Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

On the eve of Evan's 13-month birthday (aka last night), after I'd already composed his 13-month update blog post, he had a very important first.

Evan took his first steps!!!

It was just before bedtime.  Evan had been playing around the living room like he normally does before bed.  He often even gets a little wound up now at bedtime, by being very playful at this time.  I had noticed how he was cruising a lot, and would only get down to crawl when he couldn't reach the next piece of furniture, but as soon as he reached the next item he would get back on two feet and cruise some more.  Thus I thought to myself that his preferred mode of travel was on two feet and that may be a sign he's ready to try walking soon.

So right as John got Evan to go get him changed for bed, he held Evan's hands to help him walk to me for a hug.  John let go and Evan kept going, just a couple steps, into my arms!  Normally the moment we let go he'll squat down to crawl the rest of the way, so maybe he had enough momentum that he just kept focused on reaching my hands.  Either way, if I hadn't been there to catch him he would have tumbled forward because he did have a lot of momentum and he was learning forward toward me!  Nonetheless, John and I celebrated the moment, picked Evan up and hugged and kissed him, and guess what?  It got him so worked up and excited he kept practicing it with us.  I let Evan walk to John, and then we'd go back and forth with him taking steps between us. Each time he'd only go a couple steps and most times he didn't have his balance enough (due to his excitement with the whole "game" we were playing) that we were really just catching him.

Either way, the event must have boosted his walking confidence because once we got him up to his bedroom, we tried it one more time.  John helped Evan walk into the bedroom and I was squatted down reaching for Evan, encouraging him to walk to me.  When John let go, Evan stood very tall and upright and took at least three very sturdy steps.  He was very clearly in control of himself this time and he even turned direction a bit and walked to the laundry hamper (which was maybe a tad bit closer to him than I was).

It was the most precious sight.  It almost looked like he was marching in little baby steps the way he very clearly picked up one foot at a time, switching his weight from one side of the body to the other, during each step.  I'm so glad that John and I were able to experience this very special parenting moment together.  We are certainly very proud of our little boy!