Letting Go

Our determined Maeve who needed a finger to walk

We finally officially have a walker in the house.  Maeve decided on Thursday, April 15, (when she was 13 months and 13 days old) that she could do it alone.  For months now, she's been walking with our fingertips, not really needing them for anything more than confidence.  She would walk a few steps here and there, but as soon as she didn't have a finger, she would instantly drop down to the ground.  And lately, she would really want to walk somewhere and come over to you to find your finger so you could take her there.  She would get so frustrated with you if you didn't do exactly what she needed you to do for her.  I thought for a while there she would never let go. 

But, Thursday afternoon, at Aunt Laura's house, she had somewhere to go (to find all the boys) and was just not really going to wait around for someone to take her there.  Mama said she walked all the way down the hall until she found them.  And since then, she's been toddling around wherever she wants to go.  She still has not mastered getting up once she falls, but atleast I can now stand her down on the ground while I do something with both hands!  It's such a relief for me for her to be a little more self-sufficient. 

Once again she has proven to be unpredictable.  For a baby who rolled over at 4 months and could crawl at record-breaking speeds, we just knew she would walk extra early.  We never dreamed it would finally be at 13 months!

Now, let the chasing begin! 

Maeve on her birthday, just barely letting go