"Bu, bu, bu"
In his Growing Up With a Disability blog entry "Reflections on Self-Love, Self-Worth, and Family," David observes:
"If I’m a little child I feel love and consequently, value when... Even if I'm not able to verbally respond, my aunt talks to me using my name, rather than about me with impersonal pronouns as though I'm not there...."
David's observations are all astute and helpful, but this one in particular grabbed my attention.
Last Monday, sitting around the lunch table, I asked everyone about their day so-far. Gabriel replied with the usual head-nod and "Good." Janette filled me in on what she had done and liked about the day. I then asked Hannah what she had liked about today.
Hannah said, "Bu, bu, bu."
I turned to Janette and the nurse that had accompanied her to school and asked about Hannah's day. What had she done? How was preschool?
Hannah said, "Bu, bu, bu."
Her nurse filled us in on how preschool had gone: very well. Hannah had sat and participated the entire time, only getting frustrated toward the very end.
Hannah said, "Bu-bbles."
I turned back to Hannah. I had not given her time to respond. She needed the extra time to get her thoughts out, express herself. Instead, I had somewhat impatiently moved on to asking her caregivers, asking them to fill in the gaps for her.
"Bubbles, Hannah?"
Yes, she confirmed via sign.
Hannah had enjoyed the bubbles at preschool. They have a button that, when pushed, says "Bubble." When the button is pushed, the teachers also blow bubbles for the kids to play with. Hannah liked the bubbles. And she was learning to communicate using the word "bubbles."
Chalk another one up to Hannah exceeding my expectations. And another one up to Hannah teaching Daddy a lesson about listening.
-- Dad
