Unconventional Date

I've written before that there's an 85% divorce rate among parents of autistic children. It is for us to get a babysitter. I don't trust anyone I don't know, and my son can't tell me if anything bad happens.

I've also written that I have the best next door neighbors in the world, and this Friday, they're going to be watching our kids so that we can go out to dinner at a restaurant where children are not allowed. I am very excited.

However, in addition to this special outing, we make efforts to spend time alone together...even if we're not really alone.

Saturday night, it was pouring. So, we decided to go to the Danbury Mall. Usually when we go here, we take the kids on the merry go round, the choo choo train, let them play in the big play area, and let them go on all the little rides. Saturday, we stuck them in the carriages, and ignored them most of the evening. We each got one Godiva chocolate and fed them to each other. We strolled around the mall taking turns giving back rubs. We walked through Eastern Mountain Sports looking at kayaks and snowshoes, and through Williams & Sonoma at very expensive cutting utensils and expensive, unnecessary, cute acorn-shaped soup terrines. We stole kisses in the elevator.

Then we brought the kids on the choo choo and let them run around a little. My son charmed the train engineer, and the engineer gave him a free ride with Daddy. He was very nice. We tried to treat him to coffee or something, but he was just happy that our son was happy. How nice!