THANK YOU AND GOODBYE, 2014

We just found out we missed the Lowbrow Art and Crafts Fair in nearby Western Massachusetts, where we could have found stuffies that grew out of [name withheld]’s “desire to create a stuffed toy that wasn’t striving for a contrived sense of happiness.” Apparently, such stuffies “let you sit with your feelings.”  2014 has been quite a year for the Full Spectrums, replete with a Full share of disastrophes, laffs, triumphs and “dharma gates"...those stuffies would have sure come in handy...

Welp, even without custom Full Spectrum stuffies, 2014 has been a lot about learning to feel our feelings as a family. For the spectrum-y Spectrums, we are learning to sort and identify what our feelings are, and how they actually feel – in our bodies and minds. For the growing spectrum-y Spectrum, G, we are working on finding the perfect balance between teaching pro-social habits (blowing nose) and **not** teaching him to assimilate as neurotypical. Balance for Z, who has needed stringent rules and oversight for attachment-disordered behaviors, has included progress toward being safe with making some of her own choices, while still feeling held in strong boundaries.

2014 has been an exciting year for this blog, too. Readership doubled (up to 30,000+!), comments have been lively, and  the Sensory Processing Disorder Blog Hop is a hoot and a comfort. I was awarded a funded residency at the Vermont Studio center in 2014, which I was unable to attend because of a lack of childcare; in 2015 I am hoping to be able to attend the Studio Center’s only shorter (one-week) program. I’m excited about beginning my Third Anniversary Post cycle in early January with THIRD ANNIVERSARY LISTS I: ADVOCACY, to be followed by II: ATTACHMENT DISORDERS, III: CHOOSING YOUR BATTLES, and, IV: THE COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT.

I will be accepting COMPLAINTS at my email address, jineffable@gmail.com, until late January.

Wishing you a jolly, healthy 2015,

Full Spectrum Mama