The BIG Milestone: We are Walking

Baby's First Steps. It sounds so exciting, right? Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to minimize things - it is just complicated. To a working parent, it can come with many mixed emotions. We have really been looking forward to Elyse's first steps, but also dreading we'd miss it. Fortunately, like every baby milestone - it just doesn't happen in one day. Deep down I knew that, but our Mama/Daddy guilt sometimes really can get in the way. Walking - like rolling over, sitting up, crawling, etc. is really a process.

I do feel like it was an answer to prayer that my week off in CA coincided with her big build-up to walking. Bill and I saw the progression before we left - standing on her own and becoming more and more confident in her creeping and cruising. During my trip, I saw her take a couple steps, but it was more an unassisted step or to from the couch to another chair, for instance. They were steps, and definitely exciting, but I wasn't ready to define it was walking. Particularly, when we were away from home (and Bill). There was no way I was going to call and tell him. I returned home on my birthday, Saturday, August 6 and I would say over those next few days and week is when the real "walking" evolved. It couldn't have happened more perfectly. It was fun to watch the progression with my girlfriends, but I got to be home with my husband and watch as our daughter's tentative steps turned into real walking. She was an official walker about a week before her eleventh month. Big girl!

My most significant memory in terms of her walking was Tuesday, August 9. I had a horrendous day back to work. I came home after the long day and when my sweet girl saw me she lit up with the brightest smile and walked straight toward me. It was the first time she had ever done that. Everything that had happened that day just melted away in that single moment.
This video was shot a couple of days ago. She had been "helping" Daddy water the plants (equating to stomping and sitting in the puddles and pulling the leaves off the plants). She was happily showing off her walking skills. She was soaking wet, but enjoying every minute. I apologize the video is a little shaky - I think something is wrong my with Flip video camera!