Rowan can be quite hard to understand, but he has a lot to say and a remarkable vocabulary with which to say it. We had him evaluated for speech services and he was denied because they deemed his only issue to be articulation -- which, they said, we should address, but the state won't cover it. So we'll check with the pediatrician about a referral for private sessions. For now, K and G sound like T (not to mention blended sounds don't get blended and L and R sound like W). He finds clever work-arounds when he isn't understood. He refused to say "quack" when the speech pathologist asked him what a duck says because he knows he doesn't say it right (TH-Waat). When I didn't understand that he, Fiona, Aunt Colleen, and Dada were looking for treasure (dth-eh-thah), he said, "You know, that gold stuff." He's smart, he's resourceful, but you can tell he's getting tired of repeating himself.
Favorite food: apple (He's been known to dip a pickle in vinegar, too. He has eclectic tastes. And he still enjoys a cup of milk.)
Favorite TV show: Little Einsteins.
Favorite music: Call Me Maybe. (He is always singing or humming, often making up his own songs.)
Favorite book: Help! We Need a Title
As Fiona is always asking us to rank things, I know that Rowan's favorite colors are orange, brown, red, blue, black, and white. We bought him the tiniest orange backpack in the world, along with an orange lunchbox and an orange drink cup that he proudly brings to school. "And Mom," he pointed out to me, "I go to school in West Orange!"
Rowan loves school. The teachers love him. He hasn't made any close friends there, but he talks about the other kids and seems happy to play with whomever shares his interests. He did a few mornings a week of school-camp this summer; Friday was his last day. In 3-1/2 weeks, he'll be back for more.