Walking on Sunshine

In the long list of accomplishments and milestones of babyhood, a child’s first steps mark the transition from infant to toddler. The baby that yesterday could only crawl can now reach new heights, literally. In our house it’s an almost weekly assessment as to how far onto the countertop a new walker can reach in our ever vigilant quest to keep danger out of little hands.

Bethany has made the transition. It started right after Christmas when we saw her take her first steps in our kitchen. No cruising, no hesitation, just two little free-hand steps and a giggle of delight. Then nothing for weeks. Crawling was faster and easier. She could chase the boys and they could chase her. No one could push her over, and she had become adept at holding things in her mouth for transport like a cat carrying her kitten. If she really wanted to use her legs to move, Bethany would carefully and deliberately plant her feet, stand up, and pump her little legs up and down to dance to whatever music was playing. Sometimes she ended up back on her diaper-padded bottom, and sometimes not, but always smiling with delight at her ability to move her body in such a joyful way. Then in late January, she tried walking again. A few steps one day. A few more the next. A very little distance, then a little more and a little faster. She used everything from her arms to her toes to maintain her balance. In the last week, Bethany has walked more and crawled less each day. Her knees are still shaky and her balance is still a little tentative, but she is upright and proud of her accomplishment. Now she carries things in her hands that she couldn’t carry in her mouth. Now she can pull her sippy cup off the table or endlessly climb in and out of her rocking chair. Standing and walking have opened up new vistas.

I’ll miss her baby crawl. Her right leg tucked under her and her left leg propelling her forward with her arms pulling. The faster she’d go, the more likely there would be a little frog-like hop added at the end of each stroke for good measure. I’d like to remind her not to grow up too fast; being a grown up is overrated. For now we’ll just celebrate the bitter sweet success of yet another baby milestone conquered.