Happy 2010! Later, 2009. Don't let the door smack ya on your ass on the way out, stupid year.
In many ways, there's not much to show for 2009. I pulled inward a lot, especially after Isaac's diagnosis. Getting services for him and getting my head around the autism was a much larger effort than it seemed at the time; it's not surprising that I didn't have much energy left over.
The best thing to come out of the year is that Dennis and I are on very strong footing as a couple; I think this was the year we really learned how to take care of each other. We solidified into a family, instead of two adults staring at a small human trying to figure out what it wants. The statistics on marriages with kids on the spectrum are pretty effing grim, so I'm relieved that we're actually in a better place now than we were last year, even with all the additional anxiety and stress.
And of course, Isaac is just awesome. He really is. School is going very well for him and we're seeing great progress. He has more words and makes eye contact and plays with friends a bit more and today I got a very natural, "hi, mama!" when he and Dennis came home from the park. His favorite game right now is pretend sneezing - all I have to do is start saying, "RRRRAAAAAAAAAAAA..." and he will fill in, "CHOOOO!" and then we do it back and forth for a ridiculously long time. This is pure comedy gold. Trust me.
And here is Isaac in footie pajamas playing the piano, if you accept a loose definition of the word playing:
He seems to have inherited Dennis' enthusiasm for all things musical, and will often sing along with whatever we're listening to in the car. We're trying out a dance class this week, too.
A few months ago, I bought a membership at the local children's museum, and it was a great decision. Isaac loves to go there, and having unlimited admissions takes the pressure off of any given trip. We can spend the whole time in one area or leave after half an hour, it's all up to Isaac. His favorite part is the huge water play area, which is why I always have to bring a complete change of clothing, down to shoes and socks. The smock is no match for him. Here's one of my favorite recent photos, in which Isaac experiments with fluid dynamics:
