Tuesday, June 1, 2010

WALKING

Late Friday afternoon, Helen Grace and I were in the dining room. Helen Grace had been playing with the plantation shutters (open, close, open, close) and had crawled over to the dining room table. I was sitting next to her. She pulled up on the table, turned to me, and TOOK A STEP. It was just one, but she took the full cycle of a step. If you know me well, you know that since her birth, I have been almost sick at the thought of missing this moment. I have gone as far as to tell my family members that if they see her start to take a step, they ought to push her down and not let her do it until I get there…and I’m only half kidding! So witnessing this precious moment was just an answer to prayers and a huge relief.

Saturday morning, the day of her big birthday party, the three of us were sitting in the den. I had moved the chairs from the dining room into the den for more sitting room during the party, and the chairs were lined up in front of the fire place. Helen Grace was standing at the ottoman, and she looked over at the chair to find Rebel sitting on one…and she took two and a half steps over to him!!! Both of us got to see her first real walk, and we freaked out! Such a fun moment!

After Helen Grace’s party, ‘Auntie Em’ spent the night with us. We got comfy and got down in the den floor with HG to practice and see if she would do it again. Sure enough, Em could hold her lovie a few feet in front of her face, and Helen Grace would walk almost anywhere after it. She took as many as 6 or 7 steps at a time. We are just flabbergasted. She continues to get stronger and more confident by the day, and over the weekend, she will often take off on her own for something she has dropped or when she sees a toy she wants. We are not urgently trying to find a baby gate to guard the stairs! Enjoy the video!

Also, my dad captured our singing Happy Birthday to Helen Grace and her smearing icing all over herself and her high chair. We had such a good time!

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