Summer in the City

 Sunday means a 2 hour wait for the bus.  That gave us time for some watercoloring.

 

 Then we took the bus to the Library to return our books.  There is also enough space there to play with the balsa wood glider without wires, cars or other impediments.

 It was officially hot today, so we packed the kid's bathing trunks and he (and I) splashed around in the Mary Schenley fountain. 

 After about an hour I could feel my face tightening and I remembered that I forgot sunscreen for both of us.  So we dried off and went into the Frick Fine Arts building to cool down.

 Back outside at the busstop, Donovan had to start climbing the base of the flagpole.

 Then we came home and much piano playing ensued.  And actual imaginative playing with toys!

"I'm taking apart your house, Bluebell--don't be scared!"

Better With Age

Yesterday was my 45th birthday.  When I came into the kitchen that morning, Donovan handed me this envelope and said, "Here, Mama--this is for you."

Inside was a card:

Me: Look!  Kitties!

Donovan: They're drinking booze!

Inside was written these sincere wishes:

It was a very nice birthday.

2nd Hand Story

Last week, Mike went to Donny's School for Take your Father or Grandfather or Uncle or Other Important Father Figure To School Day.  Donovan loved having his Dad there with him for the day and Mike appreciated getting a better idea of what the kid's life is like when we're not around.

The one detail Mike mentioned that I just loved is that the day started with an orientation for the menfolk that included a video message from Steelers' Coach, Mike Tomlin.  Mike (my husband, not the coach) said Tomlin started his talk with, "Yo!" and then went on to talk about his family and how important fathers are to their kids.

Go Stillers!

Makes Perfect Sense to Me.

I realize that I'm way behind as far as this blog is concerned.  One thing to bring up, however, is that we have been continuing to work with a good number of kind and dedicated teachers and therapists where Donovan's developmental delays are concerned.  We recently took him for an updated diagnosis--actually, I shouldn't say "we" as I had to work so Mike took him.  The doctor there gave a diagnosis of Expressive Language Disorder, which does make sense.  We are going back next week for a follow up to get the more formal diagnosis. 

With that diagnosis in mind, among other things, I've been trying different ways to get Donny to have conversations with us.  He is getting better at it.  One of my favorite ones happened recently when we were riffing on something my Dad used to say to me all the time:

ME: Know what?
D: What?
ME: I love you!
D: I love you too.
ME: Thanks, Donny!  When you say that it makes my heart happy.
D: It makes my heart happy too. [Pause] It makes my circle happy.
ME: Your circle?
D: You like hearts--I like circles.

Pittsburgh International Children's Festival OR Weird Scenes Inside the Goldmine

Donovan and I had a date with Leo, his Mom, his sister and her friend at the International Children's Festival today.  I was super-geeked because part of the festival was huge "luminaria" that you could walk thru called Amococo.  I was even more excited when we got there because it was HUGE.  Massive, even.  And of course, like all things I think my son will like, as soon as we walked in the crying started, "I don't like this place!  I want to leave!  I want to put my shoes back on!"  I try not to feel too bad when he does this but sometimes I get this overwhelming feeling of defeat.  Luckily I fought it because, after a friend of mine who was working there showed us some of the cooler parts, Donny started getting into it. 

 It helps that the kid's favorite color is red.

 While we waited in line, one of the enthusiastic young ladies who was helping explained to us how it worked, saying, "Every room has a different color and so your clothes and skin and hair will turn that color." And I did not say to her, "Has anyone involved with this project ever read The Masque of the Red Death, because its not really a kid's book..."

 After that, we went and walked around and sampled a bunch of the tents and booths that were set up.  Leo's sister and her friend went to get their faces painted and I took the boys to get their first tattoos.

Directly after this, they had 4 more beers and ended up at the Navy Recruitment office. 

Cause of Music and Tension

It's all fun and games until someone plays the keys on the other person's side...

We Have Visitors!

More details and photos later--now its time for the Moms to hang out...