Over this summer, Nyx has bloomed like a field of wildflowers. She can recite the alphabet, and tell you several words for each letter. She can count to 20. She knows shapes, colours, animals and their sounds. She has gained the habit of saying "hello" and "bye bye, see you soon!" (ok, she learned that from watching Pocoyo). She will greet friends by name, gets excited for circle time at playgroup, plays next to (sometimes with!) other kids. She often spends long stretches of time coloring, always with great concentration and ending with a flourish - "PAINTING! PRETTY!"
Just this past week, she's begun singing along with songs - whether recorded or sung together - and she adds several words or phrases a day to her vocabulary. She's much more relaxed socially. She is HAPPY!
I am, in a word, astounded. I'm thrilled and excited and proud; proud of her and also proud of me, my wife, and our family. We have done this. We are doing things right and it is working.
I give great credit and so much thanks to the fine team of ladies who first identified Nyx's ASD and who have since guided and supported us: OTs,SLPs, Psychologist, and the half-dozen thoroughly amazing ECEs who we see daily at the Ontario Early Years Centre playgroups. These women have encouraged and comforted me so much, offer reassurance and hope daily. It's like having an All-Star team of childhood development and family support.
Our family and friends have been equally fantastic. Not once has their been mention of Nyx's ASD as a disability. Everyone's focus is on her intelligence, her wit (she is a funny bunny!), and her outgoing, loving personality. We are all learning and growing together and it is a wondrous experience.
I'd like to share a picture that I took last week at Circle Time - a picture that would have been unimaginable even a month ago. It speaks for itself. :)
(Nyx is on the left)
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