I'm so proud of Oliver! Today he walked from his bedroom, through the living room, and to the door that leads into the hallway to the playroom. Last night, he walked from the living room to his bedroom. I have recently started to instill in him the idea that the walker isn't just for exercise or small steps, but rather a way to get from room to room. It takes him a while: partly because it is hard work, and partly because he gets distracted and stops everywhere to touch things. It is cool to watch him, because he seems to happy to be standing and is so curious about the various things he sees on his walk (the piano, his books, stickers, etc.). I think that he is starting to enjoy standing and walking.
After he walked through the living room, I carried him through the hallway to the playroom. I gave him the choice of walking on his parallel bars or playing with his trains. He chose trains, so I set him up halfway across the room from his train table and let him walk to it. Not only did he walk across carpet, but he finished it up with the elusive swing through gate that the therapist at CHOP wants him to use! It was so great to see -- we had high fives all around.
When I told him it was bedtime, there was much crying, but he actually asked for his walker through his tears. Granted he didn't use it when I put him down with it, but I think that was more because he didn't want to leave the playroom and was preoccupied making sure that Mac, too, had to come in for bed than because he couldn't do it or didn't want to walk.
I can't wait to see what he will do next!
