Congratulations: You're Mom of the Year!

Dear You,

We are pleased to inform you that you have won the title of Mom of the Year. Congratulations! After carefully judging and evaluating all the moms in the entire universe, including but not limited to Gwyneth Paltrow, Snooki, Octomom and Tanning Bed Mom, we have selected you.

This award is given to you...

☆  For tirelessly escorting your child to the doctor, therapist and specialist—sometimes all in one day.
☆  For juggling the scheduling of these appointments and demonstrating super-human feats of memory, patience and sweet-talking receptionists into fitting you in.
☆  For always knowing what your child wants to say, even when his speech isn't clear or he can only express himself through his eyes.
☆  For surviving the sensory-induced meltdowns in public places, especially the airport security line.
☆  For your mastery of medical terminology; heck, you deserve an honorary MD.
☆  For the nonstop coaxing you do that other moms know nothing of: encouraging your child to pull to stand, grasp a spoon, push a button on a toy, climb a step, make eye contact, say "Hi."

☆  For the outstanding "WOO HOO! YOU DID IT!" enthusiasm.

☆  For filling out more forms than you ever thought humanly possible.
☆  For regularly doing the exercises the therapists recommend. Well, usually doing them. Well, OK, some days doing none of them but you happen to be human.

☆  For staying strong, so strong, when you've watched younger children doing stuff your child isn't yet up to and your heart felt like it could implode.
☆  For all the hard, back-breaking labor: lifting your child in and out of the car, in and out of the bathtub, into the chair, up onto the changing table.

☆  For your uncanny ability to not look like a sleep-deprived stress mess.

☆  For your open-mindedness to trying new tactics, strategies, gadgets, equipment—anything and everything that might help.
☆  For the extreme hope and determination you have that, yes, your child will accomplish that.
☆  For your nonstop efforts to get others to see the ability behind the disability.

☆  For keeping your cool (well, on the outside) when people stare.

☆  For paving the way for your child at the playground, at the birthday party, at the bookstore or wherever kids aren't quite sure how to interact with him.

☆  For valiantly doing battle with the insurance company to reimburse you for claims.
☆  For not acting on your insurance company revenge fantasies.
☆  For powering on even when all you want to do is hide under your comforter, sleep, cry and/or generally lose it.

☆  For pushing for the services your child needs at the IEP, then pushing some more.

☆  For always remembering to give the medicine/put on the braces/bring the headphones/pack the EpiPen/get the blood test/[fill in the responsibility].

☆  For repeatedly and patiently explaining to family that he's not going to "grow out of it."

☆  For being your child's best champion every single day of the year.

Congratulations again on this honor! Nobody deserves it more than you.