Katherine, tonight you have decided to take some big steps - literally. You have been experimenting for a while with the stairs in our house, and you have become a pro at climbing upstairs.Lately you have been doing really well at climbing downstairs by going backwards, but over the last little while you haven't been happy going downstairs backwards... it's been clear you were wanting more. We have done ok a few times for you to step down facing forward, but it was always contingent on me holding both your hands - you are so tiny still that each step is tall enough to reach higher than you knee.
Tonight you stood on top of the stairs, and you weren't turning around to get down. Standing a few steps below you, I was holding out my hands to you, but I saw this determined look in your eyes and knew right away that you wouldn't take them. After a moment of standing still, you stepped down by almost sitting down and moving your legs on by one carefully down to the next step. Then the next step and the step after that, wobbling and fighting to keep your balance at first, then becoming more and more confident in what you were doing. Step by step you made it all the way down, arriving at the bottom with a big smile and a sparkle in your eyes.
You are teaching me that sometimes we just have to take a leap of faith and believe that we can do anything we want. When we are determined to do something, and believe with all our heart that we will succeed, nothing stands in our way. Thank you for reminding me of that tonight. I love you always and forever.
