You’re doing such a beautiful job with Luke. You’re so supportive and accepting of his differences and work so hard to help him. Instead of agonizing over his differences you celebrate how wonderful he is just the way he was born. You help him, but don’t pity him.
@@catalinagarcia3584 it’s still amazing what they’re doing. I come from parents who would have immediately aborted a baby with any sort of difference from what they perceive as “normal”.
I have read comments about Luke’s “differences”. (He is adorable by the way!) I haven’t been able to keep up 100% with his progress. Would anyone mind telling me what makes him different? And I’m sorry if I use the wrong words. I don’t want to sound rude. Love you all❤️
@@AnaRottmann he has a micro deletion on one of his chromosomes that they were told could affect his development, meaning he will learn slower and that there might be things he will be unable to do. He attends several different therapies per week to help him with any difficulties that may arise as he gets older
@@ashleyandro889 i think it’s because in a situation like this where his motor skills aren’t great and we already know that he doesn’t have great fine motor to make controlled motions, it’s more important to teach him ANY form of ASL even if it’s technically incorrect because they genuinely don’t know if his motor skills will ever improve enough to do it correctly to begin with, and if it does they can always correct him then. the only example i can think to give is, if your child’s first word is dada you’re going to accept that and let them call you that for as long as they want until they master the word daddy, you aren’t going to sit there with a toddler who can barely form words and try to force the word daddy out of them. same goes here with ASL.
Jacob blows my mind every time with his art, builds, and creativity! Seeing Luke’s progress is amazing too! I’ve learned a lot. Duncan is adorable and enthusiastic as always :)
Yes I agree. I would never be able to be so patient with a brother over 9 years apart like Bailey, I have a brother 5 years apart and I CANT LIVE A DAY WITHOUT FIGHTING WITH MY BROTHER AT LEAST ONCE I don’t wanna but it just happens :-( ( how do you do it Bailey? )
I remember that sentence in Colleen's song years ago introducing her family and mini Jacob sang: "I can make anything out of cardboard" It was so cute and it surprises me to watch such a creativity and how his constructions evolutionated trought the years congratulations Jacob!
She keeps telling us that it’s her dream! She loves babies & toddlers and has asked to sleep with in the baby’s room every time we’ve had one! I’m more nervous about Luke getting into some trouble around the room, but it’s always a little nerve-wracking to switch from crib to bed!
@@BallingerFamily Bailey is an awesome human. She is the best role model for kids her age. I can not wait to see what she decides to do in life. Doctor,writer,actress,singer....I mean the list is endless for her.she can do it all so well..
Bailey always makes me cry, like that time she handmade a Christmas stocking for Flynn, put some money in it and then apologized saying it wasn't much but it was all she had 😭 such a sweetheart!!
@@Sapphireia awwww that's so sweet!! I haven't been "here" long so still trying to catch up. All caught up on Colleens page I think so now trying to do that here, too lol. You can see with pretty much every single video how big a heart Bailey has!! She's such a sweet girl!! All the kids are awesome in his or her own way, too! Love this family ♥️♥️♥️❌⭕♥️♥️♥️
Chris, you are pretty calm for someone whose toner got used up printing out pages which could have been painted. Considering the price of toner where I live...hats of to you!
As someone who is entering their 4th year studying to become a speech pathologist it’s so awesome hearing you guys educate yourselves so well on Luke’s communication needs! I’m also a super visual learner so it’s so fun (and even helpful) to watch you talk about Childhood Apraxia of Speech and then see Luke interact and communicate throughout your vlogs :-). You guys are AWESOME parents!
I love that you guys take the time to explain Luke’s progress,and the way he’s learning! He’s such a smart little guy! I love you all so much!! I totally can not wait to see what the new baby is going to look like and how the mannerisms will develop in to character! You all are such a loving family!!
This family is open minded truthful, and is willing to show arguments and truth always, you people are wonderful, smart, and kind, great job raising a happy family everyone. I hope my family with be like this!
@@lisarushing4812 Yeah I know and I agree but I feel printing off 30 odd sheets of pure blue paper is a bit.. i dunno. wasteful? for lack of a better word
The thing with sign language is that you as a family might have a "slang" sign for a word. With my son we had simplified signs because he had issues with his fine motor skills. So even if we were working on things it helped him in the lung run with more simple signs.
Y’all should write a book!!! I genuinely respect and admire how you have raised your kids into compassionate, creative, crafty, accepting, and independent kids! I would love to hear/read the story of your family from marriage to raising each amazing member of your family, including Rue!!! Love y’all so much!
He's so good with sign language! My nephew Sawyer is 2 and a half and he can barely talk yet so were trying to teach him "eat" "more" and "thank you" I think he's starting to get better!
These are really difficult signs as first signs as they’re quite generic/ there’s a lack of understanding behind ‘when’ to use them. I’d suggest starting with really clear labels for highly motivating items such as specific foods & toys e.g. ‘car’ or ‘chips’
Although it sounds like you want to avoid short hair for Rue, I cannot recommend it enough for golden doodles in the summer. Ours is so much cooler and so much more comfortable in the hot months-and we live in Pennsylvania. He can play in the sprinkler and get dirty, and he dries super easily.
We aren’t super opposed to the idea of a shorter cut- she just isn’t old enough/ready for a more full groom. I’m guessing that her next groom in a month or so will be shorter. But we are definitely trying our best to avoid matting/a full shave, if we can.
@@BallingerFamily I understand. I saw the video of her first puppy training groom. And I can attest to the fact that full shaves are no fun. Our little guy (he’s a mini) looked crazy after his first grooming. We got him with long hair and for whatever reason, no matter how positive the experience is, he hates being brushed (the groomer says he does great for her though!) We’ve learned that for him, a shorter cut and regular grooming is necessary, especially since we have snow a lot of the year. If his hair is too long, he gets little ice balls in his fur when he plays outside. Him having short (but not completely absent) hair has been game changing for us and him. You guys look like you’re doing great with the brush though!
Shaving dogs has the opposite effect in terms of temperature control. Their coats are specially designed to insulate them against hot temperatures in the summer and cold temperatures in the winter, that's why they grow different coats depending on the season. Shaving a dog actually removes their ability to self regulate their temperature so they're more likely to overheat without constant monitoring
@@OliviaM-hr7vw ours is never “shaved.” I guess I should have clarified that. He gets a good trim from a reputable groomer whom we love. And plus, from what I understand, a matted coat is much worse, since there is no room for airflow between the layers. Obviously, the goal is not to have a matted dog. But when they’re constantly getting sprayed off after running in the mud or soaking wet from playing in the hose or literally becoming a snowball after a short, winter walk, it may simply not be realistic for a modern family to brush them thoroughly (I mean really throughly) after every occasion like that. And anyway, in the middle of summer, it is often way too hot for us people to be outside at the dead of noon, let alone the dog. We usually stick to early mornings and later evenings to play outside. Then in winters we may get sub-zero temps. That’s living in PA for y’a lol. It’s much more manageable to have a dog with manageable hair. Maybe I’ll get shame for that, but our three year old golden doodle sees a good groomer and a great vet. I think he’s doing just fine 😊
@@OliviaM-hr7vw This is true of a lot of dogs, especially if they have double coats, but not true of dogs who have 'hair' that grows continuously like a poodle. Doodle fur, because its a combo of golden fur, and poodle hair an matt very easily.
Thank you so much for doing what you can for Luke and his communication. I spent 14 years in speech therapy and there's still times when I need my mom and my sisters to say a word so I can hear it correctly and try and manipulate my mouth in a way to come close to that word.
I was literally taking to my hubby for 20 mins about Jacobs iron man outfit like my mind is blown.. he’s going to be an engineer or something like so creative and smart
I love hearing about Luke!! He has so much love and positive support around him, and it just warms my hear. I also have a wonky cerebellum and it always interests me
Luke adapting signs is super cool! I wonder if an AAC device would benefit him and help him communicate more with you guys as he gets older. I work with children with autism and some use an AAC device as their “talker” and it’s incredible!
i recently made my own Loki horns for a recent trip to Disney and those took me awhile to make. i am incredibly impressed with Jacob’s iron man outfit😱you are doing amazing dude and i seriously cant wait to see the finished product😊
No, matter what Luke is such a clever boy! to me he's the cutest guy ever... Luke I know one day when you read comments I want you to know to never give up on things life might be a bit hard but no matter what you have friends and family and us your fans~~~ take care Luke and love you~~
I mean all the legos not being sorted is HARDLY not being clean, I'm impressed they are IN the lego drawer that's 100% a win. When I was a kid they would have never been sorted, I would have eventually sat down and sorted them all one day for my own fun, but keeping it sorted every day...not going to happen.
Jacob is a little genuis! Honestly, the way his brain works is so unique, its amazing. All your kids have super bright futures and will all do amazing things!! They're so mature and you're doing an amazing job raising them. Best family channel.
Luke is such a smart kiddo! It's clear he knows so much of what you're saying (or as much as a kid his age can), and taking so well to the ways you are teaching him to communicate back to you!
Ok This is one of the cutest vlogs ever Luke doing sign language is so cute it feels like yesterday that he was born ❤ Also hearing Duncan talking honestly blows me away it's crazy to think about ❤ Honestly this whole channel ➡ is so cute and pure ❤❤
I have a 18 yr old son and when he was younger he drooled alot and found words difficult to form, he hasn't been assessed for anything but we do know he has dyspraxia and he has just finished school with higher English (UK) so you never know what Luke can and will achieve when he's older ♥️
I love how real you are when it comes to your house. Not everyone's house looks like a pinterest board and as much as we try to make them look presentable sometimes they can be a bit of a mess and that is okay. Especially with kids and just accumulating a lot of things. You do good at showing your kids lessons!
Luke’s signing is so good!!! Also I think it’s awesome that he is aware of how nodding is hard so he is still trying by pushing his head. He is so determined!
You are such amazing parents to all of your kids but how much you support and accept and educate yourself on Luke and his micro deletion is absolutely amazing. Such incredible parents. Love you all so much. So excited for the new baby
I have trouble with the muscles in my neck too! Mine comes from a rare muscle disorder I was born with called mitochondrial disease. If I lay down on my back I can't lift up my head without actually grabbing it with my hands like Luke does. Word of warning as he gets older- be careful with rollercoasters!! I went on one and the fast motion made my head whip back and I couldn't get it back up because of my weak neck. Really scary when that happens, hopefully he's able to get that strength up! Sending all the good vibes! 💕
How you described Apraxia is how I describe my stutter to people. Having communication disorders is hard and frustrating, but it truly has made me a better person. Go Luke!
i’m literally in love with your whole family. i’ve always wanted to be a mom and just watching this makes me feel so happy 🥺thank you for being you and thank you for such amazing little humans you made💖they are all truly amazing 🥲❤️
As a mother with a child who had a similar disconnect, i encourage to you believe you are doing all the right things. My child is now 9 and is doing very well. We did everything to build his muscles and strengthen his tongue. He still has a ways to go, but is able to be understood!! keep on!!
My little brother has apraxia. He spent many years in extensive speech therapy but now you can barely notice any speech impediment. Y’all are doing so great by Luke! Apraxia is tough but he’ll get those sounds eventually. I remember being my brothers translator since I was one of the only few people who understood him 🥰
Jacob reminds me so much of my brother, in looks and interests. He loves to build and design things and it makes me so proud! You have such a creative spirit, Jacob. Never stop doing the things you love!
Your kids are so talented and unique in their own ways....love that! You are such a great mom and I can learn so much from you. You are raising some beautiful humans. ❤️
Seeing Luke reminds me of when my nephew was young. I see a lot of similarities (speech, drooling). He was diagnosed with speech apraxia when he was around 2-3. Speech & Physical Therapy have been amazing for him. He's 15 now and has come so far. It's been fun celebrating all his successes.
Jessica your glowing momma in super psyched at you and Colleen a bump growth and updates ❤️ Ps Luke is amazing embracing his uniqueness, you all are part of the awsome peeps Who want to be normal when you can be unique and yourself ❤️❤️❤️
My daughter is severely Apraxic. She was diagnosed at 2, because the neurodevelopmental pediatrician who specializes in Apraxia said when you can clearly see the issue, why would you wait to diagnose? I highly recommend a book called The Late Talker by Dr. Marilyn Agin. Our doctor has worked closely with her. My daughter is 19, and because she has severe Global Apraxia, no, she doesn't speak "normally." But, she communicates very well without sign language. If you need to talk to an Apraxia mom, let me know. It really does help to talk to other parents who have been through similar things.
You guys are my parenting role models in life. You're doing a fantastic job raising these little humans into such great people. I hope one day when I have children in the future they are half as great as yours and I have half the patience you two have (seriously I don't know how you do it). I love your gentle parenting method and you allow your kids to be creative and express themselves fully. Keep doing what you're doing :)
Luke is getting so vocal! It’s amazing to see his progression and all the sign language he knows! He seems to be doing great! It’s also really cool to see how you guys adapt your signing to his capabilities.
Love the update on Luke!! He's such a sweet baby... And I absolutely love how creative your kids are!! They r always thinking of ways to make something!! Very cool 😎
Omg I just love how amazing you guys are with all your children but especially Luke. He is really smart and you guys are the most accepting parents too. You let your children just be themselves and learn but in a way that is so safe and careful. Your whole family is just so awesome
My son was diagnosed with childhood apraxia of speech around age 2 (he is now 8 years old and is fully understandable but still does struggle with certain words/sounds) but he also used to drool EXCESSIVELY as a baby and well into his toddler years. I was told by his speech therapist when he was very young that it was common for young kids with speech apraxia to sometimes have excessive drooling because of the lack of muscles tone in the mouth. I know that doesn't go for every single toddler/little kids with apraxia of speech but i just thought it was interesting that Luke also has excessive drooling just like my baby boy did too at that age with the apraxia! Either way, you're not alone mama! You are an incredible mother and family and Luke is so so SO lucky to have you all!
@BallingerFamily I drooled a lot into my childhood as well. Watch out for the future, I started getting a rash below my bottom lip and on my chin probably between 3- 6. I think I had overactive saliva glands, but I don't think it ever got diagnosed.
The support, acceptance and love that Luke gets from you all is truly beautiful. I'm so excited to keep watching him grow and become a big brother next month! The way you don't shame any of his differences is how I wish all parents of disabled children were. You guys are seriously the best 🥰
You all are the best parents on this app. You really put the needs of the kids first rather than RU-vid like most parents on family channels. It makes me so happy as an early childhood teacher to see parents helping their child grow and not putting Luke in a box of his disability! Thank you for helping him be the best Luke he can be!
I’ve been watching you guys since you had Parker and I’m currently doing my Masters to become a Speech and Language Therapist!! It’s amazing what you guys so with Luke and I’m get so excited when you talk about his progress!!!
Awe I love how sweet and supportive you are with Luke! I also love that each of the kids have a chance to be in the vlogs. All of their personalities really shine through.
