growth spurt weekend

We had quite a weekend. It was a whirl of activities and amazingly I survived it. This may sound strange but every weekend since I've lived here (nearly 4 months) I have gotten next to nothing done and spend my afternoons praying E would just go to sleep and let me be while I nurse a killer headache. Thursday the elevator went to the top floor, the lights went on, and I bought a clue. I drink, on average, 4 cups of tea at work each morning. Caffinated tea. I don't drink tea at home. I have been suffering for months with caffine withdrawal. Saturday morning I got up early, made a large cup of tea and was good for the day.

After breakfast we headed to the allergist so I could get a flu shot. There are few advantages to being asthmatic so I'll take all I can get. I sang a song from a "Bear in the Big Blue House" video about getting a shot as the nurse poked me in the arm, E looking on wondering what was happening. He got a Bob the Builder sticker to take with him, his new favorite possession.

After the shot it was our usual Saturday morning trip to the library (BarReeRee). We got a stack of videos and the book "The Happy Lion" by Louise Fatio. It's one of E's favorites. The story appears in a collection of children's literature I bought in my babysitting days. The stories are condensed and there aren't that many picture so we checked out the book to get the rest of the story (can you hear Paul Harvey's voice?) and see the pictures.

At check out E was sitting on the counter as a young Middle Eastern gentleman checked out our selections. E was pointing to the laser light or the bar code reader and jabbering away. He was using words I didn't recognize and I told him I didn't understand. The young man behind the counter asked, "Does he speak English?"
"Yes," I replied slightly taken aback, "but he is not yet 2 years old."

After the library it was home for lunch and then a nap. He went down so easily and slept well, something is going on. After the nap it was on to the park/playground. The weather was nice and there were many children to play with. I met a neighbor, R, who's son is just slightly older then E. The boys would periodically played together each one copying the other. Gboy is on the swings so E needed to be on the swings. E is playing on the slide so Gboy needed to be on the slide. The other children were there but none held his interest as much a boy his own age.

I had met R before and I was unable to place her thick accent. I guessed Polish. I guessed wrong. While we were pushing our children on the swings we chatted a bit. I was trying to figure out what Gboy was saying and R told me, "my son doesn't speak English". She is Bulgarian and her husband is German so Gboy speaks German. I couldn't help but think of the librarian.

I am a very active participant in playground play. I'll slide down a slide, the corkscrew is my favorite (it's wider and my mommy butt doesn't get stuck). I'll climb a chain ladder. But mostly I'll spot a little boy that is a bit too adventurous for his abilities and my comfort. Having a big person around on the playground has its advantages for a little kid too. I spent much of my time Saturday afternoon holding him up so he could reach the bars. He has discovered that he can support his weight with his arms, he has learned to HANG. This is great fun and must be done at every opportunity and from every possible height and piece of equipment.

We stayed at the park for 3 and a half hours. The entire neighborhood left the playground en masse as the air began to cool and tummies began to grumble. E was asked what he wanted for dinner, a futile exercise I know but on weekends I always give it a shot. His reply: Park. Then he went under the open stairs in the living room, found the highest step he could reach and began to hang. We ate a forgettable meal. We watched a forgettable video while snuggling together under one of my cardigans. E got a bath and we both went to bed.

Sunday morning I got up earlier than I generally would. I went downstairs and made some tea, lesson learned, and began to clean and organize in the dining room. I unpacked 3 boxes and miraculously found space for everything and even more impressive it's neat. I had been up, not just awake, but up for a good hour or so before E awakened. I let E eat breakfast in his jammies, generally it's a rule that he is to be dressed before going downstairs. My Dad's words ring in my ears every morning when I enforce the rule, "You can leave the house hungry but you cannot leave the house in your pajamas." He stayed in his jammies for a few hours as the momentum of cleaning/organizing gripped me.

I was trying to get into the city to visit friends in the morning, maybe make the 10am folk Mass at my old parish, but the momentum could not be stopped. E played quietly on his own only occassionally bringing things over for me to see. We listened to children's music on the stereo and all was good. I got a lot done and although there is still a lot to do in the house it's down to decorating type stuff, hanging pictures and curtains.

I had called friends in the city to arrange for some sort of visit earlier in the week but nothing was firm not even the day. I saw an ad in the local paper for the Bulb Bazaar at the Chicago Botanic Garden (which is in Glencoe but that is a rant for another time) and called Sunday morning to invite my friends to go -- I have a garden now and want to get my own plants in the ground soon. Aunt K was the only taker. We were to meet at Uncle Grumpy's at 1:30 so I had to keep an eye on the clock to keep the momentum from ruining the opportunity to spend time with a friend. I rushed lunch as much as I could, but a toddler with Jello will not be rushed.

We arrived at Uncle Grumpy's a few minutes late but E napped in the car so we arrived in generally good spirits. We were suprised to see YiaYia there. She had made a special trip to see us. She wasn't going to go with us to the CBG, she just wanted to say hello. Miss C was having a garage sale in Uncle Grumpy's 3-car garage and we all sat out there for a bit and chatted. The reality of time passing jolted me and I announced that we had to get going. Aunt K, YiaYia, E and I piled into the car and we were off. I dropped YiaYia off at her house and the rest of us headed north. We listed to the 10 minute tape of children's songs about transportation numerous times as K and I caught up on the doings in the old neighborhood. (Note to self: get longer tape)

The day was gorgeous and many other people had the same idea we did. We stopped by the buld bazaar first and I blew most of the grocery money on a pretty garden. Then we strolled through the grounds. E was in charge of directions, what harm could it do? We went to the raised garden which shows that those with disabilities can garden. Aunt K played at trying to catch the water from the fountain and the tone was set, the challenge was in place. E must put his hand into as many fountains as possible. Even if that means his jacket will be wet up to the elbow. E got to roll down a hill, wish I had brought a camera for that one. He led the way on foot numerous time, "Come on guys!" and when he tired he rode in a stroller or on mommy's shoulders. At one point he was walking up steep "natural" steps while holding Aunt K's hand. I followed carrying all our gear. It was like mountain climbing with a stroller.

There is a long tree lined path overlooking the Rose Garden with large concrete spheres on the path's edge spaced a couple of trees apart. E walked back and forth down this corridor counting the spheres and singing and generally amusing himself and anyone else who wandered into hearing range. At one point a chipmunk wandered in, sat on its haunches for a moment, made a mental note of the boy and darted across the path and into the foliage on the hill. E ran after him yelling, "Mickey Mouse, Mickey Mouse." One of my favorite moments of the day.

After the CBG we took Aunt K out for dinner. We went to Walker Bros Original Pancake House. We got the Dutch Baby, the smaller version of the Baked German Pancake. You know, the pancake bigger than your head. E got a stack of 3 and a side of strawberries, he made short work of the fruit but wasn't as into the pancakes this time around. After dinner it was everybody home. E fell asleep about 7:15 in the car and slept until 7:30 the next morning. I changed him and put him in jammies but I don't think he remembers any of it. (He reminded me of the drunk girls in college freshmen year. Yes I was the responsible one that took care of the drunks in the dorm.) Something is definitely up with him and this sleeping thing.

It's normal for a child to be away from school or a daycare facility for a weekend. It's not so normal for the teachers to comment on how much he's grown in those 2 days away -- or is it? Sleeping is growing time. He has a big belly I guess it's time for a growth spurt. Think I'll wait on buying a bunch of long pants, we'll see what the next couple of weeks brings.

Well it's nearly midnight. The eyes are getting blurry. Need to get some sleep. TA