Liam, Kieran, and I were on the front porch tonight untangling some wind chimes. I was sitting on the porch with Kieran standing next to me holding my shoulder for balance. He’s been doing this stand-’n'-grab, along with the full-scale cruising moves for weeks now, so I wasn’t paying that much attention to him. Then, just as easy as you please, Kieran let go of my shoulder and took two independent steps by himself before grabbing a table for support.
I started cheering, Liam joined in, and Kevin came down the stairs to see what the commotion was about. Today is Kevin’s 40th birthday, and it is as if those steps were Kiri’s big present to his Daddy on a milestone birthday. Kevin was a bit miffed that he missed the steps, but he’s going to get to see lots of them soon. And there’ll be a second hand to grab onto when crossing streets and parking lots. What a great feeling - two little warm hands to hold, love, and encourage. Happy Fourtieth, Kevin!
I’ve had a realization of my own, too. I guess things are different with the second child because the first thing that went through my head was, “Don’t walk too close to the steps!” Then I did a double-take and my thought changed to, “Oh, wait, he’s not walking yet. Wait… yes he is! Those were his first steps, right here on the porch!” When this happened with Liam, I’d been waiting for steps for seemingly forever with baited breath, encouraging him frequently, and despairing when he was 14 months and not walking. Kieran, on the other hand, at 14 months, started walking and it took me a minute to realize we had just climbed one of the big childhood milestones. And to realize I’m not fretting every little thing with him the way I did with Liam. I hadn’t even been worrying about another late walker because I was too busy having fun with the boys. And that realization is a pretty darn big parenting milestone, too.
It’s been a wonderful day!
I’m not in any big rush to have Ally grow up either. Cograts to Kiri for those first steps, though! It won’t be long before you have two little boys running wildy around the house.
Yay Kiri!! It definitely is different with the second one! Watch out Liam, he’s going to be moving faster soon to get to all of your toys
Go Kiri! And Happy Birthday, Kevin!
Yay, Kiri!! Way to go.
Yeah for the first steps!!!
Congratulate Kiri for us! I wonder if Violet will be less upset by him trying to play with her now, since he’ll seem less like a baby to her, or if she’ll just view the walking as a way for him to get to her toy faster.
Lisa (who thinks it’s may be her first time posting on the wordpress blog, but even with a different username, you probably know who I am…)
oh wow how wonderful.
i am amazed at how independent of me our babiest baby is. the other kids even taught him to read lol. but that’s a beautiful thing too, i love it that we’re all so intertwined.
huge happy birthday balloons for kevin, huge and loudest cheering for the walking-boy.
fantastic news
and go mommy on the super-untangling!!
mwah X
very exciting- yay for first steps!
Yay for first steps! So exciting!
We have late walkers, too. As you know, Zen is 15 mo. She’s been “walking” for weeks, but won’t let go of hands or furniture. This week, though, she’s starting to go half a room on her own but then she crawls or cruises the rest of the day.