The Rock's 4th Birthday Bash.........

When I look back he has made so many strides. It was on his first birthday that we noticed the that "light" had gone out in his eyes. He was slowly slipping away - into his own little world. On his 4th birthday I can see a little glimmer of it coming back - and just maybe he is rejoining our world.

The Watermelon Patch. A huge room filled with inflateable jumpys, toys, bright colors and the kicker............tons of kids runnng wild. This place used to freak Rock out completely. Now he loves it. His teachers at school have "taught" him how to play. Isn't that weird? That you have to "teach" these kids how to play? Nonetheless, he can do it - and he's VERY good at it.

$165 will get you an hour in the playroom, food, and someone to set it up, organize the activities and clean it all up when you're done - probably the best investment I've ever made. We just got to sit back and watch the magic happen.

The party looked pretty much like a "normal" birthday party. Games, cake, pizza, presents, etc. The Rock had to practice several things before the big day. We practiced singing Happy Birthday and also blowing out candles so he'd know what to do when the big moment arrived. He sang Happy Birthday to himself along with the other kids at the top of his lungs and managed to get out about 2 candles by himself. He is still singing happy birthday 5 days later - over and over - and over. Most of the other kids at the party had autism too - friends from his school.

When he was born, never in a million years would I have pictured his 4th b'day party like this - the "autism" party. No one would. But I wouldn't have it any other way. He had a blast.

One of the funniest things happened when we got home. It's just one of those things that #1 Dad and I understand, but is hard for others to get. While opening his presents, he went and got the alarm clock and played with it instead. Everyone was trying to get him excited over the gifts, but he was content with his alarm clock. Walkie Talkies, computers, light up toys, gooey sticky slimy stuff, trucks, you name it - it would have been any other boys wonderland. But he was happy with the clock. So it's his birthday, so we left him alone. He has since discovered the other gifts - we just have to let him do it in his own time.

My Rock - 4 years old - such a big boy. He is the best and hardest thing that ever happened to me.

But definitely something to celebrate on this day.........