Wow, he's sleeping in! The clock shows 7:30...I start to hear those wonderful sounds. Early morning noises commence. "Tommy come snuggle with mom..." and then the action begins. "Go go! Watering can! Warm bath! Walk! Cookies!" I microwave yesterday's coffee and get my mojo up for a big day. HERE, eat some bagels...let me drink my coffee. No, no bath, your skin is too dried out.NO DON'T HIT MAGGIE...NEVER hit a dog. Ok, let's walk. We head down Clubhouse and he hits a small dog on a leash being walked by an old lady. I apologize and make him apologize. And we walk around the lake. Last week he jumped in, despite the ice, so I'm more threatening today. "Don't you DARE jump in. It's freezing and it will hurt!" We have a good walk. Make it home and head for the Pancake Breakfast at the Clubhouse. He makes it calmly 13 minutes.
We head for the YMCA to his joyful tune of "SWIM" 23 times. "Yes, swim! Like a fish, like a dolphin!" I exclaim. At the YMCA he's compelled to pee outside. Not sure why, but I chase him into the building. Today his swim trunks are bugging him. He rushes to the shallow end and has them off within seconds. They are floating near him. I scream and jump in and force them back on. He's got a dry skin rash...I feel so thankful for our new lifeguards, so calm and laid-back. Thank God for TV, Aubrey, and Courtney. They never blow the whistle in embarrassing situations. I get em back on. Ask if he can just wear his underwear, they say no, I run to the front desk, ask for scissors and then cut the netting out of the trunks. Miraculously, this works and we swim our dance, our favorite dance, chasing after the watering can and being happy together in the water. I meet a new friend with a child with autism who is 6. She gets my number and she says, "I'm so tired...I don't know what to do." I say, "I know, they never stop. Come climb Stone Mountain with us and hike with us." We shower and I have to wrench the watering can out of his hands and cover him with lotion. His skin is scaly from too many baths in cold weather. We head home even though he is repeating "Donald" dozens of times and I fix him a taco with fresh guacamole...
On our way to Stone Mountain, we stop and explore that old train that never moves. The one with graffiti all over it. He's excited and says, "Train, train-track..." and I ask, "Can you balance?" and we try to walk on the tracks. He runs fast and jumps the tracks perfectly never missing a beat. He likes the patterns. He could have kept on walking all day there. He said, "Walk, walk!!
Stone Mountain. He has said "Coke" 67 times, so I find a coke machine and have him press the button. We hike up happily but near the top an ambulance and police car 4-wheel by. Even though I've grabbed him by the vest, he runs right toward the police car and I screech. We are warned down since someone at the top has fallen. Tommy is devastated because there's a snack bar with warm pretzels at the top. He gets madder and madder on the way down. Hits me, hits the ground, hits himself in the head. Grabs ancient gum off a post covered with chewing gum and chews it while I shriek about Hepatitus A. "Spit it out it will make you soooo sick," I shriek and he spits it out. Dammit, I forgot his midday meds. Shoves a woman, and I make him apologize. Plops down refusing to move. I promise him a pretzel at the German restaurant, but when we enter, he runs, panicked, up old wooden stairs that lead to nowhere. An old man blocks him and helps me get him down. I try to explain he's going to finally get his pretzel, but the anxiety has won, and he runs out an exit. 4 employees and I chase him screaming, terrified he'll run into the street. "Let me bring you your pretzel," the kind waitress offers and I accept. I resent him for being so anxious that we can't even sit down at a restaurant. When she comes, I tell her she is a kind person and give her a good tip.
Finally home, we have a good dinner and I try to clean him up and get his poor skin moisturized. I have a glass of wine and check my email and when I come out, he's sifted the dirt of one of my plants all over the sofa, an onion has been shredded on the rug, and there are pieces of avocado all over the living room. Stay calm, explain, and clean.
He's exhausted. He's beautiful. He's anxious and active. I love him,
Oh my God...makes me cry so beautiful. I love you!
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