2017 progress so far 

I really should write more about Z’s progress. 
Last week I learnt he could read, yup, read words. His speech is there when reading. He will read most words, he will try his best to say them. He’s been spelling for so long I’ve always said he can read, but without him showing us it was hard to prove. His auntie bought him word flash cards for Christmas we’ve brought them out a few times and he’s made small sentences with them. This time I showed him the word ball and he said it. Next up was car, he went to get a car and said the word, same with door. I showed him loads of words, ‘all’, ‘into’, ‘you’, ‘box’, ‘school’, ‘daddy’, ‘mummy’ and ‘down’ were just a few, there really were lots more. I was amazed, he had a huge grin on his face as I he’s been waiting to show me what he can do. There’s only one problem he wouldn’t do it for anyone else!  So, again I didn’t think the school believed me. 
Until….. he done it in school! They’ve had a few words off him ‘pig’ and ‘box’ being the two main ones I can remember. Hopefully he is now on the way to speaking, I know the words are there. 
His numbers, well that he just keeps on impressing me! This week he’s been working on sums, so we had 99+1= then when he was looking for a one, that’s another word we can understand, we stopped what we were doing and watched him, he had the 1 and 0 in his hand ready to put down gave a huge smirk and messed them out, so I believe he can do adding too! 
Speeech: alongside the reading and numbers I’m starting to recognise certain words, ok most of them are numbers sixty eight, is a clear one! His numbers when counting 9/10 are now clear enough to me, so we’re at that stage of babble where only close family and friends can understand him I think. He even said hiya to my dad, which made his night! He didn’t hear him close the door saying goodbye though ! 
Knowledge and understanding of the world: I’m putting it under that is I think that’s where it goes! If I say to Z coat and car, he knows we’re going to the car. Still things like get shoes are lost on him it’s still 1-2 words for a command. Like coat car, or iPad bed. When we’re out he’s taking notice of more things, even the birds in the sky. He’s taking more notice of his surroundings maybe so he remembers where he’s been so he knows where he’s going next! 

He even sat on a ride that went up into the air, yup, sat the entire time taking notice of what was around him! 
These first few months of 2017 I’ve seen a lot of progress. Don’t get me wrong he’s still hard work, he still cant communicate his needs, still in his nappies and sees no danger but it’s all progress.