IT IS WEDNESDAY...!

Today is the day for Kai to spend the day with us...

The first thing that he noticed was the absence of the Christmas tree. He commented that he wants Christmas to come back. Some explanation later, that Christmas and Santa Claus went home to North Pole and will be back sometime later satisfied his laments. This was a repeat of the Halloween celebration.

Umma had to go to a meeting with her former classmates to proofread the souvenir book of their reunion. This left Kai and I to make the day worthwhile. I intended to bring him to the park, but the weather was not really that good for strolling and playing outside. We stayed home and I spent the day mostly interacting with him. He brought with him his magic writing pad and spent a bit of time writing his name and drawing. I left him by himself for a while to cook the Italian sausages that Umma bought but he came to the kitchen and asked to be put up the counter. "I want to watch you cook" that was what he told me. He was sitting besides the microwave oven and I asked him what button is for popcorn. We had a new microwave oven, different from the previous one we had...he was able to pinpoint on the spot where it is. I was thinking that since it is a new one and different he will hesitate and look where it is. No way Jose! He got it in a Jimminie-cricket.

He continuously ate the whole day. After Tisha left Umma gave him rice crackers (ate two of them) with chocolate milk. He saw the shoe string potato in the can (Pik-Nik) and he asked me to open and started diving into it. Lunch time, I made him french fries, ham and apple slices...finished that. This was the time when we were in the TV room, watching "Charlotte's Web" on HBO. After that we switched channels from "Cartoon Cartoon," "Diego Go Diego," "Blue," "Tom and Jerry," back to HBO "Family" and then watched "Batman," the animated version. While I was sitting next to the computer, he would come behind the chair, climb on my back and we ended playing piggyback ...my poor back! We lay down, covered ourselves with blanket and play "house." Umma came home and we are eating the "pastillas" (milk candy) I made. At first I let him taste it. "I like it" he said, so he ended eating five of them. Before that he saw my Butterfinger bars, took one and let me open it. He ate half and gave me the rest. All this eating was washed down with water or milk and the yogurt drink.

Tisha came about three. Kai was not ready to go home. He tried to ignore his mother and not even looking at her. When Tisha went to the living room, Umma hug him and told him that it is time to go home and will see you next week. He hug and kissed Umma and said; "I miss you Umma, Umpha." He really look sad. I can say that it was worth being with him for the day...we are sure that he enjoys being with us. As usual he wants me to carry him to the car. He kissed and hugged me...but with a complaint about my moustache that he calls "sharps."

One more thing...while sitting on my lap in front of the computer, he reached for my medicine, opened the cap, took one caplet. I asked him what is he doing...answered me that "you have to take your medicine. I have to put it in your mouth." So I took it since I haven't taken my daily dose of my maintainace pill for hypertension. This is one thing that I am sure he will not take and think that it is candy...he was taught at the early age what are medicines. He has a favorite medicine for his "boo-boos''..."the white one"...that is either the "Katialis" (a cure all compound from the Philippines) or Neosporin. He does not like the "Skin Shield," colloid based antiseptic because it stings. Of course, Band Aids have to be administered too...big or small, does not matter.

He saw some loose coins on the table next to us. "Umpha, money"! He took it , got down from my lap and went to the living room where his "alligator" bank was and deposited it. This always happens every time he see loose coins laying around. Sometimes I wonder how some kids came to swallow coins....??? Not Kai, "I have to save it."