NOW CLOSED Tell Clarks about your child's first steps and be in with a chance of winning a £100 voucher

[AlexMumsnet]

Clarks have just released their latest First Shoes range here and to coincide they would love to hear about your DCs first steps.

So what do you remember about your child(ren)s first attempts to negotiate the world on two feet?

~ How old were they?

~ Do you remember where you were at the time?

~ Did they take time to adjust, or were they keen to get a move on?

~ How did it feel? Were you overjoyed or just slightly terrified at how quickly they were growing up and what they could now get up to!?

Everyone who shares their thoughts on this thread will be entered into a prize draw, where one MNer will win a £100 Clarks voucher.

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

[lubeybooby]

My DD took her first steps on her first birthday. We were all really proud. However she then fell flat on her face and didn't try again until 15/16 months! Once she got it second time though, no stopping her. From walking to running very quickly, within a week or so. It was a really sweet time with my newly toddling toddler.

[Pascha]

DS1 took his first steps unaided 4 daysbefore his first birthday. He stood up and walked across the kitchen - no hesitant first steps, just up and away he went.

[noisytoys]

DD didn't take her first steps til 22 months. She's 4 now and you would never know she was a late walker

[MrsJohnDeere]

Ds1 took his first steps in the week of his first birthday.

Ds2 (lazy ) was about 17 months old, I think. Started crawling early and was quite happy with that.

With the first I was desperate for him to walk, with the second I wasn't. It is so much easier whe they stay on one place!

Neither hesitated. It was straight from nothing to walking the same day.

[BornToFolk]

DS was 13 months and took his first steps at the park. He never crawled so it was a relief when he started to walk and could finally get himself around.
He took to it quite quickly, I think. It was much harder persuading him to walk again when he broke his leg at 2.5years. He had 6 weeks in plaster then another month or so when he just would not walk.
You'd never know it now he's 5 and seems to spend most of his life running (and playing football)

[iMe]

DD was 16 months. Remember the first steps well as we were camping and with friends so lots of folk to cheer her on, cameras at the ready. She was quite hesitant and cautious, afraid of falling. I was relieved because she was and still is a heavy solid lump and I was getting such sore back & hips from carrying her around. Also, was sick of everybody asking me every two mins if she was walking yet...shouldn't she be walking by now? Etc etc.

DS walked at 13 months. A hardy wee fella so not afraid & no stopping him once he got going. Went far too fast at first so had many many falls. I can't remember the first time he walked though, even though its only 5 months ago. I'm glad he walked quicker than DD, he's been more content since he can go exploring.

[WheresMyCow]

DS took his first proper unaided steps at 15 months. I was at work and he was with my mum and he walked across the kitchen to my sister.

I was quite pleased that he did it for my mum as it was the week after my DF had a stroke and it really cheered her up!

He went from strength to strength and hasn't stopped since...it is very scary how fast he is growing up!!

[GotMyGoat]

~How old were they?

I remember at DD's 8 month health check dd was happily cruising with a trolley or holding onto furniture, and we were sure it wouldn't be long... wasn't till she was 13/14 months she finally took her bold first steps!

~Do you remember where you were at the time?

I remember the day after we bought her new shoes, we were off on holiday in Cornwall, she had a great time walking on the beach! I think she took her first steps at home, darting across the room whilst no one was looking and giggling!

~Did they take time to adjust, or were they keen to get a move on?

Absolutely keen to get a move on! She hated the pushchair from that day on, and loves to walk around in town with us.

~How did it feel? were you overjoyed or just slightly terrified at how quickly they were growing up and what they could now get up to!?

I was overjoyed, my husband had told me me weren't allowed to buy dd any shoes till she was walking, and I wanted to go shoe shopping! It's fantastic to be able to just put on shoes and walk out the door, holding dd's hands. We get a lot of comments, as she looks too little to be walking (small 20mth old now) but she grins all the way down the street.

We did suddenly get a bit terrified when we realised how quickly little feet grow. Out of a brand new pair of shoes in a month! Hopefully we won't need new shoes every month, we can't afford it!

It's also quite difficult when DD wants to go in an opposite direction to us, or if she really really wants to step in that pile of dog poo... I can understand why people keep their toddlers strapped into pushchairs!

[oopslateagain]

DH was deployed to the Gulf when DD was five months old. While he was gone, he missed her crawling, he missed her sitting up alone, he missed her first adventures with solid food, he missed her pulling herself up on furniture, he missed her 'cruising' the furniture, and he missed her first wobbly attempts to stand alone.

One week before he was due to come home, DD started to try and take a step.

I decided he had missed enough. He was not going to miss that first step. So we played a game - every time DD went to take that step, I poked her in her tubby little belly and made her giggle and plop down. For an entire week, she tried to take a little step, raised her foot, looked at me and giggled, waiting for the belly-poke. It was a lovely game to her but my heart was in my mouth - would DH actually get home on time, or would his tour get extended so he would miss yet another huge milestone in DD's life?

He got home at 8am, walked in the door, and DD took her very first step into her daddy's arms.

Best day of my life.

[oopslateagain]

Oops - to answer the questions: DD was 10 months old, once she took that first step she never seemed to sit down again - she was into everything at top speed! I can't remember how we felt about it TBH - we were learning how to be 'a family' again.

[reastie]

DD took her first steps when she was 12 MO. It was at my Mums and I was there too. I was very excited and proud. I was desperate for her to walk and I hated her crawling everywhere on dirty floors when we went out . I think DD must've been listening to me as that day I was telling DM I was at the thought of going back to work and missing DDs first steps. If I'm brutally honest, I'm not convinced she hadn't already taken her steps when I was at work and my Mum was looking after her (and my Mum was too nice to spoil my excitement)

[Witchesbrewandbiscuits]

ds was 10 months

it was at home

he was straight off and wanted to run before he could walk! once he had taken those first steps, there was no stopping him.

at first i felt he was too young; still a baby but i soon realised we could do more things, and he had reached an important milestone. proud moment.

[EskSmith]

Both my children took their first independant steps in the week of their first birthday.
Both wanted to walk almost continuously immediately (my poor back!)
DD1 was more nervous than DD2 who was off like a racing car - I swear she is the child who ran before she could walk!
I remeber feeling incredibly proud of both of them - the sheer determination they put into mastering it was amazing. DD1 was fine (as I could monitor her every move) but yes DD2 was almost immediately up to double the mischief :)

[EskSmith]

Oops - that made me cry - how lovely :)

[tallulah]

My older children all walked between 10 - 11 months but DC5 wasn't walking at 14 mo and we were starting to get worried. Went to Down House (Charles Darwin's house) on a beautiful sunny day and out into the garden. DD stood up and walked across the lawn . Once up she was off and didn't look back.

[threepiecesuite]

~ How old were they? DD was 14 months

~ Do you remember where you were at the time? We were on a mini break in Cheshire and we'd just been for a steam train ride

~ Did they take time to adjust, or were they keen to get a move on?
A few wobbly days, then she was away, slowly but surely.

~ How did it feel? Were you overjoyed or just slightly terrified at how quickly they were growing up and what they could now get up to!?

I was proud more than anything. Life got easier then and I didn't have to carry her and she always walked nicely.

[ChocolateCoins]

My DD was one day off being 10 months when she took her first steps. She had only been crawling for about 3 weeks so I was quite surprised! By ten and a half months she was walking around everywhere although still falling over every 10 seconds!

Walking made her lose all the fat on her legs. I miss those big chunky legs

[CharCharGabor]

DD1 was 11 1/2 months. I can't really remember a specific change from crawling to walking as it was quite gradual. I remember being v proud, but amazed at how quickly her first year had gone. DD2 was similar but a bit later.

However, this week I have had the joy of seeing DD1's first steps all over again. She has been seriously ill in hospital and lost the ability to sit up, walk or move at all really. Expected recovery was between 6 and 12 months. We were devastated and frightened. But since the day she came home from hospital (after some very strong drugs) she has been pushing herself so hard. First she sat up, then stood. Then walked. Only two or three tentative, wobbly steps across the floor to her dad, but it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Every day she is getting stronger and walking further. Her determination has amazed us. I'm expecting by the time she's fully recovered, and judging by the amount she's eating, she'll be in need of some new shoes! :D

[Littleorangetree]

DS had just turned one when he took his first steps. We were visiting my parents at the time. He was definitely keen to get a move on, and still is! I remember being quite excited at the time, but it opened up a whole world of trouble as once he started running he didn't stop and still bolts off when he gets the chance.

[CMOTDibbler]

Ds was cruising at 9 months, crawled the week he was 1, and walked on his own at 14 months. I can't pinpoint when it actually happened as he'd been trundling around so long.

Course, I remember very well the point when I realised that his very wide feet were going to be taking us to independant shoes shops for the next years...

[JazzAnnNonMouse]

Dd took her first steps at 18 months (a few weeks ago!) she was copying dh stomping then a few days later she let go of my hand and toddled off

[MakeTeaNotWar]

DD was 11 months old when she took her first steps. I had taken her to Texas to visit my brother and she was so besotted with her 7 year old cousin that she literally took to her feet to chase him round the house. This meant that DH missed her first steps as he wasn't with us...it also meant I had to march up and down the aisle for the 10 hour flight back as she was so chuffed with her new skill. Her first steps were circular as she planted her left foot and pivoted round using her right leg.

[silverangel]

DTs finally walked at Christmas at 17mo, an iphone held out finally convinced them it was worth letting go of the sofa for! Of course, once once did it, the other followed very quickly.

I thought my life was going to get a lot harder chasing them in different directions but it's got easier in terms of getting them in and out of the house etc and they just love shoes. Their first word was shoe!

[HopingItllBeOK]

DS1 was 16 months old and still only occasionally furniture cruising, I was starting to get worried as he was showing no signs of being interested in walking. I was visiting a friend who asked how long DS1 had been walking. I said he wasn't yet and she looked at me oddly before asking who the streak of lightning running up and down the hallway was then? I looked out and sure enough, there was DS1 running down the middle of her hall. No first steps, he did a first sprint

DS2 was my textbook baby, he did exactly what the books said he should, when they said he should.

DS3 took his first steps 2 weeks before his first birthday. I was away from home visiting friends. DS3 was confidently cruising but Would Not Consider Thinking About taking a solo step. I was sitting and chatting to my friend in her games room while the kids played in the middle of the floor. DS3 stood himself up, squealed to get everyone's attention, then took 3 steady steps. Towards my friends husband. To mug him for his crisps. As soon as he got a crisp, he sat down and refused to do it again. Not only was DP not there, but DS3 took his first steps towards someone he had only met 20 minutes earlier and took a full week before he'd do it again.

[GaryBuseysTeeth]

DS was 8 months, took 3 steps.
I was sitting on the floor next to him.
He walked, roughly, once a week for the next four months...only ever infront of me, everyone pulled a face whenever I mentioned he'd walked again.
Finally started walking properly at 13months, then stopped again for 3 weeks, now you can't stop him!
I miss him being my little newborn, but look forward to him growing up...but still my baby!