Jamie Chew's Web Log: Vol. 1 No. 25

2006-03-28 19:00 (Kristen) Jamie woke up this morning around 8:00, and was in a reasonable mood when he went downstairs with me and John. He was a little volatile--easily upset when he was in the middle of anything, he didn't want to do anything else. Well, not exactly: if food was involved, he was willing to be interrupted.

It was a quiet morning, followed by lunch at Browning. Ken took him for a walk, and he was awake by 3:30. John kept him until 4:15, when I came to get him. Jamie had asked to get a book entitled The Very Quiet Cricket, by the people who did The Very Hungry Caterpillar (a real favourite right now). So, I offered to take him to the bookstore to buy a copy. Jamie had been a little volatile before I arrived, but seemd happy to go on the subway to the store. We went to Bay Station, and Jamie decided that he didn't want to leave the subway system; we ended up travelling on the subway all the way out to the eastern end of the line and back, before Jamie decided that he would get off at Bay Station to get the book after all. He wandered as much as possible before he decided that he wanted me at the top of a long, twisting ramp and him to be at the bottom. I didn't think that this was a great idea, and when Jamie objected I had to pick him up and carry him into the bookstore, kicking and crying. The kind bookstore clerk in the kids' section, seeing that Jamie was rather unhappy but interested in the Thomas display, said "We have a Thomas table." Magic and very kind words. Jamie spent the next hour and a half playing at the table, and negotiating sharing with a little girl who was reading in the corner by the table and a five-year-old boy whose name might have been Eddie. I talked for a bit with Eddie's parents, who had been in Canada for about ten days, and we parted ways. A little later, Eddie's mom came to say "goodbye" to Jamie, and Jamie not only said goodbye, but gave her a hug and kiss, all unprompted. She was very happy, and I was surprised in a good way.

We stayed for a while longer, until Jamie started to get obsessed with some wooden trains. Then I took him out, and he started to howl in the way that he did when we came in. He kept it up for about five minutes until we got outside, me explaining to him what was going on the whole way. We got outside near Bay and Bloor, one of Toronto's more busy intersections. Jamie was howling, everyone was starting, as I sat and tried to get him to put his coat on. A woman went by and said that if we were still there when she got back, then she'd get us some flowers from an AIDS fundraising table nearby. Sure enough, she came running out again and gave us some lovely daisies and a hug; she said that we looked like we could use the flowers. I was very happy at her kindness.

Jamie calmed down when he realized that I was taking him to the subway like I had been saying for the last ten minutes. However, when we crossed the street, we saw John's aunt Nobuko, who was just back from the hospital and had been told that she didn't need her crutches anymore (she had broken her leg at the ankle in two places on New Year's Eve).She immediately offered to take me and Jamie for ice cream at Dessert Lady, and Jamie was delighted to accept. We went and had some lovely sorbet (ice cream would be a little hard on Jamie's tummy still), and she sent us home with cookies and a chocolate for Jamie for Easter. It was lovely to see her, and to spend some time with her. On the way home, Jamie and I ran for the bus at Broadview, which was packed and so we were right at the front. There was a little boy at the front (who had a little brother behind him) about six years old, and he and Jamie had an animated conversation about Looney Tunes and Bugs Bunny. I am happy to say that I passed his Looney Tunes test (by knowing the name of the frog in "One Froggy Evening"), but realized that I had missed our stop by a hair. I exclaimed out loud, "Oh no! We missed our stop!" and the bus driver said "Was it right here?" and let us off after the lights. Wow! What a nice guy! I was really overwhelmed today with the kindness of strangers. Toronto isn't a cold place at all; it is full of lovely people, and I was very appreciative of them today.

Jamie enjoyed his outing, and is now sitting beside me, eating his piece of cucumber, and watching more The Very Hungry Caterpillar on television. A pleasant end to a long day.

2006-03-29 18:21 (Kristen) Jamie woke up between 7:30 and 8:00, and was in a relatively good, if still somewhat volatile mood. We spent time doing yard work (Jamie in Diesel 10 mode is very helpful in cleaning up leaves and putting them into the compost), which John initiated, and then Jamie and I stayed outside when John went in to do some inside work. We heard the cries of a kitten, and realized that it was Tulip, the cat three doors down. We went looking, and found Karen, Tulip's "owner." We soon established that Tulip was crying because she was starnded in a neighbour's yard and couldn't figure out how to get home. We showed her the way home, and then stayed for tea and some light lunch at Karen's. Jamie was delighted to see Alexandria, Karen's daughter, and was pretty kinetic. He was sounding tired when I took him home at 12:30, and Gary and Ayami agreed when they saw him.

John took Jamie out for his walk, and Jamie seemed awfully tired when he left. John says that he slept for over two hours, and fitfully; he kept waking up coughing. He does have a bit of a cough that has been manifesting first thing in the morning, as does John, so it may be that he's just fighting it. However, we decided to keep him home from Scrabble tonight, and I'll be putting him to bed early, with a little bit of something to help him sleep more easily. Just in case. In any event, we went to Treasure Island after he woke up, and then did some shopping. It'll be a quiet evening, with (I suspect) lots of the Very Hungry Caterpillar in store for all of us.

I should add that a Scrabble friend of ours, Idelle Weinstock, gave Jamie a gift certificate for Indigo which enabled us to buy for him The Very Quiet Cricket, Raccoon Tune, Blueberries for Sal, The Little Engine That Could, and Jonathan Cleaned Up, Then He Heard A Sound. Thanks, Idelle!

2006-03-30 23:29 (Kristen) Jamie was very restless this morning, and woke up every fifteen minutes from somewhere around 7 until 8:15, when I decided that I'd had enough, and it was time to get ready for daycare, anyway. Jamie was caught in that nasty fugue state, where nothing is right, he's not quite awake, and anything that you offer him is exactly the wrong thing. I tried just cuddling hiim and saying soothing things but that didn't work. Finally, in desperation, I plopped him in front of the television for a few minutes. That worked. Whatever it is that traps him in that state can be beaten by the greater lure of the idiot box. Hurray for greater distractions.

And, wouldn't you know it, he was pretty much right as rain after that. He ate a big breakfast, and only needed a little coaxing to get changed out of his pajamas (which he hates to do, lately--possibly because he's into undressing *himself* lately, thank you, and this may be an extention of that). Then it was off to Hakobune with John, and I had about three hours to get a project off my desk. Jamie came back with John around 1:00, and then went for a walk with John. He was in a great mood, full of kisses and affection, but didn't feel sleepy (even though he looked it). He fell asleep around 1:50, and slept for a little over two hours. It was so beautiful outside that John left him outside with me in the front yard while he ran off to vote in our provincial by-election. Jamie woke up about ten minutes before John got back, and was content to stay in his stroller outside in the sun.

We did some groceries, and then played in the schoolyard for half an hour. I told Jamie that it was time to go home, and we walked the rest of the way to the house (with periodic rest breaks). Jamie stopped at a house with a gravel front yard, and played Diesel 10 for a minute, using his hands to pick up shovelfuls of rocks. I told him that he could take two rocks with him, and we counted out how many two was. He was delighted, and I found out later than John only lets him take one at a time. He picked up another on the sidewalk, and we discussed that if you have two rocks and pick up one, then you have three. He seemed to get it. Then we did some simple subtraction, which didn't frighten him either. The boy can count to ten on his own, and to twenty with a little help; not surprising that he isn't scared by numbers. We stopped to birdwatch, and finally made it home.

We had dinner, and went to the birthday of our neighbour across the street, Robert Callaghan. All the neighbours were there, and we had a lovely time. Jamie enjoyed running around with Clare, Iain, and Alexandria, and we spent a little time dancing when some spontaneous dancing broke out. He had a good time, but was more than ready for bed when we left at 9:00. After a few fights about who got to take his clothes off for the bath and over tooth brushing (the usual), he bathed and it was time for bed. Jamie can read the word "Max" with 90% accuracy (sometimes he blows off the question), but is a little unclear about others. He can get STOP about 50% of the time, and we are working on his recognizing "hop" and "moon." I was thinking that I might try to introduce one word a day, or every two days, and see how that goes.

2006-03-31 20:07 (Kristen) Jamie was up early this morning, complaining that his stomach hurt. By noon, I had changed six diapers, all of which were evidence of the delicacy of Jamie's intestinal tract. We had decided early on not to send Jamie to Hakobune, and it proved to be a good idea.

He did seem well enough after the first few attacks, and went happily outside with John to cut some baby green onion stalks for part of breakfast. He wasn't that hungry, but did enjoy eating some rice, miso shiru, and umeboshi* (pickled plum). The day was glorious, and Jamie decided, after going down slides and playing with rocks in the back yard, that it was time for a ride in his wagon. He dragooned John into taking him to the playground at Jackman, where a seven-year-old girl named Grace immediately ran up to them and asked John if Jamie wanted to be pulled around the playground in the wagon. John said that Jamie wanted to go down the slide, and when Jamie finished his first slide, Grace asked Jamie if he wanted to go around in the wagon. Jamie smiled his hundred watt smile, and said "yes". At one point, there were three girls playing with him and the wagon, while Jamie sometimes wandered off to play with John or a ball. We don't think that Jamie will lack female company over the course of his life.

He ate some grilled cheese and fruit at Browning for lunch, and I was thinking that we were in the clear. However, an hour after he had fallen asleep, he woke himself up with another bout of diarrhea. John brought him home, and he played in the backyard until the rain and wet jeans brought him in. He had sat in a puddle, and he reassured me, over and over, that it was not pee. Good boy. His hands and face were covered in mud, and so we needed to clean up a bit. Jamie's friend Burhan, and his mom Selma, came over around 4:20 and Jamie was delighted to see Burhan. We had intended to play outside, but the rain forced us in. Jamie held Burhan's hand as they came inside, and helped him to take off his coat and hang it up. He wasn't in the best of moods, however, despite his pleasure at seeing his friend, and had a little trouble sharing. In the end, it wasn't as successful a playdate as last time, but both boys had fun, and we've agreed to try and get together in the morning next week and go to the park.

I lay down for a bit because I had the beginnings of a migraine (which I managed to beat), while Gary played with Jamie. We're now all over at Browning for dinner, where Jamie, Ross, and Gary are all playing with marbles and a marble course. It's chaotic, but seems fun. Early to bed tonight for all of us.

2006-04-01 25:00 (John) Jamie woke up early this morning at 6:30 with diarrhoea. He had a few more repeats in the morning, and was very tired by the time I warily got him to climb into the car to go to the market around noon. That was after a ride around the block in the wagon to reattain a sense of internal and external harmony, and after being allowed to unlock and open the car doors All By Himself With Dad Not Helping. He fell asleep on the way to the market, so I did all my grocery shopping quickly and quietly, with much walking back and forth to the car to drop off purchases. That took about two hours.

An hour later, Jamie woke up in a sunny mood at the Second Cup by the market, ate a Rice Krispies square for energy, ran around a bit, then asked if it was too late to ask Wei for a lollipop. We went and found her still there (she had given me one already when Jamie passed through asleep, but I had left it in the car), and Jamie happily sucked on a grape lollipop on the way back to the car.

On the way back to the car is of course part of Crombie Park, so we had to make a somewhat lengthy detour to inspect all the playground equipment. When Jamie climbed up a ladder with rungs spaced more than a foot apart, I told him he was a 猿 (monkey), and he remained a monkey for at least a half hour afterward. He spent the rest of the day being his usual menagerie: Jamie Cat, Jamie Dog, Jamie Frog, Jamie Diesel 10, etc.

He wasn't especially interested in going indoors when we got home, so after we fed Peeka (who is celebrating the warm weather by dropping by more frequently for salmon), we went into the back alley to play mostly ball hockey with Iain and Clare and Iain's friends Pierre and Sampson. Then Jamie quieted down and played at Browning until Tom made chicken katsu, and Kristen and Jamie headed home early while I finished beating Tom, Daniel and Ross again at Ticket To Ride. I got home in time to help shampoo Jamie, and after the bath Jamie tried out a frog-cowled towel that Tai-Tai gave him in Mexico, and liked it so much that Jamie Frog went to sleep in it.

2006-04-02 22:29 (Kristen) Jamie woke up at 8:30 or so, which was reasonable, although it was really 9:30 or so (daylight savings starts today). We'll see what time he wakes up tomorrow. His sleep was disturbed in the morning, but not badly so; not like the last few days, anyway.

He seemed to be in a good mood, but like the weather it can change in a heartbeat. We were horsing around and he banged his head slightly (sometime after breakfast), and he went into an extended, escalating period of total misery (crying, demands everywhere, which satisfied him not when granted). We finally took him outside, kicking and screaming, and John managed to soothe him after twenty minutes of this by pointing out some pretty rocks. Pointing out pretty rocks distracted him from his (late) afternoon meltdown, so having pretty rocks around is just a Good Idea, it seems.

More happily, we had a good time at the park today, and played at the little park by the Second Cup when he woke up from his nap. He enjoyed playing with trains, watching The Very Hungry Caterpillar, reading The Very Quiet Cricket, and playing with Gary, Ayami, Daniel, and Ross. He didn't eat much for dinner tonight, and the diarrhea is still bothering him, but it seemed to be a better day than a bad one. I have to remember to clip his nails tonight, though, as they are becoming talon-like. John cut his hair too, so it seems a good time to do it.

2006-04-03 23:17 (Kristen) We all got up early today to go and help my friend Suzanne move. Well... I sat and waited for the cable guy, and Gary was the muscle, while John worked and Jamie ran around, admiring the view of the CN freight train tracks from Suzanne's apartment. It was the most organized move that I've ever been involved in, and it was all over by noon. We went home, and fed Jamie some lunch before sending him out with Ken for his afternoon walk.

John went to get Jamie, and I slept for two hours. I was awakened by Jamie and John coming into the room, and being pounced on by a very happy Jamie. He had only slept for forty-five minutes (!!), and woke up in time to share a butter tart with John, eat half a rice krispie square, and drink a hot chocolate with whipped cream. John was a little nervous about letting Jamie do that, but he was in the best mood (and hungry!) for the first time in a a week and a half.

(John) It looks like Kristen got distracted at this point, and I don't want to wake her up to ask how the rest of the day went, but I went off to help run the Scrabble With The Stars charity fundraiser for the evening and Jamie and Kristen had a quiet evening in. They were in bed reading when I came home, and Jamie fell asleep as he often does listening to his boring parents talking about their day.

* For the benefit of Scrabble players, words that are not in the Scrabble dictionary are marked with an asterisk.

Back to Vol. 1 No. 24, or up to Jamie Chew's Web Log Archive. or forward to Vol. 1 No. 26.