A quiet Father's Day...

B & I surprised dad with a smuggled-along-on-vacation present & home-made card today :) B made C's card on the computer & it is one of B's original pokeman creations, created in honour of dad, called "SeaTern", designed to help with sailing. B designed C's card just like a regular pokemon card, with attacks & weaknesses, so C was able to use it to play the pokemon card game today with B- a great success :)

C also had the very bright idea early on today that it would not be good to go to Monticello on a 90-degree day, since B is susceptible to the heat & we could not be sure if it would be cooler inside than outside... so we decided to walk across the street to the Natural History museum instead- guaranteed air-conditioned. B's favourite part was the exhibit on volcanoes & plate tectonics. There were lots of interactive, computery things that he just loves & it was really interesting. C & I took turns accompanying B while the other looked at the gems & minerals, which were amazing. C also tried to hunt-down the giant squid skeleton but was told it was not being shown at the moment. By the time 11:30 am rolled-around B had reached the end of his tolerance & was ticcing like mad, but we had lunch at the museum cafeteria & he seemed to feel better. We posed Rufus with the Easter Island stone statue right after lunch & before ice cream for the walk home... :)

We had a very low-key afternoon. I zoned-out for a bit while C & B took a swim. There were pokeman card games & playing on the computer, we read- together & separately- & B & I did some origami. After dinner we played cards together. Both C & I recalled hearing B talking in his sleep last night... in Japanese!! He very clearly said "yamete!" which means "cut it out!" :) We have been using Japanese as a distraction when B gets ovewhelmed in public- trying to figure out new ways of putting the phrases we know together to make new sentences or just speaking Japanese instead of English- & I guess the practise is doing some good. Can't wait to tell Tomoko that B's speaking Japanese in his dreams... :)

Tomorrow is supposed to be a bit cooler so we plan to make our pilgrimage to the National Zoo to see the naked mole rats... hope we can get a good pic of Rufus with his compatriots!