Pardon me one moment while I burst with pride over my son's latest accomplishment. Tonight, he offered his first real sentence-based communication with me.

I asked him at dinner, "Did you have a good day today?"

As usual, he said, "Yes."

Then came my usual, "And what did you do?"

This is normally where our conversation degrades into unintelligible baby babble. But not tonight! Tonight he looked me square in the eyes and said fairly clearly, "I danced with Ashley." (Ashley would be one of his many girlfriends at daycare)

I know it's not going to cure cancer or anything, but the mere fact that I had an actual conversation with my son brings tears to my eyes. I remember the moment in the hospital when I looked at him and realized I would actually be taking him home and accepting responsibility for what was then his little helpless blob of a person. Today, I understand him and he understands me! I only pray that we continue to understand each other as the years pass.