Yesterday was opening day of Tobin's third spring of baseball. This year he's playing real baseball--i.e., not T-ball--where the hitters hit off a machine and they keep score. I didn't get to go to his first game because I stayed home with a sick Lauren, but Matt reports he had a great time. Tobin didn't get a hit but made good contact on his two groundouts. He also fielded the ball well, with one put-out. We're looking forward to another fun season. Go White Sox!
Tobin even loves baseball practice. At the end of this week he had two practice in a row on nights when the temps dipped into the forties. On one of those nights, he begged Matt to stay and play on the field after practice was over. Matt asked what he wanted to do and he said something like, "I don't know, I just want to stay and play on the field."
Although he loves to read and, of course, play video games, Tobin indeed loves to just play outside. He plays soccer nearly every day at recess. (Sometimes his teacher joins in the games "on days he doesn't have meetings at lunchtime.") He's enjoyed some of the warm afternoons we've had lately and the extra energy of a visiting Mimi--perfect conditions for a little afternoon football.
Of course, I'm paying extra close attention to Tobin these days. He seems to be handling things well. Before I started chemotherapy, I let his teacher know about my diagnosis. Matt and I were heartened by his response. He sought advice from the school counselor and they decided just to wait and see; they didn't want to scare Tobin by approaching him to see if he wanted to talk about it. He observed that Tobin is a curious, confident kid who isn't afraid to ask questions. And then we all agreed that we'd just be in touch if he noticed anything unusual about his behavior in the classroom, and we would do the same if we saw anything at home. Tobin hasn't really asked me any questions. He has asked Matt what would happen if I didn't take the chemo medicine, concerned that it made me feel bad. Matt explained that the doctors think the medicine will make me better eventually and if I don't take it, I will get sicker. Tobin also sweetly offered that he could go play outside when I was feeling tired from the chemo. I tolerated my first round of chemo very well. My main symptom was probably fatigue, but with my mom and sister here to help when I was most tired that first week and Tobin in school during the day, I wonder if he noticed much. I'm also grateful that my kids really like their doctor and that they've been blessed with good health. Tobin hasn't spent a lot of time in doctors' offices over the years, but when he does go, he isn't scared and knows that medicine (e.g., antibiotics for strep) helps him feel better. I'm hoping that these positive experiences with doctors as well my not appearing too sick this first round help him feel good about what the future holds.
Tobin's been working on a fun project the last couple months. He's written his own comic: The Adventures of Color Man. He started with an origin story, Jack, which tells how Jack became Color Man when he encounted a fairy in the woods. Color Man battles villains such as The Eraser, The Pencil, The Red Monster and The Witch. He also has a sidekick named Color Dog. So far, Tobin's written eleven adventures in the series. If you come visit, he'll makes sure you read each one.
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