The Toddler Toddles

I'd love to declare, "We have a Walker!" but we've watched too many episodes of The Walking Dead in this house to be able to call her that, our little budle of life, joy and determination!

Steady...

Pretty much ever since she worked out at around three months during an angry moment that she can make her legs go stiff and stay upright that way, I've been trying to place bets on when she'd be walking, and that it would be earlier than her siblings who both found their balance at 13 months. "When she walks holding my hand it feels so super-light, she's supporting all that weight by herself, she only needs to believe in herself and let go... she'll be walking by then end of the summer / at 11 months / by her birthday!"
Ambitious momma, strong baby... and a strong baby that knows her own mind, her legs and what she wants to do with them!

...GO!

So, my sweet baby, you took your very first steps the week before your first birthday, at nursery, from your teacher to your mummy - where else would you want your first steps to take you?! We were so excited for you and the new 'functionality' of our baby but you weren't half as interested as Theo who would take every opportunity to try and make you walk, by holding and then launching you with a little push, to walk from here to there. Usually you'd just fall forward, and he'd be told off for the five millionth time in 13 months.

And then, just before you turned 13 months, and again at nursery, you chose to walk, one level up; you were playing in a little car on the floor in the middle of the room when I came in for your mid-morning cuddle. You pushed up without holding on to anything and just walked towards me, for a big big cuddle and lots of praise. At home you refused to demonstrate for another few days, until you were ready... aged 13 months and ONE day! Are you sure you didn't just hold back there to teach me not to place bets on your development, learning and skills?
And now you're walking and nothing is holding you back, not falling over backwards, not falling over forwards, and not faceplanting the floor - even when it's the ground in the park and you come back up with soil in your mouth that we then both wipe off your tongue and wash down with a quick drink of milk.
You have the sweetest little walk on you: Legs far apart, swaying from side to side. Your arms are held out at the sides, one straight, the other bent up at the elbow with your hand twirling as if you were turning an invisible wheel to make the legs go round or as if you were cheering yourself on, "Come on, girl, another step! And another!"
Other times you come towards me with your hands held close at the wrists, finger fanned out. I think you're saying, "See? See what I can do? Whoo-hee!" And, "You walking superstar, come here for a biq squishy cuddle," I say to you.

"See? See what I can do?"

Baby, you toddler, you rock! You also toddle, shake, wobble, dance, sway, fall, and get up again. I'd place a bet on how long it'll be before you walk away from mummy (not long), but I think you did successfully teach me not to! Your mummy is normally a bit slow learning her lessons and likes to make the same mistake at least three times before she remembers, but I'll save YOU betting on ME on this one, and make a real effort to make it stick.