Its been one year today since Gage was diagnosed with autism. How time flies! This family has been through so many changes in the past year, all of us.
Lets start with Gage. At this time last year Gage said maybe 5-6 words and had very bad eye contact, and he had little interest in the people around him except for mommy. Fast forward one year....Gage now says hundreds of words, I stopped counting around 200, and adds more everyday. He also is now putting together 2 and 3 words and his eye contact has much improved. He also is interested in people. He plays "the hat game" every night with Daddy and also loves to play chase and hide n seek with Makinna. He has started preschool and even rides the "bus" to school. We are so proud of him.
The rest of us have come a long way too. Daddy has taken an active roll in engaging Gage and is remarkably patient and strong disciplinarian with Gage. I am amazed at how well Daddy can direct Gage when he seems undirectable. As for me... the biggest thing is that I don't feel like I have the weight of the world on me anymore. The knot in my stomach is gone. Autism has become a way of life. It feels normal to have people traipsing in and out of my house and to be busy everyday shuttling kids to school and therapy. Even if life is not the normal of yesteryear it is normal to us. Makinna has a better understanding of autism and is enjoying her brother more these days. She has started "mothering" him, its very cute.
We've come a long way in just a year and I know we have so much more of this road to travel. But together this family shall move forward...for we are each others greatest strength. Way to go Gage, way to go family, here's to another prosperous year.
