Huge leap in ability to sit, stand, play, listen

Watch his little feet in the first clip stand from kneeling with Carrie his PT... love it

Sitting: We've been working on this gravity defying activity for Reuben since October with 2 sessions of PT and 1 session of OT a week, and yesterday he sat much of the way through Deaf School with Christine and I looking on in disbelief. On occasion, he would put his sweet hands out to the side to steady himself on my legs, but feeling that safety blanket there, would withdraw his hands and sit mesmerised again watching us signing and singing the Alphabet Song. Suddenly with sitting he can be so much more independent. I sincerely hope he can continue this wonderful progress and on Monday, show his OT Juliana that he didn't really deserve the completely off the scale "1" score for gross motor where average is 8-12 based on a being lazy day assessment. Incidentally at that same assessment, he scored "10" for fine motor skills, the small muscle control required to undertake hand-eye coordination tasks. Not bad after 10 weeks with your hands tied down during intubation on the ventilator! And "8" for cognitive ability.

He continues to love to stand, pulling himself up with my bent left leg whilst sitting on my straight right leg. It's more than a reflex: his legs are bent denoting an ability to support and shift weight. He enjoys too the few supported steps towards a favourite toy like his hand-me-down exersaucer where he will bang away the required 3x on one of the colourful buttons until his favourite Beethoven track comes on and then listen patiently until that tune's finished before he starts the banging again. That's music to my ears!

Tummy time despite hours of PT with Carrie is still a no no. He thoroughly enjoys showtime, his personal favourites being Signing Time (of course) and now Toy Story II. So, using video as a huge motivator, we set his DVD player up in front of him whilst he's in prone position. Funny then how tummy time becomes a little easier...