The magic of TOY RUS...

                                                                                                       NO, 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 asks for a toy, he can be driven to a store to buy it. Given that he has never really asked us to buy anything for him and we have missed birthday and Christmas gifts because of autism, we are enjoying this TOY RUS phase. He's been to Toys R Us before but never really paid much attention. Last month during a random visit, 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 eight 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. I searched online for a ladybug toy and could not find what he wanted. The following week I took him again. I warned him it would be a quick five minutes (another new concept he now gets). I said in my best Tarzan autism speak "Five minutes, ladybug toy, and then bye bye." He just stared at me. Once inside, he happily walked ran in with me. I took him to all the sections he had previously visited with no success. Finally, I remembered one more area we had not looked in yet. Imagine my surprise when he picked up, not a LADY BUG TOY, but a LEARNING BUG TOY. I didn't understand him correctly. It is, however, shaped like a ladybug. He was so happy to hold it and walked to pay for it with me with no problem. So cool! I was delighted, he was happy, and the world made a lot more sense. A regular outing for us: no tears, no tantrums, no autism woes. Wow! He asked using his limited speech, and he received. Never mind that I didn't initially get the name right. I beamed knowing this exchange happened.

During the next month, he asked for TOY RUS every day after school. Of course, I din't take him every day, can't go bankrupt on this hobby now. But I do drive him once a month or so for a treat, and he always has the best time.

Lately, he's been using movie, online, and 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 in 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 got home, 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 loves getting a new toy, obviously, but I can also tell he enjoys knowing that we now understand his requests. 

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?