We slog through autism and on the dark days think we aren’t getting anywhere.  And then it happens.  They learn.

Last night W. self-corrected his choice of drinking cup and after maybe 1,000 reruns of the video model and just as many corrections from Mom, Dad and caregivers, he stopped going for the wrong one and did what he trained – “get the W. cup.”

I’m reminded of the movie “Parenthood” with Steve Martin where his son catches a long fly ball when he’d flubbed more than a few – when his teammates gave up on him – when his parent’s expectations were nil.  In response to dad’s incredulity, the mom says “well what did you think?  You only practiced catching that ball 10,000 times.”

It was W’s fly ball catch – and best of all, he KNEW IT- he knew why Mommy was especially happy, hugging and high-fiving and whooping and hollering.  W. lingered for about 5 minutes letting me slather on the praise.  He was beaming, and he knew why.

Here’s hoping we all have a moment like this today when as parents we stretch for that fly ball, and miraculously, because we did our job, it’s a catch.