Walker, Larry and I spent Saturday at Fort Point – an old garrison under the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s one of our favorite places to go because it’s so pretty and old and unknown despite its location under one of the most well-known landmarks in the world. It was even more special on Saturday when all the local Civil War re-enactors filled the Fort and conducted routines of the time like marching and playing the band. It was soooooo windy and cold in the Fort but just outside it was calm and warmer. I would have hated to be stationed there. But Walker thought it was fascinating to see folks marching around and he loved when the band came and they beat on the big drums and played the bugle and the piccolos. Larry enjoyed speaking with the sharpshooter and the doctor about the tools of the time. There was this sweet little boy who was getting into the re-enacting at an early age and he took special interest in our Walker –- making sure his coat was zipped up (made sure to ask Daddy if it was OK for him to zip up his jacket) and talking to him as Walker inspected the troops.

This was only one of many high points for the weekend. Walker has been very, very mobile. He crawls over to his walker and takes a few spins around the house, banging the walker into walls and then backing up and straightening out so he can proceed as planned. It’s really rather impressive. And he’s wicked fast with that thing. He also likes to cruise around the house holding our hands. We’re certainly getting our exercise and it’s clear he is going to be walking all on his own soon. There were moments when he had one hand on the walker and was facing us, looking like he had every intention of leaving the walker behind to toddle over to us. Then, at the very last second, he dropped to his knees and crawled over. Clearly, he’s looking for the right incentive to assert his independence. But this morning something was different. He did a few spins around the house with Daddy and maneuvered his way into the bathroom. The two of them watched me as I was preparing for work. Then I hear Larry behind me saying, “Look! Look! Look!” and just as I turn around, Walker lets go of Daddy’s hand and took two and a half steps toward me before falling to his knees. Yup, it’s begun. Walking on his own (and dealing with the bumps and bruises and cuts and scrapes that come along with the learning process). Our Baby is now a Toddler.

Next Sunday will be a big step for Mommy. I have put Walker to sleep almost every night since he was born (it may be even be every night but I can’t remember a few nights back in December when I had to leave the house early in the morning, pump in the SJ Convention Center parking lot and return home late at night –- Larry may have lulled him to sleep –- it was such a blur). But next Sunday, Grammy Jane is going to babysit (read: kick us out of the house) and give Walker a bath and put him to sleep. She says Mommy and Daddy need to have an adult dinner. And, she’s right. So, as much as I want to have a date with my Larry, it’s going to be hard not putting the little Morsel to bed. Just as Walker takes his steps toward independence, so is Mommy.

The teething seems to be getting better. Walker is not as uncomfortable or clingy as he’s been in the last few weeks and his sleep is better as well. Last night he slept straight through from 7:30 to 6:00 without waking up. You have no idea how exciting that is! (Perhaps the good night sleep contributed to the desire to walk on his own?) Both Mommy and Daddy were so proud of our little Gold Medal Sleeper (it IS the Olympics , of course) and we awoke refreshed and ready to face the day. What a difference it makes. (I was talking to Gigi this morning to catch her up on Walker news and she said she had no doubt Walker would start walking but she did doubt he’d ever sleep through the night. There were times at 2:30am when I had those same thoughts…) Larry and I have been trying extra hard to make Walker laugh. Not only because it’s the best sound in the whole wide world, but because it gives us a chance to see all his new teeth. It’s so hard to believe that at one time I was sad because I was never going to see my little baby’s gummy grin and now Mr. Gummers is DOUBLING his teeth with four new molars and two new bottom teeth. And I’m convinced that his top canines are considering making an appearance. The little Jack-o-Lantern / Rodent smile is going to soon be that of a little boy with a mouth full of teeth and the ability to eat anything he wants. Goodness.

Speaking of eating, PopPop is flabbergasted at the amount Walker eats. He stayed for dinner last weekend and witnesses the dinner of 2 Mommy fistfulls of Cheerios, 5 mini-meatballs, a few cubes of cheese, frozen peas, 10 grapes (cut in half), some blueberries, and a sippey-cup of milk. (For lunch we substitute the cheese and meatballs for half a quesidilla and for breakfast we lose the peas and have an egg.) Sofiya asked us not to feed him so much for breakfast because he likes to eat Kashi with the rest of the kids when he arrives but generally he’s too stuffed. So, this morning we tried to keep breakfast to a minimum but it wasn’t easy. There was a lot of “Eh! Eh!” and pointing to the counter for more of whatever Mommy was preparing (which was a salad for lunch but Walker got some more watermelon which won’t be as filling).

And it’s Monday so I have to share a Monday at Adobe story. Last week there was a 9:00 meeting where many folks arrived about 10-15 minutes late. (This is not unusual for many meetings, especially those beginning on Monday mornings.) There was someone new to Adobe in the meeting and once all the participants sauntered in, she says in a somewhat exasperated tone, “Good, everyone is here. Now let’s get started!” which prompted one attendee to reply, “Becky, you’re at Adobe now. Here we start Monday morning meetings with, ‘How was your weekend?’” This anecdote, while seemingly absurd, perfectly captures the Adobe culture. As I type away on the train to San Jose, I think about the insanity that awaits me but know at least it will be conducted in a cordial and polite manner.