Probably Won't Walk Soon

The tree is fine. We're not keeping any presents underneath it this year, since Fiona would just tear the paper apar, but we hung a few soft ornaments low to the ground and Fiona is distracted enough by grabbing those off the branches that she doesn't try to do anything more dangerous, like pull herself up on a tree that probably wouldn't support her.

Actually, I'm not that worried about her trying to pull herself up. When she first started standing I guessed that she'd be walking by Christmas, but the more we get to know our baby the less likely I think that is. Fiona is curious but cautious--for all the joking we do about her suicidal tendencies (mainly because she likes to fling herself backwards so that daddy will hold her upside down), she's very careful about testing each new surface before she tries to stand on it.

For example: the bouncer. When Fiona was first learning to stand, she put a hand on the bouncer and felt it move and instantly let go so she could look for a more stable surface to use. Over time, she developed enough confidence in her standing that she decided to try again, and now she pulls herself up on all sorts of things that we wouldn't have thought were prime material for babystanding. But it's a deliberate process when it's something new, and I think Fiona will be very careful about those first few steps, even if it means waiting until she's 13 months or so.

Once she can walk, though, all heck will break loose.