New tricks

I feel some big changes coming, people, I just feel it! Drake seems like he kind of plateaued over the summer after he started crawling on all fours in the spring. Don't get me wrong, that was so exciting it could have held me over all year! But, you know, I get antsy for the next thing!

The crawling has gotten faster over the summer and he has started crawling over things or with things. He can now crawl up low stairs or over your legs and will crawl with a book, blanket or toy in hand. But the changes I am seeing now seem less physical and more cognitive and verbal. He used to only be able to say one syllable and would say "Ma", "Da" and "Ba" (for bottle). Now he consistently says "Mama", "Dada", and "Baba". He is also repeating back words a ton more. He loves to say "bubble". Another two syllable word! I feel like we are on the brink of a little language explosion, and that excites me.

Cognitively, I am noticing changes, too. If you ask him to get you a book to read, he will crawl over to the bookshelf or find a book on the floor somewhere, and crawl it back to you. That is a three-step thought process I am told: first, get the book, then, remember where to go to get the book, then lastly, bring it to me. Awesome.

He got casted for his AFOs yesterday and I am excited to see what they do for him. Just by wearing his borrowed AFOs I have seen changes in the tone in his ankles and legs. He gets onto flat feet when standing much faster than he used to. And he is also trying to "walk" on his knees. He can sort of pull himself forward into a high kneel without pulling up on anything and then tries to "walk" on his knees.

I feel changes comin', I just do.