Thursday, November 24, 2005

And many happy returns

We had a minor drama on Jamie's birthday when Rosie, Barry's parents' dog, decided to race through a hole in the hedge when let out into the garden last thing at night and promptly encountered some barbed wire. My mother-in-law originally planned to take her to their own vet for stitches once they got home on Monday, but, based on my marginally relevant knowledge of treating humans, I suggested this might not be a great idea and we should really give the local emergency vet a ring. So we did, and they were very helpful and stitched Rosie's leg under sedation, and she had to spend the rest of Jamie's birthday with a plastic bag on her leg.

Jamie had a considerably better day, fortunately. He was quite interested by being repeatedly given boxes wrapped in funny paper (as previously planned, we gave him his presents at intervals throughout the day rather than all in a big mountain, so as not to overwhelm him). He didn't really catch on to the concept of unwrapping despite our best efforts, but he found all those big boxes very interesting to climb on. And several of the touch-sensitive ones made interesting noises when he did, which was even better.

The list of things Jamie got:

From me and Barry: The aforementioned noisy plastic dashboard thingy (which I have now managed to find a link to), and an electronic drum, which makes interesting electronic sounds and flashing lights when you bang it or roll it (it's much less hideous than it sounds).

From Nana and Granddad (Barry's parents): A toddle truck with blocks. (He was very pleased when we showed him how to toddle pushing it, but it still wasn't nearly as interesting as the project of trying to taste every single block one at a time.)

From Uncle Simon (Barry's brother): A book designed to fit into a plastic board with electronic sensors, so when you touch the pages of the book you get various detailed comments on what the kitten is doing, how furry the rabbit is, and what other things are in the garden. Alternatively, if you just use the plastic board without the book, you can play notes in a variety of simulated musical instruments.

From Auntie Ruth (my sister): A dump truck with big Lego-style blocks.

From Granny Constance (my mother): A purple inflatable bouncy horse to sit on, and a wheelie thingummy that I'm quite glad to have found a link to online as I'd have had a bit of trouble describing it.

From Great-Grandma Martha (my grandmother): A fuzzy stuffed creature (we're not quite sure what it's meant to be, but it's gorgeously fuzzy) and, apparently, a drinking cup from Monterey Bay Casino that is waiting for us at my mother's house (my grandmother lives in Arizona and left the presents here when she visited earlier in the year).

From Rosie (the aforementioned dog, just in case you were inexplicably not fascinated enough by this post to give it your full attention): A 'First Words' baby book, with a wheel that you turn to make different pictures come up in the windows on the pages. (I'm very impressed that she managed to wrap it. Perhaps she had just a little help?)

From some friends of Barry's parents, who got our old dishwasher recently when my mother renovated her kitchen and we got her old one: Another plastic driving system, fortunately not quite the same as the one I got him, and a grey-and-black striped jumper.

From Grace, my friend from work, who helped us move house and thus earned our undying appreciation and, more concretely, an invitation to the party: A book called "That's Not My Puppy", a sort of puppy identity parade with textured bits of each picture to allow children reading it to confirm for themselves that, yes, the paws are bumpy or the tail fluffy or whatever.

We had Victoria sponge cake for tea, and a dinner of fish, baked potato and cauliflower so that Jamie could join in eating it. And, yes, he got thoroughly overtired and we are Bad Parents who should have got him to bed earlier. But he, and we, had an excellent day. And now, the toddler years await. I gird my loins and tremble at the thought.

1 Comments:

At November 28, 2005 4:23 AM, Blogger Joyus said...

Sounds like a wonderful time was had by all (except maybe Rosie).

I think I'll steal your 'presents throughout the day' idea for when mine hits one in a few months.

 

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