Elyse's First Steps

Elyse surprised us today by taking her first steps!  I mean, we knew it was coming, but the spontaneity caught me off guard.

I looked over from the bed, where I was folding laundry, to see her little foot move a step.  I clapped and cheered, and she did two steps the next time, and then three..beautiful...steps!  So exciting!

She invented her own game with a tea towel from my laundry basket by spreading the towel out, and then learning to walk on it.  She also enjoyed practicing her balance by shaking the towel around from a stand.

Elyse knows that what she did today was monumental.  She beamed as I recounted her story over and over again to everyone we came in contact with: her speech therapist, her sister, and her dad.  She clapped watching herself clap in the video I took of some of her first few steps.

Ariel sat in silent approval of the news, when I told her on the way to her gymnastics class.  I have been dropping Ariel off lately, but before Elyse and I left I heard Ariel yell out to her coach, "Just a minute!  I have to say good bye to my sister!"  She ran out and gave Elyse a big hug.

We are all so proud of you, my darling Elyse!