Today my gorgeous boy turned 5.Â
I never imagined his 5th birthday would be quite like this. I never thought he wouldnât have a clue that it was his birthday, or that he wouldnât understand what a birthday even is. Nor did I think I wouldnât hear him say âbut itâs my birthday!â approximately 100 times on his special day.Â
However I really donât want to dwell, because I want to celebrate all the positives that today brings. Franklin has the most AMAZING friends who love and support him for exactly who he is. They are mostly 5 so yes theyâre inquisitive, they might ask questions about why he doesnât speak or why he rocks on the floor but the beauty of it is that they accept the reason and move on, zero judgement made. They constantly try to interact with him, to play with him and to communicate with him using a eclectic mix of methods!Â
Iâm astonished and in awe of his slightly older friends – to see how much they want to learn about him and about autism, how they always want to spend time with him and who never let him pass by without a high-five, even if it isnât always reciprocated.Â
Franklin might not always show it or be able to voice it, but I know him and I know without a shadow of a doubt he loves every single one of them.Â
So while I may feel pensive and a touch (ok, a shedload) emotional on his birthday, knowing how truly lucky he is to have such incredible friends surpasses it all.Â
Thank you to all of Franklinâs amazing and wonderful friends for joining us and making today so special â€ïžâ€ïž
Instead of receiving birthday gifts for Franklin we asked for donations and managed to raise a whopping ÂŁ250 for Support Dogs!! Wow!!Â
Spinning in Circles 