ELEVEN!

I thought last month was hard, but this month was worse! We got maybe 5 shots and this is the only one that is a "non-action" shot. For a kid who can't walk or crawl, she really gets around fast. I love that the bottom of her left foot is yellow. It's the one she drags when she does her booty scoot.

Speaking of booty scooting, apparently ECI doesn't think that's good enough to be considered mobile. Nell was evaluated last month and they seemed to think a little therapy was in order. Although she could stand if we stood her up, she couldn't pull herself up. When she was up, she would cruise around the coffee table, but only in one direction (we had never noticed this). The therapist said that was a problem and to block one end of the table so she would have to turn around. Helena said she would NOT go the other direction, that she doesn't HAVE to do anything and now refuses to stand at all. Noodle legs, every time. Also, she has yet to even consider getting on her knees. She says no way, no how on that, too. 

H has been sitting very well for months, but couldn't get to a sitting position herself. If she were to fall over, she would flail on her back like an overturned turtle. The therapist gave Meg some simple exercises to do to encourage H to sit. She mastered that skill on the floor in a couple of days and was sitting up like a champ, using her new skill with gusto during diaper changes. Not to sound ungrateful, Meg was kinda sad about this development. Except for a fluke sit the first week, it was another few weeks (the last 2 days to be specific) before she used the skill to sit up in her bed. She's done it a total of 3 times. Why sit up when you know someone will come, I guess. 

(I'm gonna add that although my sweet sack of sugar is delayed a couple of months on gross motor skills at 10 months, she tested at 19 months on reasoning skills. Almost her whole lifetime ahead.  I felt sure you would want to know this and, as mine, your heart swells with pride. Go Helena!)

Baby girl has now added "doggie" and "no" to her vocab and has made up her own sign for pacifier. Pretty stinkin' cute, huh? She understands the inflection of a question and will nod yes and smile when you ask one. "Want to go to bed?" (nod, nod, smile).  "Want a snack?" (nod, nod, smile). "Do you love your Mamie?" (nod, nod, smile). My favorite was at the park, when a lady asked H's age and the topic of not crawling or pulling up yet came up. She said "Don't you worry, it'll happen, won't it?", and H nodded yes and smiled.  

She has "no" down pretty well, too, and will shake her head "no" to herself when she is about to do something she knows she's not supposed to do. She does it anyway, she just knows she's not supposed to, like dumping the dog's water bowl or eating his food. Nothing tastier than forbidden fruit kibble.

Last weekend, we made a quick trip to Padre Island. The beach was almost empty and we had such a good time playing in the water and digging in the sand. Reid is not a fan of water splashing in his face, so he spent most of his time on Papaw's shoulders or playing on the dunes. Helena thought the waves were great and we spent a great deal of time keeping her from doing the "Ursula" into the waves. Maybe our name for her scoot technique isn't so far off the mark!

Scootin'

Doing the "Ursula" into the waves