Houston, We Have Lift-Off!

I had always thought to myself that once Joanna started walking, it would mark the end of her 'baby' stage and the beginning of her 'big girl' stage.....

well, I guess my baby is no longer a baby!

Joanna took her first step in the middle of July and by the middle of August, she had pretty much become a full-time walker.

I think she loves her new found freedom and is so impressed with how quickly she can get places now. There have been a number of bad spills along the way, but after a quick tear or two, Joanna gets right back up and starts again.

Now that she has gotten a hang of this walking thing, she has been testing her legs with running! Yes, running....I am not so sure that I am as excited for this as she is...Right now, she is still in the stiff-legged stage of 'running'....imagine Forrest Gump (run Forrest, run!).

Last week, Joanna and I went to watch Randy's flickerball game down on the athletic fields on base. We had walked over with a friend of ours who has a 5 year old son, named Eddie. Well, Eddie just thinks Joanna is the greatest thing ever and he was so excited to show her how fast he could run from one end of the field to the other :) So, I put Joanna down on the grass to let her stretch her legs while I timed Eddie's attempt to be Maxwell's fastest 5 year old :) and before I could blink Joanna was off! Trailing Eddie across the field....trying to out-do him I guess!? It quickly turned into a game of chase....me chasing Joanna, Joanna chasing Eddie and well, Eddie trying to chase the speed of light! :)

We had a great time although I am sure we looked like a bunch of goofs!