Have you met my son, the mayor?

He must have learned something from my friend and former co-worker Garrett for he’s really starting to become the little man about school, about his therapy center and about anywhere he’s familiar with. He has abruptly become all about people and it is both amazing and shocking – amazing for how happy it makes him and shocking for how stark a change this is from the little boy who entered Early Intervention two years ago.

This is what keeps me going, after all. I may have some pretty strong beliefs about all the wonderful things that are there in my son, but I am well aware that most of them aren’t always seen by the world at large. The biggest job undertaken since he entered Early Intervention and now since he has entered school has been to open that all up…

Well, I am proud to say that the doors are opening. Fast.

I have always called him my sunshine boy. He has always had this tremendous personality and a smile that could lift the heaviest heart, if even for a moment. When you combine that with his empathetic nature it makes for quite the compelling little man. Now, let’s layer some sincerely comedic timing and silly mannerisms and there you have it, my J-bear all neatly summed up. He adores making people smile and laugh. He loves initiating social games with the people he knows. The way he speaks is still quirky and sometimes hard for people who aren’t with him daily to understand but he never gives up on it – he persists til whoever he means to convey something to gets it.

The boy he is becoming blows me away. I want to keep fostering these caring, thoughtful, social, silly, wonderful traits that are emerging while letting him know that the days he isn’t so sweet are okay as long as he doesn’t stay there. I want him to forever know that even the best of people have off days. It is okay to be frustrated, to be mad, to be sad, to be however you feel but to not be unproductive with it. Feel it, work through it and do what you need to be better later – within reason of course.

I want to keep seeing him be the mayor. I want everyone we interact with regularly to continue to look forward to seeing him and what he’s up to. I want to see all of this social behavior just plain explode and flourish when he and his dog team up in October. Just stand back and imagine the power of one charming little boy and his equally charming sidekick/service dog…. Man. I really think they stand a good chance at changing the world, even if it’s just the world immediately outside our door.

I think I am going to like continuing to work for this little mayor.