Pincer grasp

Taken off the internet: "Fine motor coordination of the hand progresses in a definite pattern. At 6-7 months the hand is used as a rake and objects are raked into the palm with the fingers. At 8-9 months the thumb and the radial fingers are used to grasp an object and smaller objects are picked up.  At 10-12 months, the fine pincer grasp is developed. This enables an infant to pick up a small object between the distal thumb and index finger."

The pincer grasp is something we have been working with Katie on for years. We use a few different strategies and one of them is at breakfast, I put Lucky Charms cereal on her highchair tray while I get her breakfast ready.  Because they are so small and she only wants the marshmallowy ones, she tends to use a pincer grasp most of the time (probably for the past year).  However, this is not consistent with other foods and objects, and she still uses her whole hand sometimes to pick other things up. 

So, in the last two days Katie keeps putting her hands in the air with a pincer grasp, not grasping at anything at all.  Maybe she is telling us, "Look, I can do this, and I don't need to be bribed by that leprechaun cereal!"

Here are a few pictures of her pincing her fingers in the air.  I know her occupational therapists will be thrilled!  And maybe a little baffled?