Ohio Day Six - Last Day in Cleveland

I’m feeling much better today!!  I think by tomorrow I’ll be completely back to normal.

We were planning on swimming in Lake Erie today but for the first time this week it was cold and raining.  So after we dropped James off, the boys and I went back to the hotel and went swimming in the pool instead.  I was a little nervous about taking three boys to the pool by myself, especially since Charlie thinks he can swim.  But everyone behaved beautifully. 

Jon in the pool

   We had so much fun!  Both Will and Jon practiced their swimming and they both did really well.  Will played with my waterproof camera, throwing it out and then diving to the bottom to retrieve it.  We also had squirt gun fights and I taught the boys how to play Marco Polo.  At one point Jon put on Charlie’s float and his own and then jumped into the water.  He promptly flipped over.  Luckily I was right there and able to pick him up right away.  But Jon was a little freaked out.  Charlie, in his float, also flipped completely upside down in the water.  I flipped him upright in seconds and he didn't seem at all upset.

playing in the pool

Jon with two floats

  After over an hour in the pool we headed back upstairs for lunch and a nap.  Will read another chapter of his book and Jon drew this cool picture of Superman shooting something with his laser eyes. 

Will reading at quiet rest time

Jon's picture of Superman

  Despite feeling better I am still very tired and so I confess that I was a lazy mother this afternoon.  The boys watched TV while I spent time reading and slowly packing.  Finally we left for an hour at the playground before picking up Daddy.

Peter Parker shooting his web

Jon and Charlie climbing Spiderman's web

Will swings on the monkey bars

  Having heard our exuberant praise of the ice cream, James wanted to eat at Tommy’s tonight.  To our delight we discovered that Tommy’s had a visiting clown who was making balloon animals for all the children.  The boys were thrilled.  Jon had a look of amazement and wonder on his face the entire time.  Charlie got an inflatable hammer that wouldn’t pop (hooray!) and the clown made a balloon Batman for Will, complete with a cape.  Jon got the coolest one, a green balloon octopus that he named “Octopussycat”.

Octopussycat

Octopus head

watching the balloon animals get made

Will holds balloons for the clown

our visit from a friendly clown

Will's Batman balloon

Will and the clown

  It was a little difficult for the boys to focus on their food once they had their balloons.  But they did manage to put them down for dessert.  As before the ice cream was delicious but, on further reflection, not quite as good as our favorite New England ice cream.

Will and Daddy enjoy some ice cream

  Next door to Tommy’s was an amazing toy store, full of cool old toys.  In a large room stuffed to the brim with toys, Charlie immediately found the thing he loves most and with a loud cry of “Fan!” he pointed excitedly to the slowly spinning fan on the ceiling.  Will and Jon were in heaven and with the promise of one toy each they began the difficult task of choosing the best one.  They both spent a lot of time in the super hero section but finally ended up with Legos.  We’ll see if their Legos make it home in one piece…

A small section of the toy store

  Right around the corner from Tommy’s and the toy store was another cool playground.  Charlie found a couple of little kids to play with and they were so very cute.  Will loved the zip line and rope swings and Jon enjoyed sliding down the Batpole.  Will and Charlie also had fun running and rolling down the big hill.

Will on the Zip line

Boys on a big slide

Will on a rope swing

Jon at the playground

Jon sliding down the Batpole

Will rolling down the hill

  At the playground was a very angry young boy.  He was about 9 or 10 and he was very loudly and angrily complaining to his friends.  (He did not appear to have any parents there)  In three or four years a rant like this would have him written off by those around him as a juvenile delinquent.  As we listened (you could hear him across the entire playground) we learned that he was hurt because someone had called him ugly and stupid.  This broke my heart.  I wanted so much to tell him that he was handsome and smart, that he was good and valued and loved.  I couldn’t of course.  Strange adults approaching children on a playground is never a good idea.  But James and I did pray for him on the way home.  If you could, I’d like to ask you, my readers, to also pray for this little boy.  He reminds me so much of some of the hurt children we have cared for.

Tonight is our last night in Cleveland so after the playground we went home to put the kids to bed and to pack.  I have to confess that we have been pleasantly surprised by Cleveland.  The city is very nice, and seems to have an endless supply of green parks and playgrounds.  We didn’t spend much time in downtown Cleveland, which seemed rather small, but the outer city and surrounding area is beautiful and very kid friendly.  I would be very happy to come here again.

I’d better be off to bed because tomorrow we head out to New York and Niagara Falls.

Goodnight!