I’m happy to say that Rosie’s biting and face grabbing has subsided quite considerably. Whilst it hasn’t stopped altogether it’s certainly a step in the right direction and we anticipate it disappearing completely in the coming weeks – wishful thinking maybe but we can certainly hope.
Since Bud has learned to climb down safely from the couch she seems to have gained a lot more confidence in attempting more physically demanding challenges. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I get quite anxious at the prospect of her being unable to walk as she never shows any interest. As soon as she learned to shuffle about on her bum it was as if she thought she’d ‘made it’ in life – after all she can get from A to B and for those ‘out of reach’ items her ever doting brothers are constantly on hand. Well I’m delighted to say that my anxieties have been kicked into touch a little recently!
A couple of weeks back Karen texted me at work to say Rosie had just pulled herself up on the side of the couch and managed to stand upright for a short time. She has only done it a couple of times since and sadly I have yet to witness it.
However last night Rosie treated us to the biggest and best surprise of all when she figured out how to get up onto all fours with her legs locked. We couldn’t contain our delight as we clapped, cheered and made a general fuss of her – which of course encouraged her to do it again…and again…and again giving me time to rush upstairs and grab the camera to get shots of her (below) through the various stages. The technique she uses looks quite painful as her legs seem to bend backwards! It’s ridiculous how bendy she is and I guess, as a result of her hyper mobility, she has to find her own unique way of getting onto her feet no matter how awkward it appears to us!
We’re so proud of little Budlington and I see this as one of, if not her biggest, physical achievement to date. Clearly there is a long long way to go before she’s confident on her two tiny feet unaided but this is a monumental leap forward to achieving that goal.
The Future's Rosie
I'm Tom, a thirty something father to three beautiful children and husband to my soulmate Karen. I started this blog as a means to talk about stuff, get things out in the open, a bit like an online therapy I guess and to celebrate the progress of my beautiful daughter Rosie who was born in March 2011 with Down's Syndrome (DS) and a Complete Atrioventricular Septal Defect (AVSD). Maybe the experiences shared on here will help others too, hopefully help illustrate the bright futures our children with DS will have if we can break down common misconceptions. When I first found out Rosie would be born with DS I found reading literature with open and honest feelings on the subject, extremely helpful. This is not intended to be a written masterpiece and I can promise you it won’t be. I don’t pretend to have a large vocabulary and to be honest the further behind me my school days become the more my grammar has deteriorated!... however, you will find what is written on these pages comes from the heart.
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