The Rolling Tide

I typically think of life as linear. Moving forward toward some unknown goal, but in reality, I think things are much more circular. Progress, happiness, depression, elation, love, all seem to roll over us like a powerful tide, only to retreat as quickly as it comes. We have been in a lull of sorts with Cotton lately. He's just been out of it, and has wanted to be alone a lot lately. This sort of thing use to freak me out, but I have learned that this is simply him gaining momentum. These periods vary in length, but they are always followed by a crashing, knock you off your feet wave of progress.

We left the boys with my folks for a day over spring break. When we returned Cotton said "feel sad" on his talker. This was the first time he had ever shared or was able to identify one of his emotions. It was really excited. When we got home from our trip, Cotton busts out a sentence verbally!!! "I want see retainer" (I have a retainer behind my bottom teeth and Cotton is fascinated by it??) Then this morning, I handed him his pancakes, and he smiled at me and said verbally "I am happy!" and he was. Then he said "I am sad Mason. Mason crying" Which is true, his friend Mason has had a tough week. So not only is he identifying his emotions, but other peoples emotions....WHAT??!?!? AND telling me about it in verbal sentences!!!! THEN I get a call this morning from his school. His aide told me that Cotton had told her that his "eye hurt." We think he has been having allergy headaches, he will grab his head and just look uncomfortable. So I asked her, i"s he doing that "head thing again?" She said no, he said verbally "eye hurt." This is a lot for one week. I so wish there was a rhyme or reason to these periods of progress, but there just isn't. Fortunately he usually retains most of what he learns during these periods, so even when the tide turns, it will still be there. I don't know how long this will last, but to say the least... I am happy:)