Revamped

I did a little bit of revamping on the blog.
Not that I expect many people read it or care.
I think most of my friends get it through the FB feed.
And my mom and other family need to be reminded to check when I've posted a video, etc.
Nevertheless, if I'm going to use this blog it may as well reflect me.
(Hence it is orange)
So I've changed the title again. It's no longer "Abi's World (as told by her mama)" because increasingly Abi's world is not just what her mama can tell about. It hasn't been for quite some time, but I'm willing to admit it now.
The reality is this is MY blog.
To that end, I've added a progress bar for my Ravelry projects.
I will also figure out how to add one for my dissertation. I'd say I'm at about 10% right now. Not too shabby.

My hope is that by focusing on my accomplishments I will accomplish more.
That's the intention. I may bore you upon occasion with stuff about my dissertation. I've been slowly composing a "what exactly DO you study Mandy?" post for over a year now and have never gotten around to sharing it. You know, in case you are curious/care.

Things I accomplished today:
revamped blog (quick)
ate half the banana bread (not really/quite)
let Abi sleep in, got her ready for daycare, etc
some writing progress (never as much as I would like; not including blog)
Clicked and voted at the HungerSite and AnimalRescueSite (very important!)

While I'm at it, since I've just revamped, here are some other recent (not today) accomplishments:


My socks (emphasis on mine, not mom's)

Okay, mom, you can have these ones (yes, I suck at keeping surprises. These are too lovely not to share.) I was going to make them for myself, but decided mom would like them even more:


For Veronica,

...yet another butterfly


My Dragon Scales shawlette (and my own pattern too!)
I finished this quite some time ago now, but it's my pride and joy.

This next project, OTOH, was fun...

The Muppet cardi
Robin upon seeing me knitting the sweater ~
R: Who is that for?
M: Me.
R: [raised eyebrows] It doesn’t seem like a ‘you’ sweater.
[Actually means: I hope you don’t plan to be seen in public with me wearing that sweater.]
M: Of course it is! It’s totally ‘me’! It’s orange and like a muppet!
[Actually means: mwhahahaha Oh, you’ll be seen with me all right!]

You might think I've been knitting a lot. Not so. I'm really quick. Honest. And that sweater is in super bulky yarn on 10mm needles (that's huge for me). There is also much opportunity to knit when Abi insists that I sit with her while she falls asleep.

Since daddy returned

Even since daddy/Robin returned, Abi is still clinging to mommy.
And she watches Finding Nemo a lot. That Dory sure is funny.

Nothing much exciting around here. Abi received a gift from Mexico yesterday. A lovely handmade set of couches and table for her dolls. She was very happy with the present and proceeded to set them up and seat her dolls.I have also discovered that Abi enjoys coffee, ice cream and cookies in bed.
Imaginary food of course! I discovered this one night while laying down with her. She was babbling away between "hushes" as usual and asked her usual favourite question in her 'cutest' tone: "Can I have a cooookie? I want a cookie." To which she already knows the response is no. I discovered that an imaginary cookie was just as good when I offered her one. After they were "all gone" she proceeded to find a whole "box" of them in her headboard, along with some crackers as well as coffee for me. A tasty bedtime treat.
Of course, an imaginary cookie doesn't always satisfy her, but I can try.

Ever since Robin left, I've had to lay down with Abi to get her to sleep. I'm slowly weaning myself away. I don't think it is entirely related to Robin leaving, even though that did upset the routine. The routine was already faltering as Abi has reached a period where she thinks about things. A lot. She'll tell you all about her day, and the day before, and last week, and what she wants to do next week. Then she'll want to play patti-cake and maybe peekaboo with a blanket. And, of course, after laying down she'll have to go pee at least twice. In short, she will delay sleeping as long as possible! A couple nights ago she had to call Nana and others to say goodnight. (Only Nana turned out to be home.)
Me, I sit quietly and calmly. Knitting. The type of simple knitting I can do in the dark. (Currently a very simple semi-circle shawl for Abi.)

Oh, and she's diaper free at night now too. Sometimes she wets her daycare nap-diaper, but I suspect that's largely just because she knows she can. I should remember to speak with J about Abi being finished with diapers at home.
YAY for no more diapers!!!!
(Even if they are super-cute cloth diapers and wool covers...)

Daddy is home

Robin arrived home safely on Saturday just in time for dinner. Abi remained very clingy with mommy - not surprising since daddy had been away a long time and he was still working when we went out for dinner with his co-worker. Robin had to pass along a key and information about the job before his counterpart left at 3am. Abi was not impressed when daddy dropped us at home, picked up the key he'd forgotten to bring to dinner, and then drove his co-worker home.

The next morning, Abi and Daddy went to the water pad - after daddy finally woke up. Abi had made him delicious BBQ sauce and picked out a book for Father's Day. After stopping for some much-needed groceries, we had a quiet afternoon around the house. The cool house. Despite having just returned from Mexico, I think Robin had grown accustomed to AC, because we had to turn it on Saturday afternoon. It was hot and muggy, but I've been living in the heat sans AC for the last month :P I'd forgotten what a nice, cool house with AC on feels like! The mainfloor floors were cold on my feet.

Robin has stories to share about all the partying he did and the reason why he's still tired. He's yet to be told about all the house stuff he has to do... mwhahahahaha. If he thinks mowing the lawn was all...

5 more days

Only 5 more days now until daddy returns.
Abi will be so happy to see him! Me too!! She's been quite clingy and not herself in his absence.
We visited Gran ("Gam Gam") and "Emy" as well as Aunty Karen this weekend. Abi was initially looking forward to the carousel at Port Dalhousie in St. Catharines, but when she got there she preferred the swings at the park. I tried convincing her to ride first by going on alone while she sat with Gran, delighted to just sit on the bench and watch the carousel go around. After some more swinging I tried again - this time I had her convinced for about 2 minutes to try the ride, but when we got on the carousel I had to struggle briefly to get her to even sit with me on the bench/sled on it. She said she'd rather watch with Gam-Gam. However, with some knee bouncing and gentle requests for her to sit with me, she decided it was fun. Next time on I asked several times if she wanted to move from the bench to a horse or camel or giraffe or lion... no luck. A third time found us still on the bench at her request. Oh well. Maybe next time.

Sunday we headed home at nap time - hoping to ensure a nap! It worked. (Unlike our drive out Friday night, which she did not sleep during. *grumble*) We arrived at our friend's house in town just in time for their late lunch at almost 3, although we'd only intended to go for dinner and playtime. Abi was delighted to play with the kids all evening. She had been asking to play with D at his house all week and was very disappointed that we hadn't yet.

I've gotten used to her poor sleep schedule while Robin's away. I've conceded it's not worthwhile even attempting to put her to bed before 9:30. No matter what time I start (7 or later), she doesn't go to bed until it's dark out around 10pm and she doesn't sleep in. On the upside, she's not peeing in her diaper when she sleeps.

who is that?

I've been unsuccessful at uploading this video to Youtube after multiple attempts, so I'll try it here. I suspect the problem is the crappy internet connection up here in my office - which Robin will have to fix upon his return.
*fingers crossed this will work* (seems to have)
If you are reading the note on Facebook, you'll have to navigate over to the original blog post at Blogger which should be linked somewhere at the top of the note.
The video is a result of us looking through her scrapbooks so we could see photos of daddy and Nana (who had just called). I thought it would be fun to cut snippets of her saying people's names so they could hear them. Enjoy.

I want to run away

Tonight Abi, who as usual did not want to go to bed, stood at her door and repeatedly told me "I want to run away" (rather than stay in bed).
"Where would you go?" I inquired.
"Jen's house" (daycare)

Where does a two year old learn about running away? Oh, wait, daycare kids. lol
*sigh*

Tonight she was also mighty pleased with herself for pronouncing her doll's name correctly as Sophie rather than So-sie as she's been pronouncing it until now. (Of course, if you said "Sosie?" she'd say that was wrong.) She's clearly aware of her own previous mistake. "It's Sophie, not Sosie" she told me. I heard the name a lot this evening as she practiced.

We also blew kisses to daddy in Mexico. Then I caught some for her (imagining daddy was sending them to her) and roped in a big hug to boot. Not that it helped to get her to sleep sooner, but it did put smiles on her face. She's been missing Robin and asking about him at home and daycare. This morning we had a video call with him and he was on again later in the evening to wish her a good night - after she was supposed to be in bed, but wasn't.
Have I mentioned that she opens doors - house, car, etc.? Buckles herself into her seat. And goes to the bathroom and climbs up to wash her hands all by herself? Oh yes, Ms. Independent does it all.

She speaks frequently of fun times with her friends and asks to see them "next week". Today she wanted to go to the park with Simon. Next week she wants to go to Douglas' house again. She always talks of Kiki and the other kids at daycare. And she has this idea that "my cousin DoDo is coming soon".

Oh, and she is apparently far superior in speech than I was. At Abi's age I couldn't say Veronica, so I named her Nicky. Abi used to call her Ra, but this week started calling her Veronica. After telling me DoDo is coming, she'll speak of Aunty Veronica and Uncle Scott. I remind her that he's not visiting, but we'll visit them next month. "And Nana and PaPa and Papa" she says, before she starts into her list of family, which includes George, Fenwick, Darla, Mommy and Daddy. Sadly, Aunty CoCo has dropped from the regular repertoire, but have no fear Corey, I remind her "and Aunty Corey and Uncle Ed." "Yea!" she says. Oh, and then there's Gam-Gam and Em-y who she wants to visit every weekend.

With so many aunties - my friends, our sisters, our aunts - she sometimes gets confused and says things like Aunty DoDo as if aunty is related to family. But I've explained how these terms work and she seems to remember the differences. "Aunty DoDo, no, my cousin DoDo" she says.

And who needs books and pictures in books when Abi can recite all her favourites without help? Just open any book and magically it becomes the "Poop Story" or the "Bike story" or the "Piggy story". Usually the poop story.

In the end, she fell asleep.