Abby is Walking!

Two days ago, Abby started taking three steps on her own. Before it had been steps with aid from people and props. But she took three wobbly steps before collapsing delightfully into my arms. Then yesterday she took 5-7 steps. She would stand up, beaming with delicious pride, and then take a couple of tentative steps, followed by some quick ones at the end.

Overall, I feel great about her gaining independence. It's so amazing how the physical separation is so apparent, from birth to weaning from nursing to walking away on her own. My little girl is growing up, and I'm excited to see it!

She signs "please" like crazy. It's her universal sign for anything that she wants. Sometimes she'll wail loudly for something that she wants, such as to be held so that she could reach the blinds. I look at her and say, "Say please, Mommy." Then she immediately stops and starts rubbing her chest furiously in a circular motion with her palm, smiling broadly. It's like a game to her. I like how I don't have to listen to her wail, but it has become ridiculous. She sits there and signs "please" from across the room. And I don't even notice until a couple minutes later. She doesn't get that you're supposed to sign things once you've made eye contact. In fact, she frequently waves to people to mean hello when they're not looking.

Poor Abby! I totally understand this behavior. I do this all the time. I often say things to people at the wrong moment, and I'm left hanging. I try to enter conversations from across the room, and end up commenting to myself.