Autism Parenting Magazine Issue 44(Member's Dashboard) | Page 22

PERSONAL NARRATIVE A Mom’s Loving Look at the Big Picture: All The Pieces Fit By Elizabeth JONES I have a little boy.  I am the Mama to a vivacious three-year-old.  For those of you who know me, you know, my son is my life.   bad had to happen, at least it was me, not my baby boy.” Fast forward to today... and my mantra just isn’t working anymore.  Why..... Because now my little guy is taking the hit.   I am the Mama to a vivacious three-year-old... who most likely has autism. Autism, Au-Tism, that’s right A-U-T-I-S-M.   How did this happen? I will spare you the year of why him, what did I do wrong, how can I make it better, no it’s something else and just tell you I was wrecked for a long time.  Being a Mom means giving your all, taking nothing, and if necessary doing the unthinkable to make your little one happy and healthy.   T here is not anything that I would not do for him.  As far back as I can remember, I dreamed of being a Mom, and now I am!  Dreams are funny though, they are just that, not real, just imagined.  They are the best possible scenario and everything is rainbows and butterflies. My dream came true.  I became a Mom, one unseasonably warm March evening in 2012.  With the entrance of my son into this world the dream came true, but it was not easy.   My son was a beautiful, healthy baby, however Mama was a different story.  We almost lost me after delivery from what the doctors called a “once in a blue moon” case.  It took awhile for me to come to terms with the fact that what was supposed to be a happy time, wasn’t quite so happy.  But I put it behind me and adopted the mantra, “I’m here and if something 22 | Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 44 It was supposed to be me, not him.  Not my precious wee-man, he was supposed to have it easy, do it all, do great things... how can I make sense of this.   So I wrote what many Moms must go through and how I finally realized the bigger picture.   Your smile, your giggles, the hugs that hold me tight, Your gentle ways, your heart, the way you see the world. You are just right. Bouncing up and down, running all around, dancing to and fro, Splashing in the water, chasing bubbles, every dog is your friend. You are just so. Your mmms and ahhs, daa-s and baa, every sound and sigh, High fives, pulling here and there, and hands that clap hooray