Walking Skillz

so, i just read an article on parents.com about walking. it had all the usual "most babies take their first steps around their first birthday, etc. etc." but then it went on to inform me that several months after he starts walking, my baby will be able to do things like carry a toy or throw a ball while walking. umm... max can drink from a cup and walk at the same time. and he's only been doing a lot of heavy-duty, really coordinated walking for about a week or two. he was carrying his cup around with him the day he started doing a lot of independent walking. i mean, he spent a few weeks in the 'step, step, fall' phase and really didn't walk much without encouragement, but as soon as he got going on his own he started carrying things around, drinking, and putting towels on his head while he walks around the living room and kitchen. we have to go take the towel off max's head for him because he can't see with it over his face, and he runs into things. but he doesn't care. anyway, the point is, i don't think it takes several months for babies to progress from walking to carrying things while walking.

but anyway, i leave for corpus christi tomorrow for a conference, and i won't be back until sunday. i'm wigging out just a little bit. because i don't want to leave the max. i know he'll be fine with chad, and chad's mom is coming over to watch max while he's at work, but i'm gonna miss the little guy. chad made me make him a list of things for max to eat, even though he knows what max eats every day, what max likes and doesn't like, etc. the thing i'm most worried about is the fact we're supposed to take max off his antihistamines starting thursday, and i'm afraid he'll break out like crazy. i told chad to try not giving him atarax and see how it goes but to give max a dose if he needs to. hopefully, it won't be too bad. and even more hopefully, the hives will just go away, and max won't need any atarax. but i doubt that will happen.

anyway, i need to run so i can do a couple of last rehearsals of my talk (i made some changes after i went over it with dr. v. yesterday). thankfully, it's on thursday before lunch, so i won't have to sweat long. poor charlie's talk isn't until late saturday afternoon.

crap. i also have to pack. and then go pick max up from daycare so i can get lots of baby lovin' before i leave early in the morning.