Purple.  Luke said purple.  He’s been saying a few words here and there (car, ball) but purple takes the cake.  He wanted purple pedialyte so he walked up to it and said purple.  He actually let us know that he wanted something out loud.  He VERBALLY COMMUNICATED.  He also answered the phone the other day and said “hello”.

Luke’s dad and I look at each other in a way that no one would ever be able to understand unless they were a parent of a child with special needs.  The fact that he’s started to say words without us telling him to offer us a whole new hope.  We are now hopeful that he will talk.  That he can talk.  I don’t know if it’s ABA or preschool or a combination of both but whatever it is, it’s helping.  Hearing his sweet little voice melts me.

His words aren’t clear and that is classic apraxia, he will for sure need lots of speech therapy but we know that he is capable of speaking.  The fear isn’t completely gone (that damn regression word still comes to mind way too much) but there is a new feeling of hope.  He is so proud of himself when he says a word, he knows what a big deal it is.  I think he’s even more aware because little sis is saying new words what seems like every day.  She says cocoon for christsakes.

On another note, just to be a downer, Luke has had a terrible time with this transition of preschool and ABA.  His sleep is for shit.  He beats the crap out of us and himself just to get out of sleeping.  He has a really short fuse.  He did have a cold and seems to be acting better because he’s feeling better but Jesus.  It’s been rough.  He hit me in the eye twice yesterday and it was like a boot was thrown at me.  I hear “typical” 3 year old’s do this too…

I had a call with his preschool teacher the other day after he finished his 3rd week of school.  The call was amazing.  Luke is catching on to PECS already, much faster than the teachers thought, he is strong willed (that’s a nice way of saying it), compliant, joining activities,…he smiles a lot.  I’m so so proud.  The teacher also said she doesn’t think that she’ll keep him in her class for that long, just because he has a language impairment doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be in general ed.  I knew he’d do good because he learns fast but how. amazing. is. that.