Oranges, Take off your clothes.

Hannah LOVES the mini oranges. I peel, she segments and eats. Good team.

She is 16 months old. I told Andrew this story (below) and he asked if it was normal for a kid of that age to be so communicative.

Hannah is in the tub. I figure she's ready to come out. She gestures to the back of the tub, the sloped part where adults lay back when bathing. Then she points at me and says (with her hands), "Off." I lean in, and she makes it clear by tugging on my sweater-dress. Off. I humour her and take it off. She points again. I take off my tank top, and laughing, lean in again and ask what she wants. She tugs my panties. Off. Points at bra, off. Walks over to the bathtub tap, signalling that we're going to need more water, and again to the back of the tub, as in, "Mommy, come in and go where you usually go".

Is it normal for a 16 month old, in so many words, to communicate "Take off all your clothes, add some water, and join me in the tub"?

It was really cute. And I hope that by obeying, she gets an internal gold star for communication and keeps it up.

Midnight. Rock show.

Hannah was up past midnight last night. I tried, and tried, and gave up. Andrew finally brought her to bed. I think it was because the house was still buzzing while she was trying to go to sleep. Finally when we were ready to sleep with her, she went.

We attended the rock show for a few hours on Saturday. Hannah walked around gripping my legs. She played with the slabs of rock, sat at the table while Andrew and I took turns poking around.

She loves Gangnam Style.

She signs "Baby" by placing her palms on her chest and rocking back and forth. Sweet little thing.

She climbs onto her rocking sheep all by herself and starts rocking, big smile.

We went to the pumpkin patch. She ran around wearing a pair of hard-sole shoes from my own toddlerhood, tripping over pumpkin vines and knocking on pumpkins.

I would have photos from my mobile, but I realized that someone (hint: 2.5 feet tall and big blue eyes) turned on mobile data, and my bills have been 20-30$ higher the past 3 months because of it. My phone was constantly hot and running out of batteries, now I know why.

She signs "rain" when we go outside, even when it's not raining.

Signs "dog" by slapping her knee instead of panting. Signs Horse, mouse, eat. Hippopotamus, chicken, bird, owl.

Started eating yogurt by herself. Is a bit messy, but really cute. May or may not be calling Andrew "Da" now.

If I give her raw apple, carrot, cucumber, broccoli, she'll chew it up, carry it in her mouth for 15 minutes, then spatter it all over the carpet.

She understands what I say very well. After I emptied her potty into the big toilet, she went and flushed it for me, waving "Bye!"

She hasn't quite mastered sitting on her potty, she needs a little guidance. She tries squatting a few inches in front of it, moves back a little, tries again.

more talking, signing

Hannah now signs Pig and Fish, points to her upper lip to refer to grandpa moustache. She says No and Mmmmmm! for food. Ssssssss for snake. Has been crabby and very clingy the past few weeks, better now that my husband is back from all his business trips. I think it was mostly teething. Even had a little fever, poor thing. And we need to stop nursing so much. Must plan more meals.

Thrifting

Hannah comes thrift shopping with me. She now requests to run around the floor as I browse, occasionally finding bits of garbage on the floor to show me.

This morning we were in the washroom, and she put her hand on her potty in a request to use it.

Latest knowledge, she knows where her knees are, makes fish sign with hands, and dolphin noise.

Spent 15 minutes yesterday putting coins between her toes.

Walking and Talking

Hannah's been walking for the past week and a half. She went from walking occasionally to pretty much no longer crawling at all, except when the distance is far too short to bother walking. Talking. Mama (also applies to her father). Baby. BOOB. Monkey (with arm motion). Baaa (sheep), Buuuu (cow), Bwaaa? (cat), *panting* (dog). Signing. More. Milk. Hurts. Pulls my hair, bites me, signs "hurt". Repeat (ow). We visited my Oma today. She's doing well, for once. She really enjoys when Hannah visits. Fed Hannah bread and cheesecake, strawberries and raspberries. I tried to put Hannah to bed earlier than usual. She crawled over me, jumped off the side of the bed, and ran out the door (with a little assistance), and into the living room. No clearer way to say, "I'm not ready for bed." Tomorrow she'll have her first babysitter, for just an hour or so. My husband's cousin is coming by to watch her, as we happened to double book.

Sorting

Sometimes Hannah goes off on her own and does some sorting. She'll put all the blocks into a bucket, that sort of thing. Today I look over and she was stacking all the books on the TV stand. It was really, really adorable. I have a little organizer on my hands.

Holiday

In the car leaving Fort Edmonton. Sunscreen in hair. HOT day.

One Year Old

Happy Birthday Baby Hannah! Today you started refusing to put a diaper on, instead wanting to stand, pantsless, looking at yourself in the mirror, smiling and saying "Hi". SMACK SMACK SMACK (prints all over the mirror) You had LOTS of birthday. Now you're sleeping, sprawled out in the bed in nothing but an orange diaper. The cake, it was adorable. You pulled the decorative raspberries off one by one and ate them. The guests didn't mind raspberry-less pieces of angel food cake. You received so many presents! Everyone wants to see you in pretty dresses and playing outside in the sun. You enjoyed playing in the big pink pool full of balloons, standing up for the camera and saying "Baby!" You also say Baby around baby Autumn. I can't believe you're a year old. Just a year ago you were a teeny-tiny. This year you're helping empty the dishwasher, pulling the spoons out for daddy one by one as he puts clean dishes away.

July

I cannot believe it is July already. This time last year we were but two weeks away from Hannah joining the family. She's so big now, I look at the photos from last summer and get all nostalgic. Yet she's not THAT big. Spent all of yesterday at Oma's, visiting with the fam. My uncle is in town. My brother joined us too. Hannah loved all the attention, all day. Auntie Karen is great with her. She sang "Hoppe Hoppe Reiter", Oma remembered all the German lyrics. Rob remembered mom's dolls names (two at least), Lucy and Judy with the green hair. Hannah fell asleep in the car and took the first part of her nightly snooze in the car seat, about 2 hours. She has been imitating us when we make kisses at her, and now when we wrinkle our noses and sniff too. She was making "mmmmmmmmm -ah" back at my stepmother (noisy kisses). She's been signing milk and more.

mep mep mep

Hannah plays peekaboo with the baby gate, opening and shutting it with either me or daddy on the stair side.

We went swimming yesterday and she spent the whole time clinging to a yellow ball.

At Mother Goose the leaders noticed her making the hand motions with them. I knew she did Zoom Zoom, but I didn't know she did Pretty Painted Butterflies too. We may have to go to the one out at Maple Ridge just so she gets her fill of nursery rhymes all summer.

She makes a "cat noise" when we see cats or look at Shakey's portrait on the wall. It's a high and sweet "mep mep mep" plus staring at the cat, watching as it runs away.

Summer

Summer? You call this summer? It's supposed to rain through the next full week too. Boo.

We've begun summer programming. Our regular mom groups have all ended, swimming (aquafit) is over, and now it is just Mother Goose and Baby Tea. This week has been quite relaxing, just hanging around home with baby, washing dishes, singing and bouncing, playing doll house.

Mother Goose is a fantastic program. It's free in the community. The other moms seem pretty cool, and most of our babies are around the same stage (Crawlers!) Hopefully some, like me, are having extended time off work. After our first session, me and Hannah couldn't get enough of:

Daddy went away all of last week to a business meeting across the country, so we were all alone. At least, we should've been, but my best friend came to stay with us. We sang "Zoom zoom zoom, we're going to the moon" all week. It was just lovely to have company, to have someone who could watch the baby for a minute while I washed dishes or peed. Someone to share lunch with (who won't throw it on the floor), and to shop with me and make me buy things. Oh I'm bad.

I've started bringing home boxes of my junk from the storage area at my dad's shop. This is pretty much all the stuff that was in my room at my mother's house when it was sold and we moved out. It is neat to time travel and see all my old school books, magazines, letters and drawings.

I've realized that I was bizarrely obsessive in 3rd grade. Every single journal entry since the kittens were born (we refer to the month prior to this as BC, Before Cats), Every. single. one. is about those blasted cats. There's even a note from the teacher saying "Please stick to the assigned journal topic." BUT I HAD TO TALK ABOUT MY CATS CATS CATS

We had dinner with my brother during the week, and breakfast with my stepmother, then dinner with my friend's sister. I ate out way too much, lots of sushi and other deliciousness, but it was like my vacation week too. Sorta.

A few weeks ago, my mother-in-law sent us home with a couple new toys that Hannah had expressed an interest in. The doll house, WE LOVE THE DOLL HOUSE. It has Little People. Hannah puts them in and out, peeks in the doors and windows, reaches in like Godzilla.

We also discovered the matching maracas to the ones we have - one big and one little. Now we have two of each, hurrah! I don't know how on earth one of each maraca ended up in mom's house, and one of each at dad's.

We went to the Farmer's Market today for the first time this year. I love going, though I always seem to spend plenty. But then I come home and we have FOOD in the house. Om nom nom nom

Nipple Inspector

Hannah now inspects women's breasts.

With me, she opens my top and gently moves her forefinger toward my nipple, while looking back and forth to my face, stars in her eyes.

And with all women who hold her now, she opens their tops and looks down inside. Just inspectin'.

Savary Island holiday, the Beach

and I took our first holiday together this past week. A friend of ours invited us to her cabin on the beautiful Savary Island, a tropical gem of white sand beaches in the Salish Sea. It was a fantastic trip. Hannah slept during the car rides, nursed (mostly) on the ferries in between, including the Water Taxi to the island. She cried when she had to wear her life jacket, because she felt like a doughboy.

I really enjoyed having a few days of relaxation, not TV, computer, or electronics. Simple meals, great company, some board games, and nothing to distract me from paying attention to Hannah. I'm sure she is like a pokemon, and grows faster on the days I can focus on playing with her, feeding her well, napping her up.

As if 3 days on the island were not enough, I went to Crescent Beach on Monday with my sister in law. Hannah wouldn't wear her hat, and came home with a bit of a pink head, but the burn was minimal. Mine was worse (but still barely noticeable), as I didn't have ANY hat, and she had long sleeves and pants. Hopefully she doesn't start springing up moles and freckles after this one day in the sun.

She loved playing in the sand. It was EVERYWHERE. I still see some in her nose, and when she peed this morning (or was it the poop?) there was some residual sand in her babypotty. I had to watch her carefully, as she was trying to eat lovely round sea pebbles found in the sand.

I've been putting her to bed early. Tonight we tucked in around 8:30. I gave her a 10 o'clock top up since she awoke, but this is so. working for me. If I make it to bed by midnight, I still get 8 hours, as she sleeps in until 9 most days. Except tomorrow we have to get up earlier .. and we start swimming, EEK.

Today we had baby signing class, or so I thought. I seem to have missed the email where they changed the day we have it on. Unfortunately, it's held in one of the other mom's house, so here I am walking in her front door (which was open) as if I own the place. On class days we're supposed to just come in, but .. oops. She was gracious and invited me and baby in for an impromptu playdate. I'll have to have her back to our house sometime.

I owe so many people. It seems we're often invited out, but I rarely invite back. We're just BUSY. and when we aren't, we take that day or two to relax. I'll have to have a big baby tea when my husband is out of town.

CRAWL

Hannah is officially crawling. Not tummy dragging, not crawling a few paces before dropping to her belly, she is full on crawling on hands and knees. It started tonight while Andrew was on the phone with his mom, and I was trying to start a shower. She followed me from the kitchen, down the hall, into my bedroom, to the bathroom door. So fast! I picked her up, gave her a chance to pee (she did), then sent her on her way. She was so tired this evening though. Barely napped today. It seems she has only one or two big nursies during the day, the rest being distracted and either full of nipplephone or leg bucking, scratching at me, that sort of thing. at least she's going to bed earlier. She was doing BIG MOUTH today. I tried to put her down for a nap, to no avail. She wanted to sit up and play with things. Play with the pillow, the lamp, my book, bookmark, ME, anything. So I made it fun and gave up on reading and sleeping. Dangled things over her head so she'd look up with her wide open mouth, and I inspected her incoming top teeth. So far: Left middle bottom Right middle bottom Left 2nd top Left middle top I wonder if she'll lose the teeth in this same order? I seem to recall left-middle-bottom being my first lost tooth. I am amazed at how she maneuvers herself off the couch and bed. She pushes legs first, slides down, lands on her feet. Though she was particularly upset later in the day and nearly rolled herself off sideways. I wonder if it is instinctual to go feet first? I wonder how many of these things come pre-programmed. I was shocked that she came with peekaboo installed. What else? WHAT ELSE?

Early Bedtime

I've been trying to put Hannah to bed early. Early as in 9pm instead of midnight. She gets tired and cranky starting around 8, so it works. Except, it takes 2 hours to get her to sleep some nights. So I get out of there, FINALLY, around 11, and no longer have an evening of baby-free whatever ahead of me. Such is life. She has the front left tooth coming in now. Last night, she had a LATE bedtime. I couldn't believe how good she was all evening, as we attended a dinner party and the in-laws with some of their neighbours. We didn't leave until almost 11, and she was not only cheerful as we placed her in the carseat and into the car, but she promptly fell asleep for the entire ride home. We nursed to sleep, and she was up with me at 8:30, off to another swap meet with her auntie and cousin. I made her nap around 3 in the afternoon, until 5:30. I NAPPED WITH HER. It was lovely. I had weird dreams. She took her first steps the other day, pushing on a desk at moms group.

Pop pop, teeth incoming

I notice today that baby has swollen gums in the front, and can see the white of her two front teeth under the gums. Poor thing! No wonder she is so cranky. At least the fever is gone, and she was in better spirits much of the day.

She had her first taste of banana bread this evening. I ground up coconut into this one, it is SO delicious.

Standing, more sick, more teeth

Hannah stood on her own for the first time this week. It was just for five seconds or so, her bum hovering above my knee.

She is barfing again tonight. So is her dad. Fortunately i am well, after a long weekend of the tummy bug. She is sleeping with her head on a cloth diaper insert, a towel below. I do not want to be stripping my bed at 4am again.

The upside of all this sick is that I am getting lots of time to read. I am now 200 pages into A Clash of Kings from the Song of Ice and Fire series. I haven‘t read this voraciously since that Lord John book in the fall, and it feels good to be so immersed in a whole new world.

The downside is having a cranky baby the rest of the time. I miss her usual cheerful self (though now at midnight she is at least calm, though awake).

Her third tooth appeared today. Left top but not middle, canine maybe. She keeps chewing my finger.

Stomach bugs

I was sick last Thursday night, haven't been sick like that since Japan. Took some Gravol in the night to get some sleep and stop the vomiting. Ugh. Spent the next day having chills and feeling very weak. Woke up Saturday and felt better. Hoped that was the end of it.

NOPE. Last night I put the baby to bed as soon as we got in from my parents', where we spent Easter. She slept for a few hours, but I noticed she was kinda crawling about the bed and sleeping on her stomach with her legs tucked underneath her, it was unusual. And at 3:30am, she has some wet coughs, aaand barfs. In the bed. And we cosleep. But where else does a 9 month old barf? Do you ask them to hold it an escort them to the washroom? Blech.

My husband helped clean her up while I cleaned the sheets and replaced them, putting down towels just in case. I nursed her a bit, she puked again. Changed the towel, wiped her down again. The third time was just a little, so I folded the towel over and continued rubbing her back to put her to sleep. I didn't except her to sleep the next 7 hours with just a layer of towel between the bit of vomit and herself, which she did. Oops. But she did sleep well, and woke up full of beans. I woke up feeling ill again, and I really hope that was the last of it.


Saturday we had Easter with Hannah's cousins, with a little easter egg hunt for the 2 year old and all. Toward the end of the night, we get to talking about pinworms, and Andrew starts singing "There's a worm in my bum tonight," (to the tune of The Eagles' "Hole in the World") ... and on and on, with the guitar and all. I haven't laughed so hard in ages.

Crispy rice

Whenever I have work to do in the kitchen, I let Hannah explore the cupboards and pantry, to keep her occupied. Today she pulled out rice crispies and scattered a handful over the floor. Now she is working on her fine motor skills by hunting them down and devouring them one by one.

Knock on the door, ring the bell, peeeeeek in

Hannah insists that I play with her before she will sleep. We say a few poems, have giggles. She pulls a pillow over for some peekaboo. She crawls over to inspect the light (as in previous post). Then she is happy to sleep.

We bought a mother goose book at the swap meet.

Knock at the door (knock on baby‘s forehead)
Ring the bell (tug hair)
Peeeek in (lean in to baby, peering into her eyes)
Pull at the latch (tug nose)
Walk in (walk fingers into mouth)
Go downstairs (slide fingers down chest)
AND EAT APPLES. And eat aapples (tickles)

Kiwi, garden, swap meet

Kiwi fruit is well designed for baby. Soft insides, with a rough yet edible shell. I half-skinned one, rather overripe, passed to baby. She stuck her thumb in the dark, soft flesh, and spent some time sucking and gnawing. Bought me some time in the kitchen too.

After 10 minutes, it was everywhere. I‘ll be finding tiny black seeds all week now.

Today was beeautiful. We put baby on a mat on the lawn with a few toys, and managed to weed nearly all the front gardens. I need to start my seeds for the year, and hope the baby doesn‘t get into my indoor soil.

I went to a kids swap meet early Saturday morning. It was a.maz.ing. I actually wish I had bought more from the few expensive brands I saw for cheap. I picked up some cute pieces from Tea Collection, a few books and toys. I was lucky to find Fred Gwynne‘s The King Who Rained, which is of the same style as The Sixteen Hand Horse. Looking forward to the next one!

It‘s funny because I used to wait at the bus stop right outside the venue, and would read the upcoming events sign. Never thought Kids Swap Meet sounded too interesting. Oh how wrong I was ..

Being beckoned, mmm ma, mmm mam

So tired

Hannah and I had a bath together around 830, and since she came out, she has been tired. I should have just taken her to bed, but I wanted to write a letter and see Celebrity Apprentice. It is 1130 and the little sweetie is napping on my lap. I still have to change her and put her to bed.

No matter how tired she is, I have a hard time just laying her down and putting her to bed. She always wakes up. Sigh.

Crawl explorer

Before we can go to sleep, Hannah now has crawl exploring to do in the bed. Tonight she crossed my pillow to visit the flamingo lamp I use for warm soft light. She was thrilled to touch it at last.

I made the most fantastic brownies last night. Hannah even crawled all the way into the kitchen to see what I was up to. I took my usual Steffi‘s Brownies recipe, replaced solid choco with cocoa, one of the eggs with fake egg (flour, baking soda, powder, water), dash of cinnamon, and a bunch of 10% fat plain yogurt, maybe 1/3 cupish. It came out like moist chocolate cake.  We ate it for breakfast.

Took Hannah out for sushi and socializing with my friends this evening. She is so good, very portable, makes friends with everyone. Almost everyone: the dog got a little playful with her and gave her a scare.

Her second tooth, the right bottom, will be up soon. Today she was clicking her tongue, a new sound.

Went for a walk with baby in the wagon this afternoon. I need to start my seeds for the garden!

Spaetzle amd kiwi

Baby loves spaetzle. Finds kiwi sour but enjoyable. I find spaetzle less scary to give baby than other pasta. Firm enough she can hold, yet weak enough she can chew and mush it.

Sick week

I‘m glad it is spring break, because we are sick. No classes, no moms group, no baby tea. I‘m improving, and we‘re both sleeping better. Unfortunately my husband is coming down with it now.

Photo from Hannah‘s two hour nap in my arms yesterday.

Family music

My husband‘s favourite way to entertain baby is by playing her songs on the guitar. Last night she joined in with her maraca. She will also bang wooden blocks together to make hannah-music.

As baby and I both have colds, we took a nice steamy bath together for the first time, see if it would get the mucous flowing. Not sure if it did, but it was sure fun. I haven‘t shared a bath in so very long.

We have also signed up for a mom and baby aquafit class in May. Yikes! Public pool? Baby? Bathing suits? Chlorine? My hair!

Baby jeans from daddy‘s pants

I‘ve been seeking a way to repurpose my husband‘s nice jeans with an unfortunate hole in the crotch. At moms group a few weeks back, one of the little girls was running around in just such a pair of upcycled pants, with bottom and side seams intact.

I just traced a pair that current fit baby, added some seams, length, and room for a waistband, did some pinning and sewing, bam! Pants.

Puh Puh Puh

Hannah wakes me up at 7:50. I try to nurse her, no go. She keeps letting go, which is usually a sign of something. But I'm still so tired, I just pretend to sleep hoping she'll do the same.

She turns to me, and puffs air into my face, puh puh puh puh puh. I usually do a motorboat sort of sound when she has to poo or is pooing, and this was her version of it. She then let out a little fart to drive her point home.

When we arrived at the washroom, poo.

She's almost 8 months, and becoming sentient.

We're working on the sign language too. I could've sworn her hands were making the poo sign as well, as she was gripping a finger or too, but I think that is coincidence. I use milk, toilet, poop, all done, and more, with her. I like to believe she signs all done when she is finished on the toilet, and I obey.

Cookie monster

Hannah had her first cookie yesterday. I picked one up on my way out of moms group, and somehow it ended up in her hand, and then her mouth. I should‘ve known she wouldn‘t just sample and return it to me after a single lick.

When we arrived home, it was everywhere. I‘m still finding dried cookie on her car seat today. But she was just so happy, wet glob of dough in her hand, cinnamon ginger smudges all around her mouth.

She is definitely mine.

Celebrity

Walking around Main St. with Hannah this past weekend, it was like having a little celebrity slung over my hip. Perhaps it was the audience, as we visited independent, locally made women's clothing shops. Maybe it was her adorable yellow bonnet and white sweater, against the shock of my neon pink coat. Or she really is that darn cute.

Every store. She is SO cute. Did you see the baby? Isn't she the cutest? How old is she? (talks to baby). In Hong Kong we wear them on the back like this, I never seen like that, I tell my daughter. Did you make the bonnet? What's the pattern? SHE IS SO CUTE! Auww

I couldn't even shop in some places, it was all about Baby Goo. I don't mind. I just hope in a year or two, it won't be "Ma'am, please remove your booger-eating hellion from the premises."

Child Care

I put Hannah in Child Care at the church during an event last week. It's the first time someone has taken care of her other than family. Actually, the only other person I've really left her alone with has been my husband.

She did well! It was an hour and 15 minutes before they gave her back, crying big fat tears and with a wet diaper. Poor thing. I meant to get her at 1 hour and change her, but forgot. I peeked in a few times, and she hadn't really moved! Just sat where I plopped her, next to some other baby girls she sees every week.

Banana

I gave Hannah 1/3 of a banana to hold and munch. She broke it into no less than four pieces, dropped all but one to the ground, then scooted her butt forward over them for full coverage. Attagirl.

Nutrition course

Baby and I attended a baby nutrition course on the weekend. She was the only baby there, ooops. I didn‘t know I was supposed to leave her at home. Then again, all the other moms have older babies. Unfortunately she didn‘t just sit and hang out quietly like at the rock club meeting last month.

It‘s amazing how things have changed. All the feeding practices my folks used on me are no more, as they lead to poor relationships with food, power struggles over a basic necessity of life.

“Just three more bites.“
“Try one spoonful of each thing on your plate.“
“When you‘ve finished your spinach, you can have more macaroni.“
“Good job! You ate all your beans. What a good little eater.“
“Open the garage, here comes the car, vrrrrmmm“

She advised none of ther above. Make healthy food available. The kids can take it or leave it. Provide snacks that cover 2-4 food groups. If the child doesn‘t eat something (ate veg and starch, skipped chicken at meal), offer a protien you know they like at the next meal. Don‘t build up expectations over what kids will like. One day they‘ll love it, next they will hate it, they‘re kids.

This is going to be interesting.

I ate three

Plus 10 from the last batch.

Red velvet cupcakes with natural red colour, om nom nom

I used beets and raspberries, extra beets this time. Perfect colour. Lots of flavour. So good.

Tonight, red velvet breastmilk.

Learning to crawl

Hannah is on the move. We place the clicker in front of her whenever we want some crawling practice. Something about a black candybar covered in glowing buttons is irresistable.

Turnover Champion

I was so excited when Hannah first turned over at 3 months. She did it ONCE. Hasn't really done it much since, until the 7 month mark. Now she's a pro.

I just put her diaper on backwards because she turned herself over on the change table. Just hold still while I insert the liner, geez!

AND she's on the move now. Doesn't crawl on her hands and knees quite, but she manages to pull and push herself far enough to reach the clicker, my knitting needles, some tissue paper.

Lentil soup

Hannah has been wanting to try food for the past few days. Last night I made lentil soup for dinner, with sweet potato and butternut squash. It was fantastic. I sat Hannah on my knee, and fed her lentil by lentil. She loved it! No gagging or yuck faces. Tonight she had more, as I served it for dinner a second time.

Pictured: I‘ve been changing her on my bathroom counter. She picks up my deodorant and toothpaste, sucks on them, bangs then together, carries them into other rooms as prizes.

“and we take home as prizes
Funny bugs of handy sizes“

Made red velvet cupcakes tonight using natural colour. They‘re a bit raspberryish and soooo good.

Recovery day

Yesterday was LONG. Today we took it easy, comparitively. Hannah slept in until after 10, which gave me a whole hour to myself. I wasted it on the computer, as always. Came upstairs, watched a little Once Upon A Time, knitted a little more of my ongoing project. I am liking Once Upon A Time more than I feel I should based on the ridiculous premise. Doesn‘t help that it is filmed locally in Langley/Steveston.

Class this morning was Gymboree, and we are booked for our first class there tomorrow. The instructor showed us a frogleg push move to get baby crawling, and whoa. I showed my husband, Hannah did it maybe 10 times (which is about how many cookies I‘ve had this evening) and she started moving on her own.

On our way home from class, she was yelling at me from the back seat. I decided to stop off and buy some yogurt, and found a dirty baby. Poor thing. When we arrived home, I popped her in the bath. After, we had naked nursies (her, in a blankie sans diaper, not me), and she passed out in my arms for a few hours. I happily stayed put and relaxed, caught up on tv.

All evening she has been fantastic. She has a sudden interest in solids. Yogurt, a little cucumber as a spoon. Then as I made cookies, she asked for tastes of the overripe bananas. I let her chew on a green bean from our dinner too.

Now she is yelling into my chest and coating it with drool.

Long day, from alibrunch to oma

Poor baby. I made her socialize all over the lower mainland today. Dragged her to brunch with redditors, think she enjoyed it. But then we should‘ve come home and kicked back. Instead, we stopped by my dad‘s then had dinner with my oma. Didn‘t get in until 11. Poor baby cried on the way home, despite me sitting next to her and trying everything short of leaning over and inserting a boob in her mouth. Sometimes it would be nice to have long floppy granny boobies, like milk telescopes.

It was wonderful for baby to visit with oma, her great grandmother. Oma was transfixed on her all evening. It was hilarious watching my 83 year old grandmother being whacked in the face (lightly) by my baby, grab the spoon in her teeth, growl at baby, baby laughs.

Baby tried tzatziki dip. Loved it. No yuck faces. Is her father‘s child with this early love of garlic.

Baby tea

Every Thursday I do Baby Tea with my inlaws. Hannah has a toddler cousin and a baby cousin to play with, and I hope the tradition stays!

Today‘s Tea included a bit of lunch. To keep Hannah busy while I ate, I gave her a chunk of chicken to gnaw on. She tore a bit off and chewed it extensively, then gagged until tears came. My MIL was like, should we mash it up? And I‘m all ahhhhh baby led weaning it is just gagging not choking she is okay this is normal lemme just fix it, guh. I felt like such a putz. Some online forum reading has bouyed my spirits though, and the baby led weaning experiment will continue. She did swallow the chicken, in the end, and I suspect I will find undigested bits tomorrow. Yay.

Pictures: she fell asleep in my lap doubled over, head between her feet, stayed that way for half an hour. And those cheeks! Also, her cousin has warmed up to her and now snuggles her, hams it up a bit for the camera.

Sideways, cousin

Hannah has been cocking her head to the side, giving us funny looks like a little owl. I melt every time, so adorable.

Tonight we had a family dinner. Sat her next to her girl cousin. Chewed on the chair a bit. Tried chicken for the first time. I think she liked it. At least the flavour is milder than fruit and vegetables.

Grocery cart

Today was Hannah‘s first time sitting in the grocery cart. The first five minutes were totally fun, until the cart started to fill and she was more interested in the things piling up behind her. We switched back to the sling, which solved the frustration of not being able to reach the avocados.

Bitty bump - in progress

I finally gave in and bought the pattern for the bitty bump sweater, and giant needles to go with. I‘ve had this odd chunky yarn sitting around since I was pregnant. I really must have known she‘d be a girl, with choices like this. It is knitting up super fast, but I am concerned now I will run out of yarn. I am only 10 rows in and already on the second ball, eep!

Apples as bath toys

I find this baby led weaning thing is easier in the tub, where there is no mess for me to clean up after. For the last few minutes Hannah has been holding an apple spear in each hand, waving them around, gnawing the ends. The flavour is so mild, she is making the least yuck faces of all the foods so far.

Ah, she has lost interest. Two floating apple boats now being attacked by a yellow pouring duck. Baby just deposited a piece of apple from mouth to duck‘s beak.

Find my own teething toys

Baby finds her own teething toys. Today, the stand from her stack ‘em toy. Also, my toes and chin. Wish I hadn‘t lost her teething ring.

Also on the menu were my mother‘s silver bangles, a grape, and my hairbrush. She plays the hairbrush like a guitar.

I was pleased to discover today that her bald spot from laying on her back is growing in.

Glorious nap

She‘s been out for two hours. But if I move my arm, she wakes up. So I watch some Bomb Girls and let my arm fall asleep. Dishes can wait.

Fantastic new toy

Why does she even have toys? All she wants is a plastic bag with something inside she can toss around. Pictured with bag of trail mix.

Laundry day

When the diaper pail looks like this, it is TIME. I probably shouldn‘t leave it so long (4 days this time, oops), or wash so many at once, but it always works. I love cloth! It doesn‘t smell too badly, and the diapers come through clean, even if I wash too many or forget the soap cycle.

It takes 5 minutes to unstuff the pocket diapers and stick the velcro together. If there‘s poop, we rinse it when it happens. Since baby has is often pottied, we may only get one poopy diaper per load.

I thought baby‘s poops and peeps would be the bane of my existence as a new mom. Instead, I find pottying the baby to be absolutely fascinating, and a welcome break where we can go to the washroom and smile at each other whilst peeing. And the cloth diapers are adorable, I need to stop myself from buying any more. I love the variety we have, and am happy when my favourites are clean and baby gets to wear them.

Inconsolable

I was down to the last foot of space as baby completed her 7 hour roll from back to stomach, in my direction. I elected to carefully lift my face-down baby onto her towelled sleeping pad in the middle of the bed, lest she peed.

Bad idea. Wakes up screaming.

Cries all through the bathroom visit. No talking or patting will solve her woes. Only nipple.

Back in bed, I am thankful that she woke up upset. Had she woken smiling, she‘d have been up for the day far too early.

All-you-can-eat highchair

At the all-you-can-eat sushi today, we had a high-chair brought as I needed both hands to shove food into my mouth. First thing she does, face down, sucking on the crotch strap. It was all gooky to start from every other kid doing the same thing. Eeeeeew. After unsuccessfully offering her a toy or rag of her own (disregard Sophie, lick manky old chair), I took her into my lap where she proceeded to make pterodactyl noises. HONEY. Come on. Have a boob, NO BOOB. Here, look out the window, old lady waves back and makes faces at you. Take to toilet, DRY. Let pee. Return. Give to my friend. Suddenly happy. WHAT?

Sometimes she sits on my lap so easily as I play computer. Helps if I play music and dance her to the tune, give her my thumbs to hold. Of course, this prevents me from getting anything done.

Silly baby. Why couldn't you have had fussy time as I played computer, and calm stare-y time when we were out in public?

Getting baby to sleep

There is some magic in getting baby to fall asleep.

Do not expect sleep.
As we drove to the park for a hike this afternoon, I thought for sure the baby would nod off in the car. Every time I looked back, she‘d look up at me as if to say, ‘sleep? Me?‘
Strapped baby to my back and started the walk, memories of her two baby backpack naps earlier this week twinkling. After 5 minutes of smiling up at daddy, I gave up and let her ride on his shoulders, chasing me down the path. The walk back was no better.

Give up.
Baby slept while we drove home, and for a little while after.

Nurse.
Squeezed another nap out of her before dinner.

Stay put.
I‘m sure it seems ridiculous, me watching Seinfeld reruns in the dark while baby sleeps in my arms, head flopped back, but if I move she‘ll wake up! Not entirely true - I did manage to walk over and turn the light on, eventually, but had I tried to lay baby down somewhere, she would have woken. 4/5 chance.

Slow down. Lights out.
Baby falls asleep best when I‘m feigning sleep. Unfortunately she‘s too interested in what I‘m doing now, I can no longer knit behind her as she nurses in bed. Can read 2/5, works best if I let her work her grabbies out first. And she knows when I‘m frustrated, as it agitates her too and makes the whole thing worse.

Stick around.
Baby may wake within the first half hour of sleep. If you‘re there, 5 seconds of knuckle. If you‘re not, good luck.

Sleep begets sleep.
Contrary to adults, the baby who naps well will sleep well too. My worst days in putting baby down have been the nap-free ones.

Yet today had awesome naps, and so the sleepening was completed in good time.

Good night, baby Goo.

Androids

Picked up a new LG Eclypse today, with the little pop out keyboard and everything. It's a huge step up from my old Motorola Razr, circa 2006. Why on earth did I wait so long? Maybe I thought my only option for smartphone would be iphone or blackberry.

I've stepped into the future! Bloggin' all over the house, here I come!

Smoked carrot

I put a carrot in the vegetable steamer on the stove, not thinking how long it would take. Pick up baby for a nursie, ask husband to keep an eye on the carrot. He checks on it, it's fine, not done yet. Puts eyes back on the TV. I check on it a few minutes later, to find the pot smoking, no water left in the bottom, and blazing hot. It belted out steam as I poured cold water onto it, and I come up with black water every time I scour it.

Now I can't even use the carrot, because it smells burnt, and I don't know if a carrot cooked by a burning saucepan is entirely safe.

I think it's time I take a walk outside, get this acrid odour out of my nose.

Paper

Baby Goo LOVES paper.

I was washing dishes the other day, when I heard her choke-coughing from the other room. Peeked in to see her devouring a receipt that I never even knew was on the floor, let alone within her reach. This little piece was stuck to her head, the rest of it rolled up in her fist in a wet suckable glob.

It wasn't all there, of course.

I found the last of it this evening.