14 months and walking!

Note:  I wrote this on April 11, but managed to lose the cord to connect the camera to the computer.  So if the info seems dated, that's why!

Another month down, a serious skill picked up!  Gabby's been walking short distances for a little over 2 weeks--maybe 2-3 steps at a time before falling or grabbing on to something.  She was able to walk really long distances (from the kitchen to the family room) while holding onto my hand, and was starting to try to let go of me.  Then, over the weekend of April 6, we went to our friends' wedding (congratulations, Justin and Karen!), and while we were gone, Auntie Amy and Ryan came out from IL to watch Gabby.  When we got back, they told us that she'd walked pretty much the whole time and barely crawled at all!  We've known for a while that she is more likely to walk if she has an audience, but I was really surprised to hear just how much she walked.  She definitely walked a little more the next few days, but really picked up on Tuesday while I was home with her.  I took her outside (she actually asked--by giving me her shoes and waving bye-bye after I put them on her!), and she was walking like crazy!  I took a video on my cell phone (note: this is actually at the park near our house, and was taken last weekend; as an aside, this is also the day Gabby got an orangefrom a random 8 year old stranger--that's who she's looking at at the end of the video):

But missed the best part when she was walking in the street in front of our house (a cul-de-sac, so no traffic).  I was holding her hand, but she jerked hers out of mine, and started walking as fast as she could across the street!  She was very determined to get our neighbors lights.  The funniest thing--she was walking just like I would expect a zombie to, and her breathing sounded like zombie moans.  I'm so sorry I didn't get it on video!

She's still not an exclusive walker, and I think she walks more at home and more outside (and now all she wants to do when she is awake is go outside!) than she does at daycare or inside, but she's certainly well on her way to being a true toddler now.  (April 22:  She's pretty much only walking now, even at daycare.  I talked to her daycare director, and she thinks Gabby is ready to move up to the 1 year old room at last!  She'll make the move on May 1).

As far as other Gabby news, she now has 11 teeth, including 3 molars!  And that molar cutting was no joke--she was really miserable and didn't want to eat much (a sure sign of trouble--this kid loves to eat).  I can see the last molar and all 4 of her canines in her gums, so I know we're in for another round of teething soon.

She most definitely now understands exactly what I'm saying and not just my tone--I changed how I ask questions, and she still responds in an appropriate manner.  For example, we were walking in the kitchen and I asked if she was hungry.  She then led me to her high chair and pointed at it.  I also asked if she needed a nap, and she put her arms up and fell right asleep when we got to her room.  I finally got her some bubbles, and when I put them away and she wasn't quite done, she said "bub" and pointed at them (and started whining) until I got them back out (which I only did because of the "bub" and pointing--I'm trying to encourage communication in ways other than crying).  It just amazes me how fast she is learning, and how I really don't have a small baby anymore, but a toddler instead!

Another thing bringing that home is the amount of tantrums she throws now.  She gets so mad when she can't play with things (like my phone), or she can't go outside anytime she wants to (which, since the walking started, is basically anytime we're at home).  I know this is merely a prelude of things to come, and I can't say I'm looking forward to it!

On the job front, I applied for a full time teaching position at a community college about 10 miles from our house and didn't even get to the interview stage :(.  I think I still just don't have enough experience--this was the first job that had been posted in about 5 years, so there are a ton of adjuncts out there accumulating experience just like I am.  It's going to be a rough road to a full time job for me.  I also only have 1 class for the fall semester so far.  It is a bit early (one college never contacts me until summer), but this time last year I had 2 classes lined up already.  It's just a little discouraging for me right now!