"Goo Goo Ga Ga"

Roo is making definite "G" sounds (as in "goo goo ga ga")... the first evidence of his exploring consonant sounds. It's so weird to hear that particular sound as his FIRST sound since that was one of the very last sounds that Merrit could make. ("G" and "K" in particular are almost impossible to make without an intact palate because the tongue and the soft palate have to make contact to form the sound properly.) In big ways and in small ways, life with Ollie is vastly different than life with Merrit was. Hearing Roo say "goo goo" is so cool.

I was telling Mike just the other day that sometimes, when I hear Roo making noise, for a split second my mind thinks that he's pulled his trach out! (When Merrit was this age, the only time he made noise was when he'd either pulled out his trach or had it plugged/blocked by something.)

And, as I write that, I just HAVE TO LAUGH because at this very moment Merrit is racing back and forth across the living room with a rocketship that he made at preschool (a paper-towel tube wrapped in foil with yellow and red streamer "flames" taped to one end), screeching the rocket sound-effects, doing the full countdown ("10, 9, 8....blast ooooooooooooooooofffffffffffff!").

Meanwhile, Roo is contentedly swinging in his baby swing, not minding the intergalactic drama playing out in front of him. Ha ha.