MAMA!!!!!

Sooo many exciting things going on with Luke these days!  First, as you can tell by the title of the post - we have MAMA down pat!  He's been saying mama for awhile but not necessarily in reference to me.  NOW I AM MAMA!!!  It's so exciting! 

It's especially exciting because I really feel like his language is taking off right now.  He has lots of words now...mama (!!!), daddy, ball, up, down, all done, more, outside, apple, elbow, duck and a few more!  A lot of his words he tends to say the beginning of the word (duh for duck, sss for stomp, smoothie and spoon) but he's consistent.  He will sometimes get a word and then lose it but our speech therapist feels like he's gaining more words than he's losing. 

He also seems to really be understanding language and making lots of connections.  Saturday the most exciting thing happened!! (Now, prepare yourself, I might be a little more excited about this than you will be - but it was really, really exciting to me!!)  Dan left to go to the store and I was working in the kitchen.  Luke was playing with his toys in the kitchen.  All of the sudden, he went over to the chair where his coat was and brought it to me.  He was shoving it at me saying 'Daddy.  Outside.'  I tried to explain that Daddy was gone, but I went ahead and put his coat on him.  He walked over to the garage door and stood there saying 'Daddy.  Outside.'  (Kind of pitiful, really....)  It was SO exciting to us because he knew he needed his coat to go outside, he knew where to get it and to bring it to me, he was able to SPEAK to communicate what he wanted AND he knew to go to the right door!!! 

He's also developing quite the attitude!!  When he gets mad at us, he blows raspberries at us.  Now he's squatting down with his hands on his knees screaming at us when he gets mad.  It is great to see him developing all the normal toddler craziness!!!

Ok, the rest of this we'll call the 'Pictures episode'. I have pictures from when was casted for his new feet orthotics. I also wanted to post some pictures of him working with his OT, Erin, because I haven't yet. And of course some random recent pictures:)! Enjoy!



This is part of getting 'casted'.  They put bandages around his legs and dampen them.  They only have to dry for a few minutes and then they cut them off. 



The one on the left is for his right foot - his AFO.  This one goes to about the middle of his leg.  It will control the snapping of the right leg.  The one on the right is his SMO. This is what he was wearing before. 







Sporting his orthotics for pajama day at school!!  He seems really comfortable in them - I really wish this was something that they had that adults could try on.  They don't look comfortable AT ALL but he doesn't seem bothered by them.



Playing with Miss Erin!  He's working on his fine motor skills - strengthening his hands and using his pincer
grasp.



Do you want more, Luke?? 



Miss Erin has to get very creative to keep Luke's attention!!  He wanted to play on his zebra so she adjusted therapy so he could play on his zebra.  She was working on his hand/eye coordination. 





My sad attempt to get a picture with my boys....this is Luke's 'mad' face I wrote about!!  I love it!!





This is one of my favorite pics of Luke.  It pretty much sums up his personality!  He makes this face at us often right to the dripping drool!!