Just a few cute things I've noticed this week.

Bright Eyes has been talking to people - real, 'experience-sharing' communication. Some things he's said include:

"I'm hopping [proceeds to hop].... I'm twisting [does a little Wiggles dance]... I'm twisting faster [does it faster]," or "I watched Lunar Jim/Elmo's world/Postman Pat."

He talks to any visitors we have, anyone we see on the school playground and people in shops. Last year at this time, if people looked at him or tried to talk to him, he screamed loudly and turned away. He certainly had no spontaneous conversation that had any social relevance, and couldn't even say hello or goodbye. It's a huge improvement.

He's been playing with a two-year old. Our neighbour across the street sees us every day at the school playground when we pick up our kids, and Bright Eyes loves playing with her little boy. They run around the garden and chase each other, climb big rocks and generally have a great time, laughing and looking at each other.

He's noticing things when we drive in the car. Today we took a beautiful drive out to Robertson.

"There's a cow," he said. "Moooooo." I turned back to look at him, and he grinned at me. We mooooed together.

A year ago, Bright Eyes would sit in the car and fiddle with his trains that he would have insisted on bringing in his hands. And he would have screamed if the Wiggles music went off. He was oblivious to me pointing out anything of interest, and he certainly would not have participated in making silly animal noises!

Thank God.