Three little words...

Lu had a cold again for three weeks and it was miserable. In the middle of the cold was her Daddy's birthday. Throughout the day I modeled for her in her PODD on her Tobii how she could wish him a happy birthday when he came home from work. She slept most of the day and just didn't feel well, so I wasn't sure she would be up to wishing him anything. Well, when we sat down to supper, I reminded her in a whisper what we had practiced. She said with her Tobii that she wanted to use her book- her paper PODD book. As I navigated through the book with her, after each choice she made, she would turn and look directly at her daddy. Her message was, "I love you"!  Chad and I both teared up for the obvious reasons, but also because she has very seldomly said this to anyone. We tell her we love her a thousand times a day of course, but I never ask her to tell me that she loves me, or ask her if she loves me. I know she does, and I know she will tell me when she is ready. And here she was ready to give her Daddy the best birthday present in the world! 

What was also wonderful about the whole exchange was that she didn't do what we had practiced all day- she wished Chad a happy birthday in her own way, and I love that about her so much! Not only that she has the spirit to do things in her own special way, but that she has the knowledge and ability to express herself however she chooses. When we are talking and I am asking her a question about something, I never worry that she is just answering what she thinks I want to hear, because she just doesn't do that. She wants us to know what she thinks and feels- her own genuine opinions.

So, since Chad's birthday, Lu has been very generous with her "I love you" messages. About a week later she told my mom and I that she loved us while we were at the table feeding her lunch. Then one day when just Chad was home with her she said:

And then one morning at breakfast she told me she loved me twice within the meal! 

Then at supper a few nights ago she said this to me:

Which is great, because I might tend to be a little silly.

So, without asking, with no pressure, Lu has finally started telling us she loves us! With both her book and her Tobii, just whenever she feels like it! It is amazing and I am so grateful that she has the ability to express her love for the people around her.