On September 11th, while the country marked the eight year since the world trade attacks, Luna blissfully ignorant of the somber mood around her, toddled happily into her 18 month. Just two days before she turned 1 1/2, she took her very first step. A week and half later she was walking across the room with her arms straight out reaching for her daddy, while making a very good Frankenstein impersonation.
18 months is indeed considered a late walker. When Sienna wasn't walking at 16 months I not-so-casually called up all the Grandparents to inquire when Paul and I walked, and while we're on the topic, when did they walk, and Paul's brothers? It turns out we are a family of late walkers. Perhaps we're all too content to sit and read our books. I had known all along that I didn't walk until the Christmas after I turned one. My birthday is mid-July, so it wasn't till the calendar, dog-eared with pages falling down, and on it's last leg, did I decide to get off my own diapered butt.
Interestingly, the Architect, also a July baby, was the latest walker in his family of three boys. Nonetheless, when Sienna wasn't walking at 15 months, then 16, my stomach would drop every time I entered a situation where her lack of vertical stature became the topic du jour.
So, when Luna wasn't walking at 15 months, I really wasn't too concerned. Though I must admit, as she neared the end of her 17th month I was starting to worry. No one likes their kid to be the last, ya know? The Sunday of Labor Day weekend, and the first full weekend in our new house, we had some friends over for classic New England day of apple picking. After the kids filled their pecks, we came back to the house. The music bopping in the background was just the beat Luna needed to get into the groove. She stood up, and while shaking her arms to the music she took two steps forward. By the following week she was walking across the room.
Funny how in 10 years no one will ever remember who walked when (except, of course the Grandparents). But for now, it must be marked, Luna, special Lu who was supposed to be delayed developmentally, who at 6 months-such a crucial age of progress-was laid-up with open heart surgery-is the Luna who walked not so very much later than her older sister.
