Seeking Samadhi

I love this weather.  Sure, it might be the harbinger of the End of the World As We Know It, but I'm all about the short-term gratification.  I think I might have a bit of a seasonal affective disorder or something, because when the sun comes out and it starts to get warm, everything starts to feel possible.  Finishing the novel, even with an incipient toddler - no problem!  Getting it published afterwords - of course, why not?  All is right in the world.  Needless to say, I prefer this mood to the yuck of earlier.  San Francisco weather cracks me up, though.  It feels like it just got to be autumn (what with leaves turning and falling at the end of last month and early this month) and now spring seems to be on its way.  We're not in Maryland anymore, Toto.

The inspector called us yesterday; the results of the tests were already in.  Apparently the only hot spot he found was the entry way, right by the front door.  He figures we have been tracking in lead dust from outside, possibly from the front steps and that's where Tai got it.  He's mailing us the information and we may have to replace the front steps (which we needed to do anyway, considering they are falling apart and leaking into the basement).  He suggested we seriously clean inside the front door and then make sure we (and everyone else) take off our shoes before coming inside.  Considering the relatively simple fix, I'm quite relieved.

This week has been good to me so far.  Yesterday Tai and I got together with Marne and Eliana.  We went to a park and had a picnic in the sun.  The kids did their best to prove their moms to be liars - Marne said Eliana was in a bad mood, but Eliana flirted with me more than she ever has.  Tai finally showed his true colors to Marne by having a fit when we left the playground after only a few minutes of swinging.  

Today Tai and I went to Holly Park, since I promised him yesterday that we'd go to the playground to make up for leaving so soon.  He had a great time, played on everything and practiced walking while holding my hand.  (When we left he had another fit, screaming like I was torturing him and arching his back and sliding out of the stroller.  Fun times!)  Then we went for a walk in MacLaren Park with mom and her dogs this afternoon.  

I'm pretty sure Tai is saying a couple of things, starting in the last few days.  He might be saying "that", which sounds like, "dat" - done most often while pointing at something.  I don't think it's a random babble, but it could be.  He also might be saying either "out" or "up", which sounds like "ut" - done most often when he wants to get out of his stroller.  I am looking forward to him talking more than anything else.  I can't wait to hear what's going on in his mind.

In fandom random: Neil Patrick Harris was on Sesame Street today.  He was the shoe fairy.  And he cracked me up.  I am way behind - I need to see Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.  And I am so enjoying the Buffy comics.  (There's a statement I never thought I'd make, not being a comics person, usually.)  Oh Joss, I can't quit you.

The subject says it all.  I got a call from Dr. Treece this morning.  I was napping with Tai but got a message.  He said, "I got the results from Tai's blood tests and there's some things we need to talk about."  Yeah, those words will strike fear in a mom's heart.  Needless to say I called him back right away.  Apparently Tai's lead level is 9.  That's one point short of where some brain development problems might start.  It's not as high as it could be (for example, according to Tom the CDC says cities EPA often don't get involved unless the child's lead level is 15).  But most babies Tai's age have levels of like 1 or something low.

I haven't caught Tai eating paint chips.  All I can think is that he's been exposed from the construction we've been doing on the house.  I worried that it's in my body, that I've been poisoning him through my breast-milk.  My aunt told me all along that we shouldn't do the construction while I was pregnant and Tai was an infant. But Tom swore that it was fine, his parents did it and his brothers are fine.  I didn't really believe him but I didn't have a choice.  I don't have access to a ton of money to just finish the house myself. So I went along.  And now Tai might be the worse for it.  Tom says we'll just paint over the whole house and that will solve the problems.  I'd rather just be done with the construction.

Dr. Treece is proscribing Tai vitamin and iron supplements, since he's also mildly anemic.  Hopefully the iron will bind to the lead and filter it out or something like that.  Oddly enough I haven't done any research yet myself.  I'm just tired.  Tomorrow.  Until then I'll try not to worry - what's done is done.