Happy happy days

My little man has just blown me away this week. You might recall the last post about him starting to feed himself? ....well, I'm very pleased to report he's still doing it!! And better yet...he's even starting to scoop up the food on the spoon himself!

I'm going to insert a million exclamation marks now, just to emphasise how totally, completely, speechlessly, do-a-dance-on-the-spot, over the moon I am.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well ok, not a million, but you get the point. And seriously, that doesn't even begin to describe it!

I'm so happy, I honestly can't find the words. This looks like it really is a permanent step. I can't begin to tell you how much it means to me, that he is feeding himself. Just last week, I would have been thinking about how I was going to manage each evening, trying to spoonfeed him, and the baby (she has started solids), and sort out the big girls, and eat dinner myself, and ugh! It's all a big pain. But no more! Just in time - just in time because the baby's routine is starting to move in sync with the rest of the family - just in time, he starts moving into this new phase of independance. That he should have been doing this 12 months ago doesn't matter anymore. He's doing it now and I couldn't be happier! This has cleared away a little bit more of that huge dark cloud that hides my visions for his future. I can dream for him again, a little bit more anyway. There is still much that is difficult to see, but this much...this little bit here has opened up. He's feeding himself! Woohoo!

Another little thing he blessed us with today....for months now, I have been using some makaton signs with him. (Makaton, for those who don't know, is a form of sign language that can help non-verbal children communicate). This morning, he came into the master bedroom where his Papa was still in bed. He climbed up onto the bed and started bouncing and jumping and playing on there. It was cute, so I played with him a little bit. Tickles and falling on the bed and such. Then I got up and said very casually, "come on mr man, lets go have breakfast". Well. He sat up on the side of the bed, and made the sign for 'finished'.

"OMG!!" I said to hubby; "did you see that?!"
"Mm-hm". He nods.

I said to my son; "yes honey, we are finished playing here, lets go eat breakfast". He hops off the bed and toddles into the kitchen with me! He did NOT resume playing at all after signing for 'finished'.

I'm sorry, I'm rapt. And amazed. And happy! I could scream! Aaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!!

The thing is: I don't know if he will do that signing again, or if he did it just that once for some reason. But it doesn't matter too much. I know now, that months of signing to him is paying off. He is understanding the signs. Understanding me! All of this makes the bridge of communication between us easier. And anything that does that is good.

So yeah, while some parts of this week have been trying, for the most part, it has been a very good week for developments with my little man. Happy happy days! :)



xx