(Photo by Japheth Mast on Unsplash)
My nephew is a firecracker. And not the sedate, sizzling kind. No, he’s the kind who comes wrapped in a tight, trim package, sheathed in fancy plastic and promising simple, wholesome fun for the whole family. He soaks in all the energy around him and lights up like a firefly in the twilight. You think he’ll crackle merrily, maybe even go off with an adorable pop, so you step in close to watch the fun.Continue reading“Firecracker.”
My 6-year-old came up to me yesterday, her eyes shining with some concern.
“Amma?”
“Yes, darling.”
“So Eva told me yesterday that Santa is not real. Is that true, Amma?”Continue reading“When in doubt, lie.”
(Photo by nikko macaspac on Unsplash)
I’m a professional worrier, and this week, I’m earning my entire keep. On Thursday, at 3 pm, I’m set to participate in a meeting that decides Nirav’s academic plan and placement next year. Continue reading“Thursday can’t come fast enough.”
(Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash)
I am abuzz. Positively abuzz. I’m thrilled to bits, and there’s a bounce to my step. Why? Because I have big plans, that’s why!Continue reading“For the first time in forever.”
(Photo by sebastiaan stam on Unsplash)
Did you know the average woman drinks 3 cups of coffee a day? 5 if her children are home on summer break.
Did you know there is nothing sweeter on God’s green earth than waking up, checking your phone in a groggy panic, and realizing that morning is still 4 hours away?
Back in the day, the song went like this:
The wheels of the bus go round and round
round and round, round and round
The wheels of the bus go round and round
All through the town.Continue reading“Round and round.”
(Photo by Caroline Hernandez on Unsplash)
In new situations, I often flounder. As articulate as I like to think I am, my default mode is awkward mumbling when put in an unfamiliar or stressful scenario. I need a few minutes of back and forth before I relax enough to speak without sounding like a chump. I imagine it is the same for many adults (if not, I’m jealous, because how?)Continue reading“The chatterbox and the chump.”
Sometimes I don’t need long, flowery prose to describe how strong my boy is. This was a picture of him when he was seven. He’d had surgery on both legs, and a mere three days after, he limped along with those bulky casts. Just so he could ride on a train.
I will do my best to ensure nothing and no one ever tames his fire. This passion, this drive?
This is his autism.
He has always been a cuddle bug. As a baby, he loved to burrow into the crook of my neck, let out a milky sigh, and nod off to dreamland. He will snuggle in bed, on the couch, and latch on like a sloth if you’re on the move.Continue reading“Hold me tight: #thisisAutism”
First came signs, and then speech. Nirav signed his first word (milk) when he was almost two. And spoke that same word nearly 9 months later. “Mikku,” he would babble excitedly.” Mikku.”Continue reading“Words and Worlds: #thisisAutism”
