Smiles

So, it's now 3 months post surgery and we are going NUTS!  Doctors forgot to mention a "little" thing called "behavioral changes" post surgery!!   Okay, so not complete behavioral changes but anything that Riley had going on in his head pre-surgery has been put on a stage, groomed, and the spot light is on -so to speak.   For example, Riley's ADD is off the charts.  Riley's obsessions have worsened to such a degree that, you see that adorable smiley face at the end of this page?, that smiley face is plastered on just about every wall in my house.  They are held prisoner on my fridge.  Riley's brain is stuck on this image and he won't draw anything else. 
Yes, we do see a psychologist together.  Cognitive behavioral therapy of sorts.  The Dr. said it's ok to keep the drawings up and around but my instinct is to rip them up and throw them away.  At this point I want to slap them anyway.  But we press on.  So, I encourage Riley to draw other things and then he can indulge himself with Mr. Smiley.  We looked through an art book yesterday and I asked Riley to copy one painting he liked without tracing it.  He chose the painting WOMAN MEDITATING by Alexei von Jawlensky and within 5 minutes Riley imitated Alexei's painting in a breathtaking way.  Breathtaking for his momma anyway and his big sisters gushed and praised.  The drawing was whimsical and beautiful.  Riley was very proud of himself and with "Riley, you will be an artist" dancing off of my lips he did what he does best and that was smile!  Riley then proceeded to try to rip up his "woman meditating" because I replaced his Mr. Smiley drawing on the fridge.  Well, shame on me.  After some deep breathing exercises (on my son's part) we decided to put Mr. Smiley back in it's designated spot and the "woman meditating" was banned to the side of the fridge.
Damn you Mr. Smiley!!