Very impressive use of emoji

I can say, with certainty, that Max learning how to use emoji was never on my wish list. It hadn't even crossed my mind that it was something he didn't know how to do or think to do. I am long past worrying about the no-can-dos and obsessing about the when-can-dos. But Max keeps right on showing us that there are no limits on progress. And as always, even the little things mean a lot. 

Perhaps you heard me cracking up the other day? I was in my attic, working, when I got a text from Max. He and Dave had been out on an errand, and he informed me that he couldn't do PT because he had to eat lunch. Eating out with Dave (or, rather, going to drive-thrus or doing takeout) is one of Max's favorite activities.

Back in September, we discovered that Max had taken it upon himself to cancel a session with his school physical therapist because he wanted to go to the park. This was definitely a new level of independence, though we had a talk about it. Since then, however, he's done his best to weasel out of sessions several times, typically by texting me.

I was floored by the emoji—I'd never seen him use one before. Smartypants had picked them up from texting with me, Dave and family. (Shout out to Dave's friends Jeff and Big Ben, his fave texting buddies.)

I gave him a brief response: "No we can't cancel" and returned to work.

Ten minutes later, another text arrived:

And I know, it was so wrong and I have all the respect and admiration for his therapists, but I could not stop laughing. 

Max seemed to have mastered emoji. Not only had he chosen a sad face, it was the one that had that "my bad" connotation. And juxtaposed with that was his victorious "ha ha." Also inappropriate. But. 

This was less funny when I later found out that he had not actually emailed his PT, so we had a long discussion about his therapists, how great they are and how they count on him to show up—and why he needs to count on them, too. 

But: