December Recap

Thank you for the kind comments and words of support for Sipsey. She is such a sweet girl but struggles so much with this clothing thing, it can make all of us in this house act like demons. I now have some ideas for where to go from here. All suggestions point to a specialist.

Here's what happened in December:

We FINALLY bought a house (and it snowed!):

It needs a good washing on the outside but the inside has been completely redone. We are slowly getting moved in and settled.

Wheeler turned 3.5 months old (I forgot his 3 month pic and his 4 month pic is on my phone):

Sipsey had a Christmas chorus recital at church:

Sipsey turned 4 and we partied at the bowling alley:

Look who is wearing socks! I think she was distracted by all the birthday fun and didn't even put up a fight.














Coloring books and crayon tin party favors



Bonus! Santa showed up at the end of the party!

We also had Christmas but I'll blog about that separately. December was a month full of sickness for us as well. Sipsey had strep before her birthday. Wheeler had a sick visit too because I thought he may have it, but it was just a cold. Then Sipsey got sick again in Dothan. Who has to take their child to the pediatrician on vacation? We do. Every year. I got mastitis and thought I was going to die of fever, chills, and body pain that accompany it. All that sickness caused us to bypass our New Year's visit to Georgia, but we got to visit with some of Ben's family anyway! I'll get a Christmas blog up soon.

HELP!

Y'all, I need some serious help/opinions. Sipsey is the real-life Princess and the Pea. That's a cute way of saying that she must suffer a minor version of Sensory Processing Disorder when it comes to wearing clothes. The following is a still evolving and ever-changing list of what she WILL NOT wear:

• Jeans (I assume the seams or buttons bother her)
• Leggings (she was fine with leggings all winter until last week)
  
• Any pants that aren't elastic waistband simple pull-on pants
• Socks (the seam drives her crazy. We have turned them inside out, clipped the ends, and bought the "no seam" socks which are crap b/c they actually still have seams. They make true "no seam" socks for kids who really have it severe, but I think I've just realized that we are in that category)
• Boots with fuzzy lining (I bought her two pairs to wear all winter so she doesn't have to wear socks but no the fuzzy lining has become "all wrinkly" and she refuses to wear them)
• Layers (feels "all wrinkly")
• Any shirt or dress with an empire waistline or any seam in the body of the garment (she calls these "straps." Don't even show her an article of clothing with a "strap" bc she cannot be fooled)
• Some shirts with applique or monogramming on the front. It depends on how scratchy they are, I guess
• Bloomers (I bought 3 new pairs for her to wear at the end of summer and for football season and Christmas. She freaks out as soon as she pulls them up.)
• Underwear (well she wears underwear, but is constantly complaining of a "doodient," which is the name she has given to a wedgie. I have bought so many different types of underwear and none of them makes a difference.)
  

We have survived the winter wearing a basic pull-on pant that I have made with any shoes with no socks (thank God for Tom's--seriously, no figure of speech here---thank God because I'm at my wit's end) and any plain shirt like a turtleneck or plain long sleeved shirt. She was wearing straight A-line sweater dresses with leggings but she nixed that last week because of the leggings. I can't wait for summer.

All the research I have done tells me that most kids with this problem are autistic or have a developmental issue. I don't think Sipsey falls into that category and reading about other things that bother these kids (the wind blowing on them or becoming anxious at the lightest touch) she's really not that bad. BUT to ME, it is bad and interferes with our everyday lives. I have adjusted her wardrobe and become extremely patient but today she had a complete and utter convulsing, screaming meltdown at the park because I made her get out of the car and play at the park even though her boots felt "wrinkly." She would prefer to go home and do nothing than to play at the park when her shoes are bothering her! So that's what we did. Five steps into the park and we turned around and came home. I'm sure the lovely young couple sitting on the park bench thought I had a monster instead of a child.

Please someone tell me that they have experienced this! I have discussed the problem to 2 of our pediatrician/family medicine docs here, and they say, "Don't worry about her. They all have certain quirks. She'll grow out of it." Somewhat comforting, but this article tells me otherwise. I'll admit, I HATE the seams in socks and they must be perfect before I can put shoes on. My mom struggled with me and my socks, but she turned them inside out, clipped off the ends and that was the end of my problem. I know of kids with texture problems with their food and they can see a speech/language pathologist. Some articles mention Occupational Therapists to deal with this. How do I know if I need to see one? Especially if the pediatricians say not to worry? I'm not worrying. It is interfering with life and we need help.

Here is small sample of clothes that Sipsey won't wear:

AU dress has an empire waistline (notice the tags still on)




Empire waist. All smocked clothes must be angel wing sleeves or regular bishops.




Waistband in the middle




Empire waist

Seam in the middle

It is so strange to me how kids are soooooo different. Sipsey had a friend come over to play. As she took her boots off, her socks were on UPSIDE DOWN (I'm talking the heel part was on top of her foot. That would drive me crazy!) and the sock was hanging off the end of her foot 4 inches! I shudder at all that extra sock being bunched up in the toe of her boot as she walked around! I wish Sipsey (and me, really) were that carefree!