August was up just before 7:50. First thing he requested was Green Planet so we did that. When we were done he did math on the calculator about the game. He kept multiplying. He had started at the millions, so was then actually calculating the number of millions on his calculator, which got tricky when he then got to billions and trillions of millions. At one point he said, “Oh my goodness.” We read a bunch ofBen Braver. He played Magnus Kibgdom and we had breakfast. He told me about his Up house. It also has propellors and GPS and antennas.
We got ready to go and went upstairs so I could brush my teeth and get him clothes. In the bedroom he had me do thinking time again after we went to get his phone as a timer. When we were done with it he said, “When you do three more we’ll try 10 minutes.” Like how we increased time for him on his alone times.
Couldn’t get out of the house though as he wanted to play Brother and Sister games. They found a bird in a trap and it was another new species, this one with purple stripes on its wings. There were a couple of smaller ones, then we finally left after 10.
We first went to the gas station at the north end of town. Our first time paying with our debit card as our cheap gas cards have run out. I couldn’t figure out how to do it, but helped an older couple asking how to get to Tel Yitzak. Finally, I asked another customer and figured out what numbers to put in.
Then, on the way up there was a lot of traffic, with traffic jams a few times. Then, there was an emergency vehicle that went by. There was an accident or car stranded in the right lane. And once we were in Haifa were were slowed a few more minutes by a garbage truck.
We parked in our usual spot, and walked to the science center. We got in the museum at 12:40. Not the longest visit, as it closed at 2. He wanted to put coins in, and I let him put in 20 agorot. We went up to do science, but he wanted me to carry him around a lot. He wanted a bathroom, so we went back downstairs. Back upstairs, we realized that the sound room is gone. Not sure if it just moved somewhere, or is gone for good. Which would be too bad. Instead, they spread out the Da Vinci room to cover two rooms. Mainly, stuff has more space, and there’s not things out in the hall. I think they added some new pieces, but August didn’t want to spend time in it.
We went outside and he spent some time kind of just wandering around. Played with the pulleys, pulling up the ships and the barrels and climbed in the lifting globe once. He spent several minutes just holding onto a railing and humming and looking around. He asked about the statue of Archimedes in a bath, and tried breaking off his finger. We went to get a snack out of the machine. Almost empty except for some spicy Doritos and a couple of candy bars. We chose the one that was new to us. It was a puffed rice thing with caramel and then chocolate on the outside. We shared that.
As we played around outside he asked, “Is it true that there are 9 days to summer?” And he asked, “Is 9 plus 8 plus 7…1, 45?” I figured it out and yes it is. I didn’t think he’d just done that in his head, so asked how he knew that. He said “Memorized it.” And that we had calculated it before. I don’t remember doing that, so unless he’s done it with Carly or on his own recently it has been awhile.
We went up to the start of the water area. He played briefly with the water gates and pumps, but then we headed inside. I tried to get him in the Da Vinci rooms, but he didn’t want to. I picked him up, and asked why. He said, “I just don’t like how it’s new.”
We drove the trains around with the bicycles a bit, then went upstairs, using the elevators. Upstairs he didn’t like the noise from the air conditioner, and later, as we left, he said he was more afraid this time. I don’t know what that was all about. We did go to the teeth room for a few minutes. He went in the planets room for a minute, but just sat on the moon phases chair.
We spent the most time in the magic spells room. The bed of nails is gone, replaced by a non-moving chair of nails. Not nearly as cool. Here, he wouldn’t stand and do the ball thing (where it blows up and floats in the air), even though he’s done it many times before. He did have me hide in that room and he found me a few times.
He wanted to leave, and I suggested the play area for the last ten minutes. But when we got down there it was closed already. We looked at the ball counting machine (we had also started it on the way in) and left a few minutes before 2. There is a coffee shop on the first floor now, which I’d never noticed before, and the security guard confirmed was new. But not open on Fridays.
August and I walked up to the arty street with all the cafes. We tried to go to the Puzzle Cafe, which was supposed to be open, but it wasn’t. Perhaps because of the holiday this weekend. So we went to the Elika Artbar Cafe, which has a big tree growing out of it.
Another thing that happened that was unusual was that he was REALLY afraid of dogs. First, he saw a guy walking three small dogs. The sidewalk was really narrow, and August ran out between the parked cars. He stopped before the street. But then it happened again, with a big dog, and August sprinted right out into the street. I was not happy about that one. Finally, while we were at the cafe a guy came with a small dog. It never got too close to August, but August wasn’t happy to see it.
He got his Polytopia fix for the day. We sat outside. They were busy when we got there, so I didn’t think much about it when I had to go in to request a menu. But then I had to go inside to order, even though a lot of tables had now cleared out. I ordered a salmon and avocado lafa for me, a avocado and egg sandwich for August, a cappuccino, and a fruit shake (with strawberries, melon, dates, and banana). They did bring the food out. We got drinks first, and August said “Oh! I didn’t even ask for this!” He was quite happy with the smoothie and quickly drank the whole thing. The food came later and was excellent. August didn’t eat much of his sandwich, so I asked for it to go, and also ordered a labanah lafa for Carly. Got that, then went in to play. Each time I went inside August was fine just sitting at the table, which was around the corner.
As we left I took him inside to see the ‘Take a smile’ paper on the wall. August ripped one off for Carly, but then had it in his mouth as we walked back to the car, so it didn’t make it.
We were driving about 3:45. We got stuck behind a garbage truck. Again. Took about 10 minutes to get down one block. August fell asleep promptly at 4, as woke up just before 5 when we got home. At first he was agitated with me for stopping, until he realized we were at home.
He woke up, then was Carly’s personal trainer–wall sits, plank, bicycle thing, steps, etc. “Squat…it is so you can go to the bathroom on your hike.” Before we had gotten in the car I had realized he hadn’t gone to the bathroom since we got to the museum. I had him try to go over in the bushes, and he was surprised when he didn’t need to go. He had then asked how girls pee on the ground and I had mentioned squatting more.
I went upstairs to rest for a few minutes. When I came down he was letting her rest and wanted her to exercise more. I said he should have her do the thinking time like me. He agreed after a minute and took her over to his calm space. While she was doing that he read all the calming strategies out to her, using his whisper voice, which is pretty much a new thing. He also said, “You’re so sweet…you’re cute…”
He ate part of his sandwich and had oatmeal and mango for dinner. We then read lots ofBen Braver. He then told me that his second power is making anything that he thinks of real. It’s even easier for him if he draws a picture of it first. He made a pretty good joke about it too: “I could make the solar system disappear…But you know what I usually use it for? Cookies.”
I took a shower and he took a bath. Brushed his teeth and took him in to Carly, who was tired and ready for bed. He told her, “I don’t need a superpower to know how much you love me cuz I always know.” I left them about 9:20.
Calculating numbers of millions:
Throwing clothes:
Powering the train:
Humming and hanging out at the science center:
Pigeon family:
59 song:
Drilling holes:
