She's Kind of a Big Deal

A few weeks ago, Sylvia starting taking her first sweet steps.  In the early days, it was shaky at best.  Sylvain and I felt like we had to bubble our arms around her to catch her at any given moment.  She fell a lot.  And she cried a lot.  But in the last couple of days, she's really figured this walking thing out!

I could write a book about my crazy teacher brain and the way I've been handling this walking milestone.  I'm constantly questioning myself.  Should I leave her alone?  Should I help her?  Should I model it for her?  Should I let her bust her lip open on the hardwood floor?  Should I pretend like it's no big deal, or should I shriek and clap my hands wildly with every step?  (I'm a shrieker and a clapper, by the way, in case you didn't know that already.  No wonder this girl has developed a monumental Pterodactyl Battle Cry.  She gets it from her mother.)

So tonight, while Sylvain was cooking dinner and Sylvia and I were playing/practicing, I busted out the video camera because I knew that this phase of learning would not last long.  Soon enough she'll be running around like a wild woman, shrieking and pointing and moving on to the next big phase in her life.  Here she is, in all of her walking glory!

 


If you listen, you'll hear me gasp around 0:16, and I feel like I have to explain myself.  I gasped for three reasons.  1) Just yesterday she figured out how to stand up by herself from a sitting or crawling position,  2) She's walking by herself on the hardwood floor, which has never happened, and 3) She's not walking toward anyone in particular, she's just WALKING.  Because she wants to walk.  At first I thought she was trying to find Daddy, but when she turns the corner, she walks right past him!  Ahhh, my sweet girl.  You are a freaking genius.  Sure, sure, all kids walk eventually.  But seriously.  Your mind amazes me!

P.S.  I don't know why YouTube randomly chooses a frame to freeze while you're waiting to push play on the video, and maybe the frame you see is different than the one I see.  But the one it chose for me is the one where she's entering the kitchen and her right foot is held up in the air, all weebly wobbly!  I wish I could figure out how to turn this into a photo.  Because I'd frame that sucker and hang it on a wall!