The Jumparoo

When I was pregnant and registering for our baby shower, Gary and I choose to register for one of those Fisher Price Jumparoos. It was awesome. Right there I envisioned our baby jumping up and down in it and smiling and laughing and loving the jumparoo. I had to have it!

We did get it for a gift and I was really excited!! I couldn't wait to put her in it. This is Alyssa in her jumparoo at about 4 1/2 months old.



But...she never jumped. She would plop her little butt in the seat and play with the toys with her feet dangling underneath...not even touching the ground. I was a bit disappointed in the product and that my daughter had no desire to get excited and jump up and down. Sadly, we put this away after months and months of trying to teach her how to jump. She just got board with those few toys after only a short while, so no point in sitting in it.

We stuck it in our spare bedroom. My friend and her 6 1/2 month baby came over the other day, so I decided to bring it down. Brianna (the baby) LOVED the jumparoo. She jumped and laughed and smiled. That was the reaction I had dreamed about when registering for that. I was so excited, I videotaped Brianna jumping. It was so damn cute!!

Gary was goofing and put Alyssa back in the jumparoo (yes at 15 months), and she tried to jump, but it was the most uncoordinated jump ever. She can't seem to get both of her feet to touch the ground, push off and jump at the same time. She seriously looks like she is trying to break dance. It is HILARIOUS. I told Gary we should keep it down and put Alyssa in it once a day for 5-10 minutes (she won't stand much more than that). That might be a good way to get her to work on her leg muscles, even if she isn't getting it totally right.

I also noticed when she is walking with her walking toy that she tends to drag her left foot a bit. And recently she has tried running with her toy and falls all of the time because she can't seem to pick her left foot up fast enough. I know the physical therapist did say she had low muscle tone and she would need to work on that, but I wonder if the dragging foot thing is strange. We don't go to therapy in the summer and her re-evaluation isn't until September. Should I just wait to see if she works it out? Or should I call a private therapist for an appt?