25.5 months

Gwenny is getting ready for Halloween! 

 I thought Supergirl was appropriate with all the progress she's made this year.

We had our Shriner's visit this past week.  They took x-rays of Gwenny's spine and hips (they both look good.)  We also saw a special care doctor there and an orthopedic specialist (there were actually 4 other people in the room, I'm not sure who they all were.)

  Everyone was so excited for Gwenny's new progress of crawling and they kept calling her "amazing."  We have an appointment with a physical therapist at Shriner's to be fitted for a stander in a couple weeks.  The plan is to use the stander for 30-60 minutes each day to help develop Gwenny's feet and hips with weight bearing.  I'm hoping I'll be able to use the stander during lunch time instead of the highchair.  This will give us an opportunity to get 30-60 minutes of standing per day without cutting into other exercises and activities.

Shriner's doctor said they can also help us with new feet braces after Gwenny has had an opportunity to get proficient at crawling.  Then we can focus on walking.  This could be as early as January 2013 if her progress continues the way it has been going this past month.

Dancing queen!

This photo is significant because it shows that G can get into a half-kneel by herself when she wants something bad enough (in this case, to touch the bath water.)  This is the next step to pull to stand!   

Gwenny still loves to clear shelves and empty drawers, but now that she is more confident in her tall kneel, she is interested in the higher drawers.  (Soon none of my clothes with be safe!)

I bought G a toy microphone a few weeks ago to make it more fun to practice vocalizing.  She was not interested the first several days (like most things we do) but we kept playing with it and I've found her on the ground "singing" into it a few times when she thinks no one is listening.

Gwenny is learning something new every few days.  I was surprised at her focus on the movie The Lorax the other night. 

Today she figured out how to move herself down the stairs (Click here.)  I've been helping her "crawl" up and down the stairs a few times every day and it's just another thing that is happily paying off!

Gorgeous Gwenny noticed the piano from across the room, crawled over to it and pulled herself to a tall kneel to plunk the keys.  She loves the piano!  I am excited to teach her how to play it in a few years.

23.5 months

Look at this big girl!

Mama is so excited to see her little G-funk lift that little butty off the ground by herself!  We've been working very hard on strength in G's arms, legs and core to be able to do THIS.  I was worried when we had a little set back two weeks ago (she was only able to hold this position for 8 minutes, when we had been doing 10-15 minutes prior to that.) 

 We can now hold hands & knees for 20+ minutes using the bamboo braces on her arms and the SPIO vest on her core.

As Gwenny get taller and heavier its harder for me to do the exercises with her that require my strength, such as her bearing weight standing (this is hard on my back and arms.)  We started experimenting with other things she could lean against besides Mama, as she is now too tall to lean against the front of the couch or chair and stand straight.

  The arm rest of the couch is ok, but you can see how she is still sticking her little booty out, and not putting her full weight on her legs.  This position is easier on me, but I still need to straighten her stance the whole time.

We discovered this solution while at Leslie's house (a big thank you to you, Les!  Everything happens for a reason.)  While G was wearing her SPIO vest and foot braces, I stood her in front of this large window.  She loved looking outside, and she was unable to stick her booty out because her face would go forward into the window.  She was forced to stand straight and surprised me by being able to balance,  with the aid of her hands on the window.  We have now cleared a place by a window at home so we can continue weight bearing on her feet and legs this way. 

 At this point we are at 20+ minutes for standing.  From what I've read, I'd like to get up to 1-2 hours per day.  This would be more ideal with a stander (like a high-chair that she would stand in) but we're looking at FAR too much expense for one of those ($2,000-ish).  I'm hoping to borrow one through a program.  Until then, we'll continue with the window.

Everywhere G goes is a perpetual mess!  She loves getting into things and emptying baskets, drawers or shelves of any kind- toys, blocks, DVDs, books.  I'm loving that she is curious and motivated to do this.  I couldn't care less about the mess.

Gwenny taking a pic of her & Mama.






Every once in a while I get a picture like this, where I am completely struck at how beautiful Gwenny's eyes are.



We took G to a restaurant that we didn't realize was a "nice" tablecloth-type place until it was too late.  She had a great deal of fun driving me up the wall while she played with the tablecloth (including peek-a-boo) the whole time we were there.

Gwenny and her cousin Chloie play so well together. Chloie gives G hugs, and they both give kisses to each other.  They "colored" together this week during a visit.  Gwenny seems to get the idea of scribbling (moving her hand back and forth over the paper) but she lacks the wrist rotation to get the crayon in the right position.