Chasing

I love watching my kids chase animals.

Squirrels are funny because they are super fast, my kids don't stand a chance. We can't even keep them in eyesight that long.

Pigeons are hilarious because they are just the right speed and size for Guin. They waddle along and he can get pretty close to them, and pigeons are dumb enough that they don't fly away immediately. You can walk right behind them for a long time before they finally get fed up and fly away. Guinness was chasing a pigeon at the park on Sunday and it was awesome. The pigeon would go under a bench, and G would hunker down and look under the bench, taking a minute to realize he had to stand up and walk around the bench. And at one point he made the connection that if he walked slower the pigeon walked slower. So he dropped to his knees and was crawling around the ground after the bird.... Hee hee. And when the bird flew away, Guinness just walked right through the flowerbed that was in front of him, eyes up and intent on the prize in the sky!

Today is was butterflies. Nothing more precious than a child completely engrossed in a butterfly, chasing it and watching it, intent on the goal.

Ball!

Guinness loves to throw a ball or any size and then watch it bounce/roll away. Then he laughs and laughs and runs to get it and throws it again. Marbles are good, but easily lost so mommy likes tennis balls better.

He is also adjusting to the new routine. When I got home from school today he said "Gemma?" and I said, "Yep. Where's Gemma?" and he said, "School!"

"Should we go pick her up?"
"Yeah!" (enthusiastic nod)


The arrangement is I come home after school at 4ish, get Guinness, and we go get her together. We have a snack (Gem has one at school before she leaves, Guin eats on the bike ride over) and go play, stopping at a park along the way home. He is so wild it makes getting her hard because if I put him down to help her with her backpack, water bottle, lunch dishes, etc, he's all over the place; pushing elevator buttons, eating other kids' snacks, playing with toys he shouldn't be, playing drums, etc. But even today was better for him; he's starting to get the message about where his boundaries at school are.

We had so much fun at Daan park today after school we stayed for an hour and a half.

More jokes by Guinness

So funny, this kid.

So he loves playing with marbles and large beads. He likes to drop or throw them across the floor and the chase them, or just watch them bounce and roll away. So one got away under the couch and he asked me to get it for him. 'Marble! There!!!' So I hunker down to see where it was and it I would be able to grab it and as soon as I get down on my hands and knees he jumps on my back. "Horsie ride??"

He is so into the banana pants joke. 'Nana pants!' and then he grins and waits for us all to laugh. We always oblige!

He will put anything on his head and call it his hat. Noodles, cups, a piece of string. He holds it up there and says, "Hat?"

He cooks pancakes when he plays kitchen.

He tries to feed me his snacks. "Big bite, Mommy!" he says.

So funny, this kid.

Guinness' Chronic Cold

So my son has had this cold on again off again for more than 1 year. So I finally made the effort to book him into a pulminidjfhsdf specialist at NTU (you know; respitory disorder doctor). NTU is the best hospital in Taiwan. It is the university hospital and all the big whigs works there. Apparently. So I booked an appointment and we went on Wednesday.

Worst. Appointment. Ever.

First thing; it was MENTAL renjiren (crowded). Tonnes of people everywhere. No one to help. I was directed to one room. Told it was the wrong room. Went to the next room. Waited. Then told it was the wrong room. Sent back to the first room. Waited. Waited. Called in. Doctor takes a look. "Yep, he has a cold. Yah, 13 months is a long time to have a cold. But it happens." I guess you can't really check for things like asthma, etc till they're at least over 2 and so its hard to say if he has a disorder or not.

The cold in itself is not the worst thing. My growing concern is his immunization chart. He hasn't had a shot since he was 6 months old because he is always coughing, hacking, on meds. He doesn't stay healthy long enough for me to take him in. So we are 18 months behind on his shots. Which is super ironic because I am definitely on the side of getting immunizations. Like when all the bird flu commotion was going on, I was fer sure going to take my kids. And then I never did. And now my son is not had any in ages, even though I want him to. What the doctor said is to just take him even if he is coughing and runny nose, just no fever. So we will try and get that rectified before we come to Canada. In 13 weeks!!

We had a ridiculous time getting a taxi, which actually lead to me having a tantrum at the crossing guard and literally SEETHING in the backseat on the way home. Bad response on my part, but like I said it was an exhausting, emotional, draining week and it just pushed me over the edge.

He is doing a bit better today. Hopefully recovered by tomorrow.

Hansel and Gretel

guinness' favorite show of late is Little Einstein's. EXCEPT for the episode of Hansel and Gretel; he is terrified of the witch! He will not stay in the room if it is playing. 'Scared!!' he cries out. So different than Gemma, who loves witches and watched all of The Wizard of Oz (flying monkeys and all) by the age of three.

Fever pains...

That's what the dr. says. And, "Of course, come back if he still can't use his leg after the fever is gone."

Uh, thanks Dr.

Guin is doing fine; happy when given tylenol and crabbier as it wears off. Will this kid every be healthy?

Einstiens!

Guinness' fave show of late is Little Einstiens. He says things like, Kecak! Ogre!! (from firebird rescue), staccato (from birthday balloons)

He has a fever tonight and is tired and achy. He keeps rubbing his leg and is walking a bit unsteady; weird, right? We'll see how he is tomorrow.