Update #4

 Another week has gone by and God continues to let His presence be felt. Blake continues to make progress. Although it is slow and sometimes difficult to see, we know it is happening because when we consider where we started 2 months ago, he is a completely different child. 

Some areas of improvement that we have seen this week have primarily come with him "leading" the play, even if it is just for a second by him offering ideas and truly being apart of what we are doing. He told me that his animals were hungry and that we needed to go make them dinner. He had us stop what we were currently doing with them and do this new thing, a change in the play, without my prompting. Its a victory for us!

He has also started interchanging different words for the ones he has typically used. Instead of, "Mommy will you hold this for me?" He has said things like, "Mommy will your GRAB this for me?" It is encouraging to hear him start interchanging words that have the same meaning in the right context.

On a walk this week, he looked at some flowers and said, "Mommy! Look at the flowers! They are pretty." This was one of the first times he has called something pretty and described something with an adjective like this. He is pointing out things more and more. And today, he even said "Mom! My lego tower!" So this was fun to see as this was an example of what I said he could not do during my first post. 

He continually asks me to play with him all day. But instead of just saying, "Mommy will you play with me please?" He is starting to be more specific: "Mommy, will you play Little Peoples with me please?" His question asking has gotten better.

So has his curiosity in general. He is starting to ask more questions like, "What are you doing?" and "What is this?" Not all the time, but more frequently. 

His echolalia is getting SO MUCH BETTER. He isn't repeating the weird phrases as often as before. Which is a blessing. He seems to be trying to use his words more which is so encouraging. It doesn't mean he doesn't at all, but at least it isn't in the most random places like it used to be. He still says, "Buckle your seatbelt. Seatbelt Buckled!" almost every. single. time. he buckles his seatbelt. But that's okay. And he still wants to say surprise overtime he opens a door. 

In Speech, he is getting better distinguishing boys from girls and using the proper He and She pronouns. "Where" questions are still tricky for him. Speaking of "tricky"...that has been a new word that he likes to use all the time. He learned it from Miss Katie who now knows she can't use that word while working with him because he will then call everything tricky. He still enjoys Speech and going to see Miss Katie twice a week. I am currently working on getting him qualified for more services through the state. We would like to give him as much help as we can, especially since he has loved it and does not see it as work. I think this would be very helpful for me since I feel such a heavy burden to be teaching him and working with him every day. The more support I can get, the better. 

I got him out of his bedroom this week and he said, "Mommy! I did not scream!" which was something I asked him not to do when I put him to bed. He was proud to tell me that and I praised him for obeying me. 

Please continue to pray for him and his learning. I know my prayers have dwindled as the weeks have past, but I am still in just the same need of God's support and work in Blake's life as the day I found out something was wrong. Please continue to lift him up in your prayers, that his brain will work in a way that uses more language, and that I will stay encouraged. I need wisdom on how to best teach him and ways that I can help his imagination through play. I, myself, am running out of ideas on different things we can imagine or play. So if you have any ideas, please send some my way.

These two pictures were from Easter this weekend. I am thankful for a RISEN Savior. One who comforts in all times of trouble, and One who has the power over life and death! If He has power over the grave, He has power over Blake's learning.