Scary moment...

Yesterday there was a family get together at my Uncle and Aunts house. I had a couple aunts and uncles there with my cousins and lots of my cousins kids.

Jake and I thought the boys would love it cause they love to be outside and there is huge backyard with a big trampoline, a volleyball net and some other fences for the dog and such.

When we first got there Brody just darted to the backyard as I expected. He got about 5 or 10 minutes on the trampoline and then just started wandering around.

Like a couple of suckers Jake and I were dealing with Ryan, chatting with relatives and letting our guard down a bit cause we were watching Brody from the patio.

Then Jake and I were getting some food. I looked again for Brody but couldn't see him in the midst of all the the other kids.

I asked my sister if she could see Brody and she pointed to him and said, "Oh he is by the pond in the back of the yard".

I thought, oh crap, there is a pond?!

Brody LOVES water. Whether a bath, pool or even puddles on the sidewalk after it rains.

I knew he'd get right in without hesitation so I asked my youngest sister to run and go get him.

While she started out to get him I saw him walk down into what must have been the pond and then I stopped seeing his head.

I then assumed the worst and that his head was under water so then I put my plate down and ran that direction.

By the time I got to him my sister had already gotten him out of the pond.

Brody was soaked head to toe.

This little boy was not shocked to get into cold, green water and go under all the way

No, he was crying and screaming cause we had apparently wrecked his wonderful time!!

Never once was he startled or scared. As I carried him back to the house to get him new clothes and a diaper all of my relatives were like, "oh, did he fall in?" and I replied many times, "no, he just walked right in"!

I know some people might think to themselves, "kids will be kids".

I think that sort of was the case but the thing is, there were plenty of kids around Brody's age and younger and they were barely wandering away from there parents, let alone trying to get into the pond.

Also, from what I have read, many kids with autism are not aware of danger like other children. Brody wants to climb up high, he will get into any water, he will run off in many public places without regard to cars or other people, usually never once look back for me or Jake.

Once at home and going throughout the rest of our afternoon and evening I just kept thinking (the one thing no parent should think about - the 'what if's')

"What if we hadn't noticed him get into the pond"

"What if my sister hadn't gotten to him in time"

Too many horrible images and thoughts running through my head. Sometimes I just can't believe a child makes it their next birthday - or at least my child!! I was so scared and frazzled that I didn't even let myself cry out of shear frustration with Brody and fear of the moment that could have happened.

It was a scary moment for me, for Jake but unfortunately Brody only cared that we didn't let him play in the water!