I think it's official.... Madi's in love!

With her new mobile stander, that is!  When I got home from the grocery store I saw a big box waiting for me.  We were late for dinner, so I was really bummed not to have time to rip the box open and put her in it, but I was good and waited.  As soon as we got home I took it out and was excited to see that it is in very good condition.  Madi saw it and started squealing and yelling "momma, chair!" over and over.  I told her I had to adjust it for her and she got very upset.  She wanted in it NOW.  She is two after all, and she wants everything right now.  I tried to run and google how to adjust it, which made Madi very upset.  She kept crying and saying "momma, help, chair", which was very pitiful.  I quickly found the pamphlet online so that I could get it adjusted and ran back.  I got it half adjusted and started putting Madi in it.  I had her about half in when I couldn't get her to hold still long enough to finish.  I kept having to chase after her to attempt to finish strapping her in, which of course turned in to a fun game.  Madi was zooming all over squealing and laughing.  It was really adorable, and it made the money worth every penny.  I got her in well enough to at least stay in, so I let her be and we just played while she was in it.  Tomorrow I will fix it correctly for her.  Conner saw the box and was in Heaven.  Forget the $500 thing that came in the box, he just wanted the box.  Typical boy, I'd say.  He was very disappointed when I told him that I would not sleep in the box with him tonight.  He found an extra piece of cardboard and told me it was a comfortable pillow for my head.  Then he tried to cover me up with bubble wrap so I'd be warm.  It was very cute.  I told him we could clean out the bubble wrap and he could sleep in the box, but when he found out I would not let him put the box on my bed, then go to sleep in the box, he decided he'd rather not.  Here's an adorable video of Madi with her new Rifton Mobile Stander and Conner with his new box.

Who knew a Christmas tree box would do all this?

It has been really hard to get Madi to want to practice walking.  She was struggling with it and was giving up, not really trying because it was hard.  She just could not quite figure it out.  I think part of the problem was that she was still trying to shuffle, like she did in her stander.  We'd been practicing on and off, but not as much as we should have been, as I didn't want to push her.  Yesterday I decided to put her chair out of sight and just tell her it was time to work on walking.  She and I practiced quite a bit, and then she asked to get in the Christmas tree box.  Conner had been playing in it and she wanted a turn.  I put her in and noticed that she had an easier time with walking.  She was taking a few steps on her own, without any help/support.  It's kind of crazy too because I had been fighting and fighting to not get a fake tree.  Finally I gave in this year and we bought one from Michaels.  Who would have guessed that God would have a plan for that silly box?  I called Tami, her physical therapist, and told her about it so she could see her walk in it during her session today (I had to help in Conner's class so my mom was going to be here with her for therapy).  Tami worked with her again today in it and I came home to this....

I had been down the last few days because I felt like I was failing at helping her walk and I did not know what else to try.  Who would have known God would give us such a simple answer!  I am so very proud of my little girl.  It is like the light bulb finally went off for her, and now she understands how to move her body to make walking work.  She is such a smart little cookie!  Now we are faced with the task of trying to figure out how to make her something like the box out of PVC pipe, wood, hand railing, or something of the sort so that she can use it to practice once this box falls apart (which it is quickly doing).  With my dad's help, though, we'll figure it out.  Way to go Madi!