We were blessed with our first, and only child on June 16, 2011, a beautiful baby boy. We first noticed the "global delay" as they called it, around 12 months old. Thanks to an amazing doctor, he was enrolled in Early Intervention. They helped us teach him, and by 18 months he was taking his first steps. Around the age of 24 months was when I first heard the term "Autism Spectrum Disorder." New to parenting, and new to Autism, my husband and I are still trying to see the world through his eyes. Hunter, now 28 months old, is a great teacher, patient and kind. My son is amazing, just stepping into a room and putting a smile on every face in it. He is completely non verbal, but we are trying sign language, and when he needs to, he can get his point across (throwing his cup in the kitchen when he needs a refill!) I am no stranger to the struggles of this diagnosis, he has his share of difficult situations, but I have also seen how beautiful Autism can be. I still hope that one day he will look at me and say "mommy I love you", but until that day comes... I will take a snuggle and a smile to mean the same thing.

angela bloomberg
norwich, NY