New Unprompted Speech Attempts and Interaction

More good news!! Reece has been doing awesome the last couple of weeks. I am getting unprompted speech. When he came with me to drop T off at camp, he said "bye!" as we were walking away. He is also saying "bye" when we are leaving places. I am getting a big "hi!" with a hug and beautiful looks right in my eyes all day. His eye contact when he does this is unbelievable! He was also saying something while we were in the store the other day that I didn't understand at first. We were waiting for a self checkout line to open up and he was smiling and really trying to tell me something. When I asked him what he was saying he pointed and said "an". I looked and realized he was showing me the big fans they were selling on the top shelves. They were in boxes but he saw the picture on the front. I loved that he was showing me something he had seen and not something I had pointed out.

Last weekend we went to Allaire Park to take a ride on the train. We knew the kids would love it but I was worried about getting Reece on and off the train. It's an old steam train that just does two loops on the track. First we had to literally carry Reece out of the little building that you buy the tickets in because it had a ceiling fan! I figured that was a sign of things to come and we were in for a hard time. But he got on the train without any issue and sat for a while as they waited for more riders to come. He loved the ride and even got off without a fuss. As we walked around the park he wanted to run off and go into the buildings but was so much easier than usual. I was even able to let him walk without holding my hand. When I told him "no" if he was about to bolt, he stopped. He even took my hand on his own. This was a day trip that usually would have left me sweating and my body sore from trying to hold on to him while he tantrumed or tried to get away.

But my favorite moment of the last few weeks was over this weekend. We went to another park we like to walk at with the four youngest kids. T usually unbuckles Reece so he can get out of his car seat while I undo the two youngest girls who are close to the door. As Reece had to pass his sister who was still buckled in her seat, he stopped and tried to unbuckle her himself! It was so sweet. In the past he would just push on past her and not give her a second look. To see him try to help his sister out on his own was just the highlight of my day!

I have been so happily surprised lately as situations that would have been incredibly hard or impossible just a few months ago are going smoothly. After feeling "stuck" for so long it is great to know we are moving forward!