Baby Steps

Josephine has started taking her first steps. Last week, Ms. Beverly reported that she was holding on to a bookcase when she suddenly took several steps into the room. When she realized what she was doing, she got scared and quickly sat down. The teachers however, clapped and cheered! I've been in the Infant Room when other babies were beginning to walk and one of the nice things about the teachers is that they're still excited about this process. Over the years, they've seen many babies master this skill, but they still get excited for each baby and cheer them on.

Over the last week, we've encouraged Josephine to step towards us. She was reticent at first, but in the last two days has gotten more courageous and will now take two or three wobbly steps before diving into our arms. She's catching on that this is an exciting game and seems to look for the cheers and clapping that follow each attempt. Overall, she seems to better understand the back and forth of simple games. Yesterday, she and I rolled a car back and forth to each other, and last night, we all played a game of football in the living room. Michael, Madeleine and I would throw the soft football to each other and on her turn, one of us would hand the ball to Josephine. Josephine would accept the ball and then cruise around the coffee table to hand the ball off to someone else.

Madeleine is really enjoying the new interactive components to Josie's playing, and also does a good job of watching out for potential dangers - small items, paper, and stairs being some of Josephine's preferred hazards. Madeleine had a great time last Sunday playing in the unexpected snowfall. She headed out at about 11 to build a snowman with Kate and Sophia across the street. After a brief break for lunch at their house, we all went up to the school for sledding, snowballs, and more snowmen. A number of the neighborhood kids were up there and she spent most of the afternoon there before coming back to our block to play in the snow with Drew. She finally came home at about 5. We ate an early dinner and went to bed early, too. One of the advantages of the fact that Madeleine can't quite tell time, is that 8:30 comes earlier on some nights than others. Both girls were in bed and sound asleep by 7:45.

This week, Madeleine is very excited about the possibility of another 'pajama day' at preschool. She's asked Ms. Rosemary about it every day and on Wednesday, took a calendar to school so Ms. Rosemary could pick a day. Madeleine swears to me that tomorrow is pajama day, but I'd like some independent confirmation before letting her wear her monkey pajamas (she's already selected the pair) to school.