Small Steps and Big Leaps

The past couple of weeks have been just amazing for Gianna!  Friday the April 13th ironically turned out to be one of our luckiest days ever.  At physical therapy that morning Gianna took her first step (2 steps, to be exact, and towards me!).  It was a moment I'll never forget...I'm actually still getting tears typing about it now!!  We continued with the rest of the session, and just as we were about to leave and Julie was handing her to me, GiGi reached out to me and said "Mama" for the first time ever!!!  Leave it to Gianna to completely blow me away by reaching not only one, but TWO big milestones in the same day!  We took all the kids out for burgers and ice cream to celebrate that night.  Dominic and Angelo have since then taken it on as their personal mission to teach GiGi to walk.  Every night after they get their PJ's on, it's walking practice time where they sit on the floor facing each other and help her try to take steps in-between them.  She's even learned the sign language for "walk please" and signs it over and over (and over) for them to keep practicing with her.

And another big milestone this week - Gianna moved up at school from the infant room to the toddler room.  She's the only "non-walker" in the room, but I think so far she's holding her own, learning to wash her own hands in the little sink and eat at the small table and chairs (no more high-chair!).  She's exhausted by the end of the day, but I think she's loving her new room to grow.

The thing that touches me the most about all of Gianna's progress is how pleased and proud of herself she is.  She's developed this whole new smile during the past couple of weeks.....tilts her head to the side, crinkles up her eyes and nose, and just absolutely beams from ear to ear.  Self-confidence is something we all hope for our children.  To see GiGi start to develop that confidence at 18 months old is truly a dream come true. 

 

Easter Sunday 2012