Sunday, September 7, 2008

Walking: Finally Captured on Film

Landon has been standing up on his legs since he was four months old. He's been pulling up, walking around the furniture, and pushing anything with wheels for what feels like forever. And then finally, about a month ago, he took a few tentative steps on his own. The first time he did it he was in our bathroom while I was getting ready to go to work to study for the Bar. He had been holding on to the drawer where I keep my hair products (he loves them- so colorful and so loud when you bang them on tile) and suddenly he pushed off from it, took three steps, smiled, and sat down hard on his diapered behind. Since then we've all known he could walk if he wanted to, he just preferred to crawl at hyper speed, carrying things in his hands, and banging them on the floor with every move. For the last week or so he's even stood up on his own in the middle of the room, taken a few steps, clapped for himself (while standing), and then sat down with a smug smile as if to say "see, it's so easy I don't even need to prove I can do it."

I've been trying to capture these short bursts of vertical mobility on film since they began, but Landon recognizes the camera and seems to take great joy out of NOT walking as soon as he sees it. He smiles and laughs and claps at his own refusal to cooperate- I think he knows he's thwarting my motherly need to document his every developmental move. But then this morning I was taking some random video of him in the living room, hoping to trick him into walking once the film was rolling, and he finally obliged.

So here's my increasingly mobile, chatty, oh so handsome, sometimes serious, and always smiley, little man:


14 comments:

  1. i definitely witnessed the take-a-few-steps-clap-at-himself-and-then-sit action when i was babysitting. i tried to egg him on to walk more but he was more content chasing the cat, which he is definitely better at on his hands and knees. ;)

    i love the end of that video where it seems like he just crashed into you! so precious.

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  2. Yay Landon!

    My niece was a "secret walker" until she was fifteen months old - she would only walk if she didn't know we were watching her. She still prefers to share her accomplishments at her own pace; maybe Landon will be similar.

    At any rate, great job catching him (both on film and when he lunged into you - so cute!)!

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  3. Go Landon!! You are in trouble now! :)

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  4. Buckle your seat belts!!
    What a cutie -- and SO proud of himself!!
    :)

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  5. DOT! DOT, I say to you!

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  6. He is such a doll. Once he decides he is ready for walking there is no turning back. Then he will be running circles around you.

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  7. SO CUTE.
    I wish we lived closer so we could have a playdate!

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  8. Yay- go Landon! Why is it so hard to capture certain things on film?? I've been trying to get a picture of Jacob's gas smiles for a week! They like to play games with us :)

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  9. Adorable! Now it's all over, you'll never be able to catch him again! If we knew then what we know now....

    My second is four months and we're in NO HURRY for her to walk because we have a hard time keeping up with her brother and I can't imagine chasing TWO mobile kids.

    Congrats on the walking, it really is an awesome milestone.

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  10. of all the years, these early toddler years are hands down the best! so cute, innocent, no talking back, pretty much do as they're told, want to please mom and dad, just giggly and chubby and good...
    i could just gobble up those cheeks!
    -desimom

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  11. ADORABLE! I love how serious he was right at the beginning. :D

    Cooper did the same thing. Took a few steps on his birthday (prior to cake and family and cameras), and then a few days later. He just didn't decide to let go of the furniture until last Friday. Now? He walked nearly half-way across his classroom to greet me when I picked him up yesterday. And he was practically running this morning...so tie on those gym shoes and be prepared to catch him! :D

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