Listening with ears that hear

This word conjures up many images. It would be so much easier if we could perk up our ears when we are truly listening to what is being said to us.

IMG_5762Well, before you can be heard, you have to be able to speak what is in your heart. Tatum has no problem voicing her opinion to me. She also can identify her feelings based on happy/no happy. This suffices for now. At this point, if she breaks down and cries, I probe and probe and LISTEN. She also responds with her attempt to explain. Then I can hopefully find out why she is “no happy.”

Moreover, she does listen to me constantly with her ability to mimic what I say. (This keeps my speech from being non-edifying!) To hear her hear me is also incredibly rewarding as she is picking up words that I did not know she even could say.

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She continues to build on her current speech with new adjectives and an attempt at verbs.
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Tatum is happy; no, her mommy strives each day to make sure she is secure, safe, significant, and so loved. If that can make her happy, then I AM HAPPY.