One of the most frustrating things about autism is the lack of communication. I can’t tell Toby stuff as he doesn’t comprehend language. I couldn’t tell him that he was going to school, how
long he’d be there and that I’d be missing him every second that he was gone. Toby is at distance from the world we know – this picture pretty much sums it up
Having said that he is coping very well with starting school this week. He’s been a little blotchy around the eyes on his arrival home each afternoon (a sure sign of tears during the day) and he was bitten by one of the other children but on the whole he’s pretty relaxed considering how monumentally upended his secure little world has been.
Toby & I do have an wonderful non-verbal language of our own involving touch, hugs, kisses and giggles. He gives big cuddles and fat, wet kisses as soon as he gets home and snuggles into my lap with a contentment that clearly communicates he’s pleased to see me. He can communicate his basic needs through PECS where he brings a picture of the thing he wants to me. As you can imagine though this is pretty limited (mostly to food and toys) but I hope as he grows he’ll be able to expand his vocabulary and communicate more about how he feels, maybe one day he may even learn to speak. For now I’m just happy that he’s managed the big step of starting school so well. The old chestnut ‘Live one day at a time’ is the motto in our house.
on a lighter note:
I love this time of year as it heralds the arrival of lots of fat glossy mail order catalogues. I am addicted – much to Huw’s disgust as he spends 10 mins searching through the stacks for his mail. There are so many beautiful things out there and I like to browse and pick out what I’d buy if money were no object. Sometimes I actually order stuff!! In fact I have just treated myself to a beautiful new knitting bag
(courtesy of Cath Kidston)
and a wonderful pair of gardening shoes from the fabulous Plantstuff.
Am now off to enjoying perusing the selection of catalogues that arrived today.
little cotton rabbits 
Loved the photo of Toby! Am pleased that your birthday money is giving you so much pleasure. The gardening shoes are great. Almost the end of the week that you were dreading. Wasn’t as bad as you thought eh?
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It was lovely to hear that Toby is starting to settle at school. What a big step for him. The photo is very nice – he is a handsome little chap.
I love your new purchases and hope you enjoy using them. That knitting bag is very tempting!!
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Toby looks very happy, you must be very proud of him, what a huge step for you both.
If money were no object to me, I would hire you as my personal shopper as you have chosen things I adore. Not that I knit, but I’d put something else in it!
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I don’t know you, but I do know a little how you feel 🙂 My eldest son has Aspergers, and he is coming up to being 8, and he has just completed his first week back at school.
The week had gone really well until today, but then when asked to do some work, Maths, he lost it, and spat at his LSA, and kicked and punched.
When I collected him as normal, he looked happy and content, his LSA did not! 🙂 There are good days and weeks even, and the bad stuff, well really it is not that bad, and for all that he is, I wouldn’t be without him 🙂
I know that you and Toby will both appreciate school for different reasons, and I hope that maybe you can share some of that with us. Thank you for making me want to cry, I think that is what is known as love.
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Rose garden clogs, I am so jealous, my one’s are plain old green.
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