Normalcy

There are moments when a little bit of normalcy pop up out of nowhere. It doesn't happen often but it happened this week.

Most days aren't typical. Most people don't have to help their 16 year old complete daily tasks from the moment they wake up until the moment their 16 year old goes to bed. It has become our normal but some days it hits you more than others at how exhausting, both mentally and physically, it can be.

I don't normally dwell on it. I just do it. Over the last year we have been working very hard on independence and he has come a long way. He has been motivated for the first time ever in his life. He wants to do things on his own and has been able to do everything we have taught him. We are so proud of him and will continue to redesign the house so it works for him. The next task is for him to be able to get into bed all on his own. He always has to go to bed when we are tired or ready for bed which probably isn't normal for a 16 year old boy. He often goes to bed at 8:30 pm during the school week because we get up to get his 2 younger siblings in bed at that time. We don't get to relax much during the day and we only want to get up once. It takes a good 20 minutes to get all 3 to bed as it is. He gets to watch television or go on his phone (when he has it) so he doesn't have to go to sleep, just go into bed. One day I would love for him to go to bed when he wants.

As you know from my last post Brendan lost his phone. He normally goes to bed and then listens to music or watches YouTube in his bed. He also calls me a good 3 times from his bed when random things pop into his head. That may sound cute but when I finally get to relax after a long day the last thing I want to do is talk on the phone minutes after getting him into bed. He also calls every night at 10 pm to say goodnight. Since losing his phone this has obviously all changed. He gets situated in bed with his awesome Bobopedic and watches Cops on his television. He has his bed remote hooked onto his nightstand and he has his television remotes on his bed. He sits up and looks very comfortable.

Over the last few nights I realized that I can't receive any phone calls as he has no phone. He hasn't yelled to me through his closed doors. He just relaxes in his room quietly watching his show. The time comes for us to head to bed and I open one of his doors and peak on him. At this moment I felt the normalcy. My 16 year old has his television off, his remotes on his nightstand, he motorized his bed down and he is asleep on his stomach. He accomplishes all of this completely on his own and I love it. It is my little bit of normalcy in a not so normal life that I have been given.