Mastered Goals 8 and 9!

Goal 8: Crawls with Belly off the Ground
This was such a tough skill and many people told me Brandt would probably just skip it all together, but he finally got it! At the recommendation of the physical therapist, we bought a little scooter board and placed it under his belly to help Brandt get used to the feeling of being on his knees and balancing. Once he started to get up on his knees, we put toys and snacks in front of him to entice movement. And, when he falls back down to drag on his belly, I give him a little lift to remind him. He is doing about 50% knee crawling right now--he drops to his belly when he gets really excited and wants to move quickly, and I am okay with that because he has shown the world that he can do that skill! Even better, when I take him to the park that has woodchips like Brandt's school playground does, he is 100% on his knees!

Goal 9: Walks with a Push Toy without Assistance
Walking with a push toy has also taken a lot of therapy assistance. The therapist advised me to weigh down the push toy with little leg weights so that it does not get too far ahead of him. This gives him more control and confidence, while still allowing him to work on his balance. Now, he an use both a weighted and unweighted push toy without me having to hold him up. And, he is all over the house with his push toys. The only thing he hasn't figured out yet is how to back up or turn it when he gets stuck, but I am sure he will get that with a little more practice.

We have had one crazy summer, but despite all of the illnesses and doctor's appointments, we have made it through with lots of love and faith. We have stayed focused on helping him succeed, and we are ready to tackle whatever lies ahead!