FIRST STEPS ON HIS OWN

DAKOTA  HAS  HIS  HOURS  COMPLETELY   FLIPPED   AROUND.

HE IS GOING TO SLEEP AROUND 2:30 AM AND WAKING UP AROUND 2:30 PM SCREWY RIGHT??? HE IS HOOKED ON THE LATE SHOW S AND A PROGRAM CALLED          STREET SMARTS  AFTERALL TECHINACALLY HE IS AN ADULT SO I GUESS ITS OK. HE SEEMS TO ENJOY AND LEARN FROM IT   A N Y W A Y

THIS MORNING I GOT UP AND LOGGED ON TO CHECK EMAIL KNOWING DAKOTA WAS SOUND ASLEEP AND WHEN HE WOKE UP HE WOULD HOLLER FOR ME---I AM SITTING HERE AND I HEAR THIS CLICK CLICK AND I STOP AND LISTEN I THINK ITS THE DOG --- I REALIZE THE DOG IS ON THE COUCH SO I GET UP TO SEE WHAT THE NOISE IS AND MUCH TO MY SURPRIZE  ITS  DAKOTA    HE WOKE UP AND GOT HIS WALKER AND STARTED OUT TO THE FAMILY ROOM.

OH MY GOD THOSE WERE HIS FIRST STEPS BY HIMSELF SINCE THE ACCIDENT!!!!! HE HAS BEEN RELUCTANTLY GETTING UP FOR THE BATHROOM MAYBE 2 OR 3 TIMES ADAY AND NEVER WITHOUT ME. I AM SO AMAZED

BUT THE FIRST THING THAT WENT THROUGH MY MIND WAS NOW THAT HE IS SUPPOSED TO GO BACK NEXT WEEK TO CHANGE CASTS NOW HES GONNA WALK BY HIMSELF! THEN I THOUGHT IF YOU MEASURE A NUERO-TYPICAL KID -THAT NORMAL KID WOULD BE UP AND OUT WITHIN A DAY OR TWO  SO I GUESS DAKOTA IS RIGHT ON SCHEDULE AS AN AUTISTIC SPECTRUM CHILD. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD THAT WHAT A "NORMAL" CHILD WIL DO WITH 10 TO 20 REPETITIONS IT WILL TAKE AN AUTISTIC CHILD  MAYBE 500 TO 1000 REPETITIONS!!!  HEY RIGHT ON SCHEDULE   THE TRICK IS TO ALWAYS REMEMBER OUR KIDS HAVE THE POTENTIAL  THEY JUST WORK ON THEIR OWN SCHEDULE . WE HAVE TO SIT BACK A BREATHE

THAT HAS BECOME MY FAVORITE WORD RECENTLY--- JUST  BREATHE                       LIFE  IS TO SHORT TO RUSH IT BY AND I THINK IT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROMOUT KIDS----THEY MARCH TO THE BEAT OF A DIFFERENT DRUMMER AND WE NEED TO LISTEN TO THE  CADENCE!!!!