Instead of being guided in stringing her beads, she built her very first tower all on her own!

Hope might disagree, but one of the best things to have happened to her was the birth of her baby brother. With her mommy and daddy now being pulled in multiple directions, offering more time for independent play and an increased level of frustration to overcome, Hope’s skills have soared. Her imagination has taken off, as has her creativity and even her signs. But the most exciting of all is her ability to pull to stand without assistance.

I can only chalk it up to muscle memory that one afternoon in November, Hope decided she would stand up. She didn’t use something to pull to stand and then let go of it. And she didn’t have anything nearby to lean on in case she lost her balance. When Hope was 23 months old, she just got it in her head that she could stand like anyone else and persisted until she was totally upright.

[Below is a video, which might not display on e-mail. If you cannot view the video, please click through to www.AtHerOwnPace.com to enjoy this short clip of Hope standing up for the first time without assistance.]

Her form leaves something to be desired—this strategy might not be sustainable as she gets bigger—but beggars can’t be choosers! Hope looks absolutely incredible on her feet and over time has learned to keep her balance long enough to clap, dance, and do certain activities unassisted in standing.