Steps

 

Since the moment you were born we have watched you take steps.  Every day growing a little more, getting a little smarter, becoming a little tougher, a little sweeter, more beautiful.  With each passing milestone we are more proud of you, and when we think we couldn't love you more we know you're going to prove us wrong.  As a mother I am acutely aware that these milestones pass and accumulate until one day your standing on two feet, staring me straight in the eyes, asking if you can borrow my pearl earrings.  

You took a step when you started sleeping in your own room, no longer an arms length away from me through the night.

You took a step the first time you smiled out of pleasure.

When you began sitting up on your own, no longer needing support at all times.

You took a step when you began cooing and mimicking sounds, giving us a glimpse of the sweetest little voice a girl has ever had. 

You took a step when you began to pull up to stand, rather quickly leading to experimenting with standing on your own.  

When standing turned into cruising, you began loving the act of stepping so much that your favorite activity at any time of the day became walking around the house taking endless steps while hanging tight to mommy and daddy's hands.  

You took a step when the need for two hands was reduced to just one.  I have tried to savor this season, grabbing tightly to one set of fingers to feel secure enough to slowly put one wobbly foot in front of the other.  

Those handheld confidence building steps added up enough for you to start giving it a go on your own.  

One step.

One, two, three, four, five. 

One, two, three.

One, two, three, four, five.

Each day this past week you have experimented a little more while we brace ourselves for the moment when you decide it's ok to not need mommy's hand and blow the doors off this whole independent thing.  

In the mean time you've learned that steps aren't that difficult, if you take them one at a time.