mid-week, brain in overdrive...

Let me tell you about another side of me. =)
Okay, so… I have sensory issues. (Yes, Keaton probably got that from me.) Anyway, I have issues with the way certain things “feel”. I do not like the way sand or anything of that texture feels, especially on my hands. I do not like the way ‘rough’ textures feel, such as dry skin. It makes me cringe. I wash my hands more than the normal person each day because of this. I do not like certain textures in my mouth. I do not like smooth foods, such as pudding and applesauce. ACK! Anything I can put in my mouth and squeeze through my teeth really needs to stay as far away from me as possible. Another food texture I do not like is watermelon…AGH! Biting down on watermelon is like fingernails on a chalkboard. Another food I despise because of the texture (and the taste) is tomatoes, it’s just nasty. Blah!
I get over-stimulated very easy, just as my son. The difference though is that I’m an adult and can control it in an appropriate way. I do believe this is the reason that it is often times hard for me to sit and watch tv for an extended period of time. Way too stimulating. The tv show, or movie, really needs to capture my attention within the first few minutes or forget it, my brain goes crazy.
Now let’s talk about the sensory issues I have based on noise and sounds. This is where Keaton and I clash. He seeks repetitiveness, if that’s a word, ha. He bangs his hands repetitively when he’s listening to music, as if he’s playing the drums. He bangs his hands repetitively when he’s in trouble, such as bang bang bang on the wall. He loves to “shoot hoops” as he calls it. I believe this is primarily due to the fact he can repetitively bounce the ball, dribbling. Here is where he and I clash: When he is over-stimulated, I hear the repetitiveness, banging on the wall or floor, along with the screaming, which then over-stimulates me… and I can’t stand it! The sound of the repetitive banging REALLY gets to me.
What I have just described has gotten me labeled as “ADD” and “OCD” and just plain anal.
To me, it’s just sensory, all in the mind, and can be worked through. I have actually come a long way, ha. That’s another story.