We've reached stage 5+, of almost walking

From about 10 months on, we've been anticipating that any day this kid was going to start taking steps by himself.  It's been a much slower process than we thought with a lot of encouragement required.  We have a book that details the stages to walking:

Stage 1: baby learns to "cruise" holding on to furniture (he started doing this right after he started standing on furniture, at about 9 1/2 months)

Stage 2: can "cruise" with one hand, while other hand holds a toy.  This feat was accomplished very soon after stage 1 for our baby

Stage 3: can cross gaps between one support and next, can cross any gap that can be spanned by his 2 arms.  (our baby also mastered this by around 10 months.

Stage 4: will throw himself toward the support that is close, but not close to reach with his arm span.  (This he could do several months ago as well.  But it also says once they can do this they should be able to stand alone, which our baby did not do and still has very little interest in doing.  He is always falling or throwing his weight in one direction or another and doesn't seem to get the concept of standing still and then carefully taking "baby steps".)

Stage 5:  can toddle 2 or 3 steps to get where he is going. (Our kid can toddle the entire length of the playground or living room and has been able to for over a month.  But he doesn't hold his balance and is like a running catapult that will go faster and faster to try to catch himself as he run/falls.  We have to run after him and catch him before a big crash occurs.)

Only in the last few days  (he's about 12 1/2 months) has he started to gain more supported walking, where now he can actually walk between 2 objects, without falling over into them, or losing his balance midway and falling on his back or face.  Very soon I'm anticipating/hoping he will reach stage 6 which is fully independent walking with that great thing called balance and less of this dangerous 'no thought for gravity' fall-walking.   Perhaps if I'm lucky after this he will master patience and standing in one spot (but probably not)