A little background.

On Friday May 8, 2009 I was at the neurologist with my son John. We were there after his pediatrician recommended that he should be screened for Autism. Deep down I knew before we ever got the recommendation that something was not right. John did not speak, hardly ate, and never played with toys.
On that Friday morning I heard the words I was scared to death of hearing " Your son has autism" what are you suppose to say when your entire life just crashed to the ground? Me I listened to the doctor talk about interventions, therapy, diet, but to this day I could not tell you a thing she said after "autism". I managed to keep myself together the whole way out of the hospital and if you know Boston Children's Hospital you know that it takes a good half hour to get out of there. Once in the car I broke down. I was mad, mad at myself for working and not being home to "teach him" the right way to do things, mad at John father for letting him watch to much tv, mad at my precious baby boy for not being "normal". Sadly I let myself believe that somehow this word autism had changed him, that somehow he was different than the little boy I walked in with.
  A few months down the road I realized that my self pity was not doing anyone any good. In september my daughter was born and I kicked myself in the but and started accepting that word Autism. John was registered for Early intervention and aba services. My home was like a revolving door always someone in and out. In mid march John started preschool with the most amazing group of teachers I have ever met. By June it was suggested that maybe John should be moved into a integrated class with "typical" peers! This to me was a dream that I thought may never come true. But it will be. John has worked amazingly hard to get where he is less than a year ago he did not know there was world around him today he told me that the pancakes I was making him were scared of the microwave! He knew that something other than himself had feelings!! (even if it was a pancake) .
My family and I have registered to walk in the Greater Boston Walk for Autism. Our team name is Team John James. Keep checking back to see the crazy, funny, and unpredictable life a mother with child with autism leads.