Last week Julie Hornok wrote a touching, heartfelt post HERE about children with autism speaking the words “I love you” to their mothers. I deeply appreciate her words as they very much mirror how I feel and reading them made certain sentiments Ethan proclaimed in the last week, ever so much sweeter in my eyes.

Over the long (President’s Day) weekend, twice Ethan said words that warmed my heart and gave me the motivation to keep on keepin’ on with all that we’re doing.

First, Ethan was avoiding doing what I had asked him to do, focusing instead on something more appealing…either LEGOs or a book, I can’t exactly recall. After redirecting and reminding him several times, when I was about to get more firm, Ethan did what I had been asking and then came over to give me a big hug. With the hug, came these words, “Mom, do you know why I love you so much? Because you’re so kind and calm.” Gulp.

In the past year, there have been several times I’ve become aggrivated with Ethan’s slow response to a variety of requests. A few times, he’s been able to tell me after the fact that I “talk too fast.” After hearing that a couple of times, I started to work harder to calmly, slowly repeat requsts to Ethan with additional wait-time inbetween requests to allow him plenty of time to process exactly what he is being asked to do.

Then, Tuesday morning as we tried to get back into our normal routine after having President’s Day off, while getting ready for school, I had asked Ethan numerous times to finish getting dressed and brush his teeth. After several reminders, when I was about to get grouchy with him, Ethan came over to me, hugged me, and said, “Mom, I love you because you’re so patient.”

Coming from some 9-year-olds, this statement could come off as sarcastic, but Ethan’s sweet sentiment was 100% heartfelt and sincere.

I don’t take these interactions for granted. I know how huge it is that not only does Ethan tell me he loves me – sometimes he even tells me exactly why that emotion feels powerful for him – in that time and place. With five years worth of a variety of therapies, treatments and interventions under our belts, I choose to see Ethan's tremendous growth, development and maturity as it is revealed. While these interactions don’t happen every day, every week, or even every month, I am grateful beyond words that they happen. Period.

For a child with a primarily social “disability,” I’m totally overwhelmed by Ethan’s professions of love this February, the month of love.

My cup runneth over.

♥

Leigh Attaway Wilcox is Editor in Charge of the internationally acclaimed AutismSpot.com and her work can be found on many of the pLDNetworks sites. Leigh is the author of ALL BETTER: A Touch-and-Heal Book published by Piggy Toes Press in 2007 (now available for digital download via Moving Picture Books). Leigh lives in North Texas with her husband and young son who loves reading, LEGOs, Mario Bros. and also happens to live with Asperger's Syndrome, an Autism Spectrum Disorder.