One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap for Super Joe!

I don't know how this happened.  We worked on it tirelessly last week at therapy until the point where Joey dropped his head due to fatigue and started crying.  Over and over the therapist would try to help him stand up by pulling up to a block. See-- this is a skill that he has not yet mastered.  He will be two in August and until now he has never, ever independently pulled himself up anywhere.  Not up to a table.  Not up to a toy.  Not up in his bed.  Nowhere.  

Part of it is from his heart surgery compromising his core muscles and traumatizing his chest area.  Part of it is low tone in his arms and legs.  Part of it is strength. 


After his eye surgery on Monday and crazy hot day out in the 95 degree day (hmmmm... his discharge papers said quiet activity for a week-- I wonder if the parade with the fire truck and police sirens qualifies?) I never in a million years expected he would try to do anything tonight.

And isn't that what is the coolest part about kids?  They do things on their own time.  We provide the opportunities and the support, but ultimately, it is all about what they are motivated to do when they are motivated to do it.

Poor Tom.  I screamed at the top of my lungs from the upstairs bathroom.  "TOM!!!!!!!  GET UP HERE!!!"  He and Tommy came running up the stairs, wrestled the baby gate as I apologized through tears of joy for scaring him.  "He did it!!!  He pulled himself up to standing!!!"  He did it three times tonight on his own.  This is only the beginning.  We have been told to not expect Joey to walk until he is 3 or 4. For the first time ever, I am truly starting thing he might just surprise us all.  Pulling himself up to standing is just the first step towards walking!


Here is another video we took to take into therapy because for some reason Joey has thus far refused to show his OT just how fabulous he has become at getting in and out of sitting.  Go Super Joe!  Go!