Bathing Beauty

Believe it or not, I have been working on this entry since last Thursday when Ellie had her ECI therapy.  I am sorry it has taken me to so long to post this.  Here is Ellie's progress since her last therapy session with Jan.

I know what many of you are wondering since it is the question many people have been asking me--nope, she is not crawling yet, but do not despair!  This little cupcake is into everything and is fast.  She has no need to crawl when she can roll and pivot everywhere!

Motor:

Ellie is continuing to get up onto all 4s.  She can stay there for longer periods of time.  She has scooched forward twice, but by accident.  Jan has requested that we place the boppy pillow under her tummy to help support her in the all 4s position.  A really exciting toy is to be placed near her hands but just out of reach so that she must "crawl" over the pillow.  We would like to thank Aunt Michele & Uncle Tom for the toy that has a steering wheel--Ellie loves it as does Amelie *^^*

She still continues to perform Superman and her side-lying had greatly improved.  The side-lying, aka "Bathing Beauty" pose (think like Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition pose) enables Ellie to pivot to get to different toys.  Jan showed me ways to place pressure on her top thigh and a slight pressure on her arm to help her move into sit.  Yeah, uh that doesn't work in case you are wondering.  She fights it and back arches and then plops onto her tummy.   So now I am trying my own techniques.  Sometimes they work and sometimes they do not.

While in the standing, we are now holding Ellie near her hips rather than under her arms so that she must use more of her own core muscle strength to keep herself standing.

Baby Bootcamp:

Crunches.  Yes, you read correctly.  I am helping Ellie do crunches.  My leg rests over her feet and I let Ellie grab onto my fingers.  She is to pull herself halfway up to a sit.  She is to hold it.  Repeat.  Repeat some more.  It is no longer the number of pull-to-sits, but rather the duration.

Pushups.  Just kidding.  We are not doing that. . .yet.

Language:
Still signing.  Sort of.  I am signing most tasks and objects. We have actually gone backwards.  We worked so hard to sign "eat", but she was signing it more like "mom".  Andrew and I could care less that it was not the correct ASL sign for "eat", but Jan had us try to correct her.  Now Ellie thinks "eat" is trying to escape from her highchair and leap over the tray to grab the food.  Or she grabs my hands and bangs them against the tray.

Nonetheless Ellie is continuing to amaze us with her zany personality and her many abilities. We are so proud of the little Ellie Bellie Bear-Bear Chunky Chicken Boom-Boom.

Superman Pose (while blowing a razz)

Upward Dog

Bathing Beauty