Hello again everyone! We are having a lovely Sunday afternoon and I hope you are doing the same.

Well, last Friday night Sir Dantes had his third birthday. Since we are in the middle of moving (the house is an absolute disaster) and we got a nice income tax return; we decided to reserve Bounce U for a private party. In case you are unfamiliar, Bounce U is a huge warehouse with rooms full of huge "toys" to bounce on. It is quite pricey, but worth it if you can manage to swing it.

Follow up:

Anyway, all week we fretted (as we often do) of whether or not Sir Dantes would be able to handle it in terms of his sensory issues...would it be to cold, to warm, to loud, how would the material feel against his skin and so on. If he freaked out it was a lot of money right down the toilet and several disappointed children to contend with.

Upon arriving, everyone must sign a waiver and put on a wristband. Sir Dantes hated the wristband. He tried so hard to take it off. Warning, warning...first mini-meltdown coming on quickly. Then Sir Dantes did not want to sit down and watch the video on the proper way to play on the bouncy toys. He squirmed and wiggled. I finally just let him go while the other children sat nicely and watched. Then it was time to go into the big toy room.

After taking off the shoes we let the children go. All of the other children, one of which is also mildly autistic, took off running to the toys. Well Sir Dantes did not take off running at first. He looked around and scoped out the situation, then he took off running. However, it wasn't towards the toys. He took off to the back area that is blocked off for employees only, opened the barrier and headed straight for the machines in the back that operate the toys. It was as if he knew all along where the machines were located. I mean he did not hesitate for a second. Daddy chased after him and Sir Dantes just wanted to observe the machines working. He studied intensely for several seconds, then he seemed satisfied and came out to play.

The rest of the evening, he had a great time. But the first reaction of his reminded nme of a recent lecture I viewed by Ms. Temple Grandin. She explained about how many of these children, herself included, think in pictures and are mechanically inclined. They have the capability to become the new inventors and leaders in science and technology. Hearing her encouraging speech and watching Sir Dantes interest in machinery gives me great hope for his future and gives us a direction to help him be successful.

On a more personal note, the staff at Bounce U was absolutely fantastic. They were very concerned and interested in making Sir Dantes' experience wonderful. They outdid our expectations and I recommend the place to anyone. It was clean! The staff was friendly and efficient, and the food was pretty good. The toys are just as fun for the adults as they are for the children. I personally loved the rock wall and slides. Daddy was even doing somersaults on one of the toys. Sir Dantes had a few moments; he didn't like the birthday crown and ripped it and threw it on the floor, he kept playing with the light switches, he kept trying to drink everybody's drink...but he was a happy boy. And, Ms. Maxie had a great time too. She wished everyday was Sir Dantes' birthday!