A Week at Home

An ear infection, a cold, and a nasty cough made for a difficult week for Louis, but we all survived his first illness with us. Because Louis is normally such a happy boy, it was clear something was going on even at the end of last week, but we are still learning his signals. He hates his medicine almost as much as he hated being housebound, but it was too cold most days to venture outside.

When we finally escaped the house for a walk yesterday, Louis walked me to the car three times, pleading with me to take him somewhere. Yes, this is the same child who sat in the car hour after hour just a few weeks ago on the long trip back from Chicago! But he really wanted to go somewhere. Finally, on the spur of the moment (after the ball we were playing with vanished under a neighbor's car), I strapped him into his car seat and decided to drive to the library where my sister Treasa works as a librarian. I didn't bring the huge diaper bag I drag everywhere for no reason--so you can probably guess how this story will end.

Louis was thrilled to arrive at the library. He thinks Aunt Treasa is so cool--she wears the snazziest socks, and he has a thing for socks and shoes--and he talked to her boss and some older children who were there. One fourth grade girl was really kind to him, letting Louis sit next to her and even reading to him from a picture book. Louis pulled a few books off of the shelves and may have watched me make a paper bag dragon out of the corner of his eye. I chased him up and down some dangerous set of steps that the library plans to replace, as Louis will be upset to learn. He has a current passion for steps and he thought it was terrific.

After a lot of romping and not quite as much reading, Louis came to sit on my knee. "How sweet," I thought. "Maybe he'd like to read one of the books he picked." Then my knee went cold--at the same moment that Louis gave me a funny look. Oh, no, I thought. Oh, yes. His diaper had come unstuck on one side and slipped off--a fact I failed to notice before his pants got soaked. I grabbed Louis and a key to the bathroom and tore off his pants, praying that I had a diaper in my purse. Miraculously, I did! I did not, however, have an extra set of pants--not for him and definitely not for me, but I was only worried about Louis. (I might mention here that Treasa had been kind enough not to comment on the banana spit-up decorating my coat when I arrived at the library--and I also might admit that I knew about it and didn't bother to clean it off.)

I cleaned Louis up as well as I could in a public bathroom with cold water, some liquid soap, and a 2-year-old who was touching everything he could see. I rinsed out his pants, put on the new diaper, and stood there, struggling to think of a solution. I finally decided to wrap Louis in my coat and run to the car. But I had underestimated Treasa. She was waiting for me outside the bathroom. She produced not only a plastic bag for the wet pants, but also an XXL library T-shirt that covered Louis better than any outfit we have. It didn't even expose his legs, thus passing the bare-ankle test we failed so frequently in China. Louis wasn't upset by any part of the experience until he realized we were leaving the library, a true wonderland.

Back at home, we shared our story with Baba, who didn't seem shocked that I would be caught unprepared and was pleased to gain a new T-shirt. Now my guys have matching library T-shirts and I will never (I hope) leave the house without an extra set of clothes for Louis and my monstrous diaper bag.

Today Louis had a wonderful day, playing with his friend Charlie and visiting Grandma and Grandpa's house for a nap and some playtime. He loves being home, but he also likes to get out and about. This weekend we will try to balance his interest in getting out of the house with our need to spend some time together as a new family of three!

Here are a few photos from the week:

Laughing at Baba, of course

Admiring Aunt Treasa's socks

Discovering pinecones in our neighborhood

Modeling his shark bath towel

Admiring the Thomas the Tank Engine layout at our local train museum