JD's Accomplishments!

One of my autism mom friends posted on Facebook the other day about how excited she was that her daughter ate a turkey sandwich for the first time. I could totally relate to that post - I remember a few years ago I paid JD $20 to eat an entire plain hamburger (which probably seems insane to parents of neurotypical children) but it was some of the best money I have ever spent because to this day he'll eat plain hamburgers! You do what works, right?

My friend's post also made me realize that I haven't blogged about JD's accomplishments in a long time! Things don't always come easy to people on the spectrum, so when they achieve something it should be celebrated - no matter if it seems small or insignificant to other people!

JD's actually made quite a few big accomplishments this year and as he's grown up, I've become so impressed by his increased maturity and patience. Things that I thought were impossible before are now happening and it's really exciting!

His Own Bedroom

I think one of the most exciting changes that happened this year was JD moving into a bedroom by himself! Since he was a toddler, he has shared a room with his little brother and I honestly thought they would share a room until Kyle left for college. But a few months ago I noticed both boys asking for a little more space so I mentioned moving into separate rooms and they took me up on it! I thought JD would have a really hard time sleeping without his brother right next to him but he didn't have any issues at all! (Of course, his brother's room is about 3 feet from his room so it's not THAT far away, but still - it's a change!) 

Starting Orthodontia

JD has been a thumb sucker since he was a baby and never stopped. As he got older, he only sucked his thumb while he slept or when he was stressed, but it was still a habit that we had to stop. We took him into the orthodontist and they put a habit appliance on the roof of his mouth that keeps him from sucking his thumb. The first two weeks were not good - he couldn't sleep at all - but it's been about 6 weeks now and he's completely used to it and has stopped the habit for good! They will keep it in for another two months just to make sure he's completely stopped, and after that he'll get braces! I'm really excited because I didn't think he'd be able to handle any orthodontia in his mouth because of his sensory issues. But he's done REALLY well and managed it! I'm really proud of him for getting through this big change.

Winning Races

When JD was three he learned how to swim. When he was five we heard about a special needs swim instructor at our local YMCA that worked with kids on the autism spectrum. JD began stroke lessons and literally took off like a fish! He has won many gold medals in Special Olympics over the years, which has been a great experience. But in late 2019, he was invited to the Athletes Without Limits Short Course Invitational where he won 4 medals racing against other kids with autism. He's a fantastic swimmer and I love watching him race. 

Riding a Bike

Like everyone else, we've been in lock down since March because of covid-19. The good news is that we finally had the extra time to help JD accomplish one of his big goals - to ride a bike without training wheels! He's tried for years and years, but the balancing piece and coordinating the rotation of his legs has always been hard for him. But after many days of back-to-back practice at home, he finally got it! 

Student Council

Last school year JD was voted as a student council classroom representative! He worked with the other representatives to do food drives, school parties and more. To run for classroom representative he had to make a speech in front of his peers! He did a fantastic job!

Distance Learning

The coronavirus sure did one thing... it made us all learn how to work remotely and that included the kids! I was really surprised by how well JD did with the transition to distance learning earlier this spring. With a lot of help and patience, he learned how to check his email, participate in Zoom meetings, complete and submit documents using Google Drive, and keep track of his daily calendar! I called him "My Little Coworker" because we'd sit across from each other at the kitchen table everyday.  He didn't love it, but he made it through the end of the school year! I thought it was probably one of the best learning experiences he's had so far because he's never worked on a computer that much before!

Loving Himself

I think the biggest accomplishment JD has made over the past year has been learning to love himself and accept his autism. He used to cry a lot about wanting to "be normal" like his siblings. But I feel like he's really embraced his individuality and is starting to see that his autism is just one piece of who he is. It doesn't define him. He works so hard to accomplish his goals and I think succeeding has really helped his self esteem. He still has tough days - don't get me wrong - but I would say that he's happier than he's ever been and that makes me happier for him!