It's all Good

by Joyce
(NC)

I couldn't possibly write "My Story" - and honestly, don't have the stamina for it any more ha ha. But I suppose I could share a little. I did like the checklist (lists are my thing anyway) I liked being able to identify parts of who I am with others, I like seeing my children here. It explains so much.

Like many of you all we all have had so many diagnoses - and I don't doubt that they are also true - but they don't account for these special little idiosyncrasies haha.

I don't necessarily see these little "checks" as dysfunction or handicaps etc... it is just part of who we are. And that is cool. In fact, I embrace every "dysfunction" I have (you know, when I'm not suffering in them haha) I like all the crazy things that make me - me. I hope I can pass that down to my kids as well as SPD.

Both my kids and myself are a mixture of hyper and hypo. My son (now 13), wouldn't let me rub him (except on his calves) for the first month or so and then he turned to a kissy-face, cuddle-bug.

My daughter's (nearly 4 now) sensitivity to touch lasted quite a bit longer and still has remnants of it (funny that she lets me braid her very long hair with only a normal amount of protest), but we get in enough loving now to satisfy her level and mine.

They both are great winkers though ;-p They knew how to wink before they could talk haha. They are both hypersensitive to sound - except the ones they are making. Unfortunately, so am I - "OMG! KNOCK IT OFF!"

I can't count the times my son would freak when I dried my hair, I air dry now so it isn't an issue wit my daughter, but public toilets are. Honestly though, do they have to make them SO powerful you could lose a leg - or at least a non-secured piece of clothing?

Before my daughter learned to talk she would make this AWFUL "uh uh uh" noise that would go right through me. So, instead of dealing with that I just taught her to sign haha. ("Oh heck no, this means 'more' Mommy doesn't respond to "uh uh uh" haha)

My son would eat nearly anything, but my daughter and I are very susceptible to smell and taste. I used to get spankings SO often when I was little because of my "pickiness" I didn't care, I took them.

Know what tastes worse than green beans? Ice cold green beans, or green bean juice that has stewed in your mouth for 5 minutes because you just can't bring yourself to swallow it haha. I am still am sensitive to smell and taste - but a perk of smoking is a lot of that is dulled (cough cough ;-p)

They both are creatures of perpetual motion - I'm a TOTAL sloth. What was God thinking? Why couldn't we have been the same? But I suppose he knows best.

I am a total klutz - since birth really. Some of my best stories are of my clumsiness. My son and my daughter (even with a club foot) have always been very deliberate and well balanced. My son has always been very outgoing and fearless (not overly so) and my daughter and I are pretty shy - initially.

Son and I typically like people older or younger not so much our age. Daughter accepts nearly ALL "children" almost instantly. My son - like me is oblivious to SO many things - like, he'll play with a kid for a week and never bother to ask their name.

I can't tell you what my husband likes or dislikes food or drink-wise. Still. Even knowing that I never can remember, I still have not made a point to keep it in the long term (thank goodness I'm blonde under all this dye haha).

My daughter introduces herself immediately and considers playmates siblings "Mom, she's my sister". We all laugh about both ends of the spectrum.

It all evens out I suppose. Sometimes this stuff gets in the way and sometimes it takes you off guard and makes you look at the world in a very cool and special way. With as frustrating as it can be, when I think of all the things that could have gone wrong, I feel blessed that this is the lot we were given. Life is a challenge no matter what you get and with SPD, there are opportunities every day for success. Life is never dull and more often than not - fun.

Besides, there really are positive sides to sensitivity and under-sensitivity. As a grown woman I can think of a few haha, but I suppose most of you know some already so I'll leave it at that.