Look, no hands!

As a parent, you see your kids every day, and so sometimes it's hard to realize just how fast your kids grow.

I know that this first year with Katherine and Caroline has gone by in a blur. But because I see them every day, it's still tough to notice how big they are getting, and how quickly they are developing, until we see friends who remark on how big the girls are getting.

However, every now and then a momentous event occurs that reminds me just how quickly my little girls are growing up.

On Tuesday, the Fourth of July, I was sitting with the girls on the rug in front of our television. The girls were crawling around, playing with their various toys, and I was sitting there watching them.

My attention drifted off to something on the the T.V. (there was a good "Twilight Zone" marathon this weekend!), and so I only halfway noticed Katherine as she crawled up in front of me.

Suddenly, however, as I sat on the floor, I realized that Katherine's face was blocking my view of the T.V.

I looked at Katherine as she stood in front of me, and there she was.

Standing in front of me, all by herself.

It was a great moment to be a father, and I of course jumped up to get my camera. In doing so I startled Katherine so that she fell on her butt.

But for the rest of the day, Katherine continued to pull herself up from a sitting position into a standing position, all on her own, without any help from Mom and Dad.

She was so happy at what she learned, she would laugh and wave her arms every time she stood up.

I guess it's only appropriate that on the Fourth of July, Katherine declared her independence by standing up on her own two feet!

Concentrating REAL hard!
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Look! No hands!
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