Maggie 17 months

Maggie turned 17 months old today and I'm actually managing to blog on the same day! Sweet girl is just workin so hard and growin up so fast. Her exercises and therapy are still based around the same principles: strengthening her core through sitting, standing, transitioning and walking to name a few. Each week and month she gets stronger-- she's really good at sitting in grocery carts and highchairs now-- still not quite the level of other children her age, but we've really come a long way. She sits for really long periods of time to play, unless of course little miss priss doesn't want to and decides to lay down. Then we just work her back up to a sit and she's able to do most of that work herself now. Maggie is also standing very well, especially with her AFO's, she has come to really like them and we're pretty sure it's because she knows the difference in her posture and how much harder she works to stand without them. I mentioned several of these things a month ago and everything is a work in progress, but she's getting stronger and more independent as the weeks and months move on.
I think the biggest differnce since this last month is her walking. Marliese did indeed get us a walker for the house and Maggie takes some really good steps. It takes a lot of coordination and strength to both hold to the walker and take steps but she can do a few on her own. Marliese was very impressed. Maggie loooooves to stand and walk like a big girl! Today at therapy she walked all the way down a long hall and halfway back pushing one of those sit and scoot cars that have a handle on the back. Katie was just holding her at the hips for support, but she did the lion's share of the work herself. It was pretty awesome to watch. She's also getting better with self feeding-- she started last summer but now she has taken a stronger interest in feeding herself and is able to pick up something, take a bite, then set it back down. We just love watching this baby girl acquire new skills or improve on the ones she has.
I met a little girl at therapy today whose mom told me was so excited about her new shoes because she's just been released from AFO's. The little girl is 3 1/2 and the mom told me she never really expected her to walk without them- in fact she's only been walking for about a year. She had some of the same issues as Maggie - low tone, weak trunk strength/control, etc, but also had hip displaysia and her mom thought she was going to need a painful, intensive surgery, but they've been putting a brace on her at bedtime and naptime (not sure how long, I didn't ask) and it's corrected now! God is good. So, this doesn't mean that Maggie will ever walk without AFO's or even walk independently at 2 1/2. But, it's nice to not only hear, but see stories like that in action- tangible hope. I love you Maggie Moo and am so very proud to call myself your mommy!!!

17 months

good steps in the walker