I wouldn't have it any other way.

You're trying to repeat everything. It's amazing. It's awesome to me to see you making all of these opinions and see this new personality coming through.

Netflix has a bunch of Disney movies now, which I love. We spent WEEKS watching the 4 Tinkerbell movies in a cycle. You couldn't get enough of those pixies. Those movies switched something on in you. You started mimicking the fairies mannerisms and even started saying lines from the movie as they were happening.

With every year that passes I'm more amazed by you. I suppose that's the best part of being here; being your mom. I get to see the world in new an amazing ways. I get to watch you become less of a part of me and yet still see so much of myself in you.

I appreciate all of the work I've been doing with you and for you. Although sometimes it's frustrating when we hit a barrier, getting over those obstacles is more than awesome. I have to remind myself when I get frustrated that we can't understand each other that you really have come SO FAR! You can't tell us what you want all of the time, but we can figure it out about 50% of the time.

All of these struggles and victories make me so grateful for you, so thankful for all of the people who have helped us get to this point.

6 months is really 5

Tomorrow morning we have our 6 month meeting with Ms Mary and Ms Carrie to talk about how everything is going and to write up a new Family Service Plan. I kept saying that I couldn't believe it's been 6mos and then I realized, it hasn't been. There was about a month lapse between when we had your evaluation and when we were actually assigned to an agency. Rules are rules though, so a 6 month meeting it is.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, you've made A LOT of progress since May, but I have no idea where you are in realtionship to where your vocabulary and communication "should" be. I worry about things like services stopping, that gets me very nervous. I've seen a whole new you now that you can tell me more about the world around you and I love it. I don't want that to stop.

Let's not think about all of the things that make me crazy, let's talk about all the new and awesome you say.


Airplane
All Gone
Bounce
Box
Car
Cool
Duck
Get Him
Good Job
Got You
It's stuck
Jump
Hand
Head
Help
Hey
Mine
Oh no
Ok
Pig
Please
Pull
Pumpkin
Rock
Sorry
See You [Later]
Slide
Sun
Train
Wait
Water
Whoa
Where did it go


All of that adds up to super amazing as far as I'm concerned. With the help of Ms Mary and me CONSTATNLY talking to you, your vocabulary has more than doubled. Let's keep this crazyness up.

Whoa!

Today you added pull.
Yesterday you said jin. I'm still not sure if it was supposed to be Jen or Jim. I'm pretty sure Hunkle Jim is going to attest that it was in fact JIM. We'll never know the truth.

That means you added 3 new words in three days. I'm hoping this means that we're about to be hit with an avalanche of vocabulary.

22 Months

Never did I ever imagine how your imitation of my speech could impact me.

Today was a big day for you. You said "doggie," hissed like snake and tried to repeat a WHOLE phrase!

We went to the zoo for their members only night. You were SO EXCITED to go. We went right for the train because the line for that tends to get very long. Your excitement tapered off when I tried to sit you across from me rather than on my lap. You spent the entire ride saying "weee" and "wow," which I've come to expect; when we got off I said "Say thanks for the ride!" To which you replied, "Say fo da diiiiie." I wanted to scream and cry, I was so happy!

I feel like I'm watching you roll over again for the first time.

Holding my breath, every muscle in my body tight with anticipation- waiting. Excited doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about your progress. It's amazing to me to think that not even three months ago I could only make out 10 words and phrases. When I ask you to get in to your seat or even spit out a crayon- you do it! Three months ago you would have just gone on with whatever it was you were doing, as if I hadn't even said anything.

You're understanding me and I'm understanding you.

Awesome doesn't even come close.

There it is!

Not nice [nah nii]

I told you it was time to get dressed, you apparently disagreed. When I tried to take your shirt off you said,  not nice.

Hooray!

Daddy and I both though you were saying something in jibberish- buuuut it was actually words!

Some time yesterday you added "All right!" to your repitoire.

As in:
I brought you some cookies.
All right!

We're going to the beach.
All right!

I think it's my favorite new word/phrase that you've added to date.

Apple

Daddy held out an apple and asked you if you wanted an apple with your lunch.

You started your ridiculously exaggerated nod and said "app-l."

I was shocked. This is my shocked face. : O

Thank you! More please!

You're adding words and mimicing behaviors!

AAAAAAAAH!

Thank you, THANK YOU!

You've been hanging out as a two-dler [not quite a baby, not quite a toddler] for what has felt like years. I know that in reality, the longest it could have been is a year. I've just spent so long thinking about what you'll say to me when you really get going. I can't help but think about all of the awesome things that you're thinking and imagining- I can't wait to hear all about it.

Today, you said horse. Which is pretty awesome. You still aren't trying to say any of the other animal names, but you do make their noises when you see them in the Brown Bear and Polar Bear books. You were even making some noises at Ms Mary's animal magents. Which is pretty boss.

You'd been holding a finger to your mouth and shushing for a few months, but in the last two weeks if Ms Mary read you Polar Bear, Polar Bear, what do you hear? You would take your sweet little finger and point to your ear. I just about screamed the thrid time you did it. I get really excited the first time you do most things, the second time seems fairly lack luster because I can't tell if it's something that's going to stick or not. By the third time you seem to have a pretty good handle on it and that is awesome.

I wonder what words you'll add next....

Wooo Progress!

I'm pretty sure you made Ms Mary's day today.

You've got a tendency to run away when you hear her come in the door- you always come back fairly quickly, so that's good.

Today you gave her a coy smile and said hi after you ran away. When she asked you to help clean up the pieces to the puzzle you happily obliged! And when she went to leave you said "bye" and even blew her a kiss and waved. In the past you'd say bye, but it was to her car as she drove off; so she didn't actually hear you.

I was super impressed with you today and Ms Mary might have been too.

Holy Crap.

You counted with me.

When you were just figuring out the whole talking thing you'd babble along with the appropriate cadence when they'd count on Sesame Street. Today while we were reading a book you actually said: three, four, six, seven, eight and ten. I was bamboozled! So daddy and I counted again- and you did it AGAIN!

Keep up the good work lady! Daddy and I rooting for you!

Hooray!

You've added: down, out[side] and go!

Whe you used to say up it was just uuuuh. Now? The P is audible!

I really can't believe it!

Some people think it's silly that I get this excited- what they don't know is that I've known for a while now that you had quite a bit to tell us and you couldn't. Now that you're adding words and even taking me by the hand or shirt to show me whatever it is you need help with- I'm so over joyed and astounded!

Meeeee-ow

For the FIRST TIME EVER you responded with the correct animal noise when I showed you an animal and asked "What's this?"

: D