Friday, August 20, 2010

not just any day.

Today is a special day.  It is a day that I will celebrate every year for the rest of my life.  August 20th 2009 was one of the most exciting days we have experienced on our journey with Max.  It was the day when something clicked for him.  For some reason on this day his motor planning and his brain got together and shook hands.  It felt like a miracle.  But it was not.  It was the result of a lot of people working really, really hard and believing in Max.



One year later Max has made amazing progress.  He is starting to use language functionally.  He is starting to point at things when he wants them.  His eye contact is getting stronger and much more consistent.  Most of the time, he and Cameron have very normal sibling interactions (all jokes and then at each other's throats).   His transitions are much more smooth.  Toilet training is slowly but surely falling into place.  He is happier.


When we're in the thick of it, it's hard to see Max's progress because it inches along.  Three steps forward, two steps back, slow and steady.  But when you step back and are able to see the forest from the trees, you realize that this kid is amazing.  He works his ass off.  He laughs and loves, feels ups and downs just like all of us.  We have so much to look forward to with him - he will teach us even more than we teach him.

6 comments:

  1. Anonymous12:14 a.m.

    Max, you are a-m-a-z-i-n-g!

    gmb

    ReplyDelete
  2. WOW.

    I will do handstands and streak through my neighbourhood shouting WOOHOO when Alanna can even echo like Max did in the first video. She can talk but there is no control; she just does it when she wants to, usually when she wants something.

    The second video - WOW ... he knows a lot of letters and numbers and can tell you what they are! WOOOOOWW! That is just amazing. He is so far along! Keep posting the videos so I can keep dreaming!

    ReplyDelete
  3. @AW - Alanna will get there! One day all of your hard work will just click and boom - there it is. We all just have to keep slogging away at it day in day out.

    ReplyDelete
  4. He is adorable and, if my experience is any indication, it will only get better and better. Then, one day, maybe a few years from now,when the kids are fighting in the backseat of the car, your going yell, "Okay Max enough talking. Mommy needs some quiet." And, on that day, you'll think back to today and remember how much you wanted him to talk and how wonderful it is that, on some days, he actually talks too much. It will happen. It did for me.

    ReplyDelete
  5. That is just super awesome, and i love how he gives you guys the side-eye after his wicked alphabet trick and then runs off.

    ReplyDelete
  6. oh I must have missed this post. Your new blog arrangement helped me stumble on it. I loved it. Max is super.

    ReplyDelete