Tony!

Today is Tonys' 19th birthday!He is my youngest,and the one who overcame the most to get where he is today.When he was 3 month old,I knew something wasn't "usual" with him.At 12 months,we talked to the ped.,and began rounds of testing.Not quite autistic,not quite fragile X,Tony had a few "indicators" for a lot of learning disabilities,but no clear cut diagnosis.So,at 18 months old,he began Early Intervention,a program which I cannot say enough good about,it turned his life around.He started as a half day student,getting on a school bus and traveling half an hour one way to get to school.I wanted to drive him,but was told this was an important part of the program,and helped kids transition between home and school.I cried for a week,that was one of the darkest times in my life,putting my baby on a bus,and I'm crying again just remembering how that felt.The progress he made is nothing short of a miracle.During intake,they asked me,Gail,what do YOU want to see happen with your son?" And I said,I just want to hear him say "I Love you Ma"..he wasn't talking at all.And now we can't shut him up :O) The year he entered kindergarten,Steve gave me a fishtank for Christmas,and Tony was riveted by it.My non-talker made up a song about the fish,and that was how I got my aol username [fishiewoo] :o) He graduated high school on the A honor roll,and decided he couldn't spend any more time in a classroom,so he works at a local autoparts warehouse.Today,he is a savant for all things electronic,especially puters,and anything including the burning of videos from vhs to disk.Anything he becomes interested in,he winds up owning :o)Happy,healthy,and strong :o)I couldn't Love him more or be more proud of him.Happy Birthday Tony :o) !!!

Tony,newborn,with Boo,...they are still inseparable :O)

Second grade,the "Tie" period :o)He HAD to wear a tie when getting his pic taken,and for later chorus and band concerts.and no amount of cajoling would change it,so I bought him fun ties :o)

And the 19 year old,come on already,I want to go :o)