Xavier Turns Toddler Today
Greetings to everyone.
An amazing thing happened today. Amazing in the sense it did not happen as Rebecca or I expected. It started Sunday. Though we were excited about it, we figured Xavier would need another couple of weeks to get it down pat.
Four times yesterday, Xavier walked across the floor, covering no more than four feet before succumbing to gravity and a lack of coordinated balance. This was very impressive; his best efforts we have observed to date. Prior to this, Xavier took at most two unaided steps before plopping down or crumbling. One of the things he lacked was confidence in his ability to stay up on his feet without aid.
Of course, he has been walking with the aid of a wall, couch, chair or parental finger to help stabilize him. In fact, Xavier would run full-throttle when he had two parental fingers to hold on to (I do mean full-throttle; we as parents loped to keep up with him). Many times we saw Xavier able to walk and stand on his own, generally when he was distracted and not thinking about walking or standing. Those moments were always short-lived.
This afternoon, as we sat in the glider in his room, Xavier slid from my lap to the floor. He then crawled over to the wall where the nightlight generally is (he always goes there to check if it is plugged in—he likes to unplug it). He examined the wall, then crawled over to leaf through a book. I enjoyed watching him explore as I often do, then...
Xavier gripped the leg of the TV tray we keep near the glider (it's where we hold his bed time books and it's a handy place to set his bottle). Up he stood, as he has done countless times in the past. He looked over at his bedroom door and noted it was not completely closed (it's a "thing" with him; he is compelled to either push it all the way open or push it all the way closed).
From the wall to the door he walked, that lift-your-feet-but-still-shuffle rock-slightly-left-rock-slightly-right toddler stumble. Ten feet he traveled, and when he arrived at the door, he pushed it closed. Turning around to Dad's praising "yeas" and hand-clapping, his grin was ear to ear. I had no idea so wide a grin and his seven-tooth bearing smile meant "Just wait, Dad. You have not seen anything yet!"
During that ten-foot walk over to the door, something clicked in his head. He understood. He had confidence. He walked the ten feet back to the wall. Tagging the wall, he turned again. Giggling and laughing the whole time, he crossed the room a third time to touch the closed door.
Eight times he did this. I was hoping Rebecca would make it home to witness his first official walking (she stepped out to get the dog's nails trimmed). She did make it home, and came into the room to see what all the laughter and clapping and "well dones" meant.
Xavier was at the wall as she came in, sitting for a moment. Seeing Mommy, he used the wall to stand, then toddled over to her waiting arms. We spent the next 20 minutes watching Xavier walk from wall to door and then expand his territory to the rest of the room. He visited his bears. He visited his dresser and pulled out a sleeper to carry around. He eventually stepped into the hallway (it took him a while to work up to that; the wood floor gave him pause).
Over all, we calculate Xavier walked about 160 to 200 feet unassisted tonight, with only the occasional plop to the ground. He many times would stop and turn directions without needing a wall or piece of furniture to stabilize the turn. Rebecca and I did not think he would get it this fast. We thought it would start with him taking two or three steps on his own, then four and five, then six and seven. Much like he demonstrated Sunday.
And, boy, does Xavier know he got it! His giggles and laughter were not all because of the clapping and praise of his parents. He knew he had achieved a greater degree of mobility. He recognized the importance of his achievement. He realized he could competently walk like his parents!