Therapy Update

That girl.
She just keeps on goin'.

Ruby is walking so much more. She's developed a little bit of an 'old man shuffle': tiny steps that allow her to get farther without falling. She used to take big, more typical steps, but couldn't seem to get more than 6-ish before losing her balance. Now she can (and routinely does) make it all of the way from one room to the next, sometimes stopping mid-walk to regain her balance, but never sitting down. She is learning to pick things up and carry them as she walks, and (on her own) she's learning to change direction as she walks.

Ruby will stand on uneven surfaces all of the time. Usually it's her trampoline, but she did it on Maddux's bed the other night too. (yay) And she doesn't try to slide her way down the stairs, head-first, anymore. She has been turning herself around to 'crawl' down backwards for a few weeks.

Ruby's new speech therapist is a perfect match. First off, from the moment Ruby met Paula, she's liked her. I know this because she's not cried at all during therapy and she's mesmerized by anything Paula is doing. She is much better than I am at getting Ruby to focus on the activities, which amazes both of us. Ruby is getting much better with her "b" sound, she's added a few more signs (night-night, music, open), and she is shaking her head 'yes' at all appropriate times. When I give Ruby food now, at least half of the time she will say something two-syllable. I believe that is her saying 'thank you'. It doesn't sound like it, but it's totally intentional (and when I ask her to say thank you, she does the same, or signs it.) Ruby has found her first animal sound, after months of working on them: 'moooo'. BUT, as great as she is with her "mm" sound, her 'mooo' comes out "bmbmoooo". (Paula says it's due to the two separate sounds she is trying to make.) And when I sing to her in the car, I can see her in the rear-view mirror, doing the hand motions at the appropriate times.

All by herself, Ruby stuck a piece of food with her fork today for the first time! I cut up a cheese stick and gave her a fork, as I often do. We went through several pieces where I would help her stick it and then she'd bring it to her mouth. While she was chewing one piece, I turned to grab something and when I turned back, she had her fork stuck in a piece of cheese on the tray and was starting to bring it to her mouth. Yay!!! I worked her really hard on this skill yesterday for lunch; obviously it payed off!