If you have an important point to make...

Don't try to be subtle or clever.

Use a pile driver.

Hit the point once.

Then come back and hit it again.

Then hit it a third time-a tremendous whack.

Winston Churchill

Obviously Scotty has never read or heard this quote from Winston Churchill...But like Churchill he firmly believes this pile driving philosophy.  Scotty takes it far beyond a mere tremendous whack and into a zone that could easily be adopted by our military as a form of mental torture.  He is relentless.

A few weeks ago I wrote a post titled These are the Signs of our Lives.  It described all the different ways that Scotty tries to communicate.  Sadly as I have stated before, all of them together do not come close to allowing him to say all the things he wants to say.  (If you would like to reread it Click Here.) This week I thought I would describe what a typical day of communicating, or trying to communicate looks like from my perspective.  Scotty's part of the conversation comes from the TaptoTalk program on his ipad or signing. For ease of understanding and flow I have written in a conversational format.

MORNING
BANG BANG BANG from the last bedroom door on the left...

Dad: Good Morning Buddy are you ready to get dressed?
Scotty: Can we go Bye Bye?
Dad: Maybe later. (bangs wall)
Scotty: Can I get a surprise?
Dad: We'll see  (yell)
Scotty:  Are we having a party?
Dad: Maybe this weekend.  (bangs his head)
Scotty: Can we go to church?
Dad: Today is not a church day.  Father Ahn is not there today.  (bites wrist)

BREAKFAST

Scotty: Can we go Bye Bye?
Mom: Maybe later.  (bangs wall)
Scotty: Can I get a surprise?
Mom: We'll see  (yell)
Scotty:  Are we having a party?
Mom: Maybe Soon  (bangs his head)

Scotty: Can we go to church?
Mom: It's not a church day.  Look at the calendar and point to our church day.  (bites wrist)
Scotty: Where's dad?
Mom: You tell me.
Scotty: Daddy is at work?
(throws pillow...if we are lucky it is only a pillow!)

Scotty: Where's Stevi?
Mom: You tell me.
Scotty: Stevi is in Chicago
Scotty: Where's Sarah?
Mom: You tell me.
Scotty : Sarah is at school.  (folds arms and harumphs)

* At his point you need to take the above conversation and multiply by 100...I am a known  overexaggerater...but not about this. I have witnesses....it would hold up in court!

We actually think his "harumph" is his version of a popular curse word...bad!
And I am pretty sure we can be thankful his fine motor skills are so poor:)

LUNCH

IN THE CAR running errands, at the movies, at a restaurant, visiting friends etc.

**Repeat the above conversation only this time multiply by 200 and add in the following.

Scotty:  Can we go bye-bye?
Mom: Buddy, we are bye-bye.  (bangs car window)
Scotty: Can we get a treat?
Mom: Maybe...I need you to be a good boy.  (puts feet on dash)
Scotty (spotting an airplane): Can we go on an airplane?
Mom: We'll ask dad.  (slouches down in seat)
**I know, bad parenting, but this response is my one copout...and I use it sparingly.

Scotty: (driving down Main Street or any road that could in any way possible lead us to Main Street)
Can we go to a parade and sit at Debbie's office?
Mom: Remember they only have a parade at Christmas.  (yells)
Scotty (spotting a hotel)  I want to sleep in a hotel.
Mom:  Soon.  (bangs his head)

Scotty:  I want a surprise.
Mom: Buddy, this is a surprise.  We are going fill in the blank.  (bites his wrist)
Scotty: Can we go visit fill in the blank?
Mom: Sorry, Buddy but they are at (work, school, etc.) (folds arms and harumphs)

DINNER

** And Repeat and repeat and repeat and repeat until he finally climbs the stairs and heads to bed at about 8:30.

BEDTIME
Mom and Dad...heavy exhausted sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

He runs on a loop...sunup to sundown.  I can't imagine those are the only thoughts that go through his mind.  Most likely they are the ones he can most effectively communicate.  You really have to give the little guy credit...he is persistent...he is focused.  He repeats the same thing over and over again...each time  expecting the answer to be different.

So, I spend my days carefully measuring my words...carefully trying not to flip the switch that turns him into a yelly, bangy, breaky, angry mess. By the end of the day I sometimes feel like I am going just a little bit crazy...Holding up both ends of a conversation for ten hours straight will make even the sanest person question their sanity.

But if I am honest, by about three in the afternoon all I want to do is scream, " NO WE ARE NOT DOING THAT...BECAUSE I SAID SO!!!"

But I don't because I know what will happen...but sometimes I do whisper it ever so softly... just out of Scotty's earshot.

 Ask and it will be given to you; 

seek and you will find; 

knock and the door will be opened to you. 

For everyone who asks receives; 

the one who seeks finds; 

and to the one who knocks, 

the door will be opened.

Luke 11:9-10

Believe it...Scotty does!