Baby Steps

Since Jada's been getting sturdier on her own two feet, I've been
trying to help her learn how to stand all by herself, without holding
onto anything. I'll help her stand up straight, having her hold onto
my two index fingers, and then I'll let go.

At first, it was just a split-second before she would fall backward
onto her butt or forward into my arms. Then, this weekend, she
started being able to hold it for like two or three seconds. Sunday
evening one time, she held it for over ten seconds. At least I think
it was ten seconds; it felt like forever, as she cautiously steadied
herself and I cheered her on.

Since then, she had a few like that, one of which I think was about
fifteen seconds, before she would fall backward onto her butt or
forward into my arms. Yesterday afternoon, I stationed myself a
little further away from her, and then let go. She steadied herself,
straightened herself up a little . . . and then instead of falling
forward into me, she shuffled her feet forward and then fell into me!
We tried again, and again she took baby steps. First, one two fall,
then one two three four fall. Hardly the kind of sturdy gait you
might label "walking," but baby steps nonetheless.

Amy was on the phone when this happened, and by the time she came into
the room, Jada was too tired to repeat her performance. But later
that evening, she did it again with Amy there. And then a second
time. Amy gasped, and I asked, "Does this count as her first steps?"
She said, "I think so!" So excited were we that we tried to get her
to do it again, but she fell right back on her butt and seemed content
not being on her feet for a little bit.

On a totally related note, Jada fell asleep last night after only
three minutes of crying, as opposed to the fifteen to twenty she
usually puts in before settling in for the night. All this stepping,
apparently, had worn her out.