Oliver was born on a Wednesday. Although he was born premature at 35 weeks he was incredibly strong and did not need any time in the NICU. He was an "easy" baby and I loved spending time with him, watching him develop his own personality as the months went by. Everyone that met him fell in love with him. Always commenting on his big bright eyes and sweet demeanor. When Oliver turned 18 months he began showing signs of autism and sensory processing disorder. His personality didn't change and he was still my Oliver, but I knew that he was different and I began to research disorders desperately seeking answers as to why my baby wasn't saying Mama anymore. Why he wasn't responding to his name. Why he demanded routine.
I knew very little about autism and nothing about sensory processing disorder, but after doing tons of research I knew that my baby was definitely autistic and a sensory seeker. He is nonverbal. He flaps his hands and stims by climbing on top on the recliner in this picture and sitting on the back of it rocking endlessly. He loves to spin everything. His therapist is amazed by how with just a flick of his wrist he can make anything spin like a top. He makes paint cans roll on their edges! Physics is his specialty. This picture shows what it's like for me everyday. He is in his world and I am desperately trying to be a part of it. For now all I can do is observe and hope that one day he will let me in. This is my face of autism.
groveland, FL
