Special needs motherhood, pretty much summed up in GIFs

 When your child does something for the first time—speaks a new word, takes a step, uses a spoon, points to something—and you want to see it again and again and again

How life often feels

Gearing up for the IEP

When the the insurance company rep assures you that she has located the missing bills you submitted and payment will be made as soon as possible

When that payment from the insurance company still hasn't arrived

When your husband takes the kids out and you have the house to yourself

 In the kitchen after everyone has gone to sleep, stress-eating once again

 What you telepathically tell your child every single day of his life


 When you catch a stranger blatantly staring at your child

When you get out of the house, even if you're just running to CVS to buy deodorant

What you're thinking when the therapist gives you yet more exercises do with your kid, on top of the countless ones she's already recommended

What you say

 When your kid won't stop talking about train schedules/Minecraft/dinosaurs/fire trucks/maps/LEGOs/car logos/[insert obsession here]

In the waiting room, wondering if your child's name will ever be called

When the insurance company actually reimburses you

You, without coffee

When you read about typical childhood milestones (note to self: stop reading that stuff)

How you see your child's determination and ability to overcome challenges

 Your secret fantasy

What you want to do when you're on an airplane and your child won't quit kicking the seat in front of him

 When you realize you forgot to fill out one of the eleventy billion forms for your child's school/specialists/therapies/activities/events

When your child giggles and suddenly everything is right in the world

You. Powering on. Every. Single. Day.