Embracing Autism

Embracing autism is....

accepting my 14 year old spending the day in his undies because it's a pick-your-battles day.

using the phrases "quiet hands, please", "eyes here please", "stop grabbing your pants please" (and it's not his pants that he's grabbing), "get South Park out of your head" (he's not allowed to watch South Park but clearly he has...many, many times) a quadrillion times a day.

calling my neighborhood friends to spy on my kid walking around "the loop" so I know he hasn't strayed from his normal route.

finding him on, or under, the dog bed.

finding him on, or under, the dog.

hearing Friends episodes recited, correctly, word for word, but only the episodes with the monkey in it.

asking for a hug and settling for a no-armed lean in.

watching him pretend to be a sea turtle dragging himself onto a beach at the town pool with a smile, and not caring if other people are looking at him funny.

mistaking his sea turtle theatre at the town pool for a beached whale, as he explains "if I was a whale I would be on my side, Mom!  Duh!"

apologizing to people he bumps in to, explaining "body awareness is not his strong suit."

getting my toes stepped on.

only using quick dry nail polish, as my toes are always getting stepped on.

having our own human sea life encyclopedia to answer any sea life question.

and finally....embracing autism is the sheer joy when TJ's genuine smile radiates.  And it makes his brother Peter smile.  And it makes his Dad Sean smile.  

And it makes me smile.