Tuesday 22 November 2011

Toddler

Yes, at eleven months and two and half weeks, he's finally joined the world of the walkers.
More or less. We've been playing about for quite some time, with one or the other of us holding onto his hands and him staggering along. We've even done it outside and this has generally been greeted by loud "aaahs" from the neighbours.
Putting one foot in front of the other with no support has been the goal and I think it's a mental thing rather than a physical. I think he has simply been scared of balancing, he probably could stand up on his own but has got so used to the idea that he needs a prop that it's got a bit stuck.
Today, at last some progress. Andy was home for his lunch break, but he didn't get any lunch. He was playing with Joseph by standing him up on his feet and then pointing him at the sofa. Joseph decided that he really wanted to go to the sofa but instead of doing his usual trick of bending down to crawl or just plain sitting down with a well padded thump, he just walked.
It was about four or five paces, the furthest he's ever managed and he didn't look as unsteady as he has done before.
To follow the example of CERN and the neutrinos (sounds like an eighties electro-band!) a one-off doesn't prove anything and we set to repeating the experiment. There were a couple of false starts but Joseph did indeed walk again and even stood still, unaided and unsupported. I have never seen him do that before, not even for a second. Today he managed to stand up for a good five or six before suddenly realising what he was doing and keeling over.
We'll keep practising and Joseph will probably keep falling over, but we'll get there. Perhaps I'll have my wish of him stumbling about at his birthday party!
Got to go, he's making a mess again.

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