Friday, October 21, 2011

weight loss is boring

I lost 7 pounds in a month and have flatlined because I don't care anymore. And I like beer. But I'm still not eating grains or sugar (except for maybe once or twice a week), and I'm keeping my weight off. So, no dramatic before and after photos. Not for a while anyhow.

What this post is about is not weight loss, but about Elliott. Today, I watched some video of him from exactly a year ago. I could not understand anything he was saying. Everything began with a "k" sound and ended with a "k" sound. It was like he could not get his muscles in his mouth to work. He was trying to talk, you could tell he knew what he was saying, but I just couldn't understand it. And I'm his mom. Imagine what other people heard.

Yesterday, we went to a coffee shop, and Elliott told the cashier, "I have a backpack." She said, "You do? What kind?" He said, "Scooby Dooby Doo." She said, "Cool."

This may not sound like an amazing exchange, but my heart nearly exploded. He had a conversation, with a stranger and SHE UNDERSTOOD HIM. On top of that, he looked into her eyes when he talked to her. Holy shit. This was HUGE.

Not only that, but before we left school, he asked a boy what his name was and then he and the boy went off to play for a few minutes. Another mundane (HUGE for him) event!

On the way home, he told me what he had for lunch and a song they sang at school, another big deal.

It was just one thing after another, back to back, and I realize it sounds so small when I describe it, but it was amazing for us. I turned to Elliott in the back seat on the way home from the coffee shop and said, "I'm so proud of you." He just looked at me and asked me to play his Sesame Street CD again. I know he doesn't understand what I mean. But I also know that he will someday, soon.