Today I nearly gave Mommy a heart attack. We were out in the back yard. I was running around and she was talking to Miss Melissa. My slide looked like so much fun but Mommy wouldn't let me climb up the slide part, so I decided to climb the ladder instead. Mommy saw me just as I was trying to get up on the fourth rung. That's when my foot slipped....and I fell. I cried a lot, but I was ok. I didn't even get any bruises or scratches. Mommy thought I probably wouldn't want to go on the slide anymore, but she was wrong. With mommy right there to catch me if I fell again, I climbed up and went down five times before we had to go in for supper. Mommy and daddy are really going to have to keep their eyes on me now!

Last night we went to daddy's company picnic. It was fun. There was a lot of music. It's a good thing, too because I waited in line a long time to get my face painted and I did a lot of dancing to pass the time. They also had a moonwalk and I really liked that. Jumping is my new favorite thing and what better place to jump than in a moonwalk! I got to go in twice. Mommy and daddy made me get out the first time because there were too many big kids coming in and they didn't want me to get hurt. I was not happy at all. They made me get out the second time because some kids fell on me and kicked me in the face. I cried more because they made me get out than because I got kicked.

We had all kinds of good things to eat....chicken, meatballs, corn, mashed potatoes, rolls. I also got to have a really yummy cookie. I wish somebody would have told the DJ not to scream into the microphone when he was singing Karaoke. It was way too loud for me, at least until daddy gave me some earplugs. Then I could finish my dinner without being scared, at least not by the music. The stray fireworks were a different story. I did not like them at all.

After dinner I got to run around a lot. I got to eat ice cream, too. There was a different moonwalk for the bigger kids -- it was shaped like a crouching dragon and you climbed up in through the mouth and slid down inside -- and since it was almost time to take it down and there weren't any other kids in it, they let daddy take me in so I could jump around a little bit more. After that we had to go sit down again while a bunch of people talked a lot. I ate a whole bunch of Cherrios and tried some cotton candy. I didn't like it so much, so I let daddy eat it. I liked playing with the paper tube that came with it, though. I got bored a lot and made someone leave and walk around with me a few times.

When the talking was finally done, daddy put my earplugs back in and we went out to sit in the parking lot. Fortunately we were right in front of daddy's car because the fireworks started and I didn't like them at all! They are very pretty, but also very loud. I wanted to get as far away from them as I could, so I hid on the floor in the front seat. When there was a break in the noise, mommy ran me to her car (that's where my carseat is), but we didn't quite make it before the noise started again. We jumped in the front seat and mommy turned on my music. It helped a little, at least long enough for her to get to the backseat and pull me back there and strap me in my seat. Then we left. I wanted to go see Mr. Mike and Miss Melissa when we got home, but I could still hear the fireworks. :(

By the time I was finally ready for bed, I was worn out.

Tomorrow I will be 18 months old. Today was my last trip to the motor development lab. Here's what they had to say about me:

After a few little curves off the mat, Alison walked so well for all traials. She loves stuffed animals and loves to hug them. This is our last visit with Alison and we will miss her!

My hair has finally grown enough that I needed to have my bangs trimmed. Today was the day. I had my first haircut.

I am almost 16 months old. Today it was time to go to the motor development lab again. Here's what they had to say about me:

Alison did a great job on the treadmill. She seemed a little confused -- or maybe bored? -- with the slow speeds and really got going on the fast speeds. She was so excited to show off her walking skills and she shared lots of words with us, too. We'll see her in March!

I took my first steps today!!! I walked back and forth between mommy and grandma a whole bunch of times. I think I was able to go about 7 steps. Everyone is so proud of me!

Last week was my first birthday. Today I got to come to the motor development lab again. Here's what they had to say about me:

Alison, mom and dad came today. Alison is the most patient little girl! She sits and allows us to put all her markers in place. She has a favorite word, "hello," with the greatest little voice! She was so anxious to walk, which she does with a bounce! A great job with the treadmill!

I'm nearly 9 months old now and I got to go back to the motor development lab again. Here's what they had to say:

Alison's 2nd visit to the Motor Development Lab.



Alison came in smiling and was excited to play. She was really in to bouncing and dancing -- even on the treadmill she "bounced" through her steps. Today she liked to take steps with both legs, but she did take alternating steps, especially at higher speeds. We checked her motor development as well -- she combines items at midline, uses an inferior pincer, rotates in sitting, takes nice weight on her legs, and in general looks great. We look forward to seeing Alison next time and will call to see if she is walking.

I've been able to sit by myself if somebody sat me down, or up as the case may be, for a long time now. But today I pushed myself backwards and sat up all by myself. Mommy was really surprised. She was watching me scoot backwards and the next thing she knew I was sitting up.

Today I crawled for the first time! I've been trying to move forward and I finally figured it out.

I got my first tooth today!! It's really hard to get new teeth and it hurts a lot. I wonder how long it will be before I get another one.

Today I got to do something really fun. I'm now part of a study on how walking develops in babies with Spina Bifida. Here's what the team had to say about my first trip to the Motor Development Lab:

Today was Alison's first visit to the motor development lab. She came in wide-eyed and ready to see what this was all about. She showed us how she moves her legs while we were trying to put markers on. Alison seemed to like the treadmill and she took some steps, more easily with her left leg than with her right. She liked the second highest speed, but not the highest. When we looked at spontaneous movement, she did a nice job of kicking her legs, again left more than right. Of course we got a few complaints because lying down wasn't as fun as "running" on the treadmill. Alison did beautifully today!

I laughed my first belly laugh today. Daddy really got me going!

I had rice cereal for the very first time today. It didn't really go to well. I ended up with more on me than in me. I think mommy is going to wait a couple of more weeks before we try it again.

Mommy and daddy bought a highchair so I could sit at the table with them while they eat, and I got to sit in it for the first time today. It's quite a different view of the dinner table.

Well, since I've gotten pretty good at rolling from my front to my back. I've been really trying to go the other way, and today I finally made it from my back to my stomach.

I laughed for the first time today. I laughed at Grandma.

Today was a big day. I don't like being on my stomach at all, so I finally did something about it. I rolled from my stomach to my back for the first time today. I did it a couple of times, too.

Today, I smiled for the first time. Mommy and daddy were so proud of me!

I came home from the hospital tonight. We all thought I was coming home this afternoon, but some things didn't go exactly as planned. The nurse had to work really hard to track down my neurosurgeon and have him read my CT-scan report to see if my ventricles were ok, and then she had to work to get a bili light for mommy and daddy to take home, since I still have jaundice. It all got worked out and I finally got to leave. It's good to be home!