Aiden was born a happy, mellow baby.  Good eater.  Good sleeper.  Everything a new mom could dream of.

Immunizations:
They were always tough.  He'd get a very high fever and be very ill for 2 to 3 days.  Doctors told us a fever was normal so I thought I was just being an over protective, worried, first time mom.
 
Daycare:
He was in daycare starting at 4 months old.  Until about age 2, the staff always commented on how "easy" he was.  He was easy because he was happy to just sit in a corner, pushing a button repeatedly or doing some repetitive activity.  But he was too young for a typical person to recognize the warning signs.
 
First Birthday:
At the time, I thought everything was normal.  Watching the video from his first birthday now makes me cry.  How did I not recognize there was an issue???
 
Age 2:
Daycare director is starting to voice some concerns regarding Aiden's development.  The first time mom in me just thinks Aiden is shy.

New Daycare:
Aiden does not adjust to his new environment.  He goes the entire day without eating.  Sits in the corner in the classroom or stands in the corner on the playground.  We think the classroom size may just be too big for him so find a new daycare center.  THANKFULLY, before we can move him, the teacher talks to me very directly and tells me she's concerned about his development.  She gives me information for exactly where we can get him evaluated and even gives me a brochure and contact names and numbers.  We moved him to a new center anyway to a class with only 5 kids rather than 14 where the director from the first daycare center is now working.
 
Evaluations:
Evaluation is done.  I hear the word "autism" for the first time but they cannot give a diagnosis and dance around the topic a bit.  And I can't accept it anyway.  I'm in disbelief but Aiden's father suggests we start looking for speech therapy anyway.  "It won't hurt."  And if we're wrong, it would be VERY bad if we didn't start therapy right away.  
 
Therapy:
Aiden has therapy once a week for 1 hour and the therapist comes to the daycare center.  It's a new center so they have empty classrooms.  And the director is very kind, understanding and accommodating.  I attend the sessions to see what they are doing.  Now that I have a typical 3 year old of my own, I fully understand that Aiden should have been able to do what they were doing.  Eye contact.  Rolling a ball back and forth.  Responding to his own name.  Copying the actions to the itsy bitsy spider song.  He can't do any of these things at 2 1/2 years old.  And he still isn't saying a word.
 
We try to find speech therapy.  We're on a wait list for 5 months.  He finally starts when he turns 3.
 
We start with sign language.  And he is starting to communicate. 
 
In general, Aiden's behavior during this time is very difficult.  He isolates himself at daycare.  He throws temper tantrums because he can't communicate and because we don't know how to communicate with him.  I'm still in denial about all of this but when speech therapy begins, we recognize we have a serious problem.  Aiden's dad begins working only 20 hours a week so he can take him to therapy.  My income is higher and so this is why we do it this way.  But it kills me to not be the one taking care of my boy.  When I get up in the morning, I cry when I'm in the shower where nobody knows.  When I drive to work, I cry then fix my make up before I walk in the door.  I cry when I drive to the daycare to pick Aiden up, listening to songs about courage and character and being strong.  But I know I'm crumbling and falling apart.  I try not to cry in front of Aiden's dad.  He's dealing with it, too.  And I don't cry in front of Aiden because he won't understand and it will probably upset him.  This emotional roller coaster goes on for 2 months at least.
 
Diagnosis:
We're on another wait list at the University of Washington to get Aiden evaluated.  At about age 3 1/2 we have the appointment and he is diagnosed.  I've reached a point where I have accepted it and am not surprised by the outcome.  What I am surprised by is the therapy:
20 hours of ABA a week
Speech therapy
Occupational therapy
 
"This "might" work.  But we really don't know where to tell you to get it.  Best of luck to you."  I felt like I was diagnosed with cancer and told "best of luck figuring out how to fix THAT".  It was heart breaking.  I was told my son may never talk to me, may never hug me, may never understand what it means when I tell him I love him.  It's like he died, but he's still here with me, locked inside this body where I can't reach him. 
 
I call that other daycare center back and talk to the teacher who told me how to get him evaluated.  I tell her that her instincts were right and though I took Aiden out to get him into a smaller class, she did the right thing and may have literally saved his life because we can now begin early intervention.
 
More Therapy:
Our therapy clinic is very good.  He goes every morning for 2 hours and we're seeing progress.  They help us find an "ABA therapist" - and tell us what that actually IS.  We finally have a "therapy plan" in place and Aiden's dad can get back to work full time so we can pay these medical bills.
8-9:30am: Speech therapy
therapist drives Aiden to daycare
10 - noon:  therapist works with Aiden at the daycare center
noon: lunch with his class
nap
3 - 5pm: more therapy with another therapist.
 
We do this 5 days a week.