The Longest Summer

I know that it has been forever since I have taken the time to log and blog. For this I apologize, the time has just run away...

This was a summer of work; very hard, consistent, determined work. All with one goal in mind... SPEECH!

Noah, my little man with more tenacity in his little toe than I and most people possess in our entire being, worked his little body and mind non-stop this summer. He was having speech therapy 7 times a week! 7 times! I'm surprised CPS didn't show up at our door! ;-)

Although not "officially" diagnosed, it is presumed that Noah has Apraxia of speech. Therefore, he knows what he wants to say, but it gets lost somewhere from his thoughts to his mouth. With Apraxia, it is very important to have constant repetition. Constant. The sounds, vowels and words need to become like a reflex. Something that is innate without thought or effort.

We began this intensive (and very expensive, thank you Grandma J9 for helping) approach to help his speech in mid-June and are still going strong with weekly sessions of 5x each week.

The goal - to talk, to communicate his desires, wants and needs. The results... as of today, after 3 1/2 months of intensive therapy, we have made progress. The definition of that progress may be defined by many expectations, but progress has been made.

Noah is speaking, mostly when prompted, in elementary word approximations. Ex: More = mo, Milk = mi, Ball = ba...
We are working on the bi-labial sounds, P,B,M and the vowels. So, the word Book will sound like "bbu, uuh" Blue sounds like "bbu, ooh" ect. Is the process long and excruciating? Yes! However, imagine yourself as Noah. How frustrating! To know what you want to say but as you attempt to express yourself, it doesn't come out as intended. So then, why bother? Why not just scream, yell, point and pull someone to show them what it is you are wanting?

What I wouldn't give to spend a day in his little body and mind... perhaps someday :-)

We did manage one escape early in the summer down to a family home in LaJolla.

Here are a few photos of our little local on the shore...