The Wobbly Road to Walking

"Come on Graci. You can do it! Take that first step girly-girl. Pick up your foot! Yay!!! Now take a step!"

That is our cheer-of-the-day today! And she is close... oh so close!

Graci's road to walking has been a long one for us, but for Graci... she's right on schedule. She definitely does things on her own schedule, and not a second before she is ready. Good for her!

She first started her forward motion when she was about 9 months old. She would lay on her belly and push herself forward with her toes. Over time, that turned into a full on army crawl, using her elbows to pull herself around. And she was fast! She could get to anything she wanted using mostly her arms.

She finally got up on all fours and started to crawl and we were so excited! She swings her head back and forth a bit to get her pony tail going while she crawls now, which is hilarious to watch. We can remember her being a bit timid when she first started crawling, going back to the army crawl when in a hurry, so seeing her being so carefree is sweet. Just before her second birthday, she pushed herself up into a hands and feet walk and started maneuvering around that way. We knew it would only be a matter of time until she finally stood up on her own. And we were right!

Within days of her walking on hands and feet, she finally started to stand up on her own! Graci now stands for long periods of time while working on her balance. She shakes toys, puts her hands up, dances, claps and laughs... all while standing all by herself. We help her practice by walking with her holding her hands; sometimes just with one hand! And, she has two carts that she pushes around both inside and outside. Those seem to really help her with balance.

Mobility with Down Syndrome can be delayed in some children due to poor muscle tone and sometimes excessive joint movement. Low muscle tone and joint issues leave them a bit unstable, making it more difficult to walk. It is very important to give your child plenty of floor time to help them in this development. Push carts and climbing toys can aide in this area.

Today, Graci has been standing up... concentrating a bit... lifting a foot... putting it down... and laughing! We've been encouraging, clapping and laughing right along with her and we're just so excited! Another milestone to check off the list. And we're close... oh so close.

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