Julia can walk!!!

I have to admit I was irritated yesterday when my babysitter called at the last minute and said she couldn't keep Julia because she had an emergency.

I did not want to use my last sick day for this school year to stay home just because I didn't have childcare. Usually in this situation I call my mom and ask her to babysit, but for some reason I didn't. I used my last day and stayed home with Julia.

After the morning chaos of getting everyone dressed, fed and off to school the house was pretty quiet with just Julia and me. We were sitting in the living room playing when she asked me for her walker like she always does in the morning. I said okay, but you don't need it anymore, like I always do in the morning. I went to get her walker while she waited for me by the couch.

As usual, I stopped a few feet away from her and said, "go get your walker, you're a big girl, I know you can do it." Usually this is when she gives me the "stink eye," falls to the floor and crawls to her walker. Unlike the hundreds of times before she let go of the couch, steadily got her balance and slowly and carefully walked to me. She put her chubby little arms around my neck and said, "I'm a big girl!" As the tears began to flow, I said "yes, you are!"

She walked back and forth between me and the couch about fifteen times and then decided that she could venture off around the house.

That's what we did yesterday. She walked around the house as if she was exploring a place she had never been before and I followed her around with the video camera.

I can't think of a better way to have used my last sick day. If I have to take another day off for a real sickness and I get docked my salary it will be worth every penny!