Tiny Treasures: Learning to Walk...It's the New Crawling

{It's official...the Cutest Boy Ever!}

James loves to be upright...standing, jumping, walking or climbing. Tummy time and crawling are okay, but standing up is so much better and you can get to what you want so much faster! If he wants it, he goes after it, with no sense of boundaries. Edge of the bed? I'll crawl to it and just keep on going. Cruising furniture? Sure, and then let me lurch forward or fling myself backwards at a moment's notice when something new catches my eye. Yesterday at his party, James was standing in Keith's arms and then two seconds later was doing a face plant into the ground! This boy is going to be a crazy go-getter when he's able to move independently! Mom and Dad are in for it!

A couple days ago, Keith decided to teach James how to practice walking using a car toy we have. We've been putting it next to James when he's in his Johnny Jump-Up toy and he "walks" while holding on to it and pushing it around. He's been enjoying walking with an adult holding his hands, so Keith decided to put the two together. James was thrilled and not at all timid. He took to it right away and only lost his balance a few times, usually catching himself. Let me tell you, when he's hooked up to his IV's this is a 2-person job! James holds the car and we hold James, his tubes and the IV pole! As if teaching a one-year-old to walk isn't tricky enough!

{like the Sumo Wrestler get-up for holding up his tubes?!}

We've also been enjoying the company of Grandma Darlene from Ohio. She was just out here for 3 weeks in May when James had his surgery and now she's out here for gimpy-old-me! Since I'm not allowed to lift much yet, including James, caring for him was not an option and neither was Keith taking off tons of work, so she generously offered to fly out and help us. What an angel! Maddie and James love having her here to play, take them on daily walks to the park, read books, play games, and put them to bed at night. She's already taught James how to say YAY and just today he learned how to clap! We wouldn't be making it without her. Thank you, Grandma!

{Check out Mr. Natural Curls! We just discovered them!}

{James' favorite game with Grandma is Patty Cake. If she sings it to him, he calms right down and gets happy, even if he was just crying. That's how she taught him to clap this week!}

{Maddie, apparently feeling left out of the photo session, decides to insert herself in the frame!}

{headed to the park...first time in the big stroller, which he's discovered is even better than the umbrella one because of its built-in "entertainment tray"!}