The Bottom Three

 Sorry for the blurriness, but it helps to demonstrate the movement captured by this photo.  At ten months Mariana began to officially walk.  She had taken her first steps at nine months; but, as Dave says, first steps aren't real walking.  (He's a stickler on this one.)  Real walking begins when walking is chosen as the primary mode of ambulation.  She is our youngest walker by far.  I tend to agree with those who comment that the age when a child first walks has far more to do with temperament than with physical ability.  Our three calmest children were all very late walkers; yet, two of them are by far the most gifted runners among the seven.  Our earliest walkers are our feistiest personalities; they tend toward meltdowns and drama and they have little patience when trying to achieve a goal.  Thus, they grew tired of crawling very quickly and stood up on two feet and walked as soon as possible.  Falls and mishaps don't bother them in the slightest; they see the bigger picture - that they have joined the world of the taller people.

 Heavy winter coats tend to impede the early walker.  Poor Mariana stood up in this coat and immediately fell backward due to the weight of her hood.  She also found the real shoes (not leather slippers) a little difficult.

 Sarah's one of our later walkers, but she's still pretty feisty.  Despite her zest for life, she is a very peaceful and calm little girl.  In fact, she seems to possess a rare gift - that of being a really good friend.  I find this fascinating to watch at such a young age.  She understands how to play with others while simultaneously holding her own and yielding to the other.  Gift, indeed.

 Her fist did not make contact with Mariana's face.

 I couldn't resist taking photos on this day.  It was mid-October and unusually cold, however the light was so perfect that even iPhone photos turned out fantastic.

 Isaac and the everlasting Crocs.  He has two pairs of running shoes, but he consistently chooses the easy way out - the Croc.  I'm going to have to hide them before the snow flies.  (And now that the snow has flown, the Crocs have been officially dumped.)

 For the sake of cuteness:  two Marianas.