He's walking!!

OK, these are not the best action photos, but Soren is not only standing, he's pushing that chair around and then toddling across the vast expanses between furniture outposts. With no support except from that of his two little footsies on the floor.

This started right around his 11-mo. birthday. On that day, I recorded in his baby book that he took a record eight steps unassisted, and from then on, he's been steadily lengthening and quickening his strides. My parents have been visiting for five days and they commented that, in this short time, they've noticed his arms moving closer to his body as they are less needed for balance.

Soren continues to be a thoughtful child, and not as reckless as I've seen some nearly-one-year-olds. He loves to climb the stairs, but we don't have to be fanatical about keeping the gate locked at the bottom of the flight. Of course, he can't turn around and go down quite yet, so the gate at the top of the adjacent descending flight is more important.
I'll sign off with this grin from our little bugaboo (who cut teeth #7 & 8 two weekends ago, the two on either side of the two front bottom teeth visible here). And I'll apologize for the dry spell in posts.

I have been CRAZY BUSY finalizing the one freelance magazine article I committed to this year (a feature for WoodenBoat magazine--I just couldn't turn down the assignment when I was asked!). The deadline is Monday and it's looking like I'll make it. Of course, then I've got to get cracking on another consulting project, but come late August I'll be off the hook for outside jobs for a month or two. Whew. When I'm "working," it's like juggling two full-time jobs, because I'm running after Soren at least 40 hours/week.