KathyRN137
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2006
- Messages
- 7,882
Chapter 29: Cross My Heart, It’s Not Beverly!!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Epcot ~ World Showcase
Feeling properly patriotic, we exited the coolness of the American Adventure Theater and stepped out into the warm evening air. Directly in front of us, the America Gardens Theater was filled with guests enjoying the instrumental rock music of The Ventures (Wipe Out, Theme From Hawaii Five-O) who were playing as part of the Flower Power Concert Series.
Suddenly, Ed announced that he wanted dessert and so we grooved our way over to the next pavilion... Italy!!
This time, he and Tricia went off to procure our treats and Billy and I searched out a table in the open-air piazza. Here’s where they were headed…
Mmmm...Gelato!
And here’s Billy, waiting for dessert.
Now, I must preface this next montage with a bit of background information. For many years we had Billy on what’s known as a Casien-Free Diet. When he was younger, we found that when he ate dairy products (which contain the protein, casien), his language skills were not as good. That changed as he got older, and he is no longer on the diet, but he is not in the habit of eating dairy products such as ice cream. For dessert, he usually prefers cookies!
This time, however, I didn’t have any cookies with me. So, when Ed and Tricia come back with gelato they brought Billy a small cup of vanilla, “just in case” he might want some. He seemed interested, so we gave him his little cup and his little spoon and let him try it.
At first, he just sniffed it (like he does with all new foods.) You may recall from past reports that, because of the autism, he has sensory issues. Smells and sniffing things are very important to him. You might also recall that he is orally “under-sensitized” (although this too is improving as he gets older.) This is why he likes to chew on things and tends to overstuff his mouth when eating... it seems he can’t fully “feel” the food that’s in his mouth unless it is stuffed.
Anyway, in order to avoid a “brain-freeze” situation, I scooped out a tiny spoonful of gelato and gave him the spoon. What followed was hilarious!
I swear this was just plain vanilla gelato!
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And yet, he kept asking for MORE!!!
He seemed to love the flavor, but the coldness of the gelato was a bit of a shock to his mouth. He didn't let that keep him from finishing it, though!! That is how he ate the entire thing: Spoonful... grimace... swallow. Spoonful... grimace... swallow. Oh, it was too funny!
Tricia almost fell off of her chair!“Aunt Rae would love this,” Ed commented. So Tricia took out her cell phone and took a picture of Billy making the “gelato face” and sent it to Aunt Rae. After a bit, Ed called her to see how she liked it and we had a nice little chat. Being of Italian ancestry, she joked about how jealous she was that we were there in “Italy.”
While we were finishing up our dessert and phone call, the World Showcase Players came along to set up for a performance right next to where we were sitting!
Feeling lazy, Ed and I opted to stay seated at our table with Billy... I thought we could see and hear the show just fine. But Tricia wanted a better view, so she stood up to enjoy the comedic troupe performing a wacky version of Romeo and Juliet using audience members as guest performers. Very. Funny. Show.
Still chuckling from both the planned and unplanned comedy we had enjoyed, we continued on our World Showcase stroll and headed in the direction of the Rhineland.
Arivederci!!
Kathy
!
), but I'll still have to pack lots of food for my son. He only eats a few things, and he even asked if we'd bring Bologna when we go to Disney World. 
Kids!
Normally all she knows how to do is answer it!!
Boys.
Ugh... sticky hands!!
