Cruisin' for a bruisin'

Evan is a very efficient and confident cruiser these days.  He'll go from one end of the living room to the other by holding all along the chaise lounge, then the ottoman, then the couch.  What's more is that his balance is getting so good that just last night he showed us on numerous occasions how he's not afraid to let go and just stand on his own!  (Once out in the backyard on the blanket, and another time when he was playing with his books he had grabbed one in each hand and just stood there looking at them both for quite awhile!) Maybe walking isn't too far off after all?  It seems like this change happened overnight!  Prior to yesterday he was still crawling most of the time and not interested in being on his feet.

However, the more he works on his walking skills...the more bumps and bruises we'll have to kiss.  Just last night he lost his balance while sitting even and fell backwards to bump his head on the wall behind him.  It's also common for him to get excited or distracted while up on his knees such that he'll fall forward and not have his hands ready to catch him.  This sometimes results in a bump or bruise on his head or arms too. :(

Either way he's becoming so much more agile, and fast.  Last night he was in the dining room, when he heard John (in the kitchen, next room over) loading the dishwasher.  While I thought he was suddenly making a b-line for me, I quickly realized that when he turned his high speed crawl toward the kitchen that he was headed to his new favorite place...the dishwasher.

I swear I see every baby with at least one photo standing by the dishwasher.  What is so attractive about the dishwasher I wonder?

An example of his agility is that when he crawls around and wants to look under the couch, he lowers his front half to peek under it (so cute to see him flat except for his little rear in the air).  He'll sit up onto his knees a lot and then put one leg out, or switch from being on his knees to sitting on his bottom with his legs out, all while holding himself upright.  It's so wonderful and amazing to watch him and realize all that he has learned how to do!

This sequence of photos shows how Evan has learned to push his toy the other direction when he hits an obstacle in his path (the back of the couch in this instance):

A few other odds and ends

I am also always amazed at what Evan must have learned by watching us do something over and over. It's typically little things that I wouldn't realize I do so frequently, but he has been observing all this time.  Such as using the remote control to change the channel or turn the TV off or on.  We point it at the TV.  Now, while I don't think I stick my arm all the way out in front of me, that's how Evan sees it I guess.  His favorite non-toy has been the remote control for quite some time, but now he often will pick it up and point it to the TV sticking his arm way out.  It's the cutest thing.

Evan's play is getting more creative now too.  He'll pick up random toys and things and carry them around or put them on top of the TV stand or his leap frog table. (If it's a ball it'll roll behind the TV stand and be lost until we look behind there!)  I'm always wondering what goes through his mind when he does these kinds of things.  What attracted him to play with that particular toy and what prompted him to think to move it to somewhere else (let alone set it on top of something else).  He also likes to let balls roll down the end of the chaise lounge at him.  I guess he's playing with gravity. :)