Garrett

As an autism mommy, I'm grateful for my firstborn, and the person who first immersed me into this crazy world of autism, my son Garrett.  Today is his birthday, and he is 9 years old.  What can I say to describe this cutie pie that brings such joy to my life.  Garrett gives everyone unconditional love.  He can be sneaky when he wants to get out of the house or when he wants a yummy treat, but he doesn't have a mean bone in his body.  He has the best smile ever.  He likes tickles and is really good at saying, "Tickle me!"  He loves to have his own kind of conversations where you fill in the blanks with whatever he thinks should come next.  One of them is to name his favorite movies in a certain order.  He also heard me singing "She's My Kind of Rain," by Tim McGraw one day, and he started laughing and said, "She's my kind of blue."  So I figured out he thought I said, "She's my kind of green."  Ever since then, that is a game where we say, "She's my kind of ____" and fill in the blank with a color.  When Garrett was a baby, and he would be sitting in his high chair waiting for mommy to feed him baby food, I would say the name of the baby food in a silly voice.  His favorite was "Vegetable Beef."  Ever since then, his grandpa says that to him whenever he talks to him, and Garrett laughs and laughs.  

Garrett loves to go swimming.  He says, "I want swimming please."  He is so cute in the water.  He thinks he's much smaller than his 100-lb frame and wants us all to throw him in the water or help him do flips.  

Garrett's sense of rhythm is amazing.  He has a talent of tapping one beat with one hand, and then tapping a totally different, but complimentary beat with the other hand at the same time.  I have tried to copy it before, and there's no way i could do that.

Garrett loves to watch his shows.  He's obsessed with Diego right now, and he can even communicate which one by telling me which animal.  His favorite right now is the Underwater Mystery episode.  He comes and tells me, "Watch Mystery Fish?"  Grandma and Grandpa were even lucky enough to hear him sing it to them today when they called to wish him happy birthday.  

I thought I would share this poem I wrote about my Garrett when I was just finding out he had autism, about 6 years ago:

To Garrett:

When you were born, you had no clothes,

But you had pretty eyes and a cute little nose.

Your feet were quite big, and you looked like your dad. 

You were the best present that I ever had.

A gift from Heaven, sent from God,

I looked at you and held you and was completely awed.

You were so sweet, smiley and fun.  

I loved watching you as around the couch you would run

Over and over; you never got tired.

That energy was something everyone admired.

You started having trouble doing every-day things.

You had to be helped when swinging on the swings.

It took you longer than others to climb up the slide,

But you did it one step at a time, and I cried.

They say you're not normal; you've got a different brain.

That was hard to take, knowing you're not the same

As I thought you were, but you're still my little star.

You say your ABC's and you count really far.

They say kids like you don't show love the same way, 

But you let me hold you and kiss you each day.

And even if you think you use your hand for a kiss,

That is one kind of kiss that I would never miss.

You are amazing, so happy and sweet.

You still have the cute nose and the big feet.

And even if some kids' abilities surpass, 

You still are taller than everyone in your class.

And you are an example of what truly is love.

You are the unexpected blessing I received from above.

I watch your example of overcoming trials and strife, 

And I thank God for blessing me with you in my life.

A gift from Heaven, sent from God.

I look at you and hold you and am completely awed.