Hanging on the telephone

One of the reasons I started to write this blog is to be able to look back.

When the Batsman was diagnosed with autism in March last year, I very quickly began to realise that without a mechanism to record the highs and lows, the milestones and setbacks, some of those precious thoughts and happenings would be lost. So much happens every day, every week and it is just not possible to remember it all.

The Captain and I often say to each other....."remember when he used to do this". We say it, not always being able to recall when it happened.

This is one I want to remember.

The Batsman has never been much of a talker on the phone. Since he was a baby, I would put the phone on speaker and close to him so he could hear the voices of his Nonna or his Pa or his Daddy at work. When he was a toddler he mainly just grinned at the sound of familiar voices. As he grew, you could usually get him to say a quick "hello Pa" and then he would self consciously duck and weave out of the way.

Last night was one out of the box. After bath and pyjamas were all done the Batsman said to me "Mummy, I want to call Nonna". The request itself was not usual for him so not knowing what would come next I dialled the number and gave him the handset which he snuggled up against his ear. Nonna answered the phone and out it all came.

"Hi Nonna, mmhhhmm, I'm good. I went to kinder. I did a painting. Where's Pa?" And on and on and on it went. 9 MINUTES LATER I rescued back the handset. He had never, ever done this before. I was stunned. In amongst the completely appropriate and lovely conversation he had, there were sprinklings of scripting from his favourite tv shows of the moment....a little Peppa Pig, Bob the Builder and Giggle and Hoot for good measure. Mainly though, he just had a gorgeous chat on the phone with his Nonna and his Pa.

I'm sure it was the first of many chats on the phone. They loved it and so did he.

I know I will love looking back and remembering this in the years to come.




Image via we heart it