We Like to Talk, Talk, Talk!

Given that Jake didn't call me Mama until he was almost 2 years old, I didn't quite believe it when Josh started saying mama and dada a couple of weeks ago.... I chalked it up to baby babble. Then I started to notice that he would try to repeat single words that one of us would say, or even that he would hear Dora say on TV ("backpack" = "back pfth"). Now he repeats Mama and Dada almost on command (but still mainly when he feels like it) and is beginning to recognize Paul and I with those names when he sees us or wants us. He's also referring to Mosley as BoBo (which is what Jake calls him) and asking for his baba (bottle). It's really exciting for us to see him repeating the sounds that we make and watching his speech blossom.

Jake continues to make incredible strides with his speech as well. He talks in mainly complete sentences and uses his expressive language skills very well. The trouble is that people (other than me and Paul) have a difficult time actually understanding what he is saying. At this age, strangers should be able to understand at least 50% of what he is saying and we're not quite there... This translates not to a speech delay but to an articulation disorder. He says all the words and knows their meaning (expressive language) but has difficulty making some of the common letter combination sounds (ones that by this age he should be able to make). At his 3 year check-up, his pediatrician encouraged us to seek out speech therapy for him for the articulation issues through Prince William County public schools Child Find program. This is different than the Early Intervention program we had him in before for his speech delay. The Child Find program is for children ages three and up and is coordinated through the school system. We have an initial screening this upcoming Friday and we'll learn more about which programs for which he qualifies given where they evaluate his articulation problems to be. At the end of the day, this isn't anything to be concerned with and is something he will easily overcome with time, but getting him involved in a program now will ensure he is ready for kindergarten in two years (hard to believe!!).