Originally Posted by chodessa

What a wonderful thread!

Thanks for the support!

Originally Posted by chodessa

What a wonderful thread!

Yes, I second this, what a beautiful thread! I can feel the love in each story.... you ladies are wonderful role models to future mom's to be (like myself, no kids yet but plan on soon)!

Originally Posted by mlag724

I'm very happy to have found you ladies. I'm further along in this journey. My son is 20. He will be 21 in May. Someone once told me that GOD gives special chilren to special people. I believe that with all my heart. Things are better because he did become verbal around 8. He started to use the bathroom abouth the sme time. I won't say that it is not still a challenge because it is. He's such a wonderful young man. He begin reading when he was 2. We are fortunate because in my state there is special education until age 26There are days when I feel like I can't go on another day, then God sends something or someone that makes everything okay again. Meeting you ladies was one of those blessings. Who would have guessed that a person would be able to get such comfort for a website about purses. Blessing come in many ways. Thank you ladies. Friends try to understand but they really can't. You ladies do. GOD BLESS

Amen! Loved this line - "Who would have guessed that a person would be able to get such comfort for a website about purses." So true! Amazing, really! Thanks for posting!

Originally Posted by mammabyrdie

kathrynch - You know I'm partial to red heads. He's Gorgeous! mlag724 -

Mammabyrdie...how many redheads do you have? I'm trying to look at your little photo! i need to look at your Collection thread...I remember you had great photos there! I'm kind of partial to redheads too. My first boyfriend in middle school had red hair and I just loved them ever since. Had to find a red headed man to marry to get a red headed child!

Hey all..... I'm getting ready to put DD to bed and just wanted to say that she really has made my life go in a totally different direction. What was once a party girl every night and all night has become a devoted advocate for a little girl that I never thought would change my life as she has. And BTW she's not that little.... She's almost my height!!

[Bjoyceluvsbags[/B]-I was not a party girl but I was considered a beauty and that was what I concentrated on. Looking good. Now I realize there is so much beauty in the world. Not that physical beauty. Beauty from seeing my little boy smile or hearing him say his first words. Words that I was told he would never speak. mammabyrdie and kathrynch The smiles on your beautiful redheads are just wonderful. Now I find beauty in such simple things. I believe that's how God intended us to see the world.

Originally Posted by joyceluvsbags

Hey all..... I'm getting ready to put DD to bed and just wanted to say that she really has made my life go in a totally different direction. What was once a party girl every night and all night has become a devoted advocate for a little girl that I never thought would change my life as she has. And BTW she's not that little.... She's almost my height!!

Beautiful! ITA! Except for the party girl part....I could never last past 1 a.m. So sad!

Originally Posted by kathrynch

Mammabyrdie...how many redheads do you have? I'm trying to look at your little photo! i need to look at your Collection thread...I remember you had great photos there! I'm kind of partial to redheads too. My first boyfriend in middle school had red hair and I just loved them ever since. Had to find a red headed man to marry to get a red headed child!

I have 2 of them. My 8 yr old and the baby have red hair.

Originally Posted by nana00

Yes, I second this, what a beautiful thread! I can feel the love in each story.... you ladies are wonderful role models to future mom's to be (like myself, no kids yet but plan on soon)!

I'm positive you'll be a great mom one day.

Originally Posted by joyceluvsbags

Hey all..... I'm getting ready to put DD to bed and just wanted to say that she really has made my life go in a totally different direction. What was once a party girl every night and all night has become a devoted advocate for a little girl that I never thought would change my life as she has. And BTW she's not that little.... She's almost my height!!

Tell me about it! What a difference a day makes!

Can I tell a story?

Last year our son brought home a notice about the school concert. I froze when I read it - how could this little boy, who only 12 months earlier hid in the corner at kindergarten because he was scared of the Christmas celebration, possibly go and perform in a huge theatre?
I expressed my concerns (read:terror) with his teacher and she said the children had been rehearsing and W (son) was having a ball. I didn't believe her. I made out I did. But I didn't, it wasn't possible.
Dress rehearsal day came and I asked if I could go and watch and be there in case he had a meltdown - no problem come along, I was told.
I sat in the front row of the huge theatre and out came my son with 3 of his school buddies to perform - my heart was beating so hard. The music started - "Born To Be Wild" of all things - and there he was, dancing and singing, his little face beaming. I could not believe my eyes ... and then of course, I started to cry.
Concert night came. We sat there, his daddy and I, pratically holding our breath.
We shouldn't have worried because that precious, special, wonderful child sang and danced and had the time of his life and for that moment he wasn't different, he just like the other children.
We went backstage to take him home after his amazing performance and when he saw us, he ran up and said, "I did it, W (said his name) did it!"

I heard many parents critique performances that night - some felt their child could have danced better, sang better, and were disappointed.
Not us ... our boy did it.

Dallas, that is a great story!!

Dallas, that is beautiful!! :)
and I have tears running down my face

Dallas... that is SO touching! What a fabulous parent you are; what amazing parents in this thread.

My second son has been through every diagnostic to no avail. He simply doesn't display diagnostic characteristics enough to match the necessary charts, although besides the social he meets almost EVERY diagnostic criteria of Asperger's. As a very young child he engaged in stimming behaviours (rocking, and later jumping in place constantly, laying on his belly on the floor and rocking side to side), used no consonants in speech and was gross-motor delayed. He has always seemed completely oblivious to proper sound levels - sometimes the softest noises will drive him crazy; other times he doesn't realize he is shouting when he speaks. His pedi was hesitant to refer him, but I got him involved in the Birth to 3 program so he had PT and speech therapy from the time he was 2. He went into a special pre-K program where he could continue to get the therapy and where they could work on other issues as well.

He moved on to a regular classroom in Kindergarten, although he still received therapy and adaptive phy ed. I would sometimes go to school at recess and it would break my heart. My DS would spend the recess skipping around the perimeter of the playground - alone. But when asked, he was completely content to do that. He wasn't INTERESTED in playing with other kids. He engaged in parallel play for years after most kids develop friendships. Other kids would call him their friend, but he never identified them that way.

Last year, in second grade, he tested out of services. He also has a few friends (that he identifies as friends) now and even has a crush on a girl. According to the school system, he is "normal". He is still definitely different, and I have no doubt that without all the therapy and my involvement (in having kids over for playdates, and MAKING him socialize) he would not be where he is.

I recognize that we are so, so, SO lucky. I have the luxury of imagining him in a mostly "normal" life - a relationship, a regular job, living independently, being self-sufficient and happy. But it completely changes a person's perspective on special needs children. Everyone here is very inspiring and your children are lucky to have you as advocates.

kathrynch and mammabyrdie: Your sons are SO handsome!