The magic of TOY RUS...

not Toys R Us, but TOY and then RUS (two words) TOY RUS. That's what my monkey calls the store. He finally connected that if he asked for a toy, he could be driven to a store to buy it. Given that he has never really asked us to buy anything for him and all of the birthdays and Christmases we have missed because of the damn autism- we are enjoying this TOY RUS phase. He had been to Toys R Us before but never really paid much attention. Last month, I took him again. This time, his eyes lit up and he did not even know where to begin. He was VERY excited to look around and pick out a toy (or two)/ So what if they are all baby toys and he is 8 years old. He gets it. Finally.

During the days that followed after that visit, he kept asking for TOY RUS and LADY BUG TOY. Over and over he asked. I searched online for a lady bug toy and could not find what he was looking for. The following week I took him again. I warned him that we would be going for 5 minutes (another new concept he now gets). I said in my best Tarzan autism language " 5 minutes, lady bug toy only and then bye bye". He just stared at me. He happily walked, um- make that, ran in with me. I took him to all the sections he had previously visited and nothing. Finally, I remembered one more section we had not looked in yet. Imagine my surprise when he picks up, not a LADY BUY TOY ,but a LEARNING BUG TOY. I wasn't understanding him right. It is, however, shaped as a lady bug. He was so happy to hold it and walked to pay for it with me with no problem. This was so cool! I was happy, he was happy and the world made a lot more sense. Well, not really but you get the picture. A normal outing for us. Wow. He asked and he received. Never mind that I didn't initially get the name right but I was beaming that this exchange had happened and it was such a successful adventure for us.

During the next month he has been asking for TOY RUS everyday after school. Of course we don't take him every day. We can't go bankrupt on this hobby. We do take him once a month or so for a treat. Each time he has the best time. I see it as making up for all the gifts he would have asked Santa to bring him had he been a typical boy growing up.

Yesterday I took him again. He has been using movie, website or tv scripted lines and plugging them in at appropriate situations. When I pulled up he said " I can't wait to play again!". As I took a little long putting stuff away inside the car he said " C'mon everybody, let's go outside!". As we walked towards the door he pointed and exclaimed "This way!" and "Let's go!". Once we came in he said "Here we are!".

At this rate, if TOY RUS keeps getting us such communication results we just might have to go once a week! He just loves not only the obvious of getting a new toy but I can tell he just beams when it sinks in that we "get" what he is asking for.

I might be too much of a dreamer but this just might be a spectacular Christmas! one we have been dreaming of for a long time. A girl can dream, can't she? Is it December yet?