Thursday, February 14, 2013

The bestest Valentine's Day EVER!


I have never been one for Valentine's Day.  Honestly, it seemed sort of stupid to me.  Maybe it was because of the heart shaped meatloaf that my mom always made my dad, but it always seemed so predictable and lame to me.  Flowers, chocolates, I love you, the end.  Now I know I seem like a jaded valentine, but honestly, I have gotten my fair share of valentines' gifts.  The extra large over stuffed bear from a boy when I was in middle school (the boy might be in jail now I'm not sure), the perfume and flowers from a boy in high school, chocolate and jewelery from a boy in college, and this year from my husband I got a twin size bed for the baby's room so we could get our bed back and have grown up time.  All great gifts, but still I am just not that into it.  So, when it was time to sit down and write my oldest son's valentine's cards last night I was not so thrilled to do it.  I figured I would be doing it by myself since my son's ability to sit still for more than five minutes is slim to none, and he hates to write.  Being that both these things were required, I didn't expect much.  I could not be more wrong.

As I gathered up the supplies, I yelled to my aspie, time for valentine cards. "NOOOO!  I am done with this!"  Okay, so far as I expected, no surprises.  So, I sat down at the dining room table and started.  In the corner of my eye I spotted a curious little man peering at me.  I pretended like I didn't see him, and kept working but made sure I had a smile on my face.  I noticed that he kept inching forward and eventually ended up on my lap watching me write.  "Who's that for, me?"  No buddy, they are for your friends at school, just like the one Charlie Brown took to his friends at school.  And that was it.  Deal sealed.  He was into his valentine's cards and trying to hurry up my process.  "So I give them to all my friends?"  Yes.  "But where do I put them?  Charlie Brown had a briefcase to keep his in."  "Well, I bought you a mailbox for yours."  "Where is it, where is it?"  And so I had to go and get it so he could put his valentine's cards in.  He put them in and took them out counting them so many times that a few opened up in the process.  "OH NO!"  he exclaimed, "they broke".  So after fixing the envelopes with some stickers, we were good to go again, and it was decided that he would leave them in the mailbox.  All night, he carried the mailbox around and couldn't fall asleep due to his excitement. 

This morning, when I went to wake him up, I was expecting the usual crying, kicking, hitting, I swear I should be losing weight because this has to count as a workout, ordeal that occurs all other mornings I have to get him ready to go to school.  It started out as normal, "Honey, time to get up and get dressed."  "Where are we going?"  "School, but today is your valentine's party."  "OH, that's right."  And that was all.  No crying.  No hitting.  Instead, he let me get him dressed.  While dressing him, he asked, "Does the baby get to go to his baby school and give valentine's to his baby friends?" (Confession:  I had told a little white lie to my aspie that the baby went to baby school so that he wouldn't be upset to know that the baby and I stayed home while he was in school.  I thought that he forgot that, but of course he did not.)  Yes, honey...the baby will give baby treats to his friends, as the white lie grew.  After he was done getting dressed he went downstairs, grabbed his mailbox, and as he started towards the door he said "I have to give all my friends their valentines so that they are not sad like Charlie Brown."  My father-in-law looked at me, smiled, and went running to catch up with him to take my toddler to school, treats in hand.  I could not believe it.  My son was excited to go to school.  Best day ever! 

The morning could not go fast enough for me to find out how his day went.  When he walked in the door with my father-in-law this afternoon with a large paper bag full of valentines and a smile that was just as big, I knew he had a wonderful day.  "My friends like me!"  He said with excitement as my father-in-law kissed his head and I was giving him a hug.  Yes, they do buddy, everyone likes you. 

  This was a big deal for us because our son never seemed to care about other kids until very recently.  It might be the therapy he is in, him getting older, or a combination of both, but other kids never peaked his interest until now.  We now know that it is not that he doesn't care, but its that he has a hard time expressing his feelings and communicating with others.  He can't seem to figure out what to say so instead says nothing at all.  It is nothing for adults or kids to ask my son a question and for him to sit there silently and not answer.  Ask any of the grandparents and they will tell you.  So for my son, to go to a social place, like school, and to be excited to interact with others was a HUGE deal!  And to mention his friends and just in general using the term "friends"  was also a HUGE deal to his father and I. 

Can I take responsibility for this matter.  No, all credit must go to where it is due....Charlie Brown.  We have been watching the two Valentine's Day specials everyday for the past week.  My aspie has recited the specials non-stop during times when it is not on.  And although I was not excited for valentine's day, Charlie Brown made my son excited and allowed him to interact with his friends!  So thank you Charlie Brown for never getting a valentine.  Your suffering made our Valentine's Day the best one yet!

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hit the clearance rack, buy valentine cards in bulk, and let that boy take a friend a valentine card everyday! Too cute!