Quick Development Update: Open cups, pointing, and almost walking

Just a few quick updates (especially since he's hanging around right here trying to help type).

This morning I was motivated by the Montessori in the Home (0-3) book I've been reading, so I started teaching Liam to drink from a regular open cup. The book recommends that a shot glass is a good size for small hands, so I used the plastic shot glasses that we have, and I poured a little bit at a time, and much to my surprise he was great! He picked it up with two hands, and took a big gulp. The only problem is that he's like a little Ghanaian. When Ghanaians perform a ceremony honoring their ancestors, they drink from a common cup and then the last person pours the rest out on the ground as a "libation" to the ancestors. You get the picture already. Liam drinks about half of the water and then like a Ghanaian pouring libation, he tips the cup upside down and pours the rest out on the tray of his high chair.

We also seem to be very very close to walking. There are a couple times when I have caught him taking a step or two between the couch and coffee table. But no amount of excited persuading will get him to walk between me and terry. The minute he isnt holding onto one of us he looks at the distance, judges it too great, and carefully gets down onto his knees to crawl. But he has gotten progressively steadier when walking with assistance (using his push cart) and can now walk well just holding one of our hands at his side.

The other thing we've been working on is intentional pointing. Part of getting his communication skills going is him giving intentional indications of what he wants. Even if he isnt doing the official signs, pointing will get going. So today I started a game of excitedly pointing at the Cheerios box during snack time. I made super enthusiastic faces and said "Cheerios? Cheerios?!" and pointed at the box repeatedly. First he just laughed at me, but as soon as he pointed to the box, I rewarded him with cheerios. We did it three times and each time he eventually pointed at the box. I'm hoping with consistent practice he'll become a pointer, and we can use that to start to make sense in his head that he can use sounds and gestures to communicate his desires to other people.