Words!

Aiden is starting to communicate!

I nearly cried the other day when Aiden approached me and asked, "momma, blow up ball please (handing me the ball)."  I was so excited!  That was the first time Aiden asked me to do something for him.  He has a ton of words now, and he is finally learning to put them together.  He also responds better to questions.  Me: "did you have fun at school?"  Aiden: "fun, yah!"  Although a lot of his responses use the word I did (echolalia), I'm still excited to get something out of him.  Previously, it was a blank stare, and complete lack of acknowledgment that I said anything at all.  I often wonder what would happen if we could afford speech therapy.  I wish we could at least have that while we wait for services through WEAP.  We are blessed that he is making such great progress with Early Childhood alone.  Ok, love and prayers have a lot to do with it too!  :)

As for potty training, I'm struggling with patience.  Aiden finally went #2 on the potty at school when the teacher caught him "looking like he needed to".  Great work teacher, but Aiden still doesn't understand that he isn't supposed to go in his diaper.  He understands what you want from him on the potty, and he will go if you catch him at the right moment; otherwise, he just doesn't connect the 2--always go in toilet, not in diaper.  I put him in underwear for the first time yesterday, and it didn't seem to bother him when he was wet :(  Bummer, I really thought that would work.  So, now I'm trying stickers and dark chocolate.  I don't believe in using food as a reward, but I don't know what else to do.  I need you WEAP!  Aiden will be 5 in January, and it is feels strange to change his diaper.  I really hope it "just clicks" by Christmas!