Say what?

Communicate: 1. make understood to others.  2. exchange messages.  3. be in communication.  4. be connected.

My daughter will be four in a little over a month.  I have never heard the words, "I love you, Mommy!" from her soft, little lips.  But to think that I don't know that my little girl doesn't love me with everything inside of her, is so far from the truth.  I know, because every day she shows me.  Either with a hug and a kiss or a sweet little smile, I know that I'm loved by her.  But because I can't actually hear the words coming from across the room or down the hall, I have to be more present, more aware, when Sophia is communicating with me.  I have to look at her and watch her sparkling, blue eyes dancing when she looks back at me.  I have to look at her tiny hands trying to make words so that I know a little about what she is thinking or wanting.

Communication is so much more than just clearly, spoken words between one another.  We all have different ways of getting our thoughts across to other people.  In Sophia's case, she loves to scream and yell when she wants your undivided attention, and then she proceeds to show off for you, or take you to what she wants.  That's her main way of communicating right now.  Is it an effective way to communicate?  Sometimes.  I can usually figure out what Sophia is trying to tell me, and I think that people who are around Sophia more consistantly, can also figure their way, around her way of communicating.  She definitely has a way with unspoken words.  When her head and hands start shaking you away, you know whatever you did, wasn't right!

Even though Sophia's expressive language has always come as a struggle, I know that her receptive language is far from that same struggle to express herself.  Sophia is very curious and observant.  She hears everything that someone says to her.  She remembers routine and can usually preform a task that is asked of her.  Of course we have many moments when her stubborness kicks in and if what she is being asked to do, isn't on her agenda of things she wants to do, then forget about it.  Which does make finding out exactly what she does and doesn't know, a little hard.   

I watched THIS VIDEO for the first time today on Facebook, and I was in awe over this young girl, Carly, who struggled for years to express herself and her feelings that were trapped inside of her head, with no way to escape.  She had so many things that she wanted, that she needed, to say to the people around her but for so many reasons, she couldn't let her voice be heard.  People were only seeing her uncontrolable behaviors for years, wondering if anything was really sticking in her head.  But when her "voice" finally came, WOW, that was an incredible moment.  "I think the only thing I can say is don't give up.  Your inner voice will find it's way out.  Mine did." -Carly