Home Bodies

Each day I learn something new about my children, and each day I am amazed at what they have taught me. While this revelation is not all that exciting, it is something new. I recently realized, and my mother has confirmed, that my children are home bodies.
While many children enjoy walking through a crowded mall, riding the colorful carousel, playing in the germ infested play area, and buying new things, my children want to get what they came for and leave. Don't get me wrong, they love to go places, but they do not like to linger. Bubba and the Baby would much rather be at home squeezing Belle too tightly or chasing one another around with a broken blinds rod. Baby would prefer to be a good mommy to her babies, while Bubba plays cars all day, instead of heading over to Peter Piper Pizza for a crazy game of Whack-A-Mole.
I'm sure Evander and I have played a large role in their preference to stay at home, and I also know that autism plays a role in Bubba's comfort with home. Evander and I have always enjoyed lounging on the couch watching TV to a night out on the town, and our children seem to have followed closely. I also think my desire to keep Bubba's routine has led to this as well.
In order to have as little stress as possible, Bubba needs to follow the same exact routine every day. One slight variation and the day is potentially shot. For instance, even if we were to finish breakfast at 8:30 am (that would be extremely late for us), he will still ask for a snack at exactly 9:00 am because that is his routine. He thrives on predictability, and without it, comes sometimes devastating consequences. I understand that we have to "live a little" and everything "isn't always perfect", but I have to strive for that each day in order for Bubba to have a good day (and that is my job, after all, to have happy healthy children). For someone to shrug off his need for routine, obviously has no idea what we are dealing with, and hasn't lived through a "broken routine" day.
Our next big adventure away from home will be at Thanksgiving when we travel to Colorado. I am very excited and nervous at the same time. Bubba doesn't fly well (he gets very anxious with the unexpected, the strangers everywhere, and the inability to move around), so I purchased a shirt that says "Autistic today, Genius tomorrow" for him to wear . This way, I figure, all of those "innocent" yet extremely aggravated bystanders who look at us as though Bubba is a very bad kid and we are irresponsible parents will be instantly informed, and I won't have to make rude comments or answer ridiculous questions like I usually do.
I think both children will be happy because we will be staying with our Aunt, not in a hotel. As long as they are "at home" they are happy!