What is enough progress?

I am an SLP by career.  I am probably picky with progress.  I work so hard with him, and more importantly, landon works very hard.  Sometimes he seems tired by how much energy it takes him to talk.  Let's focus on the positives- he has just a few words he can say spontaneously and a couple others on prompting, but daily, I hear many words spontaneously or as he is playing, asking for something, which is great.  If you don't know him, you would not understand but a few.

In speech on Thursday, he said about 15 words.  Is that good progress for 2.5 years?  I don't know.  I know he should be able to have small conversations with him by now, and he can't.  I know he should be using pronouns, but he can't say dada.  I know he should have at least a 2-3 word utterance, but he struggles to get a word out.  I know he should be able to use final consonants right now, but that's so hard for him.  The speechie me knows too much.  I hear something and I know what it is or means.  I am new to this apraxia journey.  I feel sad for him.  I feel angry for him.  and then I feel so proud.

This week he picked up /p/.  We have been working on /p/ for 15 months, as in working very hard, prompting, modeling, bombarding, etc.  He says /bip/ as he walks around.  I know it means "nothing," but he starts with a voiced consonants, which he finally can say with enough plosivity! and then uses a vowel I rarely hear and ends with a voiceless sound.  CVC pattern!! (consonant vowel consonant), I am so proud!!

Now he has most consonants, aside from /k/
and He also has most vowels, although tends to use the same 5.  That is progress.

He says a lot of nonsense words, but I think he is practicing.  I am trying to just make him feel proud.  He tries now if you say- try to say, or you could say, he will say it.  I praise every attempt.

Now if only the whining would stop, I would be on cloud 9 this week, but it's nonstop.

Soon, my sweet boy, you will be able to express yourself, and won't feel so frustrated.  Until then, I am your voice when you can't be understood, and I am ok with that.

I love you more than words could say and do say, and together, we will see this through.

me