This may not be very exciting for you all but stay with me. Joel's language is progressing--still behind--but better and he has started making comments and asking questions. That in itself is a huge step. Last week, he took a drink then said, "ahhh, I love drinks". I smiled because that's one of the first times he's said the word "love" unprompted, but I was disappointed that it's debut was in reference to a glass of water. Later that day we were eating dinner and I was putting some food down for Jesse, and Joel looked over at me and said, "I love mommy". I got really excited and hugged and praised him for being so kind and he said "that makes mommy happy". "Yes, buddy, it does!" But then I started crying and he got confused and thought I was sad. Oops, I pulled it together so as not to ruin the big moment.
Then, this afternoon I told him I loved him. A few hours later he came up to me and said he loved me too. And I really feel like he understood what it meant. It's amazing how a few words from him can melt away hours, days, weeks, and months of frustrations and sadness in an instant. I dream that in the future our battle for Joel against autism will seem like just a blip in the radar of his life. Something of the past that is hard to remember. However, I never want to forget moments like this.
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