Words

Will has been getting speech therapy once a week for about 2 months, maybe a little longer. We absolutely LOVE his therapist!! Of the five therapists he has had in his life, Ms. Sue ranks in the top 4. OK so there was only that one that we REALLY didn't like a single bit!! ANYHOW, words. That's what we are talking about today.

Most children say their first words around the 1 yr. mark. And it is normally basic things mama, dada, baba. And by 18 months they are putting in cool things like ball, cup, dog, ect. Well...Will likes to be different.

He had SO many ear infections when he was younger that he was basically hearing underwater. Now I don't know if you remember being young and trying to sit at the bottom of the swimming pool, but I do. And I could NOT hear a single person yelling at me. I heard a garbled mess. That is what Wills language has sounded like for a really long time.

Our little man FINALLY got PE tubes placed back in April. And we started Speech a little after that. From the moment Sue walked into our door, Will has fallen in love with her!! I suppose he sees her as a "grandmother" of sorts who comes to play with him once a week. He wants to sit in her lap and let her read books with him. She plays trucks and cars with him and relates those "words" into play.

Since we have started therapy Will has started talking. A LOT! Now a bunch of it is still a garbled mess, especially when he is excited. But we are hearing more and more of what Will is trying to tell us and I love it!! He is learning what words mean! He can point out tons of things and if you ask him to bring you a specific object, he NORMALLY does so.

So, I wanted to let you all know some of our "words." Remember, Will does nothing like a "normal" child. So our list is a bit all over the place.

Outside (owside)
Car (tar)
Truck (tuck)
Tractor (tracTOR)
Night Night (NI NI)
Chicken (Shicken)
Cracker (cacker)
Puppy
Dog
Kitty Cat
Mama
Daddy (DaddEEEE)
Jack Jack
I don't know (I no know) this one is rare but we have ALL heard it at least once!
Want that (while pointing to object)
Go Truck
Dump Truck
Pig
Duck
Moo Cow (moo tow)
Nana
Pawpaw
Firetruck
Hi there
Bye bye
Foot
Feet
Green Truck

I am sure there are a few we are missing. If you think we are possibly missing the word "cup" we're not....he refuses to say it!! We have tried just about everything we and the therapist can think of!! We is trying really hard to say "splish splash". And you can see his mouth moving when he hears or sees some one whistle. I swear he just baffles me some days!! The majority of the words have just come to him in the past few months working with Speech. I'm telling you, she is AMAZING! Will has finally caught up to his peers with the amount of two word phrases he can say, though the majority of them have to do with TRUCKS!

So that's a little update on Will. OK More than little, but you get the point.

Morgan is doing very well. She has a few (and by few I mean 2) friends to play with here in the neighborhood. She is finally getting out of the house a little bit. She is super excited about our upcoming vacation. Right when we get back, she starts school. She is a bit apprehensive about starting 2nd grade. I know she will do just fine and try to remind her of that every time she brings it up. She has been reading a very difficult book this summer, Super Fudge. I don't know how many of you remember it from grade school, but it is like a 4th grade book, and she is making it!! It is slow going, but it has accomplished what I intended for it to do this summer. She had been challenged by a book and has somewhat enjoyed it!

I mentioned vacation. We are going to Gatlinburg, TN for an entire week!! We are so excited. Will has never been and we cannot wait to take him to some of the things there. And Morgan LOVES it!! Mike and I are excited to share this with our kids. I grew up going there every fall with my church youth group and Mike and I stayed there for our honeymoon. It has become a special place to our family. Sometime during our trip we will be making an overnight visit to Nashville. Trust me, we are NOT spending much time outside and I DO NOT plan on Will landing back in the hospital while we are there.

Though I have not posted in a while, I hope this catches us up on everything that has been going on here with us. I hope you are having an amazing Tuesday.

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On a completely different not- Would you all please pray for the friend of a friend. I know that is extremely vague, but I do not personally know her. I do, however, know some of the pain she is going through right now. We will call her N, because, again, I don't know her and am not sure she would like her name posted all over the net. So, would you pray for N today and the fallowing days and any other time she happens to cross your mind?? You see, N lost her little girl P on Sunday. P was due to go to HER house on Monday and her first birthday was TODAY! But on Sunday, P and God had different plans. P went home, but not to her Earthly home. She passed away sometime Sunday. I DO NOT know any details and honestly, I would probably rather not. I know the hurt and pain that N is in and that is enough for me. I know she needs as much love and support and just shoulders to cry on and arms to hold her as she can possibly get right now.

Thanks for spending your time reading my blog and thanks for praying for N.