A gentle story about Leo, an autistic child, who learns to notice his body's signals and takes small, proud steps toward using the potty with the support of his patient dad.
Leo was building a tall tower with his favorite blocks. He felt a funny, wiggly feeling in his tummy. It was a new feeling. He stopped building and put his hand on his belly. "What's that?" he wondered softly. He looked at his stuffed whale, Puddles, who was watching the tower. Leo knew this feeling meant it was time to think about the potty.
Leo picked up Puddles and walked to the bathroom. The potty seat was right next to the big toilet. It was blue, his favorite color. He stood in the doorway for a moment. The bathroom was quiet and calm. He took a deep breath, the way Dad showed him. "It's just a new thing," he whispered to Puddles. "We can try new things."
Leo carefully pulled down his soft pants and sat on the cool, blue potty seat. He held Puddles tightly. He waited. Nothing happened yet. That was okay. Sometimes you have to wait. He rocked back and forth a little, a gentle motion that helped him feel calm. He was listening to his body.
Then, he heard a trickle! Leo looked down with big, surprised eyes. He did it! A little potty success! He felt a bubbly feeling of pride inside. He hadn't been sure what would happen, but he tried, and something did! He gave Puddles a happy squeeze.
Dad peeked into the bathroom with a gentle smile. "I heard a happy sound!" he said softly. Leo grinned up at him. "I listened to my tummy," Leo said. "And then I heard the trickle!" Dad's smile grew even bigger. "You noticed the signal and you came to try. That is fantastic, buddy!"
Next came the washing hands part. Leo stood on his little step stool. He pushed the soap dispenser once. Foamy, lemon-scented bubbles piled in his hands! He rubbed his palms together, making silly squishing sounds. He loved watching the bubbles grow.
He rinsed all the bubbles away under the warm, splashing water. Then he pulled one paper towel from the roll. He rubbed his hands dry, back and forth, until they were all clean. The paper towel made a soft, crinkly sound he liked.
Back in his room, Dad gave Leo a high-five. "You did so many important things!" Dad said. "You noticed your body, you tried, you washed your hands. I am so proud of you." Leo felt warm and sparkly inside. He liked it when Dad was proud. He held his green stone, feeling its smooth surface.
Leo went back to his block tower. He added one more block to the very top. His tummy felt calm now. Sometimes trying new things was tricky, but today felt good. He knew the potty was there for next time, too. He hugged Puddles and smiled. He had practiced, and that was a wonderful step.