Mutiny

Okay, so mutism is not exactly mutiny but…I thought it was kind of a funny play on words. Yes, so…my dad visited last night. It was a very nice visit. I listened to his various complaints about physical ailments, nodded silently as he told me stories about his various friends and the girls came and went from the room, getting popsicles, pickles and berries for snacks to take back outside where they were hanging with Tom while my dad and I talked.

Each time Olivia came in she didn’t acknowledge my dad’s presence but his very presence didn’t actually stop her from speaking the way it would have even a month ago.

She’d walk into the room, ask me a question in a clear, audible voice, wait for the answer, and, often, pose a follow-up question.

When it came time for my dad to leave, Olivia didn’t actually say goodbye but she waved. We call that non-verbal communication.

Her speech therapist likes to take away the words ‘non-verbal’ and just call it communication. I like the way that woman thinks.

This is a great step for Olivia. The fact that she communicates with someone she sees maybe once a month, even non-verbally, is a step in the right direction. The fact that she spoke to me in front of my dad, where he could actually hear her, was another big step for her. In the past, she’d either come close to me and whisper so only I could hear her or she would actually try and take me to another room before speaking to me. I’m so glad she’s moving forward. I never doubted she would but it’s nice to see true progress.

I also don’t doubt that we’ll have some areas that slip again before we get over each hump completely. And that’s okay too. Olivia is going to learn at her own pace and I’m all for that. I just like to give her a little nudge now and then.

Isn’t that what moms are for?