a bedtime story

there are so many days i don't even think about jackson having autism.

so many of his funny little quirks and qualities have become everyday for me.

then there are the days i feel like i'm being punched in the gut with it.

my heart aches as i see other kids look at him funny.

watch him try to communicate unsuccessfully.

obediently do things that make him uncomfortable.

one of jackson's coping strategies is his ability to memorize.

much of what he says is 'scripted' language... interactions he has memorized and now repeats.

more and more of his speech is beginning to come from him rather than scripts...
 i love hearing HIM talk.

he's always been amazing at memorizing things.

before he could really talk at all, he would memorize entire books.

long ones. 

several months ago, he began memorizing actual words.

he loves books, and  recently even been insisting on having the subtitles when he watches a movie.

his little brain has been taking all the words in.

now he's taking those memorized words and actually reading.

like.... REALLY reading.  

it's amazing.

i'm so proud of this little boy.

hope you enjoy some story time with jackson.