Standing Barefoot

Yesterday I was sitting on the carpet next to Katie, who was standing and leaning against the couch, when all of the sudden Katie no longer needed the couch and was standing there (barefoot) on the carpet - all by herself.  At the time I was on the phone with my sister, and we figured it was about 30 seconds that Katie had been standing.  Normally I have her stand in her leg braces because I can easily put her feet in the right position and it's much more stable for her than her bare feet.  So to have her standing there, balancing herself while barefoot and with no help at all from me, GOOD NEWS!

Buh-Bye SWASH!

Katie has worn this SWASH (Sitting Walking And Standing Hip Orthosis) everyday for 3 hours a day at school for the past school year. This SWASH gives her a sense of knowing where her legs and hips are.  It also cuts down on Katie scissoring her legs while walking and keeps her steps more balanced and not so high and all over the place. So, imagine my delight when we saw Brett the orthotist yesterday and he says, "I think she's walking as well without the SWASH as she is with it!" He was truly amazed at how well she has progressed over the year and even commented on her balance and focus also being so much better! I honestly think he was as excited as I was to see how far she has come.

Oh thank you SWASH for your much needed help - but I think you'll be off to be recycled for someone else to use soon!

"Where's your frog?" and flower, and monkey...

I think it would be wise for you all to buy stock in Carter's baby clothing because I am keeping them in business buying up all of their shirts with animals and flowers emblazoned on the front.

Katie now knows when I say, "Where is your frog?" what that means, and will grab her shirt and look at the frog (or whatever object is on it). 

She also knows where Mommy's nose, mouth, eyes, ears, and hair are, and will touch them (sometimes with a startling pinch!) but does not understand where her own nose, mouth, etc... are, yet.

These are milestones to us!  Maybe not in the guide book for toddlers, but for us - big cognitive happenings here at our house!

grah-ga!

Katie has a new word to add to her current two (dada and momma) - "grah-ga!"  According to dictionary.com, a grah-ga is: a thin, crisp biscuit - and when translated from baby to the english language it is a "cracker".

Katie's babysitter told us this past weekend that as soon as we left the house Katie said cracker three times consistently when she pulled out the box of Wheat Thins.  Of course, Katie never talks much to us parents, but today she said her version of cracker to me after some prompting (bribing actually), and just now she said it with the physical therapist.   Katie's diet may be cracker based today - I'll have to work on the words banana or meatloaf next to even out the food pyramid.