Happy Tears

McKenna's therapy went well yesterday. Since it is the end of the month Ms. T. likes to review the month and discuss any concerns and improvements. As we talked and she looked at her notes we realized how far McKenna has come in just a month. She has added *many* single words. She has also started finishing her words. (all on her own) In fact McKenna works on her speech herself all of the time. I really feel that Ms. T. is providing her with focus and tools to help organize her speaking attempts and McKenna has taken those and is applying them.

She still has an insanely hard time putting two words together. Even something easy like, "bye bye Pa" is too hard. However a few days ago she managed, "ni ni daddy" (night night daddy) for the first time! And then last night she said, "ni ni COLE"!!!

She loves her brother so much and he just ADORES her. To hear her respond to his, "night night Kenna" with "ni ni Cole" was so magical! Cole was just so thrilled he sat up and clasped his hands to his chest and said, "mommy ooooooohh did you hear Kenna just said ni ni Cole she said my name!!!" I was cheering, McKenna was smiling so big. Then the true test (can she do it again?) . . Cole repeated, "night night Kenna" and she again responded, "ni ni Cole" after the 2nd time when she realized she did it again she laughed and laughed with delight. Cole was laughing too. For the next 15 minutes they said, "night night Kenna" "ni ni Cole" to each other followed by delighted laughing. We were in the dark as we really were supposed to be going night night, but I just let them go on and on. I was glad they couldn't see my tears in the dark because it's hard for kids to understand happy tears!

This morning after a bit of coaxing we got McKenna to perform this feat for Ma (my mom). Hearing McKenna put two words together with her brother's name just makes her sound so normal and grown up. It effected my mom the same way. Her eyes filled with tears as we cheered for McKenna.

After listening to McKenna try and sing our bedtime lullaby it always hits me how far we have to go. She somehow not even on accident gets any sound right. Not one consanant, not one vowel through a whole song- until the very end word, "night" . . . Although it's easy to see how far she has to go, today we are thrilled with how far she has come.

I will never forget the pure joy of hearing "ni ni Cole" come out of McKenna's mouth and then hearing the absolute delight and exitement in Cole and Kenna's laughter.

Thank you Lord. (-:

Love,
Amber