There are a lot of things people associate with autism.
Therapy appointments.
Evaluations.
Meltdowns.
Sensory needs.
And yes — those things are part of our life.
But so is laughter.
A lot of it.
When August was first diagnosed, I quietly grieved the picture of childhood I had always imagined. The one where everything looked typical and predictable.
But over time, something changed.
Instead of focusing on what we thought childhood would look like, we started paying attention to what actually makes August happy.
And it turns out, the little things are where the joy lives.
August loves music. When one of his favorite songs comes on, he lights up. He’ll bounce back and forth and sway side to side like the music is moving through him.
Sometimes he claps along to the rhythm. Other times he snaps his fingers and makes silly sounds while he dances.
It’s impossible not to smile when you see it.
He also loves light-up toys and anything that makes sound. One of his favorite things right now is the Bluey keytar he got for Christmas. If music starts playing in our house, there’s a very good chance August is nearby, happily pressing the keys and dancing along.
Another thing August loves is connection.
He gives the best hugs and is always ready with a high five. And if you try to tickle him, be prepared — he will absolutely dissolve into laughter.
But if you asked August what his favorite activity is, the answer would still be easy.
Jumping.
More specifically, jumping and crashing onto his crash pad.
He will jump, crash, bounce back up, and do it all over again with the biggest grin on his face.
And when summer comes around, the trampoline has some competition.
August loves water play. The sprinkler, the hose, splashing in puddles — if water is involved, he’s all in. Watching him run through the sprinkler and laugh is one of those simple childhood moments that never gets old.
One thing autism has taught us is to never take small milestones for granted.
Things that once felt ordinary suddenly feel worth celebrating. Progress is noticed more carefully. Little victories matter more.
And because of that, the joyful moments feel even bigger.
Not every part of an autism diagnosis is easy or fun. There are hard days. There are challenges we didn’t expect— and still don’t know how to handle.
But we’ve learned something important along the way:
We still get to have fun.
Sometimes it just looks different than we once imagined.
Sometimes fun looks like dancing in the living room.
Sometimes it looks like silly sounds and belly laughs.
Sometimes it looks like a boy jumping full force onto a crash pad over and over again.
And sometimes it looks like a mom sitting on the couch watching all of it unfold… while silently wondering how one small human has this much energy.
We don’t spend our time mourning what we once thought August’s childhood would look like.
Instead, we’ve learned to celebrate the childhood he’s actually living.
And in many ways, this journey has shaped us as parents in ways we didn’t expect.
It’s taught us to slow down.
To notice the little things.
To celebrate progress, no matter how small.
And that perspective is something we now carry into raising Sawyer too.
Whether his path includes a diagnosis or not, we want to approach his childhood the same way — with gratitude, patience, and a deep appreciation for the moments that make him who he is.
Because at the end of the day, joy doesn’t have to look typical to be real.
And August brings a lot of it into our home.
(Along with an impressive amount of trampoline bouncing and full speed crashing.)
August, Always 