Underwear Required

Max lives in a very naked world. Underwear required. 

Max is now potty-trained which was a HUGE deal! 
He still wears pull-ups at night, but most nights will wake up dry and go potty right when he wakes up.  It has been life changing.  He gets so excited about going and screams "I did it!" after every success.  But beyond being potty trained his sensory issues have taken a huge nose dive. 
He hates clothes and takes them off any chance he gets.  Now, we understand that being naked is a part of childhood, and it is "normal", but Max screams, cries, fights, and tantrums over the thought of getting dressed.  He has taken his clothes off in inappropriate places and we have had to fight to put them back on.  He doesn't like the feeling of anything on his skin, not matter what fabric.  He tolerates it when he is forced.  We do know that cotton clothing and soft materials are more tolerable than others. 

At school he wears these noise blocking earphones to help block noise. 

Dexter has his own sensory issues.  He doesn't like anything covering him while he sleeps, he hates loud noises and gets overwhelmed in loud places.  Dexter is starting to become very picky with textures of food, and just like Max, is starting to drink more of his diet than eat solids.  We are trying different methods to get Dexter to eat, and when either Max or Dexter requests something to eat we are happy to oblige for them.  We just need both of them to get calories.  People are always shocked when they hear how Max eats because he is off the charts in height and weight, but Dexter isn't even on the charts and can use the calories!

One thing that Will and I wish people would understand about Max and Dexter is how overwhelmed they get in large groups, on holidays, and anything that is out of the norm.  For example, Thanksgiving Day was spent at Aunt Katie's house.  We had a great time, and Max and Dexter actually did great.  Max had one major melt-down but other than that the day went smooth.  On the way home Max got fixated on a helicopter that he played with at his Aunt's house.  This turned into a tantrum that lasted all the way home, and then into the night.  It took us two hours to get him calm and into bed once at home.  Then the next day his body was exhausted and he spent most of the day calming his brain down.  He spent so much of Thanksgiving trying to stay calm which takes a lot of brain power for Max.  We have to pick and choose how many events we do in a day and in a week because too much can really be hard on our whole family once we get home. 

Holidays and social situations have changed for us.  But our boys are teaching us that it is okay to be different.  Different is good.