Owen slept until almost six. Instead of saying tablet as his greeting he said “lie-berry I want to go to the lie-berry please.” He sounds very southern when he says library. I think books have taken over his world. He was excited about his day with our friend while I went to my appointment. I love the time he gets to spend with her because she understands autism and is helping him navigate many new areas of growth. I was getting ready before my appointment and I stood in the shower listening to Owen. I remember how many times the screams would come for me even being in the shower. Hair washing wasn’t something I could do without hours of complications that have lasted his lifetime. Only recently has it been that he can see me with my hair wet and it does not bring tears to his eyes and a meltdown that stands the test of time. For years I tried to not even take a shower when he was awake. Most of this has passed and he is fine if I take a shower but the memories of his emotions from hearing the shower when he was younger still cling to my soul. It’s only recently that rain and now his love of mud has moved us forward. It was always amazing to me how much he loved baths and pools but rain and showers were so hard on him. Maybe the noise was too much and it was a sensory overload for him. I’m thankful that showers, rain, and mud are all acceptable and sought after now, for the most part. We got ready and we headed out to the car. “Room up,” he said waiting for the windows to clear. I’m not sure where the term came from or what exactly he thinks it means but anytime he doesn’t want to wait for something to happen he wants us to “room up” and get moving. We met our friend and then they were off for the day. I went to my appointment and they ran on their errands. She brought him back later and he told me about their day. She tries to keep everything changing for him. As much as routine is good for him and helpful he also needs to understand nothing in life is truly routine. Breaks are hard on him but he has truly done amazing on this one. He has made plans to go to the park tomorrow to find mud but I told him it depended on the weather. The night was pretty calm. We laughed a lot and sang some but he prefers it if I don’t sing. He asked many times about his days ahead and I had to remind him that he needed to “focus on today” but these words have now been used as part of his routine so I’m trying to change them the more he talks about things. Success comes from walking outside your door and growth comes from what you learn by doing it. I’m thankful for the rain and how it helps my son grow. Be the ray of sunshine in someone’s life and dance with them in the rain. Smiles to all and donut daze!
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