Flat Squirrel Creations: Just keep swimming... Just keep swimming... Just PARTY!!

When life gets you down, you know what you gotta do? Just PARTY! My kiddo's 15th birthday was this past week (yikes...15...) So we partied. Like we do.

She's not your typical 15 year old. She's feisty and opinionated (typical), nonverbal and medically complicated (not so typical). We are a neurodiverse household.

Her Royal Highness Princess Bossy Boots Awesome Sauce McNugget loves Finding Dory and all things Disney/Pixar. So naturally, her party this year was all about Dory. And all things undersea, bright, colorful, and fun! I got to craft my little heart out on a coral reef, cake and banners. I enlisted her YaYa to do jellyfish (which she absolutely nailed, despite the frustrations and dangers of hot glue and plastic...)

......jellyfish!!!

There's a great article on Disability Visibility Project about Finding Dory which discusses the movie and its Disabled characters, as well as how they relate to our current cultural views of Disability. I love the movie because my daughter loves it (and hey, it's great!) but I also love that it is a strong, accessible film which portrays characters with disabilities as competent and valuable. I relate to Dory, as my short-term memory is unreliable at best, and yet I mean well, I try hard, and sometimes when I fail spectacularly, things still have a way of working out in the end.

There's a strange creature lurking deep in the coral reef.....

At the end of the day, I just want to be seen for who I am... not the dumb thing I said or did; not for my limitations or social missteps. I don't want to be coddled, or have anyone lower their expectations of me. If I did or said something which doesn't match up to my character as you know it, you don't have to tell me that. Chances are, I already know it. And it will disrupt my sleep for years to come.

Instead, maybe use your knowledge of my heart and speak to anyone who may not understand me. Help them to know that I am the sum of my social mistakes; share what you love about me. I am passionate; I love fiercely and throw myself headfirst into anything I care about. I get bored easily. I'm a great person to have around in a crisis. I'm not so good at day to day correspondence or consistency. If you need me, I'll be there. Sometimes you just have to drag me out of my hole to get my attention.