Getting There

A long time coming, but its beginning to happen. Ash is getting there. Every day she gets closer and closer to walking. In just the past month or so she has learned to bare all of her weight on her legs, has learned to pick up her feet, and has learned to take steps when prompted. This video was taken about 3 weeks ago. Since this time she has become even stronger. She can now walk independently across her parallel bars. I'm trying to catch that on video to share.

Ash works very, very hard. It takes a lot for her to do what takes nothing more than an unconscious thought for us. She is working with 3 different physical therapists, two occupational therapists, her school teacher, and her horse. It takes every one of these amazing people to help us get the results we are beginning to see in our daughter. Will she ever walk without assistance? I don't know. I think she will, but I really don't know. Will she ever be out of her chair in public? I don't know. We dream of her running, skipping, jumping at the ball fields just like the other little girls who run circles around her chair each weekend, but we just don't know. What I do know is that she is getting stronger, learning more, and inching closer every single day.

I know she fusses, cries and tries to stop in this clip, but please look past all of that and see the miracle of those tiny feet stepping one foot after the other. It truly is miraculous for us to watch.

Her braces (I think they are called afo's) did come in. She is struggling with them. Her steps come much easier and much faster without them on than with them at this time, but I'm trying to tell myself that its because they are new. She doesn't mind wearing them, she just can't pick them up to actually take a step. I'm hoping it gets easier for her. Her therapists yesterday watched her in them and out of them and agreed that she is doing better without them at this time.

Anyway, hope you enjoy the clip. One of our favorite things about her walking is the celebration she has the moment she sits down. The crying stops and the clapping begins. I've seen it a thousand times, but it still brings a smile to my face as she celebrates. Have a great day.