Walk This Way

The Munch has officially walked! He has been walking here and there, a few steps at a time, especially when he plays peekaboo from behind his crib. He'll gleefully walk about 5 steps to me after he's revealed himself.

Last night at my MIL's, Munch stood up at my legs as I sat at the kitchen table, stabilized himself for a second, then zombie-lurched across the kitchen for about 8 steps. Upon reaching the mat beneath the sink, he dropped to his knees, crawled back to my legs, repeated. He did this about 5 or 6 times.

I always thought that when He Started Walking, it would be like a light switch flipping--one moment he crawled everywhere, the next, he walked. Not this baby, and it really shouldn't surprise me. After all, this is the child that remained wed to the "army crawl" for at least a month past when he had the ability to crawl. He simply felt he was more efficient pulling himself along like a seal and would rather not complicate things by involving his knees.

It seems to be the same with walking. And it seems that Munch enjoys practicing before really committing to something new. He clearly is trying to master this new skill, rather than run haphazardly into the new phase.

If given the choice, I suppose this is the better option. I would much rather Munch get his bearings, understand all that is expected of him, and then go after it with all his heart when he is ready. It's much better than him stumbling around the hardwood and breaking his nose. I've noticed that Munch observes things before really diving in--at day care, he'll watch the other kids at length.

Does this mean Hubbaland and I have a cautious kid? Maybe. On the whole, we're both cautious people, so it shouldn't shock us. However, when Munch learns something he likes, he's a daredevil. For instance, he now dives off the side of our bed, so you better be ready to catch his leg and lower him to the ground, Mission-Impossible style. He also lives for the Daddy Roller Coaster, when Hubbaland tosses him upward and lets him drop, arms safely beneath him of course, but in Munch's mind, allowing him to freefall to the floor, stopping his momentum just before the end. He loves twirling in my arms, giving himself over to the whirl.

Cautious? Maybe. Daredevil? Time will tell. But I know when he chooses something, he'll go after it full force, without apology, and enjoy the freefall.