As Lyla approached her first birthday, she began experimenting with a little skill we all call walking.
Within a month, she had definitely moved into the ‘toddler’ category, as she was toddling all around the house choosing to walk more often than not.
On Christmas Day she was walking all over my in-law’s house. One of her favorite activities was to remove all the fake votive candles from the candelabra on the coffee table in their living room, then remove the votive jars, then put the candles back on the candelabra. Or on the table. Or the floor.
During the holiday celebration, Lyla sat with Jason’s mom, Gale while we opened gifts. She kind of got the idea of unwrapping but she wasn’t totally sure. By next year she’ll probably unwrap just like I do… as if her hair is on fire and inside the paper is a jug of water.
And that’s probably about the longest she’s stayed in one place since.
We’ve baby proofed our family room and living room, but, not the entire house because we gated the family room. Lyla, however, doesn’t always want to in the gated community so she’ll grab my fingers and get very annoyed if I don’t walk with her out of the family room to the freedom of the rest of our house.
I was excited for her to start walking. I envisioned it happening in one fell swoop. One day she would just stand up and walk across the room.
Instead, it happened over the course of a month, as she took three steps, then five steps and then would go from the living room to our bedroom in short order.
Now that she’s walking Lyla is more like a tornado than a toddler.
In fact, while we were in Las Vegas at the beginning of January, our friend Julie started calling our darling daughter “Hurricane Lyla” because she would do laps around the house, grab anything within reach (like business cards, ID badges, coasters, remotes, just to name a few) and either put it in her mouth, throw it or scatter it to the four corners of the Earth.
And remember when I was pregnant with her? I would go to the OB for the non-stress tests and little missy was not one to cooperate?
Well, she can be stubborn and uncooperative now with her new found powers of walking. A few weeks ago I decided to forgo the stroller while shopping in Old Navy to get a few more items to wear while in Vegas.
Oh, that was a mistake. If I had Jason with me, it would have been fine, but trying to shop and allow Lyla to have a little freedom as a burgeoning walker at the same time without help was not wise. Not wise at all. For a few moments she would hold on to my finger with her surprisingly strong little death grip but then when she had gathered up enough confidence she would take off on her own.
I was so not ready for this early claim of independence. Thankfully she did not protest if I picked her up and carried her around the store.
So, even though she’s a capable and confident walker, my little toddler will be in a stroller or store cart or our Kelty backpack carrier more often than not.
It’s just crazy to see her getting bigger, becoming more independent, using her creativity and acting on her curiosity. It wasn’t that long ago she started crawling. It wasn’t that long ago she started sitting up on her own, eating solid foods, smiling, laughing.
It wasn’t that freaking long ago that I was pregnant with her!
Oh. No. It’s been 14 months since she was born. It’s hard to believe.
And now she’s my little hurricane. But, in truth, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
If you want to see videos of Lyla’s early attempts at walking, go here.
I’ll try and get some newer videos up soon.