Reality Check

So as usual I got home from work late tonight.  On Tuesday's my husband and myself carpool into work.  Only having 1 car we usually have to do that on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Anyway...My husband ran into a lot of traffic on the way home.  We didn't get home until 6:45 PM.  We picked up Ethan from my sister's, who watches him and went right home.  (which is directly next door to my sister).  After being in the door for about 5 minutes Ethan's diaper shifted and he peed all down his pants.  I could tell by the way he was pulling on it it was bothering him big time.  My husband said, "Why not just put him in the tub early and bring him back down until bedtime."  I thought okay sure he has pee running down his leg so he needs a bath anyway. 

Once in the bath tub he was fine and dandy.  He played with his bath toys and did everything like any other routine night.  We took him into his room and dried him off and dressed him like any other routine night.  At 7:15 PM not because he was tired but because as any other "routine" night he climbed right into bed and demanded for blankie and binky.

Should be no big deal.  I have friends who say "I am so jealous with how easy Ethan goes to bed."  Tonight though I saw a glimpse of how you can not break a routine on a child with ASD.  He didn't care that it was not completely dark out yet or about the fact I asked him if he wanted to come downstairs to watch some TV.  He knew that after his bath comes bed.  That was it!!  He didn't care to spend some quality time with mommy and daddy since we haven't seen him all day.  He knew after his bath comes bed.  Although I did not make it a big deal to him I gave him binky and blankie tucked him in and gave him a kiss.  My heart sank just a little.

It shouldn't bother me but I guess it does a little bit.  

Just another day of me slowly coming to terms with Ethan's Diagnosis.