A child’s first step. A first birthday. The first day at school. It’s the milestones in a child’s life that are extra exciting for parents! It’s a time to celebrate and feel gratitude for the successful completion of each stepping stone on the long journey of life!
Parents want to document all these moments, catch them on camera, take a photo and paste them in an album. They wait for the first time their child meets their gaze. Then, they anticipate for him/her to clamp onto a finger and never let go. All of this is followed by the first tooth, the crawl, the first couple of steps, and the list goes on.
But for Briana Blankenship, the order in which her 5-year-old daughter Taylor achieved some of her milestones is a little different. Briana never knew when Taylor would speak her first word, or if she even could speak. When Taylor’s development was slower than other children her age, Briana knew something wasn’t quite right. That’s when doctors diagnosed Taylor with a form of autism called “nonverbal” which means that her mode of communication isn’t through speech. While she understands bits and pieces, her ability to string together sentences to communicate thoughts and ideas was never a possibility.
Both Taylor and Briana’s life changed when it was just an ordinary day, and they were waiting in the McDonald’s drive-thru. Briana says, “I am ugly crying in the McDonald’s parking lot, and the employees probably think I’m crazy. In the drive-thru, I suddenly heard Taylor say ‘MAMA.’ For those of you that don’t know, Taylor is five and is nonverbal autistic. She has NEVER said a word. EVER.”
This is a shining moment of joy and celebration for mom and daughter! A huge milestone that is the beginning of some big growth and amazing leaps and bounds! Who knew that the little kid could achieve something that almost seemed impossible? But now, she’s unstoppable!
Click below to watch this little girl bring a huge smile to mommy’s face as well as her own.
