Tess is walking!

Tess took her first steps about 10 days before Christmas.  She took a few steps here and there since then, but still figured that sitting and yelling the name of whoever she wanted to pick her up was her best bet for getting where she wanted to go.  (And she wasn’t really wrong – yelling, “HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” was much more effective for Tess than it is for me!)  This past week or so, however, she’s begun to recognize the benefits of moving faster with free hands across large spaces.  It’s pretty cute. 

She also loves walking and holding hands.  So we get to see lots of her holding hands with her siblings as she walks around.  She dances with them, too – totally sweet.  She’s perfectly happy to grab hands with visitors for a walk, as well, which has made many of our friends (and cousins) very happy. 

Of course, walking leads to other things, like realizing that the toilet is just the right height to put one’s hands into…because Mom forgot what having a toddler is like and hasn’t demanded that the bathroom doors be kept closed at all times.  But we won’t talk about those things.  At least not today.