hard moments don't take away the good one's

Well, these are the ups and downs of living with Autism.

Ty has had a pretty good day, in fact, darn good considering daddy stayed home from work with a cold and cough, and just from that point of a major routine change, very good day!

And then as they say, S * * * hit the fan!

And it was a pretty bad one- why?

Megan made an insensitive comment, while they were swimming, having fun, and it was all over from there!

His sad feelings and crying quickly turned to anger and rage... and even hid in a shed

which scared me because I didn't know where he was and didn't know if he took off

And he wasn't settling down quickly- he escalated and got angrier

it was a hard one to watch, it was a hard one to help him get control

it was hard!

Gretchen did her job, and he resisted and resisted and resisted for quite some time before

finally after 40 minutes, the tears came back again, the anger subsided

and the cycle of emotion was coming full circle back to sadness

and wanting help and comfort!

I hate seeing him in such despair, but I also appreciate his despair because it doesn't come easy to him

Anger, rage, and physical-ness is what occurs by default, first emotion, complete reaction to pretty much most things.. (we are working on appropriate reactions- because when you are happy, showing anger or being mad, doesn't show you are happy- it shows you are mad!)

You would think this would be instinctual- but it's not!

Not even a little bit- but making progress,

That's the important thing!

Gretchen also helps him find his appropriate response (even if it's not instinct and he has to think about it)- that is much better then flying off the cuff over an ant crawling on the rock that is outside! (See how ridiculous it can sound- that's how ridiculous how over responsiveness can be (to others any way)... we work on appropriate response to the appropriate action...

but today, it was just too hard!

But it was a series of moments in the scheme of a day- and I'm so proud of him!

It has taken us a very long time to get "him" back to this point of enjoying life a little bit more-

being present to enjoy things that he likes to do, more engaging, more calmness, and literally more love and expression of happiness!

But somedays it just hard... some moments are just hard.

But hard moments don't take away the good one's!

It doesn't cross off all the positiveness and happy smiles we've seen in that same day...

but it does tell us, it's not easy and everything to him is a challenge-

but progress no matter how slow is still progress!

And that is important!