I love you, dad

Lately when I read Michael his bedtime story I've been reading him the Signing Time books we've checked out from the library.  Or rather he's been reading them to me.  I'll ask him what the signs are, and he loves to do them for me.  He has a ball reading these books to me, and it helps me see how he does the signs in his little 2-year old language.  For example, the sign for cracker is to stick out your elbow and knock on it with your fist.  Michael sticks out his elbow and knocks on his chest.  The sign for drink is to pretend you're drinking out of a cup.  Michael makes it look like he's pouring the drink onto his head.  Actually, that's pretty accurate way of showing how two year olds drink. :-)

A few nights ago, we read a Signing Time book with the signs for "love" and "I love you".  After reading the book and snuggling with him for a few minutes, I laid him in his crib.  He looked up at me with his big blue eyes and did the signs for "love" and "I love you".  That little boy sure knows how to melt a dad's heart!  We're so grateful for sign language, which has opened a window for us into Michael's heart and mind that he can't communicate to us through words or facial expressions.

Speaking of sign language, we were thrilled to get the news this week that Michael will be going to McGraw preschool in the fall.  That's the school where the teacher both signs and speaks to the class.  He absolutely loved it there when Liz took him a few weeks ago, and it will be a huge blessing for him to have a teacher who can communicate with him.  The only downside is that the school is across town.  We hope he will qualify to have a bus take him to and from school, which would relieve a huge transportation burden.

We also found out this week that Michael's insurance won't pay for in-home therapy when he turns 3 years old in July.  It will pay for in-office therapy, which ironically costs the same as in-home therapy.  But it would mean losing our wonderful therapists who have been with Michael ever since he was diagnosed at six months of age.  We're also concerned about Michael having the stamina to go to lots of therapy appointments outside our home after a full morning of preschool, as he wears out easily.  Not to mention the added burden it would put on Liz to drag Brooklyn and Spencer to Michael's many therapy appointments.  So we're working, hoping, and praying our insurance will make an exception and allow the in-home therapies to continue.

Michael playing playdough with his occupational therapist