Fearless

The house we stayed in while at the lake has stairs everywhere...a couple of stairs going up to the kitchen...5 or 6 stairs going down to one of the bedrooms and the bathroom...a flight of stairs going up to the second floor bedroom...stairs going up the front porch...stairs going down the back porch.

Ryan thinks stairs are great!

He practiced his stair *climbing* abilities all weekend long. He can scale a flight of stairs in the amount of time it takes to finish this sentence. He's fast! The problem comes with his lack of grace in descending those stairs. He doesn't see individual stairs; he sees the top and he sees the bottom. The bottom is where he wants to go so why not just take off running.

Of course with the flight of stairs we were always well within arms reach of our fearless 2-footer. Tumbling down those stairs would have ended our beautiful weekend in a most sudden and unpleasant way. I am, however, one of those parents who believes in the "live and learn" kind of thinking, so don't call the authorities on me when I admit that, yes, my son tumbled down the stairs leading to/from the kitchen. The stairs going down from the kitchen were only 2 carpeted steps leading to a plushly padded carpeted floor. I tried to show him how to balance with the rail. I tried to show him how to scoot down the steps on his rear. (He thought that was great fun but couldn't figure out how to scoot far enough to the end to gently bounce to the next step...he still ended up going head first...I know...I know...don't ask). I tried to show him how to back down the stairs. Eventually everyone in the house (besides me) ran to the stairs to escort Ryan to the bottom of the 2 measly steps. Ohhh the kid has it easy.

By the way...did you know that stairs are great exercise? :)