talking

It's funny how on most days I don't even notice that my buddy can't talk.  I understand almost all of what he is trying to tell me.  Even monkey bear knows what he wants.  "Ssshhhh" with a wiggle of the hand means, "May I have some goldfish please?"  "AHHHHHHH!" means, "stop what you are doing right now I don't like it."

Then there are those times when he is crying and we have no idea what is wrong or if something hurts and you really notice his lack of communication.  Or maybe we are having a play date and his friend has no idea what my buddy is trying to tell him.  Some mornings we head to the mall for mall walking as a family.  When my buddy goes off with Daddy, I can hear his grunting coming down the hallway.  He sounds so much younger than his 3 1/2 years.

So, we upped the ante and my buddy is now in private speech therapy (along with what he gets in school).  It's always a rude awakening to read the report and get our homework assignment of helping my buddy make "ooohhh" and "eeeee" sounds.  We aren't even up to words.  There is always that part of me that wonders if we did enough. 

I don't know how to teach someone how to talk.  I know all about talking to your children about the world around them and reading lots of books.  I know how to listen to your children (even if it's baby garble) and talk back and forth to show how conversations work.  I've done all this... plus lots and lots more... yet we are still working on "oooooo".  I have confidence that he will get it in his own time, but I can't help but wonder how old he will be.  I feel like I am missing out on what is going on in his head.