Continuing To Be Surprised

We are staying in a holiday house this weekend with three friends of ours. They don't have any kids, but they are very lovely and enthusiastic about mine, bless.
E has been amazing. He had been alternating between being totally excited about coming to bawling his eyes out with dread. He desperately did not want to sleep away from home, and was adamant that he would not. Well, he has. Twice. And has been a total dream in between.

We went to the beach which he was also dreading. He loves shallow water, but is very scared of drowning. After some trepidation, my friends managed to coax him over to where the water was racing up the beach, and he loved it. He had a wonderful time and I am so proud of him for facing his fear.

He seems so determined this weekend to be just one of the adults. He keeps telling me I am embarrassing him! He needed to poop, which is very often a hassle when we are away from home. He went through a period of almost a year where he would just hold it in for days and days because he just seemed to hate going to the toilet. We now have him OK with going at home, but somewhere else is much trickier. But anyway. What does he do? He walks to the loo silently, closes the door, wipes his OWN bottom (has never happened EVER), washes hands, returns to table. Insane. Husband face and I were staring at each other in disbelief!

I think so much if his anxiety comes from fear. He is so afraid of hurting himself, or dying (he talks about this fear a lot), and is so self-conscious in his actions and movements. I really hope the psych can help, because this has been an amazing glimpse into what life could be like for him. I'm not sure what it is about this weekend; perhaps I am just really relaxed and he is picking up on that, but he is so much more confident and relaxed than usual. He still didn't want me to go and get takeaway without him, and he has still made little piles of treasures that he is very anxious about anybody moving or touching, but they are minor things. It is so lovely to see him be able to be himself and have a good time. It has been a wonderful surprise.