Hunter's First Year of Preschool

What a difference a school year makes!

This little guy has grown by leaps and bounds! Before he started school, I struggled to make a list of approximately 50 words (if that) that he would say on his own without being prompted to repeat. He could barely put two words together, didn't verbalize anything, (he sang a lot), wouldn't answer your questions, wouldn't tell you if he liked or wanted something, and worst of all, you couldn't really carry on any type of conversation. It was tough...I wondered why he wouldn't talk, and there's not really an answer, except that he wanted to do it on his own time. It's not that he's not intellectual, or slow, he just didn't feel like doing it, and how do you force a kid to talk? It's like leading a horse to water, but you can't force him to drink.

He's had about 7 months of speech therapy, 

and it has helped him SO much! 

They started out with him just making the right sounds, "S" "F" etc. and then made words from their and he just took off. At first it was hard to see the progress, and sometimes we were discouraged when we couldn't understand him, but looking back, we just had to be patient.

I hoped that the peer interaction, great teachers, plus two sessions of speech therapy a week would help, and it has! Not only has it helped, but he LOVED going to school, and by the end of the school year, he was asking for Mrs. Julie (his speech therapist) and every time he passed by a school he asked if she was there.

He's pretty much the exact opposite of how he was when he first started. He is still sometimes difficult to understand, and he doesn't speak very clear, BUT, HE'S TALKING! I love that he can talk with someone on the phone now, or when he's with family, he'll be a little chatterbox and tell them about all kinds of stuff. It's not in perfect sentences, and he mainly uses words that he knows, but it is night and day. I love that I can now talk to my little boy, that he asks me questions like, "What's that?" "What are you doing?" "What happened" "Are you all right" etc. and that he'll tell me what he likes and wants. I'm SO grateful for this school year!

Check out the little questionnaire activity they did for the end of the year...I'm not sure where he got eating chicken, because he doesn't ever eat it (I would say hamburgers, pizza, sushi and salad are his favorites) but I just loved that he answered the questions! Do you see that his favorite subject is being with his teacher? haha He's so sweet.

He cried for all of the other songs, but he LOVED the Speckled Frog Song so he got up and joined the class.

His little pal Chloe! Mrs. Caroline's daughter

It's now time for Summer! 

We don't have too much planned, because we've got Cade's (and Hunter's) first birthday party, Janelle's wedding, and then our big vacation at the beginning of September, but I plan on taking weekly trips to the library, going to the park, spending time with family, just having fun and enjoying our schedule! (I'm looking forward to not having to run him around everywhere!) Here's to a fun Summer!