Toddlin'

Today you will get TWO whole posts, because I am so v. v. v. behind on life.The second will be coming just as soon as this baby goes down for her nap and I fold the 28 loads of laundry waiting for me.

I might be exaggerating.

BUT, you get two posts because as of yesterday morning, my baby is officially walking! I can't even believe it. I mean, I can. But, holy crap does it make her seem even less like a baby.

So here's the lowdown - girl has been pulling herself up and cruising around the furniture FOREVER. When she was eleven months, she started just standing up on her own, not holding onto anything or pulling herself up on anything. But, even time she would do it, she would just sort of look around with raised eyebrows as if to say, "Um, how did I get here?" and then she would slooooowly sink to the ground, where she would happily resume crawling about in her ridiculously fast pace.

She has been walking around holding our hands for like three months now? Longer maybe? She has been cruising behind her walking contraptions forEVER. And loving it. We thought for sure she would walk before a year, because girl was so happy running around behind all of her rolling, walking everything. She even started pushing ottomans and other items around like a walker. It was natural that she wash just going to let go and do it herself, right?

Wrong.

Every time we would leave her standing on her own and try to tempt her with other things to get her to move, she would just sit down and crawl towards it. So, a year came and went, still no walking. I decided to just let Ev "do her". I knew she would do it eventually, and clearly she was working it out in her head. You could see those little gears working, but every time it would seem as if she just arrived at a mental shrug and calculated that she could crawl faster to whatever she wanted. Which is true, so kudos to your logic, kiddo.

Yesterday morning, she was standing there, looking at me, and just started moving her feet. One little step, then she would sit down. Stand her back up, and again and again. One little foot movement, then down. I grabbed my camera.

Just in case.

Then she looked at me, stood up, and just walked over to me. 

LIKE IT WAS NO BIG THING.

Then I hugged her and cried and screamed "Good Job!" and all sorts of ridiculous mommy things. And she grinned at me and put her hand on my cheek as if to say, "Oh Mommy, I could have done this weeks and weeks ago, I just didn't feel like it."

Alrighty then baby girl. I got ya.

I sent Daddy the video at work and he was bummed that he had missed it, but that all vanished when he came home and she walked towards him. (I will try to upload the video later, but am SUPER embarrassed because I am screaming like a crazy person. Seriously.)

Today we have done so many laps around the house, her just walking beside me, holding my hand, occasionally letting go, and occasionally reaching up to make sure I am still there. No big deal.

So there it is, she flipped the switch, and is officially off on her own.

Evelyn Rae is thirteen months old and I am 15 weeks, 6 days along with Baby Ferris

...and I am so freaking proud and excited for her, and yet a little heartbroken at her being so grown up at the same time. Parenthood - the most thrilling and exciting bittersweet experience ever.