What It Means to Be a Mom to My Autistic Son
As I take a moment to reflect on my life as a mother and the little boy who gave me that title, I find that Leo’s exceptional uniqueness parallels just how vastly different each one of our journeys is.
For me, being Leo’s Mommy means embracing a new normal and experiencing life through the beauty of his lens.
It means viewing the Toy Story movies, Sesame Street, and each one of Leo’s cherished films countless times, and memorizing their scripts alongside my boy.
It means buying chicken nuggets and “Easy Mac” in bulk, and having a little man who loves chocolate chip cookies as much as his mommy.
It means “I love you’s” expressed primarily through unspoken words.
It means never leaving the house without a chewy tube and being ready for other sensory input, like light scratches, squeezes, jumping, spinning and being upside down.
It means basking in Leo’s joyful exuberance.
It means our calendar is outlined with appointments with doctors, specialists and therapy sessions.
It means celebrating each success, no matter how “small,” and understanding progress of any kind is significant.
It means tickles and giggles and love void of judgement.
It means a life overflowing with cherished moments.
And it means believing without hesitation that Leo was always destined to be my boy, and I his mommy — and thanking the universe each day for that extraordinary gift.
Follow this journey at Life With Leo
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