hiro isn't walking yet, but i think he wants to. he even took a step the other night. yoshi says he fell, but that's not true. usually, hiro will make sure he has a hold of something before he walks. so, if he's holding onto the table but wants to come over to me, he'll grab hold of me with one hand and then the other--and then step over. but the other night he was holding onto the couch, screwed up his courage, let go and walked about a step and a half before falling into my arms. it must have looked like falling to yoshi, but he really took a step.

then, on wednesday night, hiro and i went to the coin laundry to dry the hundred pounds of laundry i let pile up. *sigh* i have a basket and a laundry bag, and while we were waiting, hiro started pushing the basket--while walking. pretty much using it like a katakata. he would push it in front of the dryers and washing machines until he hit the wall. then he'd start to yell and complain until i 'rescued' him and got him going in a new direction. that was fine until the clothes were dry--then i was too busy trying to fold clothes. he was so mad!

last night while i was making dinner (iridori), hiro was in the kitchen seeking attention. i finally got his katakata out and he used it perfectly! he would walk from the baby room into the kitchen until BAM! right into the table. then i'd turn him around and he'd go back to the baby room, hit the crib and then start to cry. i would turn him around again and back and forth we went. all the while trying to prepare dinner. i'm not sure why he would cry when he hit the crib. maybe because the light wasn't on in that room and it was scary? or he was just frustrated because he had to stop.

when yoshi got home we showed him how hiro could use his katakata. he would start at one end of the living room and walk BAM! into the sliding door. then, i'd turn him around and he'd walk until BAM! into the other sliding door. and man, that katakata itself is so loud! but he's finally using it, and we are glad.