At the age of 2, Knoah should:

Motor Skills
drink from a straw YES
feed himself with a spoon YES, very well!
help in washing hands YES
put arms in sleeves YES
with help build a tower of 3-4 blocks YES
toss or roll a large ball YES
open cabinets, drawers, boxes YES and makes BIG messes!
operate a mechanical toy YES
bend over to pick up a toy and not fall YES
walk up steps with help Not quite yet…
take steps backward He hasn’t tried yet.

Sensory and Thinking Skills
like to take things apart YES
explore surroundings YES, can we say NO FEAR!
point to 5-6 parts of a doll when asked 3 or 4 parts, YES

Language and Social Skills
have a vocabulary of several hundred words I am laughing here…
use 2-3 word sentences Not really
say names of toys Yes, in Knoah speak
ask for information about an object (asks, “Shoe?” while pointing to shoe box) NO
hum or try to sing YES, actually he does
listen to short rhymes YES
like to imitate parents YES
sometimes get angry and have temper tantrums YES, YES and YES
act shy around strangers YES
comfort a distressed friend or parent Starting too
take turns in play with other children He has to be reminded
treat a doll or stuffed animal as though it were alive YES, such a good dad he’ll be!apply pretend action to others (as in pretending to feed a doll) YES
show awareness of parental approval or disapproval for her actions YES
refer to self by name and use “me” and “mine” NO, uses series of squeals and screams to indicate possession
verbalize his desires and feelings (”I want cookie”) NO, uses sign language
laugh at silly labeling of objects and events (as in calling a nose an ear) NO
enjoy looking at one book over and over YES
point to eyes, ears, or nose when you ask YES

He seems to be on track where he’s suppose to be! Very good!!

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Trying out his new underwear for size! *wink, wink*

Looking at it, the only place he is falling “behind” would be in the language department. Some children with Achondroplasia have expressive language delays. According to Dr. Pauli, these children will have trouble verbally communicating their wants and needs. For example, Knoah cannot say “I want to eat”, even though he knows he does. He can, however sign “eat”. If he really wants something, we will go through a series of head shaking for no, pointing and signing for “eat” till we get it right. For signing purposes, we use American Sign Language.

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Dr. Pauli and Knoah, April 2008

Knoah understands what we are saying to him. He follows directions to a tee. He even knows when he has been sneaky. The other night, Will put him into bed and Knoah started yelling he wanted his “baba” (sippy cup). So, Will, Jacob and Hannah looked all over the bedrooms for it to no avail. When I finally came upstairs, I said “Did anyone ask Knoah where it is?”

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Knoah and Aidan at Aidan’s 2nd birthday in Sept.

Ding, Ding…Mom saves the day again…yeah, it’s rough….

I went into Knoah’s room, grabbed him out of his crib and asked him “Knoah, go get your baba!”

Low and behold, he did! He hid it in the dresser.

He went to sleep without an issue and I had a good laugh.

When Knoah was about 7 months old, I started teaching him sign language. I knew some children had expressive language delays, but I didn’t know if he would. It ended up he does, but between signing, finger pointing and head shaking, life is pretty easy figuring out what he wants.

He still has very few signs that he uses. Common ones like, eat, drink, wait , all done, more and put away he uses routinely. Other gestures he uses is pointing to the things he wants. If he wants his shoe off, he’ll point to his shoe and verbalize a grunting sound.

Today, Will asked me, if we should be concerned that Knoah isn’t speaking yet… to which Knoah shook his head “No”. He gave my answer.

All children develop at different rates. Some children with Achondroplasia, grow and thrive with no set backs, others, do it on their time. Do I think Knoah will be 3 or 4 by the time he has a three word sentence, yeah, maybe, but as long as we help him adapt and find new ways to help him communicate, he’ll be fine!

Speaking of adapting, more stools are finding their way into the house. Recently, I purchased The Learning Tower. Boy, he loves it! He gets onto it like an old pro and it brings him counter top high. I have it at the end of the island so he can stand there when I am on the computer.

He also realizes now that he needs a stool to give him an extra lift, so he pushes his around to where he needs it to be.

What a clever boy he is! He is so inventive when it comes to figuring out a way to get what he wants. Hannah has a doll shopping cart, that Knoah has figured out if you remove all the attachments, it amazingly looks like stairs. So he pushes that around on the second floor and moves it to the beds to climb on them!

Brilliant, I tell you! Just brilliant!