Jean Bean on Queen

This was Liam's first week at day care. It's in a home about a mile from our house, on Queen Avenue, and the caregivers are Jeanie Bean and her daughter Melanie. Melanie has a daughter who was born three days after Liam. There are four other little kids who come regularly, plus a 15-year-old boy who has Down syndrome and comes to Jean's house for a couple of hours in the morning before school. They have a beagle, a big fluffy cat, and a tree house.

On Monday Will dropped Liam off while I got ready for work, then came back so we could drive downtown together. When I picked Liam up in the evening he seemed content, but tired, and Jean said he drank 24 ounces of milk - a lot for such a small person! We joked that he is a stress eater.

Thursday I was working at home, so I went over to Jean's at noon and fed Liam his lunch. It was nice to see my boy and get to know the other kids better. One little girl told me she has a baby too, showing me a doll. I asked her how old her baby is, and she thought for a minute..."my baby is twenty-two." When I commented that her baby was awfully small for being twenty-two, she explained without missing a beat, "that's because he was born in June." I'm glad to know Liam will have such imaginative playmates!

Liam continues to grow and change. Recently he has treated us to a couple of giggles, and this morning he came very close to rolling over (but I think he scared himself and now he doesn't want to try it again). He has also started reaching for things, grasping them and putting them in his mouth - scowling the whole time - and what he lacks in coordination he seems to make up in determination.