He knows he can

The Batsman is moving ahead in leaps and bounds right now. Hard fought for and won progress.
He is currently doing around twenty hours a week of home based ABA therapy and ten or so hours of kinder. It's a big week for a little boy, every single week.

There is something a little bit different about him now. It's been that way for the last couple of months and I just haven't been able to pinpoint what the change is. Until now.

The hesitation in his communication is less apparent.
He smiles more when he is conversing with others.
His eyes look to engage more and dart away less.
He is quick to tell me, clearly, when something is not how he thinks it should be.
There's a confidence in his approach to new situations.
There is a gleam in his eye sometimes and it's clear that he gets the humour of some of life's fun and games.
He is still anxious, a lot, but he smiles and his eyes smile too.

I watch his therapy sessions regularly and I try to participate and observe without being too much of a distraction. The other day as I watched him play with one of the beautiful therapists who have become part of our family, I saw what it was. I saw what the change was.

He knows he can.
Learn new things.
Succeed.
Achieve.
He knows he can do it. And it makes all the difference.