I love you...music to our ears

F's AT/AAC team was here a week ago. They updated his maestro for him. He had wanted some comments for family added to it. One being "I love you".

He's been using the maestro and learning the new format. We've got it set up so that he has a personal speaker for his prompts and then the loud speaker for us. This cuts down in the confusion about what he's saying.

While sitting in the family room with us. He was chatting away and more or less exploring the new comments and then finally it came R hears's "I love you". He checked f's screen to see what it was he said, but this comment didn't show on the screen (an adjustment is necessary). Upon being asked what he said within a few
minutes he repeated "I love you". We were overjoyed. It has taken f almost 19 years to have the ability to say I love you to us. His smile said it all. Our hearts were so full at that moment.

I was telling his speech therapist about it and he beamed from ear to ear with pride. This is a milestone we have all waited a very long time for.