Today, it finally happened. Lotus walked, all by herself. No hand holding, no candy corn bribes, she just totally did it. And once she started, she was making the rounds all over the entire house, every room, non-stop. The kid has endurance.

Now, I realize this is a completely normal milestone for kids. But this day is extra special for us and we've waited an extra long time to see these first steps. I didn't blog about this before because I was too sad about it (and I felt a lot of guilt) but last February, right after L's first birthday, I fell while carrying her and broke her leg. It was horrible. It could have been worse, absolutely, but I had to carry this little girl into the doctor's office and get x-rays and it was not a good time. I later found out I had cracked my own ribs from the fall, but that was nothing compared to seeing my little girly in pain, in a tiny pink cast.

Understandably the broken bone delayed the whole learning to walk thing. But we didn't know how long it would take. (She is nearly 20 months old - lots of toddlers are walking by their first birthday.) Our doc assured us that she had healed completely, that she would be perfectly fine and would walk in her own time, but I talked him into referring a physical therapist, and ironically her first visit to our house was today. She just came to observe Lotus while playing and asked me a bunch of questions. So no real therapy occurred today, but that's apparently all it took.

Bo got home from work and we did our usual pass back and forth, 'walk to daddy, walk back to mommy' (which usually isn't all that successful.) But then I sent her down the hallway and that was it! She was so graceful, and fast, and could go really far without falling down. Fists clenched, brow furrowed with concentration. It was a sight to see.