Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Shocked with Shopping

Tonight was pretty monumental.

It is Maggie's birthday, and she had a pretty awesome day. We let Maggie choose a few things to do and visited my brother who showered her with cute things she'd enjoy (and really did), but the really awesome thing (for me) was later in the evening, after my brother filled the girls with pixie stix and sent us on our way.

Maggie, in her sugar high wisdom, decided that NOW was the time to get her ears pierced. She was so convinced, that she actually begged me and so, since it was her birthday, I gave in and steered the car towards the mall.

Unfortunately, they only had one person on, and require two to perform a piercing to someone "so young", so we trotted back through the mall with a slightly disappointed Maggie. Until we saw a big "SALE" sign and children mannequins. Maggie begged once again to go into the store and see what they had. And so we did.

Best. Experience. Ever.

Not only did they both gush and preen over the clothing to find the "just right" thing that they were looking for (Winnie to a muted degree, but she still did it all the same) - they both demanded to go to the dressing rooms to try on their potential purchases. In the dressing rooms, I was actually shoo-ed... Shoo-ed while they independently changed and assessed if they liked the look of something or not. Not only was I shoo-ed but there was much preening and posing behind the curtain (I peeked, and was then shoo-ed again!). They each got to pick out one thing (because really, Winnie picking out clothing and posing in front of the mirror was worth it) and while we were waiting to pay for the dresses (Yes, they BOTH got dresses), they danced to the beat in the shop, keeping themselves occupied and entertaining others.

There was no crying, no running, no screaming, no freak outs and no disappointed upsets that generally come with leaving some place. It felt so... natural. It felt amazing.

I am so very proud today. My girls are growing up, and sometimes that's okay with me.

Friday, August 1, 2014

You shop, I shop.

An amazing moment was had today. We went to Walmart (I know, OH LORD WHAT WAS I THINKING?!) and I let the girls look at some things they wanted to look at while we rounded the store to pick up the things I'd come in for. Winnie got to go to the toy department and Maggie got to go to the girls' clothing section - when we were ALMOST ready to leave, I spied a few things in the ladies clothing section that I thought were adorable. Its quite rare when I buy myself something new, but every now and again I see something I really like.

As I slid into the isle next to the item I wanted to look at, the girls started fighting with each other... and it was one of those fights (Parents, you know them) that was gearing up to be a full scale in-the-store battleground. Normally at this time I would quickly do my best to contain the sounds of eminent war and shuffle us out of the store, but something (probably my unwillingness to be defeated, which sometimes looks like "I'm so tired, what the heck!") SOMETHING in me today made me stop and take a completely different tack.

Very surprisingly, I found myself asking them to come over so I could talk to them, and equally surprisingly, they did. I quietly explained to them that I let them do the things they wanted to do while we were at Walmart (touching on each thing that we did, so they knew they got an equal share) and that "Wouldn't it be fair to let Momma look at something she wants to look at in relative peace?"

The reaction I got was... completely shocking. There was silence. For about 15 seconds. And then smiles. Yup, smiles. Then, not only did they let me look at shirts, they came with me, gave "helpful" fashion advice, helped me pick out a shirt, insisted I go and try it on and see it on me, which they then each pronounced how amazingly lovely it looked on me and that I should definitely treat myself to a new shirt.

The rest of the trip went very well and the girls were amazingly well behaved and once again I am amazed at my children. If anyone says that children with Autism don't have feelings like empathy, compassion and a desire to improve the feelings of others - Well, they can just come spend an afternoon with us :)