We've known for a while now that Nathan wasn't going to be satisfied until he could get around the house on his own, so he's been crawling furiously for the past couple of months, and over the last two weeks, he's managed to start walking short distances on his own. Mostly, he stands up by the sofa, then heads off into the middle of the room, taking about ten steps before sitting down. He's getting stronger by the day - earlier today, he walked half way across the lounge, nearly stumbled, managed to stand still, then changed direction before sitting down gracefully!
We've also had to buy a stair gate now, since he can motor up the stairs in a matter of moments - it's quite a sight to see, and he giggles all the way to the top. And from there, he heads to the bathroom and demands to splash his hands in the sink - all very cute indeed, but it's often exhausting to keep up with him!
He's 9 months old today, so it looks like he's leaping ahead of the standard milestone predictions when it comes to movement. Thankfully, the house is becoming increasingly baby friendly as all the sharp objects are being packed into boxes, in anticipation of a move in the near future!
We think he's starting to associate his "mamamama" and "dadadadada" babbling correctly, but it's hard to tell sometimes! One think is for certain - his first "word" is "nononononono!" as he staunchly refuses to have his nappy changed / eat food / move away from the cooker / go back into the lounge. This is a baby who knows what he wants, and is starting to figure out how to communicate those wants.