4 little words.

I've talked about it very sparingly on my blog, but Jaxon has been delayed in his speech since he first started talking.  For a while, I honestly wondered if teaching him sign language set him behind (thinking that him learning to sign instead of speak was the cause).  My pediatrician knocked that theory out of the water before I could hardly explain myself, but he did acknowledge the delay and recommended we see a speech therapist.  We did, and while the therapist didn't think there was any kind of delay in his overall development, she also acknowledged that he was behind in speech.  She also said he has "tongue thrust" which basically makes him speak with what sounds like a lisp.  However, this was a fairly easy thing to fix as she said he would begin to hear himself and try and fix it around the age of 5.

All that to say, every night as we put Jaxon to bed, we tell him that we love him.  He does not reply with anything, but instead cuddles up with Mr Giraffe and his blanket.  I rest knowing that he knows we love him, but longed for the day he would reply and tell me he loved me as well.

A couple weeks ago, we were downstairs playing.  Completely unprompted, he came over to me and wrapped those arms around my neck and said, "I so wub-oo".  Which in Jaxon language, translates to "I so love you."  Tears streamed down my face and I replied, "I so love you too, Jaxon."

He ran off to keep playing, while I sat and soaked in that moment I had been waiting for, for so long.