Progress

We have been part of the Early Intervention world since Baduka was 18 months old. He received services from then until he aged out at 3. He had a speech therapist, and his case worker here, twice a week. We then received services for the New Kid, because of his crooked head, so a physical therapist came once a week to stretch him out. He's fine now, and that was when I thought we were done having people here. It's a lot of floor sweeping, and crazy taming, to have guests.

And then at Dizzy's 2 year appointment his doctor suggested getting a speech evaluation for him, because he wasn't talking yet. In his case, it was a "Baduka isn't talking, why should I?" We have never been concerned with him having autism too. But we started him anyway, just in case. He has a case worker, and a speech therapist, twice a week, and has had them for a while. It's a lot of floor sweeping, and crazy taming.

These two aren't like Baduka's two. I feel like there isn't much progress. Dizzy is very shy, and needs constant high-5's, and "YAY!! You did it!"s, and they haven't fully grasped that about him. But anyway, they've been sick for 2 weeks. And in this two weeks we have worked, and talked, and praised like we always have, but it's working more than ever. In just the past two weeks he's said many new things. Here's a few:

*After giant messy kisses he says, "HUG!" And throws his arms around our neck.

*At the park he asked for, "swin peeease, und-og (under dog)!!"

*In the kitchen yesterday he asked for, "FISH!" And when I said, "you want goldfish?" He answered with a cute smile, and a, "yesssss peeease!"

*Whenever I hand them cups of milk I usually give them the wrong ones, to then get them to tell me who it really belongs to. The other day he said who each of the cups were, after a smile, and a giggle, and a "Momma Nooooo!"

*He has been putting a toy behind his back, and then calling for it. Seeing him hide a toy, then call out, "Gaaaaggggonnn (dragon), wheahahyouuuu?" Then the cutest, most over the top cartoon, hand to his mouth laugh, as he pulls it out, with a "theahyouahhh!" makes me want to hide things til bedtime.

I'm so proud of how far all my boys have come. How hard they work is amazing. And sometimes it makes me think I should go back to school, and become a speech therapist or something. Because watching a kid learn to communicate might just be the best thing a lot of people take for granted.