Oh Say Can He Say...Part Deux

We owe so much of Tiernan's development to Kids At Play Therapy.  He is more or less normal in his milestones now due to Amanda's awesome work with him over the past 2 years.  The most exciting stuff right now is his speech! He is talking up a storm and it is very much due to his work with the Integrated Listening System.  The link will take you to a good video that explains how it all works.  Basically put, it is an iPod with very specific classical music with very specific sound tones and frequencies that take the person through a 12 week (or longer) sequence.  In addition, the head phones include bone conduction.  This, combined with a lot of work on the vestibular system has finally helped to initiate a language explosion.  Every week, following his therapy session, we have been hearing more and more words.  He doesn't say them all consistently, but he mimics most words now.  Until recently he wouldn't do that at all.  He could say words accidentally but lacked the motor planning and control to do so on purpose.  And those words he has down are getting clearer all the time.

FAMILY
"Mama" and "Dada" have become "Mommy" and "Daddy" much of the time.
"Bubba" is becoming "Buhver" which is much closer to "Brother".  :)
When he wants to do something himself, he points to himself and says, "Me. Me."
When he sees pictures of himself (or sometimes Tristan as a baby/toddler) he identifies them as "Neenan" and has even once answered with a very clear "Tiernan" when asked his name.
He knows his "Auntie" and can say "Gramma" and just last night said "Pops" and "Popper" for Jason's dad.  He also made a pretty successful attempt at "Nonni" for my mom.  Must work on "Granda" now.

FAVORITE THINGS
"Eat"
"Eed" (which is Read and difficult to differentiate from Eat.) When prompted, he will very carefully and clearly say "oorrreed"   :)
"Dars" is Cars
"Ink" for Drink
"Ut deez" means "Up please." when he wants to be held.

ANIMALS AND THEIR SOUNDS
"ditty" for Kitty
"doddy" for Doggy
He roars for a lion or tiger.  Makes a trumpeting/whistling sound for an elephant.  He baaas for a lamb and says "Ahrf" for dogs.  Birds say "teetee" and ducks say "kak kak".  A kangaroo is an "op op" (for hopping)

OTHER SOUNDS
Trains say "too too"
Cars say "deet deet"
Santa Claus says "oh oh oh"
Sirens...imagine a siren and you'll know.

RANDOM WORDS
Teeth
Crash
Funny
Haha
Sticky
Aht (Heart)

There are more, but it is difficult to remember all of them.  His "jabber" is much more varied as well.  He says many more sounds. 
We are so excited by his new communication skills. 

In other news, we are considering several options for his "schooling" next year.  Nanny K is still willing to take care of him and help with getting him to and from some pre schools in her area if that is the way we would like to go.  We have thought about developmental pre-school through the school district, but Amanda (OT) feels he would be beyond the other kids there.  His speech is really his only delay at this point and she thinks he would be bored and also wouldn't need to be exposed to the inherent behaviour issues in a developmental program.  The third option is an all in one preschool/daycare near my school.  This one comes with excellent recommendations from several of my co-workers and his heart buddy Alex will also be starting there next fall.  That is a big contributing factor.  Alex has severe eating issues and if my friend Dana is comfortable with this school then I know I would be. 
Like I said, we are still in the deciding process.  Nanny K has been truly fantastic. A gift from God, really.  She was exactly what he/we needed these past 2 years and we are so grateful.  Whichever way we choose, she and her family will always be in his life. 

This kid loves a stuffy

If you have never been to a Build A Bear Workshop store, now is a great time to make the trip.  Everyone knows some little person who would love a stuffed animal made with love just for them.  And for the month of February, you can also donate a dollar to the Children's Heart Foundation.  Unlike a donation to American Heart Association, (where only one penny of each dollar donated goes to CHD funding) you can be sure that your donation will go to supporting research for new treatments and perhaps cures for CHD.

This was Tiernan's first trip to BABW.  We thought he would have a more difficult time in choosing from all the fun stuffies, but no.  It was clear he wanted a "kitty".  Which he said very clearly several times.

****Disclaimer****  These photos are blurry.  Nearly every one of them.  Sorry.  My phone camera is not so good now that Tiernan is so active.  :)

 This is, in fact, the kitty "shell" he picked out. 

Not that you can identify it from the orange blur, but I assure you.  It is.

Tristan was so happy to help Tiernan participate in the creation of "Lucky" the Tabby Cat.  The kind man who stuffed Lucky happens to have a grand nephew with CHDs and is, himself, a 52 year survivor of what the doctors had said was an inoperable brain tumor. 

He was thrilled to know that Tiernan has survived all his challenges too.  :)

Choosing the special heart and giving it a kiss before putting it into Lucky. 

Finished with a hug and a bath and now Lucky is Tiernan's and will be

his special friend to hug and love.

Since arriving home, Tiernan has kept Lucky near him for everything.

 Teaching Lucky his ABCs

 Playing in Lucky's house.

Drinking milk together.

 Heading up to bed.

Reading Madeleine to him in Mommy and Daddy's closet.