Mondays

Mondays are our "Sign Language class" day.

More for something to do really, but fun nonetheless.

The first time (last week) he didn't want to leave me. We sit on the floor on what, I presume, are yoga mats. It was the first time he'd been in a room with lots of other kids since he left the orphanage, he wasn't sure what was going on so wouldn't relax his vice-like grip on my fingers, which makes it somewhat difficult to sign for both me and him.

He relaxed towards the end of the class but never went more than an arms length away.

This week, a little fella came over and poked Tanner in the eye which encouraged T. to move around. I think more because he was an easy target sitting stationary than anything else.

I'm hoping that he will make some friends so that we have other kids to hang out with, we'll see how that goes.

This afternoon we went to Costco, only because he likes it sooooo much. I'm getting reasonably good with remembering all the stuff I need for him but unfortunately not so good with me.




He really doesn't like the car seat and starts to complain after the first ten minutes. So he was pretty miserable by the time we got to Costco. Loaded him into a cart and off we go.

For those of you that have never been to Costco (if you've never been to Costco you must be living in a cave, would not have a computer and, therefore, would not be reading this) you have to have a membership card which you show at the door.

Bugger, no wallet.

Well I'm not putting him back in the car seat now. So we window shopped for 45 minutes. We were both okay with that.

A week of firsts.

Everyday, it seems, has a "first". It is an overwhelming concept really that this young lad is experiencing all of these new experiences and we're responsible for them.

Thought I might list some of this weeks firsts.

First trip to the pub.

First time he drank from a sippy cup (baby beaker for the brits).

First time he drank Cow's milk (albeit with some sugar in the mix)

First time he slept for 10 and a half hours with no interruptions (I leapt from the bed at 5 to 7 to make sure he was breathing)

First time he's (I should write this down when it happens) eaten toast.

First time he's been to the dentist

First time he's had his teeth brushed (all ten of them)

First time I've picked up a turd.

It happened so fast I didn't have time to think about it. Before I knew what I was doing, I had a piece of poo between my fingers.

I was changing his bum this morning (always takes his constitutionals right after breakfast) on the sofa.

He was squirming a bit and I should've been paying more attention, but when I looked in the diaper (nappy) there was no poo?

Blimey. That's odd, must have been a really good fart.

Put a new diaper on and was about to do up his pants when I noticed the dog sniffing and rising from his slumbering state at the other end of the sofa.

As my eyes turned back towards Tanner, there it was, a turd, slightly larger than a grape, in fact like a walnut in size and appearance. I hadn't, thankfully, closed up the used diaper and before you could say "good grief there's a chunk of crap on the settee" I'd picked up it up and put it in the diaper.

I suppose the good thing was I got to it before the dog.

Tonight was also the first time he said "mum". I had brought him into the living room to give him a bottle of milk before bed and Tracy followed me into the living room. He watched her walk bback to the kitrchen and as she disappeared from view, he yelled "MUM".

Now that's a great first.

Farleys Rusks

I think I mentioned these in an earlier post.

They're awesome! I grew up eating these. When I say "I grew up" I mean that we never stop growing up, we're all kids at heart. To be truthful, I haven't had them for...... well, as long as it's been since there were baby bowls in my kitchen. But I still love 'em, oh yeah, they're gooood.

I have a friend (Annabel) whose family moved here some years ago from Ol' Blighty. She once told me that her dad, Ray, decided, probably at the behest of Annabel's mum, to import Farley Rusks for his kids.

I tried at the earliest opportunity to give Tanner F.R. but with no success. I realized that he didn't like milk. So I gave him a dry one. I should explain that there are big biscuits that melt readily into any liquid and also the gummy mouth of a 15 month old.

Tanner discovered today that chewed up FR on his hands becomes, well, a sort of cheerio velcro. Chew the rusk, get all the crap stuck to your hand and then place said hand into the conveniently placed pile of Cheerios. All that's left to do is suck the cheerios of your hand. Not helping his fine motor skills but what does he care?

just another wednesday, except

We all went to the doctors today, Tanners first check up.

Same as the check up in Beijing, really. Nothing to report.

Dropped Tracy at the Skytrain station and then off home.

And then.......... the dentist.

(insert foreboding music here)

Very nice lady, was pleased that I thought to bring him early, she showed me how we should brush his teeth. Turns out, the poor little sod is REALLY teething and as soon as the toothbrush touched his gum's he started to scream.

On the bright side, when he's screaming, it's easier to brush his teeth. Not long before he figures that out.

Tonight was, by far, the easiest night I've had putting him to bed. As I was walking him around the living room he pointed to the door that leads to his bedroom (memories of Joseph right there). I was back downstairs at 8:30. I'm going to pay for that tomorrow.

Cheese

Here's a funny thing.

Not many people don't like cheese, of those people, not many like cooked cheese. I, am one of those people. Raw cheese, yuck, cheese on toast, pizza, nachos, those doughnuts with beef and cheese inside that they sold at Costco 15 years ago, no problem.

Tanner, it would seem, is another one of those people. Won't eat raw cheese but feasted on cheese on toast this morning. There's me, eating a slice and so was me boy. Warms the cockles of me heart, it does.

Stuffed his face full of water melon too. Should have got the video camera out for that first experience! Luckily it was also the first time I put a bib on him.

So that was a fun morning, full of "firsts" then it all went sideways.

Kid, they're just teeth.

P.S. Maybe one day Costco will get the beef and cheese doughnuts back (hey, even my Jewish ex-sister-in-law liked them and they are sooooo not Kosher).

Observations (#1)

Yams - Come out looking the same as when they went in. They just smell worse.

Fake crying - His attempts at fake crying work impeccably. But if he really wants me to lift him off the floor/out of the highchair/out of the crib (cot) all he has to do is lift his arms in the air, smile and say Dad. Get's me every time.
Too bad he prefers to go with the fake crying mostly.

Cheerios - see previous post. Thanks here go to Maelin, for it was her that taught him how to eat them.

http://ourmiraclemaelin.blogspot.com/

Jet lag - worried too much about it. He was over it way before me.

Being a Mum - is waaay tougher than you'd think. I wonder every day how something so small could possibly take up so much of your time. Of course most mums don't cook for 5 grown-ups as well. Yeah, what are they complaining about?

Cheerios

They are a wonderful thing.

Put the young master (For anyone that doesn't know who Darth Vader is, that's a Star Wars reference) in the high chair, throw some Cheerios in front of him, all is good for 15 minutes.

He throws a lot on the ground and I have, apparently, the only Labrador that is not a food vacuum cleaner.

I bought a little cordless vacuum cleaner today but it turns out that not all Cheerios are created equal. Some are more substantial than others and remain on the floor even after several passes with the new machine. So the dustpan and brush are not completely retired.

Breaking News:

The longer a Cheerio sits on the floor the more edible it becomes. Tanner just cleaned up those which neither the dog nor the vacuum cleaner could.