Dominick received orthotics all his own. He wears a 5.75 wide. I assume that's the length in inches. They extend beyond his feet about 3/4". It's hard to find shoes that will fit over the orthotics. The upside is that it will be a while before his feet outgrow the orthotics, making shoe buying a little less stressful. I was able to find a great pair at Once Upon A Child (a children's consignment store). Also, Skidders are still a favorite and work so well with the orthotics.
Dominick took his first steps! We had been trying numerous tricks to get him to take those first unassisted steps and nothing worked. PT said late walkers are more cautious because they understand the consequences of falling. I had been in the living room blowing bubbles all around him hoping he would forget and take a step towards them. Nothing. I picked him up and placed him on the step that takes us out of the living room. He took 6 steps away from me, knelt down and looked back at me with the biggest grin on his face. Of course, the camera was out of reach. Later, the next day I caught him on video.
At about 19 months, his language exploded. He often repeats us. He knows so many body parts including heel and elbow now. We're working on numbers and letters (mostly in the bathtub), and he understands so much of what we say. I think our time of free speaking is coming to an end.
June 4th he started 2 days a week at day care. He's had some trial days and loved it. It's an in-home day care about a mile from our house. So far, so good!
