Spontaneity Rocks

Ecology class was cancelled today. The email said that they were preparing for their fund raiser tomorrow and suggested we stop by then instead. This left a big ol' space on our schedule, so I made Alex's day. We went back to J.W. Tumbles for Open Gym.

We saw lots of old friends there. I explained to one mom, Liane, that we would be back to Tumbles in November. Alex had a great time running and climbing. When it was time to go, he wasn't too happy until I told him that we would be going to the diner and the hardware store. He was all about the hardware store.

He surprised me more than once today, though. I told him that we also had to go to Village Hall to order some recycling bins. When we'd done it, he asked me when we were going to get the recycling bins. (I'd ordered them to be delivered.) Cooperation with an errand? That's new.

But that wasn't the only surprise. Lately, he's been very spontaneous with his hugs and affectionate expressions, like telling me that he loves me. Today, he stopped by the sidewalk grass to pick a flower, like he commonly does, but he handed it to me instead of keeping it.

You know I pressed that flower. It's a passed on dandelion, at least a few weeks out of bloom, but I pressed it anyway.

Friday, September 30

Alex Loves Shopping. No, Really. He Does.

I had an appointment with my neurosurgeon, Dr. deLotbiniere this afternoon. I had to bring Alex with me, which was great with him. It meant we could spend some time together at White Plains.

I had to return some DVDs to the Mamaroneck library. I also had to get Alex a new biking helmet and the experimental "potty toy" today. So, we went out to Mamaroneck Avenue early. Then we traveled to White Plains. This was a whole DAY of shopping for Alex.

After the surgeon examined my scar and told me that he would like me to get an MRI on the anniversary of my surgery, we left the office and walked to the bus stop. We took it towards White Plains instead and did some shopping.

For a strange reason (meaning the carts he saw which had riding cars attached to them), he wanted to go to Shop Rite (which he kept calling "Shop Well"). Then, when I told him that we didn't need any groceries, he wanted to go to Target. I was OK with that as long as we could look at clothing for him. He had other plans. The toy aisles were ready for him.

I took some photos for Santa. Ya know, ideas. We never did get to look at any clothing.

"I love shopping", he told me "Just not for clothes, or pots, or groceries. Just toys, really."

I think I figured that out.

Tuesday, September 27

Precision Please

Alex is yelling at Dora (the Explorer) right now. Apparently, she has suggested the use of some "sticky tape" to fix a hot air balloon that one of her friends is using. Alex is objecting to the idea of "sticky tape" insisting that ALL tape is "sticky". So, apparently, Dora should stop saying "sticky" tape.

And to think he stopped watching Ni-Hao Kai Lan because he thinks Kai Lan is too bossy.

Monday, September 26

A Shopping Day

Alex was playing with his puppy this afternoon. At one point, he wrapped its leash around a handle of one of the trunks in the living room. 

"I'm going to the store," he told me. "And they don't let puppies in the store.  He has to stay there."

I would have taken a photo of it, but when I grabbed the camera I noticed that the battery was missing. So, that was a quick hunt.

Precision Please

Alex is yelling at Dora (the Explorer) right now. Apparently, she has suggested the use of some "sticky tape" to fix a hot air balloon that one of her friends is using. Alex is objecting to the idea of "sticky tape" insisting that ALL tape is "sticky". So, apparently, Dora should stop saying "sticky" tape.

And to think he stopped watching Ni-Hao Kai Lan because he thinks Kai Lan is too bossy.

Monday, September 26

Coney Island Part 1: The NY Aquarium

Anxious to do more meet ups and to get to Coney Island at least once this summer, I contacted my Yuku friend Sarah to ask her if she could get to the NY Aquarium.  After much debate as to which day was predicted to have the least amount of rain, we decided this morning that it would be the day. 

I left my house with Alex early, knowing that I'd get to Coney Island ahead of Sarah and her kids.  I wanted Alex to see the amusement parks there, hoping I could entice him to want to visit those too.

We had some brief lunch on the boardwalk and a bit of a disagreement over his playing on the monkey bars on the beach.  (It was close to the time we had to meet Sarah.)

But, I was able to get him into Luna Park to have some ice cream. He agreed to come back there after the aquarium.

Sarah and her son Braeden were waiting for us at the entrance.  We met up with her husband Marc who had had to bring her April 07 baby, Ryleigh, to the bathroom. (Hint, Alex. Hint.)  We were just in time to see a walrus feeding and then head off to the sea lion show.  Alex laughed his head off at the sea lion antics, but you just know I wasn't able to get it on video.

I did get him rocking out to the next part of it, though.

Alex took so well to Sarah and Marc!   At one point in the sea lion show, he scooted up next to her and placed his hand on her knee.  While walking there, he held onto Braeden's stroller while she was pushing it.  Then, once outside the show, he took to Marc like crazy. 

All of the kids with Sarah's husband, Marc.

We decided to see the hands on exhibit, so we walked into that hall.  Unfortunately, it was closed, so we had to settle for the saltwater marshlands exhibit which allows the viewer to see underneath the water. (With fish placed there.) 

(There wasn't one time we could get all three looking back at the camera at the same time. ) At one point, I had a really big scare.  Alex wandered off on his own and it's dark in this exhibit.  He was lost for about panic-striken 3 minutes.  He earned a demerit for that.  ;-(

The rest of the exhibit was really cool.  There were seahorses:

Giant, deepwater fish

And a giant walrus statue, on which Alex refused to be photographed.

In the shark exhibit (which Alex insisted on getting to), there were Great Whites and a 10 foot stingray.

The best exhibit, though, had to have been when Alex wanted to hold Ryleigh's hand.  (I told him that he had to ask her first.  I asked her and she agreed.)  They soon became NY's new power couple, or so said Sarah.

After we bought some souvenirs (Alex wanted the shark set), we agreed to go to Nathan's for a quick bite.  Out on the boardwalk, the previously camera shy Alex hammed it up. (Probably for Ryleigh's sake.)

He also had something very important to tell Ryleigh on the walk there: That's the parachute jump that can be seen in the distance. It doesn't work anymore. I had explained this to Alex when we first arrived.  He took every opportunity to tell Sarah and Marc (and Ryleigh) this repeatedly.
After we had hot dogs and fries, Sarah and Marc had to go back home.  While saying our goodbyes on Stillwell Avenue, Alex informed Marc that he would be staying with us.  Marc had to inform Alex that he would be driving the car to get everyone else back home, so, maybe next time.

At that, Alex and I turned to go back to the boardwalk. We had some fun to get after.

Coney Island Part 2: Luna Park

After we'd left Sarah and Marc, I headed towards Luna Park.  We walked through the Scream Zone entrance on Stilwell and through a back alley that had arcades and games.  At a basketball game, I won Alex a raggedy teddy bear.  In an arcade, he checked out the games, but didn't wish to play any.

"They copied Playland!" he objected.  I had to explain that Coney Island had opened nearly 40 years before Playland did. Playland was the copy.  He had to verify that with me several times while we walked through Wonder Wheel park and up onto the boardwalk.  By the time we arrived at Luna Park, he was cautiously telling the staff there that Playland was the copy.  (Only one woman knew what he was talking about.)

I'd bought a Luna Card before we met Sarah and her family. Now we had to get to spending it! I encouraged him to try a kiddie log flume there called "The Mermaid Parade".  Despite his objections to the name, he loved the ride.  He wound up on it some four times.  He laughed so hard each time it went down the hill.  A tiny hill!

Then he wanted to go on some swings that went up pretty high - for him anyway.  I talked him out of those and onto these boats.  Boy, was he both sorry that I did and glad that I hadn't let him go on the swings.  These boats were "too high" for him.

Poor little guy.  He's hanging on for dear life in that video. After these boats, there was no getting him onto any of the more daring rides; not even things he's been on before like the spinning cups or the hot air balloons. (Both at Sesame Place and other locales like Playland or festivals).

We did find another ride he enjoyed a lot.  A little tot train.

Then it was time to play some games!  We tried a duck game, at which he won a seahorse.  Then we tried the fishing-froggy game at which frogs spin around on a circle with their mouths opening and snapping shut.  You had to dip a hook into their mouths and lift them up.  That took longer than I should admit.  He won a little bear there.

Then he wanted to take a walk out to the beach.  We stopped for some more ice cream.  Then I realized that he would need a new shirt, since he got ice cream all over himself.  I was able to get two souvenir shirts for $15 dollars. 

We walked all the way past Steeplechase park and the now-well-known-to-him Parachute Jump.  There was a gazebo on the beach there right across from another jungle gym, but I was nervous around the crowd that was seated there.  I had to rush Alex off the jungle gym.  He wasn't happy about it.  At the next jungle gym, I realized that it was close to 6 PM.  We still had points on the Luna Card and we wouldn't be back soon.  I had to get him out of there too.

As we walked back towards the amusement parks, I saw a ride in Deno's Wonder Wheel Park (or is it the Scream Zone) that looked currr-aaa-zy.  It was like a yo-yo or a gyroscope, balanced on two wires, bouncing high into the air.  In the yo-yo/gyroscope are two seats, intended for passengers.   It can be seen here; the black thing in the middle of the two large orange poles.

They have to be kidding me.

I assured Alex that we would not be going on that ride.

But there were more games to play! We stopped at some skee-ball in the Scream Zone.

He rode the Tot Train and the Mermaid Parade one more time each. Then there was one more ride I talked him into: The Beach Shack.  This was a shack with seats facing out from its center that spun around on an asymmetrical pivot, like the swings will.  He loved it!! He wanted to go back on it, but all of the kiddie rides were closing then.  We had 9 points left on the Luna Card, so we played one more game: a water gun race at which we won a purple snake.   

The sun was soon setting on Coney Island. I realized that we had to go. We'd get home well past Alex's bedtime at this rate.  Alex told me that he wanted to come back there "tomorrow".  I had to tell him that it would be much longer from then. The parks are only open on weekends until the third week of October and for some of Sukkoht.   After that, they close until May. 

He fell asleep on the subway home.  I hated having to wake him at Grand Central.  He had such a full day.

Searching for Froggy

We had our second Mommy & Me Ecology Class today.  I think Alex might be getting used to the idea.  Besides, it was such a gray and gloomy day, what else would we do?

Alex insisted on bringing toys to RNC. I told him that he could not play with them during class.  Of course, he got them mixed up with the toys that are already there, so I spent Animal Time looking for the breastplate of General Grievous' armor.

This day, however, was loaded with more pond fun, because Kristy took the class back to the pond - where Alex and I had visited on our own last week.  She invited us to look for frogs, explaining that the tadpoles once kept in the tub had become frogs that were now in the pond.  We even spotted one sitting on a lily pad!

Alex joined craft time again!  And he even played the games that Kristy had set up for the class.  He once again sat out on story time, though.  Choosing the shells again.  Or is it because he's choosing me again?  I'm actually pretty sure that it's the latter.

We got to bring home some tomatoes from the garden. Kristy said that we should put them in a paper bag and see if they ripen.  Alex gave his tomatoes to Mary. I took them back.

It was raining by the time we got out of class, so I suggested that we leave and get to the Square House Museum.  He was more than happy to oblige.  He loves that place.

Good thing I plan to bring him to the Fall events they have there.  Could we hope that he's beginning to understand the concept of history?  I guess we'll find out. They have a new exhibit on Colonial and Indian life in November.

One Honest Man

One of Alex's chores is to water the plants on the outdoor patio. While walking back to the house after Nature Class, I told him that he didn't have to water the plants today. The rain clouds had done it for him. So, I would give him a sticker for having done it, since it wasn't in his control to water them today.

"No!" he objected, "You have to give the rain clouds a smiley face! They watered the plants today!"

He got a sticker for honesty instead.

Friday, September 23

Even Robots Get Hungry

I tried a new trick at dinner tonight. Alex was at the table in his new Optimus Prime costume. He also just received an Iron Man robot from his grandparents today. So, I told him that his broccoli florets were really gears and that his sliced turkey were silicone discs.

I felt partially bad about it until he told me that the ziti I was making weren't tubes, they were pipes and the spaghetti he already had on his plate were wires.

Oh yeah. I think I scored.

Monday, September 19

Well, That Was Easy

We stopped in CVS for a few things. They were all ready for Halloween. Since Dan had told me that Alex had been scared by the tall skeleton in CVS (and having nightmares ever since), I decided to let him test his fears out in the Halloween aisle. I selected dishwashing liquid and trash bags and then looked for Alex.

Alex had started his selection of the Halloween costumes they had. Unfortunately (for me), they had an Optimus Prime costume. He had been looking at a size too big for him. I pulled out one that was his size.

"Thank you!" he said elatedly, and ran off towards the cash register with it. Soooo, I guess I was getting it.

But we'd already selected a Jango Fett costume from Chasing Fireflies. What about that one, I asked Alex. "Nah. I want to be Optimus Prime".

On the walk home I verified this switch. The Optimus Prime costume isn't as good a quality as the Jango Fett one. I finally told him that we would probably order the Jango Fett costume anyway.

He hugged my arm at that point. "You're the best Mommy ever!" he told me. I asked him why he said that. He said "Because you get me things that I like."

Oh. OK so that's all it takes?

Monday, September 19

A New Ecology Class

 This morning, we had a new Mommy & Me Ecology Class at the Rye Nature Center. I had intended to join the RNC this year, so I planned to show up earlier than class started. I also hoped that Alex would get excited for the class by seeing Squeaks (the guinea pig) and "the Lokis" (as he calls all ferrets) again. They did us one better. They showed Alex the new cider press. He was all over that. A date was made to show up the next day for a Cidering Workshop.

There was a new teacher for this class and, even more exciting, new students close to Alex's age! Alex dove right into playing with the toy animals and meeting his new classmates.

When it was time to start, Alex asked why a class was starting now. This was not to be confused with his degree of interest in the class. Kristy took them outside to plant carrots and water them. Alex was now really engaged in the class.

Making a hole for the carrot seeds

Watering the plants

Husking corn

She even had them dig up earthworms to help the newly planted seeds along. Alex LOVED that part. In fact, he loved it so much that he didn't want to put the worm in the planter. I had to remind him that the last time he carried a worm around at the Marshlands Conservancy he wound up with a dead worm. To place the worm in the planter would be the kindest thing he could do. I had to promise that he would see the worm next week.

Handling the earthworm

Watching the worm bury himself

Alex even sat down with the class to do the craft! At storytime, he was still not interested, preferring to sit and look at the shell collection with me.

After class, I would have thought that he wanted to go straight to the playground. After all, it is his favorite place in the whole nature center. Instead, he led me to the pond. "Let's see the tadpoles!" he said, excitedly dashing over to the tub where the tadpoles were kept in the Spring. I had to explain that they were frogs by now and likely living in the pond. Then he wanted to see them there. We didn't see any, but we did catch movement away from our feet at the edge of the pond.

Hoping to see frogs

Then it was time to go to the playground. He was thrilled to know that it was free play time. "We don't have to learn!" he cheered, "Yay!"

Eventually, we left for lunch at the Bagel Shop and we stopped at the Country Store. He must have been happy with the adventure as it unfolded because he gave me no real argument on the bus home.

Well, here's hoping that the next class comes with just as much enthusiasm.

Friday, September 16

Goodnight Beach, Goodnight Summer

I had passes left over from my attempts to get to Island Beach earlier in the summer.  My surgery messed up a lot of the summer and I could never work out a day to get there, outside of the day we tried when Orquidea was here.   I remembered that my Yuku friend, Jen, lived in Connecticut.  I wrote to her asking if she could get to Greenwich.  She said she could and a date was set.  This would be the first time I met Jen and my first Yuku meet-up in more than a year!

We arranged to meet at the Olive Branch, a deli near the Greenwich station.  Alex and I arrived at Greenwich earlier than the meeting time, so we took the opportunity to get some new books.  We picked up a Power Rangers book and two cute new readers entitled "Little Beaver and the Echo" and "The Seven Silly Eaters".  Then, we headed to the deli.  Jen came along with Alex and Spencer soon enough and we were off for Roger Sherman Baldwin Park to wait for the ferry.

My Alex and Jen's Alex got along amazingly.  Alex W. loved the ferry and my Alex was all too happy to have an enthusiastic sailing partner. 

On the island, the boys went in different directions.  Alex W. dashed off towards the water and my Alex went off towards the playground.  Neither boy would be pursuaded from their desired activity.  Not even  photos of Alex W. and Spencer playing with Alex's construction toys could move Alex.  He was all too happy to just stick with the toy he'd selected for play on the sand at the playground.

In fact, Alex seemed disappointed that Alex W was so excited to be at the beach and on a new island.  My Alex wanted someone to play with, but Alex W has a younger brother.   Having a playmate is such old news.  Island Beach isn't.   My Alex wasn't even into the swings even though Spencer got himself up onto a swing and Alex W wanted to join him there.

But then, Alex W got back into the water.  I was all too happy to join him there and we splashed around while Jen stayed closer to the beach to watch Spencer and my Alex.  My Alex insisted that he was not going in the water, despite his having loved it at Greenwich Point.  


Note that Alex W is wet, but that Alex D is dry from the legs up.



Digging at the shoreline

My Alex wanted to see if we could find another horseshoe crab shell like we'd found in June.  So, we went for a walk to explore.  Alex W wanted to know where it would be, but once he saw the reed covered ground we were walking on, he decided to go back in the water with his mom. 

Eventually, we wanted to get a snack.  We walked to the food stand and I ordered a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich despite the fact that Alex asked for a chocolate muffin.  I knew he'd want some of my sandwich.  But even better was the opportunity to show up those Orlando chicks (on Yuku).  They posted some drunk duck face.  We responded with a sober response. 

Soon, it started to rain and we dashed under the gazebo for shelter.  Jen went to the bathroom to get her boys dressed.  Alex stayed with me and the stuff in the gazebo.  He wasn't done playing in the sand.

Surprisingly, we were able to get a 5:30 ferry.  (I wasn't sure I could get changed in enough time.) Back on the ferry, the boys were very excited to watch the ferry pilot steer the boat.

Back in Greenwich, we grabbed some pizza for dinner.  Alex surprised me when he tagged along on one of Alex W's potty breaks.  Maybe that can wear off?  We can only hope.

Later that night, Daddy read Goodnight Beach to Alex.  It was a fitting close to a great summer.