Walker, Toddler Ranger

My husband was pretty worried that he'd miss Margot's first steps.

Unlike Drew who started walking (or really, running like a newborn calf who just discovered he has legs but doesn't give a shit and is going to run anyway) the day he turned 10 months, it seemed as though Margot would be following in Quinlan's footsteps. Or is it knee steps?

Either way, there did not seem to be any need for concern that Margot would walk before he got back from Afghanistan.

Besides, walking is a highly overrated toddler milestone. Sure it's exciting to see your little baby take her first steps, as you clamor for your video camera with the hopes of catching those few magical moments before they decide that they'd prefer to crawl on everything except your steep concrete sidewalk. Then you realize that watching a young toddler walk is more like watching a drunk person fail a sobriety test and you find yourself googling "baby sized helmets," adding a direct number to the ER on their cell phone, and taking an extra "Mommy vitamin" every morning.

Apparently all she needed was something to hang onto and push, also known to most parents as a "push toy" that most children her age actually own and use but because I'm a self-proclaimed baby gear late adopter (seriously, just bought an umbrella stroller a year ago) and she's the third child, she's relegated to pushing non-wheeled kitchen chairs until I get the hint.

So I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised when I bought her a toddler stroller and she took off like a bat out of hell.

Whoops.

And then with all that extra practice standing up on her two feet, she decided she could do it all on her very own.

Uh oh.

Needless to say, that's been the extent of the use of her two feet for anything but barely keeping socks and shoes on, and kicking me in the gut while I'm nursing her.

So when my husband told me that she took a few steps yesterday while I was gone - for the few hours that I've been away from her for the last 45 days or so - I didn't believe him.

"She walked????" I shrieked.

"Oh yeah," he said, nonchalantly. "She was just holding onto the table and she took a few steps towards me."

"But like on her own?"

I was still skeptical because if there was something my ridiculously honest to a fault husband was going to lie about it was going to be about our daughter walking.

But then she did it again yesterday morning.

Even so, I admit that I was pretty bummed to have missed it.

But then I realized that since my husband missed out on so much over the last couple of months, I should be glad for him that he was able to be the first one to witness Margot's entrance into the world of the walking. 

I know, I know. It's very Mother Theresa of me.

But really, I'm just pretty damn thankful that she didn't decide to hit the ground running while he was gone.

Comments

[Caroline]

Go go Miss Margot!

Our 11-month-old daughter just discovered her push-toy, and she does this weird semi-walking thing with it. She pushes it until she's almost falling over, then her legs finally follow suit. It's kinda like watching a little old lady with a walker...

I tell her she can stop growing up so fast, please... but she won't listen. I suppose I should get used to it, huh? :P

[Pregnancy Forums]

Great pictures :)

[amanda]

Sweet serendipity.

[Barbara]

Our littlest is threatening to be a walker soon. He's 11 months. Jerk.

I'm for the 16 month walker that my 3rd was. She could get around fine without walking, but she could reach stuff once she could walk. I hate it when they can reach stuff.

[Toot Sweet]

Yahoo, that is so great. I am getting Chloe one of those push wagons for Christmas, she will be 9 months. I am hoping it will help her get on the move.

[Meredith]

Awww way to go Margot! And it is sweet that Daddy got to be the witness this time. Also, Margot's smile? Pure sunshine.

I can relate to the missing it part. When my oldest rolled over for the first time my mom videotaped it and emailed it to me at work. Not how I'd pictured seeing that milestone.

[Bella]

That link to the vitamin story? FREAKING fantastic! And I know it's not about me, but two HUGE things resonated with me: (1) trying to encourage/support/offer a "first" for the huz when he so rarely gets them and (2) I TOTALLY missed one of my boys' first time walking when I went on my FIRST (!!!) business trip (for TWO days). I know my husband TRIED to hide the gloating, but is SO did NOT work...

[Karen]

I don't think it's possible to be any more adorable. Love the pics :-) ..and you're a riot! Was very happy to hear your husband is home again safe.

[Kim]

Woo hoo for Margo! And very Mother Theresa of you indeed. Since your hubby has kindly served our country, I suppose he can be forgiven for breaking the unwritten rule: NEVER TELL A MOTHER SHE MISSED SOMETHING, ESPECIALLY THE FIRST STEPS! It is proper etiquette to instead act completely surprised and shocked when it happens for the "first" time with mom present. My husband and I took a trip right after our son's first birthday, and I told my dad and stepmom to "Kick him down!" if he tried to walk while we were gone. My stepmom knew I wasn't kidding.

[Kitty @ katscradle]

Aw!!! She is so precious

[Procrastamom]

Why did that last picture mysteriously tug at my uterus? Seriously, I haven't had a new-walker in my house for 10+ years and NOW my body suddenly has baby cravings? I need to go home and watch some old home movies and have a good cry/squee over my own now grown toddlers....obviously.

[julie@MommySaidWhat?]

Ridiculously honest to a fault? Is there such a thing?

And as my kids would say to M, "Bravo!"

[Asianmommy]

Yay, Margo!

[Secretia]

What adorable pictures. It's a special time for you.

[muskrat]

Good! We're still waiting on our little boy to walk, and he's >1 year old. I missed the girl's steps while in Iraq.

[Karen Chatters]

EVERY TIME I bust out that damn video camera, Courtney gets down on her knees and crawls. It's like she's taunting me with the walking.

That's awesome that your husband got to see her walk for the first time! And OF COURSE you weren't home. You'd probably been out of the house for 3 minutes when she ran to the window to see where you'd gone.