Charlie perfected his squatting, standing with his feet flat, cruising between surfaces, and standing without support. He came to class in August ready to show off his newest feat - walking independently!  Charlie was so proud of himself and we were all so proud of him too!! He was also happy to show off his amazing throwing skills, which will hopefully serve him well in his future baseball career ;) It was such a pleasure having Charlie and his parents in our classes and having the opportunity to help them ensure that he had a strong foundation of motor development in the first year!

“We’ve had so much fun at Babies on the MOVE (Charlie’s “Workout Class” as we call it)! Through both Mini Movers and Master Movers, it’s been great getting tips on helping Charlie learn his next new skill. As he’s gone from rolling over to sitting to crawling to almost-walking, we’ve loved learning about all of the little steps between the major milestones that babies learn and practice in order to move on to the next big one (e.g. standing on his tip-toes means strengthening those calf muscles for walking!). Being able to recognize those little things that he was working on made playtime that much more fun at home. As first-time parents, we had no idea about all of the little progressions that would eventually build up to him taking his first steps. Having Becca and Rachel point out what Charlie was trying to do, and give us tips on how we could help him, has allowed us to contribute to his development in ways we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. Thank you!”

— Ray and Ashley Sweeney

Feature Baby: Asher

Time to feature another one of the adorable babies we have met in classes, and this time it is Asher!  We first met Asher and his awesome mom, Ali, at the Baby + Co new mom's group.  They started attending Babies On The MOVE classes when Asher was 4.5 months old, with the Mini Movers series.  Unlike some babies, Asher has been a fan of tummy time from early on.  He progressed quickly to crawling, and switched over to the Master Movers class when he was 6.5 months old.  All that tummy time he did early on, in combination with his strong curiosity and desire to explore, built the foundation to be an early crawler!  In classes, Asher was never one to sit on the sidelines.  He loved to check everything out and get into the mix with all the other babies!  After a few more Master Movers classes, Asher was pulling up, cruising, and starting to stand without holding on!  We were excited to hear, but not a bit surprised, that this little adventurer was walking well before his first birthday!  This month we wish a Happy Birthday to Asher and good luck to Ali in keeping up with this adorable & active baby on the move!!!

“I love Babies on the Move! I have been going since my son was 4.5 months old and have learned a bunch about how to help my son progress in a healthy way, felt well supported in challenges and enjoyed meeting other moms, dads and babies :) It’s definitely worth attending at least once!”

— Ali, mom of Asher

Feature Baby: Rose

It is our pleasure to feature another one of our adorable friends, Rose!  We first met Rose and her parents Katie and Bradley in Master Movers class when she was six months old.  She was sitting and learning how to pivot on her tummy at the time. The next month, they signed up for the Master Movers three-month series.  Over the series, Rose learned how to get up on her hands and knees, crawl, and pull up to stand!  Her nanny, Elizabeth, also joined in the classes some times to learn the same things her parents were learning about how to play with Rose to encourage her motor development.  They signed up for the next three-month series, and during that series, she went from taking a couple steps to taking off walking everywhere!  It has been such a delight to have Rose and her family in classes!  She is truly a special little girl with such a sweet and joyful spirit.  In her last class with us, she brought toys to the other babies and gave them hugs & kisses - such a sweetie!  We will miss having you in classes and wish your parents the best of luck in chasing you around now that you are really On The MOVE!  

“I’m so happy that I found Babies on the Move via a Mommy Facebook group. Being a new mom in a new city I was searching for a class that would be fun for Rose, educational for me, and provide an opportunity for socializing. Babies on the Move fit that bill perfectly. Becca and Rachel are very informative, welcoming, calm, cool, and collected. We always walked away from each class with 2-3 tips on how to help Rose develop her skills. It was reassuring knowing that we were right on track and it eased our minds if anything concerning came up Becca and Rachel were right there to support us. We encourage all parents to consider taking advantage of their expertise and provide some fun for their little ones. ”

— Katie, Rose's mother

Feature Baby: Dottie

We are very excited to announce the next feature baby, Dottie!  

Dottie and her mom Sarah started coming to Babies On The MOVE Mini Movers classes in July 2016, when she was three months old.  Sarah works really close to Open Arts Studio in Morrisville where our monthly classes are held and is able to bring Dottie to work with her, so our classes were super-convenient for them to come almost every month!  Here are some early tummy time pics that show how determined this little one was to move from early on!

They switched over to Master Movers classes in November when Dottie was turning 7 months old, could sit well by herself, and was ready for a new challenge!  While attending Master Movers classes, Dottie learned how to move out of sitting by going over each side, get on to hands and knees, creep, pull up to stand, squat to pick up toys, and walk holding on to furniture!  In March 2017, at 11 months old, she came to class and showed off her cool new trick --- Taking steps all by herself!!!  We are excited for their family on this next chapter in their lives and thank them for sharing the first year with us!  We look forward to having them stop by the studio every so often to see what she's up to along the way!

“As first time parents, we wanted to start our child off on the right foot (GROAN). We weren’t quite sure how to encourage Dottie to move correctly. We questioned if we were picking her up, positioning her, and playing with her in ways that ensured that we were helping, not harming. Becca and Rachel were really great at identifying milestones and suggesting methods to help Dottie flourish.”

— Sarah, Dottie's mother

Feature Baby: Sydney

This month we are featuring our adorable little friend Sydney!  We first met Sydney in September when she was almost four months old.  At that point, she was comfortable doing some tummy time, but we showed her parents Danielle and Matt ways to make it a little easier by getting her weight back off her chest a bit.  We also showed them how to help her roll over and support her in sitting with good alignment.  After their first Babies On The MOVE class, they signed up for a three-month series of classes.  At her next class, we could see how much stronger Sydney was getting!  She was doing really well on her tummy, propping on her arms and lifting them up off the floor.  Not only could she lift her head really well on her tummy, but she was also lifting it really well when she was lying on her sides and when she was lying on her back!  Her parents held her in sitting with great alignment, just as they had learned in class.  At the class the following month, she was able to sit without them holding on to her, just being there for when she lost her balance!  We taught her parents things to encourage when she was on her tummy to help her work towards crawling.  In the last class of their three class series, Sydney was starting to move onto her tummy from sitting all by herself!  She had good balance when her parents held her supported in standing, using techniques we taught them to keep her from going up on her toes.  Sydney was also starting to move towards getting on her hands and knees by moving over the sides is sitting.  By the time we saw Sydney next, she was crawling all over and pulling up to standing on furniture!  We gave her parents ideas of things to help her be more stable on her feet and get her on her way to walking.  We can't believe this sweet little girl is going to be walking all over the place in the next few months!       

“Babies on the Move has been such a great experience for our family. Sydney is our first child and I’m sure as most first time parents we fly by the seat of our pants. Even with my ABA background and understanding of developmental milestones, I was in uncharted territory when it came to helping Sydney with her motor development. Rebecca and Rachel do such a great job, explaining and training the parents on how to help their children develop their mobility while having fun at the same time. Each month Sydney seemed to be emerging into the next motor milestone, and after going to class and working with Rebecca and Rachel she developed more confidence in her ability to meet those milestones. It was just incredible to see. They also helped my husband and I feel more confident and capable with our ability to help Sydney grow. We would recommend these classes to every parent, first time or veterans!”

— Sydney's mom Danielle

Feature Baby: Willa

It is time to feature another one of our little friends, and this month it is Willa!

Willa and her mother Hillary started attending Babies On The MOVE classes in July as a part of the summer series.  She was nearly nine months old when she started to attend classes.  Willa is an extremely observant little lady.  She enjoyed sitting and watching the other babies and parents, but she was not overly eager to move in that first class.  Some babies are movement motivated while others prefer to observe and take it all in.  During that first three-month series, Willa started to move from sitting to her hands and knees!  In October, they started another three-month series of classes.  That first month, Willa had learned how to sit up from the floor by herself and pivot in a circle when she was sitting.  The next month she was crawling on her hands and knees and pulling up to stand!  This month she started standing for a few seconds without holding on to anything!  It has been so rewarding to watch her go from the baby who is happy to watch everyone else into the baby who wants to be a part of the action!  We have really enjoyed getting to know Willa and Hillary and are excited to have them join us for another series in the New Year!  Here is what Hillary had to say about attending BOTM classes:

"As a first time mother, what brought me to Babies On The MOVE was a desire to learn how to play with my child in a way that encouraged development of her gross motor skills, but was also a fun way to set a precedent for learning together. Willa started rolling over at 5 months and sitting up at 8 months, but by 9 months she still wasn't crawling while many of her peers were standing, or even walking. She was extremely observant, but didn't really seem very motivated to actively participate in play. At 9 months we attended our first BOTM session and Willa had a blast. She enjoyed interacting with her classmates which was wonderful to see, and I felt more at ease about Willa's development after talking to Becca, Rachel, and the other parents. By the end of the first series Willa was starting to crawl and was feeling much more confident in her movement, so we signed up for another series. They did an assessment and felt that Willa's hips seemed to need strengthening, so they recommended a pair of special shorts that would help. They absolutely did, and after wearing them for a few weeks Willa stood for the first time on her own. Willa still has a way to go before walking on her own, but she loves coming to class, continues to progress, and seems a little more brave after each session. We plan on signing up for another series as Willa continues to strengthen her skills. We are grateful to Becca and Rachel for their insight and warmth and for offering an environment for parents like myself to learn from experts in their field. It has a been a wonderful experience for our family".         

Feature Baby: Jane Marie

It's time to showcase another one of our adorable babies!  This time, we want to highlight the journey of Jane Marie.  

Jane was born at 34 weeks growth restricted.  She was a tiny 4 pounds and stayed in the NICU for 3 weeks until she was able to go home.  Her parents, Kenneth and Deanna, were prepared for her to develop at a slower rate than her peers and were told that there was a possibility that she would need Physical Therapy.  They were proactive and signed up for our MINI MOVERS series of classes then continued on with MASTER MOVERS classes as she grew.  At the first class, she did a great job with tummy time, but her parents were concerned that she was not able to roll from her tummy to her back yet.  One month later, she was lifting her head to help with rolling and sitting well with support, but her parents were concerned that she was still not rolling and she was not sitting up by herself.  Despite their concerns, they knew that Jane's determined spirit would help her get where she needed to be developmentally.  Then, Jane had an explosion of growth and development where she learned how to roll over, sit by herself, and crawl!  We were very impressed with how great Jane's motor skills looked!  She was no longer moving along her own curve, she was a true MASTER MOVER!  Jane was able to avoid needing Physical Therapy and is a thriving, active little MOVER!    

We asked Deanna and Kenneth to share their experiences with Babies On The MOVE classes, and here's what they had to say:

"Becca and Rachel were so helpful in helping me feel secure in Jane's development and they assured me that I was doing the right things.  I asked questions about how to encourage her to roll.  I was taught how to help her sit up from a side position.  Becca and Rachel assured me that we didn't need to purchase expensive equipment or toys, but that Jane was on her own time table.  Babies On The MOVE helps us to know what to expect developmentally and gives Jane time to interact with others who are near her age."  

- Deanna

"As a first-time father, I wanted to be informed and feel comfortable about my own parenting. I knew that Jane would develop fairly well, and the pediatrician was confident about Jane's growth also. Attending some of the MINI MOVER classes was a great way to become more informed, dispel myths, and socialize with Jane and other parents. Rachel and Becca were welcoming of having a father in the group, and never created confusion or left unanswered questions. I'm also very pleased that having the added consult helped Deanna and I sort through motor development without feeling overwhelmed or guilty. Jane has made appropriate progress, and seems very happy when she succeeds at practicing movement. I feel it was an overall great socialization for the family and good information to develop our parenting."  

- Kenneth

Thank you Deanna and Kenneth for sharing your experiences.  We have a passion for helping parents confidently guide their children on the path of early movement success!  We have enjoyed watching Jane blossom into the active little girl that she is and can't wait to see her taking her first steps!!

Feature Baby: Caleb

We at Babies On The MOVE decided that we need to showcase these beautiful babies that are attending our classes as they grow and develop into expert movers!  We are delighted to introduce you all to Caleb, our first feature baby!  Caleb and his mother, Erin, have been attending our classes since our very first class in March 2016 when he was almost 5 months old.  At that first class, Erin shared with us that she did not have any experience with babies before becoming a mom.   In our classes, we provide ideas, tips, and hands-on practice of ways to position and play with your baby to promote their motor development.  Our goal is to increase parents' confidence with handling their baby in this way.  After that first class, Erin and Caleb signed up for a 3-class series.  On his first of three classes, Caleb was already starting to roll and move around on his tummy!  At the second class, he was sitting and starting to get up on his hands and knees and pull himself up to standing!  By the third class, he was crawling over things and cruising (taking steps holding on to furniture)!  It never ceases to amaze me how fast babies grow and change!  Here is a shot of Caleb on the move at one of our classes:

 I asked Erin if she would be willing to share her experience with attending the Babies On The MOVE classes, and here is what she had to say:

"I was so excited to see in my local moms group that two physical therapists were offering a ‘Babies on the Move’ class.  As a first time mom I had tons of questions about my babies mobility and fears that he wouldn’t hit milestones in development.  Like most babies, my son hated tummy time.  After going to the first class, I learned that there are different ways to incorporate tummy time besides the traditional laying your baby on a play mat and listening to them cry. I learned how important it is for a baby to build a strong core.  I returned to the next class and my son was already starting to roll over.  Rachel and Rebecca taught me how to help my son roll if he got stuck half way through.  The next class my son was already starting to sit up so I learned how to place some of the larger toys I had that made noise on the floor so I could sit him in front of them and he could lean in and reach for things.  I really think that this class changed things for my baby.  He loved sitting and playing with his activity center and 2-3 weeks after this class he was literally on the move…he started to crawl.  I feel like the 4 classes I attended put him ahead of the curve, at 9 months and 6 days he is standing and walking with very little assistance.  I am so appreciative for everything I learned and highly recommend these classes."    

Thank you so much for your kind words Erin!  We absolutely love teaching these classes, and it is because of the amazing parents and their sweet little babies that we get to work with!  Also big thanks for sharing more 'On the MOVE' pics of Caleb at home!  We are so proud of you and your little mover!!  Enjoy chasing him around ;)