Finally!

We've got a crawler! Yeah, I know you probably figured she'd been crawling for at least a few months now, but Lila just started crawling last Monday (Aug. 3rd...13 days before her first birthday). Finally! I'm actually not sure how long she's actually been crawling for because she's apparently been a closet crawler. Here's how the story goes:

Last Monday I was getting ready in the bathroom while Lila was sitting by our bed drinking her cup of milk. When I went to check on her, her little bum was sticking out of our walk-in closet. She had clearly crawled over there, although it wasn't much of a distance. I decided to watch her without letting her see me and I saw her crawl into the closet, all around it, and back out to get her milk again. What???!!! She can crawl??? I popped out and exclaimed with delight, "Lila, you can crawl!" That's when she fell to her stomach and started crying for me to help her move as if she was once again immobile. I think she was very disappointed that I had discovered her secret and she might have to start moving for herself once in a while.

I quickly grabbed a cracker from the kitchen and placed it several feet away from her to try to entice her to crawl a little more. "Lila, do you want to crawl again?" I asked her. She just whined a little and acted like she didn't know what to do. I left for the bathroom again and when I came back a minute later, there she was, eating the cracker in the exact spot where I had left it. Yep, a closet crawler. I think she probably knows how to break dance by now but only does it when we're not watching, maybe in her crib at night or something. Now that she knows the word is out, she's started crawling a lot more, but she definitely still prefers her personal chauffeur: moi.

I haven't mentioned it before, but Lila LOVES cruising. She's been doing that for the past few months and we have fun setting up little obstacle courses for her around the house with chairs, furniture, etc. so she can walk all around from item to item. I'll let you know when we have a walker on our hands, but it might be a few more months before she decides to reveal that ultimate trick to us. She does enjoy walking around holding onto our fingers and I think Byron and I might need chiropractic services pretty soon from walking around bent at the waist helping her.

Babies are so funny!