Gray is 10.

And Grayson is 10.

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TEN. YEARS. OLD.

How did a decade go by so ridiculously fast but then also so incredibly slow?

This year Grayson has made some great gains.  These are just a few of the things we have seen him accomplish...

- He has learned to buckle himself in the car and no longer needs a full-body harness. All I have to say is "Buckle buckle" and he takes care of it all himself. Mike worked on this with him for months.

- He is spelling words. The other day he spelled Pixar Animation Studio to me.

- He is less prone to wander when we are outside but I still worry when we are not in the safety of our fenced in backyard.

- He's no longer afraid of dogs and is happy to pet a dog at any time - even says "doggie" without any prompting. (Shout out to his aide for working with him on that!)

- He can sometimes get his own snack without assistance.

- He asks for his coat if he thinks it's too cold outside. He will put shoes or boots on without any prompting from me.

- He has benefitted greatly from some ABA strategies. 

- He can stay with Grandpa and Grandma Red House at our house for a couple of hours without many behaviors. 

- He put his bookbag on with my help the other day to get on the bus.

- He spent a lot of time at the pool, and it quickly became his happy place. He loved swim lessons this year too. 

- We went for many bike rides in our Bunch Bike, and he likes it so much. He often turns around and holds my hand on the handlebar or he touches my leg as I am pedaling. 

This year I feel like Grayson and I have a deeper connection than any other year before. I know in my bones when he's not feeling well long before he shows symptoms. I just have to look at him and I know if he is okay or if something is not right.

But in saying that...I know absolutely everything about him, but I have only caught a glimpse of truly who he is. Autism still eclipses so much of who he is. I see the real Grayson when he's giggling while Mike is tickling him. When he's running outside happily, throwing leaves up in the air. When he gets excited when we bring the water balloons out. When he greets someone he hasn't seen in a while. When he puts his arms around me to give me a hug in the kitchen. 

He's such a funny, sweet child who is changing people's lives - including the people who live in his home with him. But mostly the woman who gave birth to him. I am a better person for having Grayson in my life. He has brought so much refinement to my life, and I am so thankful.

It's been a hard but beautiful ten years. I am so very thankful for my cutie Gray, and I am looking forward to what this year brings us. 


Gray loves the "island" (the reservoir). Or "I-AND" as he calls it.

I did blog about Grayson's birth...hard to believe this blog has been around for more than a decade too!
He's he-ere! (smithfamilyhighjinks.blogspot.com)

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