That was when I realised...

It was 2 days before Xmas and the shopping centre was crawling with last minute gift buyers and  I, myself was one of them. I #nailed Taleah's present with a huge Lalaloopsy doll and a bunch of other little nicknacks that I planned on wrapping separately. I searched high and low and could not find a gift for my just turned 3yr old. You see Emmi-Belle doesn't play with dolls or dress ups or my little ponies, she is a practical kind of gal. In true ASD style, Em sees outside the box and looks at things very differently to you and I. Things we simply look over she finds fascinating. Take for instance a hose reel, she will stare at it and point out the shapes the metal makes to create the wheel and traces the shapes with her tiny fingers while reciting a dora episode start to finish. Emmi-Belle will go and collect everything she can find in the garden and back yard that is orange and make her own little orange bower bird nest.
What do you get a  child that would prefer to carry around cotton tips all day than play with a makeup set?

I searched for hours with no luck. It was the first Xmas that she would sort of understand the whole present thing and I had nothing to give her that she would like.
I felt deflated and decided I would just get her anything so that at least she could open something. I walked into Target and grabbed her a lalaloopsy doll. As I was making my way to the checkout I wandered through the home decor section. I spotted a thick woollen grey knitted throw rug. It instantly reminded me of Emmi-Belle, it was so super soft with a fat textured weave! I could imagine her nuzzling into it while she did her creepy yet adorable giggle that she does when she is excited. That was when I realised... I was too busy trying to buy her a "normal" present for a 3yr old when in fact I just needed to get her a present that I KNEW she would love.
So what do you buy a 3yr old girl that has high sensory stimulation and loses her sh!t over logical objects???..... A nuts and bolts set and a knitted throw rug.
Yes you read right, I walk out of Target with a packet of nuts and bolts and a $39 throw rug and I felt good. I did however feel very weird when the lady at the gift wrapping station asked who the gift was for and I said my 3yr old daughter lol but that's a whole other story...
Emmi-Belle opened her gifts on xmas morning and guess what?? She bloody LOVED both of them! I actually wish I had filmed her opening the nuts and bolts set because the look on her face was priceless haha. At the end of the day all of our kids are different and that's what I love about our little Emmi-Belle. Everyday she makes me see the world differently, in a much more pure light and I am slowly understanding her way. So, here is to many more odd Chissy presents. :)
#Autismmum
Love Nik xx