It was awesome!

William loves to hug his mom, and his dad, and occasionally his sister, and SOMETIMES even his friends. Otherwise, he just doesn't care for it. He would prefer you keep your affections toward him a little less...restrictive. This is particularly the case when he doesn't see someone very often. When I watch him in those embraces, it almost looks...painful. For him. Just imagine.

So yesterday, for Easter, we head to my dad and step-moms house. There were to be 23 people there total! Most of whom he sees about 4 times a year...if that. That amounts to a lot of painful hugs hello and goodbye, and some in between. But how do you tell people not to hug him? Not to show their love and affection for him? I don't. I figure a few painful hugs here and there might help him get used to this normal behavior, and even begin to welcome it. He'll survive.

So imagine my complete and utter joy when my sister Caity opens the front door for our arrival and instead of slipping past quickly, as is his custom, William stops and gives her a big long hug! It was awesome. And then, rather than slink down past everyone else and find relief from the crowd in the safety of the large family room, he systematically goes through the house and gives everyone the same big welcome hug. It was AWESOME! And people noticed. They had known all along how much he dislikes hugs and were pleasantly surprised to witness a different boy that day. His hello hugs were mentioned to me several times throughout the day.

And though he did retreat from the chaos for a while at one point, getting lost in the animated world of Batman, he maintained his ability to cope. All day. No meltdowns. No tantrums. No lack of focus. No total zone-outs. No cries for escape. I wish I could have stopped time for a while that day. I wish I could have video-taped it for his therapists and teachers to see. Have I already said it was awesome?!?!