He was up just after 6:40. He watched some Wild Kratts. He said “When I push this purple button I’m the biggest animal in the creature world and I have the biggest brain in the creature world. And I have the biggest eyes in the creature world. And I’m the loudest animal in the creature world.”
We then did an obstacle course. Started by building a Duplo part together. We were listening to the new Decemberists and he liked “Cutting Stone”. He started asking about it right away and humming, then singing to the chorus. Did a big obstacle course and he talked about his power cord still being connected to the book swap. And he asked about blackouts and brown outs. We discussed ‘rationing’.
He watched Sarah and Duck and I played phone tag, going through 3 different numbers/people before ending up with August’s doctor. Carly realized August needs a typhoid shot again. Long process, but it eventually came down to we can get it Sunday at 2.
He lay on the floor with his initials bracelet for several minutes. I made him peanut butter crackers. He’s decided he doesn’t like the crackers and just licks off the peanut butter, then asks me to put on more peanut butter. He said again that he likes rectangles because they are pink. Squares red, circles yellow, ovals blue. He’s being consistent with his colors.
I took a shower, then was fixing the doors on the wardrobe in August’s room. He kept calling me back into the bathroom and was getting impatient and I was telling him to wait a minute. Which makes him want my attention more. He came into the room and started throwing the stuffed animals at me and said it was to make me not upset. I told him I wasn’t really upset, but that you give someone hugs to make them not upset. Finally he came over and gave me a hug. And I fixed the doors: screws had come loose on the wheels and it was riding low, scraping.
We got ready to and started to leave at 10:30. He’s been pretty good about letting me go and put stuff in the car while he plays in the yard. However, today I told him I was putting the backpack in but once I was out there he yelled to me, then came running out, upset, thinking I was leaving without him. Got him calmed down and actually left at 10:50.
He remembered the couple of little candies he had found (from Halloween) in the car yesterday. They were my backup to keep him awake/happy on long trips. He got to have a Swedish fish on the way down to Tel Aviv.
The doctor called back on the way down. August can get his shot on Sunday at 2. We listened to a lot of Chemical Brothers on the way down. August told me “I learned it’s easier to explore space than the deep blue sea.”
Parked in a parking lot near the Carmel market. We were walking at 12. He walked a bit, then I carried him as we entered the very busy market. He had fun pointing out interesting things. He was also using his “space and finder machines” to find us space in the crowd and where we wanted to go. A guy at a CD stand gave him a lollipop and we stopped at a less-busy square where we watched a couple people playing some steel drum things and he had about half of the lollipop. He asked me “What does ‘crack in the day’ mean?” Think that’s a mishearing from Wild Kratts.
We walked though more of the Carmel market (which is produce and other stuff), then found the less-busy Binyamin market, which is all arts and crafts. We were hungry and found the Druze Corner, which is a restaurant stand out in the middle of a pedestrian street. We got two sandwiches/wraps and sat on cushions and ate them. August got a peppery bite early on and was then cautious about eating, but he loved the bread and liked the yogurt and za’atar. He kept saying “Real delicate bread”. Eventually he ate more than half of a sandwich.
Spotted a couple cats while we ate and he pretended to be a kitten curling up on the cushion. We got him in the backpack and got walking at 1:20. We walked up through the Binyamin market to Magen David Square. He asked to walk again so I got him out. We walked down Allenby and then finished the circle (well, triangle) back to where we had lunch. On the way we saw an opera singer. We stopped and watched two songs. I had August give him some coins and he handed August a business card. Later August said he liked the second song best. There was also a balloon man close to a guitar player. We had stopped both times to watch for a minute. August said “But I don’t like balloons. All I want them to do is POP!…after they go in the air, of course.”
He was also big into pointing out abstract art on the walls/doors. Lots to choose from. A couple of alien looking ones we really liked. And he finished the lollipop.
Got him back in the backpack again and we headed away from the markets and towards the parks. We stopped and got two bottles of mango juice, then walked across to Hakovshim Garden. Drank some mango juice and played in the playground. There was toddler, a boy, wandering around and August was both interested and cautious of him.
Got him back in the backpack after 2:30 and we walked west towards the sea. August made up a “Let’s go see, the Mediterranean Sea” song. Caught the end of it on video. He then did a “Ekk! Stop filming me!” thing. But then promptly asked me to film him again so he could pretend to be annoyed and ask me to stop filming.
We got over to the sea and walked to the south to Charles Clore Park. We watched the waves for awhile, then walked down to the playground. August was talking/asking about how planets form and we ended up discussing the death of solar systems and stars. We didn’t find a restroom in either of the parks so he went by a tree, then went back and played on the play structure. There was a turning thing that he played with with another boy, who was turning it on the other side. Played around and pretended it was a boat. He said “Someone is brachiating our boat!” We went and sat and had more juice.
At one pint I went to the backpack and when I came back I patted him on his head and said “Tag, you’re it.” His response: “Why did you tag me? That’s unusual. We don’t play tag very much.”
He hung on a bar and talked about how he was brachiating like a spider monkey. And talked about how they don’t have thumbs. His phrase of the day today was “I have no choice but…”
He then wanted to play in sand and I pointed out the big beach volleyball sand area nearby. We went and played there. He buried his legs in sand and I was able to read a little. He wanted to move a couple times to be closer to other kids. Sadly, the girl had to leave as soon as we moved the first time. He and I made towns out of sand. He sat on a pile of sand and turned in a circle and made a volcano. Then made a path by dragging his feet.
He really didn’t want to leave and I was in no hurry. Finally, we headed out about 4:20.
We got to the car, but then had to get out of the car at the exit to pay. He was fine with me putting the window down. We listened to Story Pirates on the way home. Along the way he said “Most people call me Squarespace.” But insisted I call him Zinnie. He had a sour patch kid on the way back, but it didn’t last long enough. We listened to music and he was playing along, but he fell asleep at 5:17, right before we left Highway 4. We were home at 5:24 and I woke him up. He sleepily said “Can I have…I got my dada.”
They nursed, then went outside, where Carly was going to teach him about arguments. He came in and told me “I’m going to school bathroom.” He told Carly about how he was discovered by scientists. He was being hyper and said “I’m trying to empty my battery… It’s a pretty big battery.” He and I played snakes and ladders. Carly went to take a shower. I gave in and let him make up rules, but he decided it was more fun with mama.
We read some more of Hilo 3. Carly got him ready for bed and I went up at 8:30. He told me “Take a picture of my bot
tom…You never taken a picture of my bottom!” I did not.
Told him about my Yellowstone trip again and we talked about geysers and hot springs. He asked “What if there was no dams on the world?” And said “I’m a blob of jelly.” He wasn’t really trying to sleep and I almost switched with Carly. Kept trying, and he got upset and was crying. I decided to pick him up and held him for several minutes. He calmed down and I thought he was close to sleep so we tried lying down again. Couldn’t do it. He told me it was better standing up. Stood back up again, but this time he couldn’t stay calmed down. Carly took over at 9:20.
Market:
Druze bread:
Art:
Lollipop:
Shore:
Blasting me:
Sand:
