Thursday, August 23rd

Happy Birthday, Dale - Part 1

So - 4 years ago today was Dale's first day out. He slept through most of it. Okay...pretty much all of it. In his defense, that day got off to a pretty rough start for him. Today, the start of his 5TH year, had a much easier beginning. Leave it to Dale though, he had to do things at least a little differently. I took this pic of him when I checked on him just before 5am:
All in all, it was a really strange day, for a birthday, and here's why. Even though today was the actual day, Dale's bday party is Saturday. This is a concept he's had a hard time with for some reason. After days of trying to explain, I finally sent this email out to family Wednesday night:

Hey everybody... just wanted to let you know if you have sent Dale a card or ecard or plan on talking to him tomorrow.... we aren't planning on telling him it's his birthday. Didn't start out to do that, but his party is Saturday and his birthday countdown construction paper chain we made has turned out to match up with the party instead of the actual day, so instead of making a big deal out of tomorrow being the 23rd and then stretching everything out over 3 days we're just letting him think that his bday is Sat. I tried to explain otherwise for a while, but he didn't seem to get it, so we're just going with it. I tell you all this so that #1 - if you don't hear from him about a card you sent, that's why, and if you see him or talk to him...don't say 'happy birthday'. Lol

So - today was a 'non-birthday'. Even so, luckily for us, Gramps couldn't just ignore the occasion and brought by doughnuts. Chocolate w/sprinkles for Dale, of course. Still didn't tell him it was his bday (he wouldn't have believed us anyway).

He enjoyed the doughnut much more than the expression in this pic says he did - I promise, Gramps! :)
We had plans to go to Paris to pick up prescriptions and tube-feeding supplies for Alan. Dale wanted to go to Big Lots "and get that Duck that me and Daddy saw." I didn't even know they had been to Big Lots, but hey - I'm game. Dale got his dollar bill that has been on the refrigerator forever and said he wanted to buy something with it.
So off we went, Dale and Alan and me. Our first stop was the pharmacy/medical supply store for Alan. In usual Dale fashion, he talked the lady's EAR OFF. It felt weird when she asked how old he was to NOT tell her it was his birthday, but I just didn't feel like explaining the whole thing.
So...on to Big Lots. Through the toy aisle, and sure enough, there's Duck. Also found some Christmas (yes, Christmas!) stickers on clearance - had to get those.
I'm not usually one just to buy a toy for no particular reason, but it WAS his birthday, and he had a dollar he wanted to spend and I was impressed that he had remembered it all that time. So, home with Duck.This meant getting out ALL the Thomas Trains when we got home. Alan always loves this as much as Dale.Does he just look TOO CUTE or what in those overalls and tennis shoes?! :)

They entertained themselves all afternoon playing trains. We also watched, in two parts, the Cars movie in anticipation of the big Cars party Saturday.
Mimi & Gramps came over for a little while, and the pharmacist delivered Alan's prescriptions that weren't ready ealier. (Is that service, or what!?) Dale talked her ear off as well. She has a little boy who is 3, and Dale grilled her on the names of all the Thomas trains to see what her little boy has. She didn't know she was coming over for a pop quiz!

Daddy got home just in time to play for just a little while before bedtime. We read the 23 Psalm before prayers. Dale's been inspired by this cutie, and so have we! :)

So anway, we've been reading Psalm 23 for a couple of days now. Last night, I did what I have always done with lots of things with Dale - let him finish a phrase. This is how it went:
Mama: "and I will dwell..."
Dale: "in the house of the Lord"
Mama: "for.."
Dale: "five."