These Feet Were Made for Walkin'

Dude i'm at the beach
Originally uploaded by siraulo

So, in keeping with my "promise" not to wait monthly to do a full month update, which obviously was not working out, I have an announcment: My boy is walking!

Mom (or Owa, as Lukas calls her), was starting to get worried that, month 11 was just around the corner and he showed absolutely no interest in walking. I mean, he was definitely "cruising" across the couch, along the coffee table but his primary mode of movement since April has been to crawl. Crawling EVERYWHERE over and under and climbing anything he can get on with breakneck speed. So last week we started to play the walking game. Mom (or Dad or B or Auntie/Lola Eva or Uncle Carlos) and I would sit across from each other and we'd have Lukas walk one to the other. The first couple of times, he would not budge until his hand could reach the other persons hand. Otherwise, he would just slink down to the ground, purposely weaken his knees so we wouldn't even be able to get him to stand. After a few tries the very first time, he was able to take at least one step - a split second - without a hand. Then he would cry as if being on his feet was torture. Then we upped the clapping and "yay-ing." He LOVES the praise so much so that he will give us the biggest smile, sometimes even shriek in delight and clap along with us. He totally waits for the applause. And everyday, we would pull farther and farther apart to the point that now he can get about 7 to 8 steps in between and sometimes he just wants to turn right around and keep going back and forth. A few days ago, he even got up the nerve to let go of the couch and walked a few paces to me! Now if only he would slow down, he would walk with much better balance. But of course, our kulit Kidlat insists on living up to his middle name, hahaha!