Where did my baby boy go?

Over the last few months Ben has finally started talking more. Now over the last few days it's been a vocabulary explosion. I've been working really hard with him. Between that and his therapies it seems to be helping. The vocabulary alone makes him seem so much more grown up.

It's not just the words though. He's becoming so much more independent and playing more like an older kid. Today he completely undressed himself. He's been able to get pants, diaper and socks off for a while but for the first time today he got his shirt off. Then he ran to his room and started getting clothes out. He said "I dessed" meaning he wanted to get dressed.

Later he got on all fours and crawled around the house barking and saying "I dog." He's loved his cars for a long time now but now he's much more interactive with them. He even names them. He'll park one and say "oh Mama home." Then he does the same thing with other cars and calls them Dada, Jill, RJ and whoever else pops into his head.

It's so amazing to watch this progression but it's a little sad too. It's like each day a little more of my baby slips away. I know that's how it's supposed to go but it still makes me a bit sad. He sure is fun right now though. He makes me laugh every single day. My poor parents probably get tired of me because I'm always calling to tell them the latest Ben story. The one from tonight was hilarious but I'll keep that one to myself because it would be potentially embarrassing for him some day.

Well it's time to feed the baby that is actually still my baby and to peek in on my baby who isn't quite my baby any more.