Learning from my Son

Today, Eli was up before I woke him for school. He misses school on the weekends and tends to get up early on Monday so he can get ready to go. I found him bouncing around as I stumbled out and started coffee. I made his lunch and got him dressed and he was already very talkative.
We often sing songs together in the morning and in the evening, so this morning after singing and getting outside for the bus..I pointed out the moon in the early morning sky. Eli actually followed my point and looked at the moon. I thought that was pretty terrific and I remember thinking to myself, "It's going to be a very good day for him".

Sophie and I went to the park for a playgroup day and she made a new friend and we had a grand time. The weather was just perfect, right around 70-75 degrees, sunny and pretty. Sophie had a ball! Hopefully we made a new friend, too. Usually we have playgroup here, but Tom has been sick so we decided to ask everyone to the park. What a great idea that was! I love being outdoors with my children, they just love it so much!

I even got to the library today and as usual, found way more to read than I thought I would find. I had only stopped to pick up some of the books I had on reserve, and ended up bringing a ton more home. I love the library!

So the best thing about today?? Eli taught me a new song! Yes, my son taught me one of the songs from school. I really think that he is blossoming these days. His teacher wrote home to tell us that he was really "on" today, which I thought might happen given his reactions this morning, but I was very happy to hear it, nonetheless. So, we were laying with his daddy (he had asked "Please want some daddy please mommy") and Tom was still sleepy so we were just playing a bit and giggling, when I said, "Hey, let's sing a song!" and so I asked him to start singing, and he started a song I didn't know called Fiddle I Fee. Well, before I knew it I was learning the lyrics and singing along with him. He was so pleased with himself!! I didn't get the tune down very well, so I got up and found the lyrics online with music and started singing again..Eli came racing out of the bedroom so he could sing it with me. He got a whole lot of hugs at that point and a lot of thank yous..He taught me a new song. We've sung together a few more times after that, but always with extended gazing and lots of smiles. Eli is proud of himself, and I am so proud of him!

So, I am grateful for days when Eli is "on", when he can teach me and I can learn. I am grateful for the fun I get to have with my son almost every day now. The greater communication sure does relieve a lot of stress from months ago. He listens to 1 and 2 step directions and does them now, he is so ALIVE in comparison to several months ago. He gets more vibrant every day. I get so much love and joy and fulfillment just being his mommy. I love how I can value all this because he is autistic, honestly. Had he not been, would I have taken the time to be happily grateful because my son could follow my point to the moon and share the experience of it with me? I am not sure. I do know that I'm grateful for each of these small moments now.

Saturdays are Lazy Laundry Filled Days

I should pretty much say, that is all at this point.

Tom has been sick, I've been out of it fighting off a cold, and the kids had a grand day just hanging around the house. I did get the laundry done, and also some food shopping.

My gratitude of the day? Eli was thrilled out of his little happy mind when I announced pizza for dinner! He gets Gluten free crust and soy cheese..but he loves his pizza so much. I really need to boost nutrition in his sauce since it's mostly what he wants to eat when we have pizza crusts available. So I'm grateful he loves pizza and that it made him so happy today.

It was an easy, lazy day. Nice.

Pajama Day

Yesterday I just decided to decompress from having family here all week. Sophie was sad that her cousin had gone, and I was worrying they wouldn't get home because of the winter storm up north. They did make it home, after 12 hours of traveling and sitting around in airports. Thank goodness! I'm grateful every time someone makes it through an airplane trip, seriously.

So, I wore my jammies all day yesterday. I even went outside to get the mail and get Eli off the bus, in my flannel jammies. I just don't care what anyone thought of that, I was not getting dressed yesterday if I could help it. It was good to relax as I seem to have come down with a cold and I have a million knitting projects to finish. I just sat on my butt most of the day and knitted. Yes, I still had to care for Sophie and then Eli when he got home, but they are pretty easy to handle these days.


Sophie went through a few dresses. She likes to dress up every day. If I let her she'd be in this outfit every single day. She calls it her party dress and she adores it. I get a bit tired of it after a while, so I hide it while the laundry is going and give myself a break from it. But she does love it so that eventually I bring it back out and let her wear it again. I love to see her express her individuality, honestly.

So, my gratitude of yesterday was, I was grateful I could hang out in my jammies and do nothing but knit and be mom for a whole day!