Progress Report

We've returned from two weeks of visiting family and friends from where we used to live, and the kiddo had a blast with his cousins and his friends we were able to catch up with.  We went to playgrounds, the farm, the air and space museum, and had plenty of opportunities to relax and hang out with family.

The kiddo playing with his cousin/bestie. :)

I think the kiddo blossomed into more of a little boy while there: he was very cautious and quiet before the trip.  With all of his male older cousins to wrestle with, and his bestie, his cousin who is only 3 months younger than him, he had lots of boys to play with and learn from.  He now loves wrestling with Daddy (before it was just pillow fights with lots of giggles. The giggles are still there, along with screams of delight).  He now climbs on things he wouldn't even attempt before (he climbs up onto our bed now, onto our couch from the side arm, and is much more confident at the playground.)  He throws so much better and harder too.  It's fun to see him much more active.



Speech:
We are experiencing huge progress in speech, what some call a speech surge.  I love that term, but I love the results of it even more.  A few weeks ago, if the kiddo couldn't say a word, he wouldn't even attempt it.  Now, you ask him to say a word he'll do his absolute best to come as close to the word as possible.

There's a few words that pop out spontaneously, which is HUGE progress.  Before he had to be prompted to say specific words, but now he is actually using his voice to tell us what he wants or what he notices.  It is AWESOME!!

Some of the words he says spontaneously are:
ball
bud (bird. More specifically when he wants to play Angry Birds on his tablet)
Ta (Thomas the train)
eeee (eat)
ba (bath)
mo (more)
uh (up)
wawa (water)
bababa (banana)
no (always directed toward little brother)
ob (stop--again directed toward little brother)
and the one that impresses me the most, DDD for DVD
ba tee (brush teeth)
du dun (all done)

Sometimes he'll attempt a word or phrase and I honestly have no idea what he's trying to say.  It's a lot of guessing, asking questions, until finally I get it, or I admit I don't know what he's saying and he gives up.  It breaks my heart when I can't figure out what he's trying to say and I see him trying so hard to tell me, sometimes with tears in his eyes.  But that is becoming rare as I'm learning more and more what sounds he makes for which sounds/words.

Have I mentioned before it is so sweet to hear his little voice?  To see him realize he can use his voice to tell us things?

My Second Home:
As if I'm not busy enough with the kiddo's PT, OT and speech therapies, we have begun little brother on PT as well.  Little brother had his PT evaluation today, since he lifts his feet to avoid standing, or if forced to stand will curl his toes under.  He is almost 11 months old.  Most kids at that age are standing, cruising, some even walking, but little brother is content to worm around the house and refuses to stand.  His PT eval today revealed he has sensory issues in his feet, which is why he avoids standing.  The PT gave me a list of ideas of exercises to help little brother overcome his foot sensitivity.

The kiddo's PT saw me there with little brother and asked me if the therapy clinic was my second home.  I joked with her it was, and now that I had met little brother's physical therapist, I now knew all the therapists in the clinic.

Here's a video of little brother's worm.

Although it's discouraging to have another child with sensory issues and gross motor delays, this one seems much easier to overcome.  The PT said we'd probably only need three months of PT, which sounds good to me.  

But I'll do anything for my little guys and if making the therapy clinic my second home is what it takes then that's what I'll do.  

Speech Camp:  

The kiddo and I will be attending CHAMP Camp in two weeks! Whoo hoo!  It's a week long intensive speech therapy camp specifically designed for children with apraxia and motor planning difficulties located at GWU and directed by the amazing Jodi Kumar.  I am beyond excited about what we will learn while at this camp, about how much progress the kiddo can make with such intensive speech therapy, and to meet parents who are going through similar journeys as ours.  I really cannot wait, and will definitely post about all that we learned and experienced when we return from camp. :)