So, Mathias picked today to start walking.

Like many things with the baby, the timing was unexpected. (Ironically, we had a developmental specialist from Minneapolis Public Schools scheduled to drop by tomorrow. All kids start walking when they’re good and ready, but at almost 17 months, Mathias was getting near the point where it was recommended we just check in to make sure everything was OK.)  We’d just gotten back from grocery shopping, and after unpacking I settled down with Mathias in the living room.  He was in a bit of a roughneck mood, so I got down on the floor with him, and eventually found myself laying between the couch and the coffee table.  I watched him as he stood up a couple of feet from the coffee table and the couch–he’s been standing independently for a few weeks now–and pondered the couch just out of his reach.  He thought about it for a moment, and then gave three quick steps over to the couch. It wasn’t graceful, but it got the job done.

I yelled for Lisa, and she was there a moment later, but Mathias didn’t immediately repeat his accomplishment.  It wasn’t until an hour later, after a bath and a failed attempt at going to to bed, that he found himself leaning on me next to my chair in the living room, his mom sitting separately a few feet away.  After a couple of minutes of encouragement from his parents, he carefully walked between us, first with Lisa and I providing a small amount of balance to him, but soon enough with him walking on his own.  In all, he probably walked 20 feet independently this evening.  And you know what?  He loved it.

I see a lot of practice walking in the near future, but soon enough, our little guy is going to be unstoppable.

And with that, it’s time to write Mathias’ grandparents…