You see James

"Daddy, can I have that?"

Boys and cars!  Gotta love it that he asked!


Someone commented recently that learning about all of this with Jamie was very sad.  Sad because it could mean a hurdle he may struggle with his entire life.  This was a person who knows Jamie intimately and who rarely views him with sadness but instead reacts to anything he does with love, caring and understanding and who also knows not to take any of his b.s.!  When LE and I were talking about this she stated very succinctly that putting it in writing felt hard because it highlights the diagnosis and changes the way we view things.

I start to hyperventilate if I go to that place...a diagnosis, a disease, a neurological problem in his brain....it can make me cry at the drop of a pin until I remember that there is no power in that if I just 'see James'.  LE pointed out that if you put the autism on the back burner and just see James that we can then remember that he is still our wonderful little boy and very much a fantastic individual who just happens to be working harder on things that may come easier to others.

Tonight Papi made hamburgers - a treat that Jamie had enjoyed a lot at yesterdays 4th of July barbeque!        When the tray of burgers came in James was thrilled, dancing around singing about how delicious they were...just one problem: he didn't want us to move or touch them!  Instead he decided that they were to be admired - instructing Papi to "eat your salad" so that the plate of burgers could be properly revered.  The worst part of it was that we were hungry but it was so darn cute none of us could stop him without laughing!  Fortunately the lure of Handy Manny was sufficiently overpowering and the burgers were enjoyed in taste as well as in sighting.  The moral: Jamie enjoyed our burgers for all the joy they can bring and we will do the same with him.