The life and times of the stairs

We moved into a new (to us) townhouse on Sept 1st. Ardell had been walking, baby steps. The new house has two flights of stairs, both have landing 1/2 way and are carpeted. (lucky mommy)

So we started teaching him to go up the stairs, not so bad. Sometimes, he would turn around and look at one of us and topple down a stair or two. Then we started teaching him to go down the stairs. NOT so much fun. Robert and I would have to kneel on the stair below him and put our hand on his shoulder or head to get him to sit down. We had a few falls. But he doesn't "roll" yet, so they weren't usually all the way down the 1/2 flight, but they were nerve racking enough. (We do use baby gates when not with him on the stair). But finally, after 5 weeks of working on getting him to sit down, turn around and crawl backwards, HE DID IT ON HIS OWN. Unfortuantly it was while Robert and I were tring to get ready on Sunday and going up and down, so the gate was "down". I was in the bathroom when Dad started to panic that Ardell was not upstairs, (it had gotten quiet). Any way by the time he check upstairs and was almost to the main floor, Ardell "popped" his head around the wall that went to the stairs to the front door and basement.

I am very glad to have Ardell able to climb up and down stairs safely, but it is now a game, and when he doesn't want to play he cries at me. I'm not so impressed with this.

Now if we can just get him to navigate around "rolling" swivel chairs and change his own pants.

Not likely soon.

But I do enjoy the adventure, after I get over the panic attacks and can laugh a little