E is having a much needed nap, after a traumatic event - and I'm just sat here, fighting back the tears.

She's trying so hard to crawl. She's desperate to. It makes her so, so frustrated that she just can't do it. I hate seeing her struggle and I have to push any thoughts that it's my fault she isn't crawling at 9 months - I let her spend too much time in the Jumperoo, I frequently cut tummy time short because she hated it - out of my head. Thoughts like this, while probably true, are not helpful, I get it.

But earlier today, we were up in the play room and she she was trying so, so hard. I was trying to encourage her by putting a plastic stacking cup just out of her reach and putting my arm behind her feet so she could push off. Well, she launched forward and landed, face first, on the upturned bottom of the stacking cup (it has a thin ridge bit running around it to enable it to be stacked into a tower). She was hysterical and has a huge red mark on her face, by her eye. Oh God, her poor sad face crying.... it hurts my heart to recall it.

Please tell me she will get the hang of it soon and that I'm not the crappiest mum in the world for hurting my baby because I pushed her too hard (after not giving her the opportunities she needed to get there in the first place). I don't care if she doesn't crawl until she's ten but she does, she is so frustrated.... I want it for her

Ugh! I'm a mess now!! My poor sad baby.