Harmon has learned how to walk

Two weeks ago (the day after Halloween) Harmon got his toy car taken away from him by a friend at Church. Cade is only 1 week older than Harmon, but he’s been walking for a while. He is also a pretty big kid. They’re about even on weight but Harmon has the edge on him for height.

I told Harmon he needed to learn how to walk so other kids can’t take advantage of him. Apparently he took the lesson to heart, because that same day after church he stood up on his own in the middle of the floor.

I shouted in excitement, scaring him and Kelsey. She came running in and calmed him down, and then we stood him up and he walked between us several times. Well, as soon as he figured it out, he started running and diving into our arms. It was just two or three steps, but it was something. Later that evening he showed both Kelsey’s parents (and their dogs) that he could still do it.

He’s been working on it every day, and he’s still wobbly, still prefers running to walking, and still has a dangerous disregard for his own safety.

Unfortunately, with his newfound mobility, he’s also learned to throw tantrums. When he wants down, he pitches a fit like a champion. This is all very new to us, since he’s been practically the perfect cherubic baby. (Of course he’s not a baby any more, having just turned 1 also.)

Today we went out to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. Harmon, being his usually charming self, wooed the waitress, who brought him a plate of bread and banana slices. He liked the bread, but didn’t care for the bananas. That didn’t mean that he didn’t need two forks to get the bananas. (He’s recently started feeding himself with silverware too.) A fork and a spoon wasn’t good enough for him.

But he was okay for a while still. It was only when I took him out of the high chair that he really started to complain. It was time to roam, but dad (that’s me) wasn’t letting him.

Kelsey says he’s been throwing tantrums for a while now, but this is the first real one I’d seen. I’ve been remarking proudly about his “willfullness” since his birthday, but today is the first time I got to feel the brunt of it.

Earlier I’d taken him for a stroll (or two), and he finally wanted to get up. I carried him for a while, then set him on the handlebars (or whatever the part I’m supposed to be holding and pushing is called), then tried to sit him back down.

Tantrum part 1.

But I won that battle of wills. I strapped him in, heard him scream bloody murder, kick and flail, and give me a dirty look, but eventually, with some bank turns, I won him over and he was happy by the time we pulled into the driveway.

Did I mention how much he likes outside? The only samples I’d seen before were when he walks (or crawls) up to the door (usually pulling me along by the finger) and pounds on it. He loves cars, and jumping on the grass, and sitting on the fence, and pumpkins on the doorstep, and crows, and walnut shells on the driveway that the crows dropped and cracked, and rocks to pick up, and pine cones, and plants, and the cold, and dogs most of all. A dog outside is Harmon’s favorite thing in the world. Mix it up with jumping and a car, and you’d have his idea of heaven.

He also likes escalators. We already knew he loved stairs. He’s been going up and down them since long before he could walk. He has no regard for his safety, though mom is trying to teach him to go down stairs (and off the bed) feet first on his belly. Sometimes he does, if you’re watching.

After the Cheesecake Factory, we went to the mall to play at the play thing at the mall. There were too many older kids there. But we ran into Cade and his parents there. I, of course bragged that Harmon was walking and ready to take Cade on any time any place.

Then mom pointed out the escalators by the play area. She calls them “magic stairs”. So we went up and down them about 23 times. I didn’t let Harmon go on his own, so I held his hands. Finally I hit on the idea that Harmon had been suggesting all along. I let him go down the up escalator. Of course he didn’t make much progress. It was like a treadmill, and finally I could get some rest. Until people behind us wanted to get off.

Bug Kelsey to put up video of Harmon walking.