Baby Steps

People say, "My baby started walking at 11 months,"...or 14 months or 9 months, or whenever. It sounds almost as if the child just stood up and started walking one day. Of course, that is not what happens. It's a series of small accomplishments that happen day by day. It's nearly impossible to tell when the process starts. About a week and a half ago, we marked what we like to call Caterpillar Girl's first step.


She likes to pull herself into a standing position using my legs as support, as seen above. This particular day, she saw Daddy standing nearby and decided to make her way to him. She let go and took a step towards him. We're not sure if that foot even hit the ground before she toppled over, but it definitely marks her first attempt to propel forward on just her feet. Every day now she tries new positions and new acrobatics. She likes using her gym as a walker, like a little old lady.

She is particularly obsessed with trying to stand up from the middle now. She jackknifes her butt up, with hands and feet on the ground, a little like a downward dog for the yogis reading this. Then she tries to lift her entire torso into a standing position, usually unsuccessfully, but then she tries and tries again. Babies have different personalities, and I remember one mother remarking fondly of the time when her baby could sit up and would peacefully play with nearby toys while the mom worked around the house. I kept waiting for that day. However, Caterpillar Girl never stays in one stage for that long. She constantly strives toward next stage. So when did she start to walk? The actual first hands-free steps are still months away I think, but she's already taking the baby steps to reach that point.