It’s the small stuff that matters in the end – particularly with autism, where progress is just a progression of small stuff, done time and again with mind-numbing repetition until mastery is achieved.   It was a busy weekend as clouds made for sub-optimal views.  No hikes and instead plenty of chores I’d long neglected.   But within that there was nice progress.

– W’s ability to get my attention and ask for what he needs is so strong lately.   While we had some shirt and shorts protests particularly when his favorites endured a big spill at the dinner table, we worked through them.

– J is increasingly independent in the morning readiness routine, getting shoes, wallet in pocket and then marching on out to the bus with only minor hesitation at the step where he has to push the automatic garage door opener.

– Both boys had superb speech therapy sessions on Saturday.  In fact J started out so agitated that I thought we were going to have trouble – that 50 minute walk around the neighborhood, followed by time in his 4-layer spandex swing, did wonders.

– Both boys tolerated more than their share of retail store visits as Mom and Dad hunted for deals and returned some broken purchases. What did we ever do without those foam beads they so love lately in the car as we ride around?

– Happily for everyone, I got time for things I needed to do – work, some of it, but also sleep, church, household organization, blogging, and chats with the soon to be workaday world post-college daughter.   Perhaps the biggest small victory herein is that I asked for what I needed, instead of just sucking it up and pretending I could be Superwoman.

Reentry to the work week always brings a yearning for the fun and yes, the chores I actually would like to get done.  But here and now, I see we each are making gains toward the people we want to be – including me.   Now that’s a victory!