It started this morning as a little game. I set M on the floor in front of me standing and I'd say "Ready? Set? Walk!" And I'd let go of him and instead of crumpling to his knees he took a couple steps and lunged his whole body at me in a fit of laughs and giggles and "yay!" I would try to move a little further away but his lunges would invariably reach me. I showed this to my grandmother when I dropped him off today and she was very pleased. When I went to pick him up at my parents' house I showed them too and they were ecstatic. Tonight I showed J. J saw that I was trying to scoot away so he came over to play the game.
J sat on the floor a little further away and I set M down on the floor. "Ready? Set? Walk!" And he did! All four or five steps into his very happy daddy's arms. And he was all excited and saying "walk! walk! walk!" So J turned him around and had him walk to me except this time it was five or six steps because I had cleverly scooted backwards. And he did it. And he was ready for more! We kept up this little game until it was clear M was walking all by himself across our living room.

J at one point got up while M was enroute towards him and M just followed him right down the hall. So our little boy is walking. And he waited until he turned exactly 17 months to do it. He's such a stinker that way!! I'm so freaking thrilled. I took a video of it and K is hosting it for me; if you'd like to see it, just head this way. TokyoMom told me he looks like a little train gaining steam. I can't believe he's walking. I made him do it so much! He was exhausted. When we put him down to bed he just zonked out. I keep replaying the video and my face hurts from smiling. I don't know if parents get this ecstatic when their kids walk. It's just he's a late walker. And I was starting to fret and to worry and I was really dreading that 18 month check-up. So this is a huge weight that's been lifted off my shoulders. I wonder if he'll do it again tomorrow???