Max is a creative 11 year old! He loves to draw what he sees, and what others can’t. Max lives in his own world where he talks to himself, his dinosaurs, and his visions. Max started drawing what he would “see” around the age of 3. Before he talked, he was drawing monsters, dragons, and dinosaurs. My husband and I noticed early on that what he drew represented what he saw around him. Drawing gave us a window of communication and was a huge step into building a relationship with our almost completely non-verbal child. Max was diagnosed with Autism at age 3.5, then at 5 he was diagnosed with an intellectual disability. Max is our forever four year old, and although we have been through all parts of the grief cycle, we have learned to truly appreciate his innocence. He loves the simplicity of Sesame Street, Curious George, and Pocoyo. Max enjoys toddler toys like duplo, fisher price trucks and people, and stuffed animals. He loves to repeat dialogs, sing songs, and talk to people about dinosaurs. His dinosaur knowledge is impressive, and he has a massive dinosaur collection! When Max receives a new dinosaur he will say “welcome home” or “welcome to the family” and is so proud that he saved another dinosaur toy from the store. Max is very creative and uses his creativity to express himself. Max has been able to show his fears, anxiety, and life events through pictures of dinosaurs. Even though Max struggles with basic life skills and has a hard time even leaving the house, his artistic talents are a strength. His brain is amazing, and we are so lucky to have him in our life. He has taught my husband and I to slow down, to have patience, and to worry less about the “can do” but instead embrace what he can do! Instagram Link