She's a Walkin' (Sorta)

Yesterday was a fantastic day as far as my little charge is concerned. Working with Emma is usually a lesson in patience. She has troubles concentrating on a single task and, like most people, will do as little work as she can get away with.

But yesterday she was like a different person. She was focused. She looked me in the eye when I spoke to her and she pushed herself to try and learn what I was teaching. Of course there were lapses of mental presence, but for the most part, you could really tell that she was there.

My biggest goal for Emma is for her to walk by the end of the summer. Right now, I walk in front of her, holding her hands to provide some stability, while she takes slow, halting steps. Amy, Emma's mom, says Emma reminds her of a little deer trying to walk. Her legs wobble and shake with each step and she is constantly on the verge of toppling over.

Yesterday we made great strides towards our goal. I have been practicing with Emma walking while holding onto a pool table for support. I'm trying to ween her off using me for support. A pool table is a nice soft, but firm handhold and has a small groove on the inside for her to grab onto.

The first time we tried this new method, she threw a fit and refused to move her legs. But slowly we have been making progress. The hardest thing has been to get Emma to slide her hand along the table as she moves forward. Usually I hold onto her left hand while she grabs onto the table with her right. I then help her slide her hand along the table. It usually takes a good five minutes to walk one side of the pool table, step by agonizingly slow step. Yesterday she grabbed onto the table, all by herself, started walking slowly and would slide her hand along with her as she progressed. It was a glorious thing. Of course, she also tested out walking on her own yesterday by letting go of the pool table, that didn't go so well. She then had to practice getting up off the floor...

God has been so good to her so far. He has let her progress in amazing ways so quickly. Without him, it just wouldn't work.