Officially Walking

At a little over 19 months I think we can officially say that Virginia is walking. 

We are no longer counting her steps.  

She is able to stop and start.  

She is able to traverse uneven surfaces.  

She can turn. 

And ...  she can finally(!) get up without having to pull up on something.  

I generally consider walking as a "social milestone,"  one of those things that EVERYONE always asks about.  A milestone that in some ways is more critical in everyday life than it is in the medical and developmental world.  With that said, there was a tremendous amount of hard work and a lot of other milestones that were less significant socially but more significant developmentally that went into achieving this milestone.  

There was a time when we weren't sure that our baby would ever walk.  Walking falls into the long list of things that the Neonatologists recite in their well rehearsed speech to parents that are about to welcome their babies into the world at the brink of viability.   

neonatal death

brain injury

blindness

permanent lung damage

social and intellectual disabilities 

never walk

never talk

never eat

Its an awful and scary list, but a list that we were suddenly forced to prepare for.  

This is my favorite picture.  You know Virginia is concentrating very hard when she crosses her sweet fingers on her left hand ;)