We used to share stories about Robert on a password-protected website. The host is shuttering that website, so I am in the middle of printing off some important milestone journal entries. I want to remember the stories and moments we shared.

One of those milestone moments is Robert’s first steps. When Robert was born, we nicknamed him Bobby. He eventually decided that he didn’t want to go by the nickname, but his milestone journal entry uses his nickname at the time. Enjoy this way-back Wednesday post!

February 2016

It happened.

Ladies and gentlemen. The milestone we’ve been waiting for. It’s here. It happened.

Our boy took his first steps!!!!

23 months old.

Days and weeks, and months of strength-building have led us to this moment.

He has had the ability. He’ll walk supported, cruise around, and use his toy walker. He just hasn’t trusted himself to do it.

Then on Saturday, February 27th, he sort of fell and walked toward me(mommy). I thought it was a fluke. I was home alone. I was sure it wasn’t really the steps he had taken. I didn’t have anyone to turn to in order to validate the moment. I texted my husband, with an elated (yet tentative) “I think he took his first steps!!” Since Bobby didn’t try again, I thought it was just wishful thinking, right?

That night we went to my parents’ to celebrate my husband’s birthday, and Bobby slept over. When my parents brought him home the next afternoon, I asked if they saw him take any steps. They said no, they didn’t witness any steps. 

It’s like Bobby knew that mommy & daddy needed this moment. That we needed to be the ones who would witness his first steps. 

It happened again that Sunday. He walked towards me while we were playing. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. He did it again! I texted my husband (who was at work), and I was SO EXCITED. Then came the mission… the mission to capture the steps on camera.

I stood Bobby up and encouraged him to come to me. It seemed whenever I had the camera out, he’d crawl or downward dog my way. Finally, I got a 4-second video. 4 seconds. 4 steps. I sent it via text to my husband. He needed to be the one I told first. He needed to see this happen before I could share the news with anyone.

I was bursting at the seams. I paced the kitchen floor as I fed Bobby dinner. I kept peering out the front window. When would my husband come home from work??

Then I heard the door open. I babbled so quickly, asking if he’d seen the video. Telling him I waited to tell people until I knew he saw the video. My heart overflowed when he shared my enthusiasm. He sent the video to his parents, and I sent it to mine. We just got the video out to the family as fast as possible, excited for them to join in our excitement.

23 months.

Our boy has started walking! We couldn’t be prouder!