Line Up

I wonder how many post titles I can come up with that end in "Up"...just kidding.

2 blog posts in a week, what are you going to do with yourselves?? And I have so much more just ready to lay out here, so let's get this one out of the way.

By all accounts, Kellen skews more to the "classic autism" diagnosis (I have a whole other post in mind discussing labels, diagnoses, etc. so more on that later). Thankfully he does NOT exhibit the unfortunate stereotype of complete detachment and aversion to physical touch. Kk is a sensory seeker and extremely physically affectionate, and I thank GOD for those daily hugs, kisses, and snuggles.

But back to stereotypical behavior...We've all heard people give the party line "Oh, the incidence of autism isn't increasing, it's just that we're better at diagnosing it" (Sadly, I may have uttered these exact lines more than once before KK...dum-dum). And don't get me wrong, I fully agree that autism is not a one-size fits all diagnosis (again, another post brewing on the fact that I compare having "autism" to having a "cold"), but then when your son starts doing something like this...well you just wonder.

I didn't realize we had so many blocks.

Kk has begun lining things up. This started the weekend before he started school, literally 2 days before his 3rd birthday. Now most kids sadly aren’t diagnosed until around their 3rd birthday, and all of the various forms/questionnaires that we’ve filled out over the past year always ask us “line up” questions. We’ve always been able to honestly say “No”…not anymore. At least someone's using the china cabinet

Evaluating his current configuration

And then getting annoyed at Tristan in his "line up"...so he attempts to move a dog 3 times his size.

We found it interesting that arcs are appropriate lines as well...

And then he branched out from cars to Larkin's teacups...this did not go over well with Larkin because he chose to do this in her doorway.

I have seen dozens upon dozens of pictures from other autism mamas with their kids doing this exact same thing…how does that happen? He’s never seen anyone else do it, and it’s just come out of nowhere. There has to be some sort of brain process that begins around this age and develops this need in these kids. This isn’t something we’re making up, this isn’t something that’s being encouraged. It is happening spontaneously, and it is happening to far more kids than allow us to write it off to chance or “better methods of diagnosis”. I don’t know about you (really, I don’t, so tell me if I’m wrong), but I didn’t grow up with any friends who did this…not like this…it brings us back to the fundamental shift that many people in the autism community believe has happened…back to the generational aspect that somehow someway, we did this…

You can see him think when he does it.
He’s highly protective of what he’s created.
He sees something that we don’t.
He’s highly focused and will notice if you move something ever so slightly…and then go fix it.
But he’s not completely lost in it. He was lining up his cars in the bath the other day, and I got down to the edge of the tub at his eye level and he looked into my eyes and smiled…he was busy, but he showed me that he was still there.
I want to see what he sees, I want to know what he knows…because there is so much more there than we can possibly imagine…that much I do know.
Just another day “Unlocking KK”.