Autism Acceptance Month – Day 24 – Comfort ...
Another comfort item I had when I was really young (ages 1-5) was this yellow dog plush. I remember taking him everywhere with me. He was slightly weighted – I later learned that he was filled with ground nut shells. That also explains why I could never get the horrible scent of patchouli off of him, since he had organic materials inside. I was devastated that my brothers dad sprayed him with that scent, as I hated it. It was horrible and a sensory overload, so you can imagine as a tiny Autistic child I nope’d and didn’t want anything to do with my dog plush anymore.
I no longer have the plush, but I did find a picture of one online. I think by the time mine got ruined he was missing his nose and his fur was very matted, yet I still loved him to death. While searching for this photo I learned he was a Dakin Drooper dog made in the 1970’s. I knew he was my mom’s as a kid, and then she gave him to me.
Autism Acceptance Month – Day 16 – Comfort ...
Comfort items are a huge thing for Autistics. They help us have something we are familiar with when we are in unfamiliar places. I have had many of them throughout the years, but, since today is Easter, I want to talk about one in particular. I will touch on my other comfort items in another post later this month.
When I was younger I used to get a plush bunny every year as an Easter gift. Sometimes, I would even get to pick mine out from the store. That is what happened with the bunny that became my comfort item for many many years. I believe I got her from Hallmark. I can clearly see in my memories that she was sitting on one of the clear glass shelves at the Northland Mall Hallmark store, though I forget what year I got her.
Anyways this small little bunny plush became one of my comfort items. I had to have her in bed with me when I slept. I took her with me whenever I spent the night at a friend’s house. I used to rub her ear with my fingers – as you can see, the fabric on her right ear has become quite flattened. There was one time that I became very distressed when I “lost” her while at a friend’s house. Luckily, I found her only moments later stuck in the couch where I had slept. From around 1999-ish to 2003-ish this was one of my comfort objects. I still love this bunny plush to death. Now she sits on my desk in my office room safe and sound, and I sometimes still rub her ear.
Happy Easter everyone!