It’s amazing how a mother just knows things and I knew Amira was different around the time she was 6 months old.
I remember crying to my husband Felix saying “ Babe I know she’s different” when she wouldn’t crawl or walk when she stopped making sounds and went completely mute at 1 years old. Everyone kept telling me all kids are different, she just needed more time but my heart just knew. At 1 ½ she had just started crawling and jumped to walking but she was still mute and also seemed to have issues with balancing. She would flap her arms and walk on her tippy toes. What was most telling to my mom and I was when we would bring her around other children she had absolutely no interest in them or what they were doing, it was as if she was in her own world. She really didn’t connect with others or me. The normal cries for mommy, the out stretching of arms for pick ups or cuddling, the missing mommy when I left the room didn't happen for me. She did not care for physical touch at all, so my kisses or hugs were greeted with being pushed away, needless to say of everything that has been the hardest part of this autism journey to date, it was so far from what I imagined my motherhood experience to be.
BUT! In came Early Intervention and I started to see my daughter slowly find herself and me. At the time she was yet to be diagnosed with Autism which didn't happen until she was 3 years old and now my Amira is thriving in her Special Education 3k program. She is speaking, she has become super affectionate with me. She is feisty and clear about what she doesn't want. She loves apples, blueberries, water, Blippi and Sesame Street. She loves animals and being out in nature. She knows her classmates by name and is reading simple phrases. She can almost count to 100, and so much more. Needless to say they call her their “Super Star” at school because of how advanced she is.
Was Autism what I expected, NO! But would I do it all again if I knew then what I know now, absolutely! Autism is a small part of who she is becoming, whatever is to come Mommy will be right by her side.
‘Ain’t no mountain high enough to keep me from getting to you babe’
DISCLAIMER:
This blog is a place for my self expression and it is not intended to be used as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment for any medical or mental disorder.
In addition, if you belong to the Grammar, Spelling & Punctuation Police, please heed warning. This blog is my place of reflection and creativity and will probably not be grammatically correct most of the time.
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