placing new item in row other than first row when first row is empty

[jgraygi]

I have a grid with 2 rows and 4 columns. I am dynamically creating items based on users choices. If a user wants to start adding items to an empty grid and the first item is on the 2nd row. My item record looks like this
item = { row: 1, col: 2, sizeX: 1, sizeY: 1 }
When the item renders in grid it shows with the row as 0 not 1. Is there a way to keep the grid from forcing the item into the first row if row is empty?