This kid of mine, I tell ya. She is already a strong-willed little person who is going to make me crazy. She throws her food on the floor, shrieks if you aren’t within spitting distance, and insists on putting whatever you’re holding in her mouth.
But then there are days like today, where she cuddles, and she laughs at everything, and she dances and claps and just when you think she couldn’t get anymore awesome, she does this:
if you can’t see the video above, click here. Also, sorry about the, um, loudness. I was excited.
SHE DID IT! WOOO! She was standing a couple feet away from me, and just turned and took a step toward me and grabbed my leg. I immediately alerted Mike, and then we forced her to toddle drunk-like back and forth between the two of us while we cackled like hyenas.
It was awesome.
Yeah, I told you fools I could walk if I wanted to!
I’m so glad that she followed my strict instructions to walk before her first birthday. I’m all about the achieving up in here!
She is now allowed to turn one.
Kate @ UpsideBackwards says:
Uh-oh! NOW there’ll be trouble!
Congratulations, Annabel! What a wonderful achievement! And now you can have Mommy and Daddy running *after* you as well *for* you
Hugs to all!
Jackie S says:
Woo hoo, Annie!!! Now think of all the fun things you can get into
Summer says:
High five, Annie! Congrats on this milestone!
Gingernut says:
Maybe there’s something wrong with me, but that totally made me cry! My only excuse is that I have a 10.5 month old girl who is also close to walking… It’s, er, emotional… sob!
Lynn from For Love or Funny says:
What a wonderful milestone!!
catherine lucas says:
Woohzee… There ya go! What is it with babies these days that they all start to walk before getting one… In a hurry to grow up or so it seems. My granddaughter walked too before her first birthday… Amazing kids nowadays! Well done Annie… Keep them on their toes from now on!
Karen says:
Ya-HOO!! Awesome, Annie!
Mary Ann says:
Yay Annie! I can remember when I was checking your blog daily waiting for news of her birth – and now she’s walking. This year just flew by. If she is like my neices she will not stand still for another picture until she is around 5 and that is with bribing.
Hayley says:
Way to go Annie!
Love her hair in the last picture!!
Heather says:
Amazing! Congrats on that big step!
My daughters were late walkers, around 13/14 months. I wasn’t too worried, but when my best friend’s daughter walked at 8 1/2 months it did cause a little panic.
claire says:
Yay Annie!!! She’s growing up too fast!!
Jennifer says:
Uh, you know you’re in so much trouble now, right?
Trish says:
YAY ANNIE!!! I was laughing and crying at the same time watching this! How awesome you both got to see it together. Annie is the best! And OMG that hair~ GORGEOUS!! So shiny and silky! My hair is very,very jealous! But seriously Heather, do you use any of your own conditioners on her? My son has very curly hair and I have tried everything , baby and adult conditioners to tame the dryness on the back of his head (its like a rat nest back there ;o( Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Heather says:
I wash her hair with Johnson’s baby shampoo for Curly Hair. I washed Maddie’s with it, too. It is amazing. I always brush out her hair after she gets out of the bath, and it still springs back into the curls. Try that and let me know if it works!
Trish says:
Thank you for taking the time to reply! But unfortunately I use that same shampoo! (its a light baby blue color bottle) I recently started backing it up w/Dove’s Cool Cucumber Conditioner and OMG his head smells great and it actually started really softening up his curls. Annie has amazing hair after her Momma! You are both fantastic in every way. Wishing you a GREAT weekend!
Trish says:
Thank you for taking the time to reply! But unfortunately I use that same shampoo! (its a light baby blue color bottle) I recently started backing it up w/Dove’s Cool Cucumber Conditioner and OMG his head smells great and it actually started really softening up his curls. Annie has amazing hair after her Momma! You are both fantastic in every way. Wishing you a GREAT weekend!
Trish says:
YAY ANNIE!!! I was laughing and crying at the same time watching this! How awesome you both got to see it together. Annie is the best! And OMG that hair~ GORGEOUS!! So shiny and silky! My hair is very,very jealous! But seriously Heather, do you use any of your own conditioners on her? My son has very curly hair and I have tried everything , baby and adult conditioners to tame the dryness on the back of his head (its like a rat nest back there ;o( Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Lisa_in_WI says:
YAY ANNIE!!!!!!
Thurieyyah says:
CONGRATS ANNIE BELLE!!!!
Kirsten says:
WAHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Jen says:
WOOHOO, Annie! So proud of you. (((Hugs))) from here.
vickie says:
whoo-hoo! i love that moment.
Jamie says:
YAY ANNIE!
You’re going to have to totally step up your baby proofing.
Amber Skalicky says:
Yeah Annie! We were doing the same lastnight, Josie managed 15 steps and somehow i managed to get it on video, and she just kept doing it. Its so exciting, and to be totally truthful, im ready for her to walk… now miss Annie deserves new shoes right ;). Love those curls too
Nikki says:
Hoooorrrraaaayyyyyy! Yaay Annie!
I can’t believe she’s going to be 1 so soon!!!
XOXO from GA,
Nikki
Lisa says:
Yay!!! Look at her go. Annie you rock!
Jessica says:
Yay for Annie!! LOVING those curls!!! So precious!
Deborah says:
Yay! Congratulations on walking, Annie! She is quite possibly the only baby out there that makes my ovaries quiver just a little bit.
(((hugs)))
Ninabi says:
The amazing Annie!!! It’s truly a happy milestone. What beautiful, gorgeous curls she has, too!
J+1 says:
Go Annie!
Alisha says:
YAY!!! What a big girl! Go Annie!
Tammy says:
My only problem with that video is that it wasn’t long enough. She is so pretty! I’ll bet she doesn’t get mistaken for a boy anymore, does she? Not with those locks!
Nicole says:
Yay!!! Way to go Annie!!! So love those drunken steps….
Barnmaven says:
I predict the lower three feet of your house will now resemble the Sahara desert and that you will shed an unexpected ten pounds simply trying to keep Annie from putting the corner of the coffee table into her forehead — but also? YAY ANNIE!!!!!!! Three cheers for the Amazing Annabel, who knows how to WALK!
Mar in the MN says:
Awesome! Go Annie go! Have fun running after her, the world is a different place when you can walk! Think of all the things she will be able to do now…..
You and Mike are so screwed
Kim says:
Congrats Annie!!! That is so great!! I had to give my youngest a deadline as well when she was being lazy and not wanting to walk. She ended up walking 1 1/2 months before her 1st birtday and I know it’s because I gave her a deadline… lol
Jennifer says:
HO-LEE CURLS!! Her hair is growing so fast all of the sudden. GO ANNIE!! You’ll make them crazy now kiddo!
Barbi Emel says:
Yeah Annie, Love the hair too, you are sooo cute!!!
LisaJ says:
Awwww!
1. Ok….too freaking precious.
2. She is totally Mike’s mini-me.
3. You need to baby proof a level up now. TRUST me on this.
4. Nom!!!!
Jackie says:
Yay, Annie!! I love it! I like how she’s so pleased with herself, too
Camie says:
Congrats Annie! She’s such an adorable walker (but I have a suspicion that she does most everything adorably). And she looks so much like Maddie in that bottom picture with the curls!
Katie says:
She did it!!! Congratulations, Annie!!! Now you’re really in for it, Heather! Can’t wait to read all about her walking adventures. Love her adorable locks!
amourningmom says:
Yeah adorable Annie! So great that you were able to capture it on video. Take care.
Pattie says:
Woohoo! Way to go, Annie!
AngieM. says:
i feel like i just watched my own child take her first steps, since you know i got all teary just watching this…lol
also..i LOVE her curly locks..so freaken cute
also also..yay for first steps, i can’t believe she’s turning 1 soon.
Elle says:
WooHoo! Yay, Annabel! That is one of the best feelings when you see your little one walk. At the same time I thought ruh roh, I’m in trouble now and will never get to sit down again.
Lora says:
Yay Annie! She walked and she has beautiful hair!
Snickrsnack Katie says:
Congratulations!!!!! Woohoo!!!!
Rebecca says:
Good Lord this made me cry with happy tears! Reminds me of when I grabbed the video camera to capture Joey’s first steps about 3 weeks before he turned two years old. (He had and still has major orthopedic problems)
Jennifer says:
Whooo Hoo Annie!! You go girl! Can’t wait to see what your mom and dad have instore for your 1st birthday!
Tara. says:
YAY Annie!! That’s so exciting! Check out that hair! I love it.
Kellee says:
That is SO AWESOME! She is SO CUTE!
sharon says:
love those curls!
Kathryn in Berlin says:
Well would you look at her!!!!! Way to go Annie!! And oh my…her curls! She looks so much like her sister in that last picture. The eyebrows, the curls, her smile….all of which made me smile!
Jenn says:
YAY for ANNIE and YAY for you!!! I know you would have loved to watch Maddie take her very first steps. I’m gLad you caught & TAPED it!!! How special! Thanks for sharing!!!
Jenn
Marianne says:
YAY! And my word, she’s so cute!!!
I’ve got a soft spot for January babies… I had my boy on 1/25/08 and I’m due with our second (surprise) on 1/18/11… I adore your little one like I know her. Thank you for all the sweet pictures that you post.
MrsP says:
Awww how awesome, but I have to agree now is when the hard part begins! Enjoy their first steps are always funny.
tvargas002@cfl.rr.com says:
Oh, the cuteness! Annie’s hair it so awesome in this picture. Love the curls.
So sweet you guys caught those steps on film. Go Annie!
(((HUGS)) from Florida
monica says:
totally pre-shuss! Her walking and her hair!
Kristin (MamaKK922) says:
YAY she walked!!!! And that HAIR I LOVE that Hair. My lord she is adorable.
Lora says:
WOW!! Go Annie! What a big kid!
Snarky Mommy says:
We have those same jammies. Ya think if I put them on her, my 13-month-old will follow suit? This kid is KILLING me. Refuses to take any steps on her own. Walks all over the damn place holding on to things, though.
And those curls! She’s getting curlier by the day. I love that Annie!
AmazingGreis says:
Yaye! Way to go Annie!
Kayla N. says:
Oh my gosh, this made my day! Go Annie!
Glenda says:
woowho! congrats to Annie! Way to go!
Nicole Singleton says:
Yay for Annie!!!! That’s awesome that you caught it on camera!!
This is out of the blue, and I’m not even sure if you’ll read this, but I was wondering if you could post an update on your friend who suddenly had a stroke last year? I believe you were still pregnant with Annie when it happened… I think her name was Anissa or something close to it. I was really taken by the post you wrote when it happened, about how much she meant to you as a friend – your post made me cry, and I was just wondering how she was doing. I hope she’s doing well.
Happy New Year!
Dawn @ What's Around the Next Bend? says:
This made me laugh and cry all in one…
YEA Annie!!! There’s NO stopping you now
Danielle says:
Love her curls, absolutely beautiful. She is a true blessing, and walking already ..good luck! Besides Annabels awesome feat of walking, I noticed more than anything your Maddie “M” usical note and thought instantly that Maddie was with you guys for this wonderful milestone….bitter sweet as it warmed my and broke my heart in the same moment! You and Mike are amazingly strong!
Tami says:
Yay.. Wat to go Annie!!
She is so cute and love the curls!!:)
Jaime Maynard says:
Go Annie. Evangeline will be 1 on the 24th, and I also gave her order to walk before her first birthday. In theory, she did listen, she took 4 steps on New Years Eve, wasn’t a fan, whined the whole time she was walking like it was scary to her, and has refused to try again since. My stubborn little monkey :).
Elizabeth says:
Congrats Annie on your first steps!!! Mom & Dad…watch OUT
Coupon Trunk says:
Wow, that’s great that you were able to catch her first steps on video!
Jen says:
Bloody hell! What a show-off.
(I love her to pieces)
Kristin says:
Way to go Annie!
Veronika says:
She is WALKING! That is so awesome!
Savannah says:
Congratulations Annie!!! What a huge milestone, and so young!