It's the Great 25th Birthday, Charlie Brown

 

Most people probably imagine a sophisticated 25th birthday. 

My son is not most people. 

He kicks autism's butt on a daily basis, and most people don't even know he struggles. Sure, he will always need help with random things, and yes we've had our share of struggles of frustrations. Every once in awhile however, it shows up in the oddest of hilariously unexpected ways, and THIS is what we choose to focus on.

One way that it manifests, is in truly not caring about his own birthday. He loves celebrating his sister's birthday, and goes absolutely CRAZY as self-appointed point-man for Christmas decorations, but couldn't care less about his own birthday. Asking him how he would like to celebrate tends to result in shoulder-shrugs, eyerolls, and a mumbled, "meh... whatever..." Two years ago, all he said was "mangoes." So he had a mango birthday, with mango-themed meals and desserts, mango paper-lanterns, a mango tee-shirt... since he rarely requests anything EVEN for his birthday, when he gives me even a single word I'll run with it. 

This year when I asked him what he wanted to do for his 25th birthday, keeping in mind that we're still keeping distant... he said he wanted to watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. 

Challenge accepted, Little Man... challenge accepted. 

I started by finishing a project that has been on my to-do list for two years; creating a pumpkin diorama. I purchased the pumpkin two years ago, and the Linus figurine a year ago. A little moss, a few miniature dollhouse goodies and some x-acto work with foamboard & gilitter, and we had a cute pumpkin that will come out every year now. 

I found a Snoopy wall decoration to go over our television, and some paper plates & napkins that were perfect. 

For dinner, we picked up a pair of cheese pizzas from our favorite gluten-free take-and-bake shop, and added black olives to mimic Charlie Brown's zig-zag shirt before baking them. 

With our furnace not working properly, we all curled up under "Linus Blankets" and watched the movie while noshing on pizza, and his requested apple crisp with vanilla ice cream. 

 It was a small birthday, but that's the way my guy rolls. He loved it, which is what counts. 

Happy Birthday, Little Man!