Reznet

His First Steps

By Christie Cooke

Edward, once the fastest crawler, now is the quickest I’ve ever seen on two feet.

To witness his progression from crawler to walker has been so fun!

Weeks ago, Edward started trying to balance himself. He was like a surfer trying to find balance on his board and the water. He bent his legs and knees, dipped up and down, while his arms spread outward for support.

He would then attempt to take a few steps but only to fall back to the comfort of his hands and knees.

This past Saturday he was more motivated to walk. Actually, he tried to run before he could walk. In the living room of our apartment, he practiced his steps with the eagerness of a track sprinter awaiting the shot of the starting gun. His mind too quick for his legs, he fell over and over, with his feet behind him.

On Sunday, he conquered his battle with gravity, and the repetition of his steps became fully engrained in his memory.

Now he walks with the quick, two steps that babies often do in the beginning stages.

The best part about seeing him walk is how happy he is with his newfound skill.

He used to cry after Emma and I when we walked so easily and casually into the different rooms of our apartment. Now he smiles ear to ear because he can follow right behind us on two feet!

This act of walking signifies many things for me and my daughter. It means freedom from my days of carrying Edward on my hip (he has become so heavy these days). It’s the time I’ve been waiting for because now my daughter, officially, has a sibling who she can play with, walk and run with, and take these important steps in life together.

Christie Cooke, Navajo, has a master of fine arts degree in creative writing from the University of Arizona. She is a graduate of the Freedom Forum's 2007 American Indian Journalism Institute. Cooke teaches English at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kan.