Nonna & Papa Visit: walked her first steps!

-April 20, 2010-

They have arrived!!

Working on the walking!!

SO proud!!

This Papa, thinks he is a comedian, eh!?

Meeting up with Daddy downtown

Nonna and Papa arrived for a visit on Isla's 10 month birthday. We were all very excited anticipating their visit. Isla was definitely missing having family around, after her fun visit with Grams and Grampa. When got out of the car after picking them up from the airport, Isla decided to show off and walk her first three steps with just Nonna & Papa to see. It was such an exciting day. Unfortunately Taylor and I did miss witnessing these first steps (of course?!!) but we knew it was coming some time soon, as we could practically see her mind willing her legs and balance to obey. Have we mentioned that this baby girl, or should I say TODDLER!!??, has a mind of her own. Super determined, not easily frustrated and with NO fear- this is our Isla Bean. Willful little girl. She was really experimenting with walking outside, and seems to appreciate this terrain much more than the flat, seemingly more easy to maneuver, hardwood of our apartment. So I guess it was no surprise that her first steps were in our front lawn. The real heart of our home, it would seem, is this shared front lawn (particularly this time of year). Isla also loves to take giant developmental leaps forward when guests/family, etc. are here to observe. This influence of others in Isla's life is something Taylor and I have always felt to be very important on a child, and now with Isla we can really see it to be true.

The first days with Nonna & Papa were all about getting reacquainted, that took about a minute, and exploring Isla's moving potential. She did not take a grouping of independent steps again for a few days. But while she stayed with Nonna & Papa during the days we worked, she definitely was committed to working on this milestone all day long. As well as chatting up a storm in her baby talk kind of way, boldly expressing herself with her favorite words, humming her pigeon noise, rolling her "r"'s Spanish-style, and the like.