Clara Stands and Takes First Step?

It will, perhaps, be not so very long before Clara is walking without support. What you want to notice in this picture here, is that she is standing without holding on to anything!* All last week, Ms. Shelby reported that Clara was standing for about 10 to 15 seconds at a go several times a day. We'd seen her stand here at home, but for so brief a time that we were convinced she didn't realize she was doing it. Last week though, she seemed conscious of, if not of letting go, realizing that she had--once she had! Then, this weekend, while wrestling with Baby Doll's stroller (Who designed this thing so you can't push it from the front without falling into it?!), she stood getting her bearings in this whole stroller encounter and oh, there are some books here, she would like you to know!

Then, today, her report said that Clara took a step! Then sat down because her teachers got excited. We will, of course, report all developments in this developing story, as they develop. We can report that while Julie was making dinner tonight, Clara cruised from the musical table (temporarily moved to the kitchen) to the refrigerator, down all along the cabinets. She was hanging on, but not tightly!

*Also, that she is making the sign for book. (Joe used to make this sign but put his hands together, open. Clara puts them together, closed.)