Loob You

It has been far too long since I've posted on this blog.  I've done a few posts on my own blog since I last wrote something here, but I just haven't been keeping up with blogging for a while now.  Life has been overwhelming, and when I have free time, I don't necessarily think "I should write a blog post."

But this needed to be recorded.  Today I was playing in the living room with Ben, and we were cuddling on the floor, and I said "I love you."  And he said back "Loob you."  Ben turned 3 last month, and that's the first time he's said I love you back to either of us, and in such a recognizable way, too.  It was incredible!

Ben has been diagnosed with PDD-NOS, an autism spectrum disorder.  It basically means that he has some autistic characteristics, but not severely enough to be called autistic at this point.  He could go either way, depending upon his development, going further towards being diagnosed as autistic or becoming more caught up with his peers.  But he is delayed in so many areas that I think it's more likely that this will be something we're dealing with over the long haul.

So we're learning to celebrate all the little wins and every step of progress he makes.  Each time he says a new word really well, it's exciting!  And when he goes to his developmental preschool program, and he walks away from me without fussing and goes and sits in his own chair for reading time, and flips open his little book, it's awesome, and he makes me proud.

We're fortunate in that Ben has always been very loving and affectionate.  He expresses his love for us all the time in giving us great hugs, squeezing us like he never wants to let go.  Less frequently, he gives us kisses, too.

But it was so neat to actually hear him verbalize that love.  In fact, when I put him down for nap time, I told him again that I love him, and he said "I lub you."  Just melted my heart!

I lub you, too, Ben.

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In the fictional novel The Clowns of God by Morris West, Jesus comes back to earth, and some people think it’s Him while some don’t. At one point, Jesus is at a school for children with Down syndrome, and He is holding a little girl. Jesus says:

I know what you are thinking. You need a sign. What better one could I give but to make this little one whole and new? I could do it, but I will not.

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