And it begins

Today I was corrected by Abi. We were looking for a specific cat toy she can't find, and I tried distracting her (from the still-missing toy) by offering another "cat". "That's not a cat!" She says. "That's a tiger!" Which, of course, I knew, but she'd always called it a cat before even when I would call it a tiger. She then proceeded to practice saying Tiger. This was the first time I'd ever heard the word from her. It's been a long time since I called any of her tigers that. It used to be I'd talk about a tiger and she'd say "no, cat". I can only assume she learned the difference from kids at daycare.
Granted, she also tells me she wants a DS.
And, I'm waiting for an opporunity for a video, but she will sing for you:
"Tick tock on the clock. The party gonna start. Oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh."
Which, in order of learning actually developed as:
"oh, oh, oh. oh, oh, oh." Then "tick tock... clock." And only this week was the party added.
We recently discovered where she learned it (daycare of course). It's on one of the girls' Nintendo DS toys as downloaded by an older sibling.
Right now I admit it's very cute when she sings this chorus and dances. Let's hope she doesn't figure out the parts about beer and Jacks. (If you don't know, this is a pop song by new "Britney" singer Kesha. The tick-tock part about dancing isn't so bad. It's the video, oh and the fact that it's about drinking all night (starting the night washing out your mouth with Jack Daniels) that isn't so good.)

April Update

It has been a long time since I updated you and I really should be finishing grading papers right now, so I'll keep this short. It's been very busy around here (when isn't it?) at end of term. My sister, nephew and dad were out to visit my grandpa (dad's dad) in his last week. Of course, at the time we didn't know it would be his last week with us. We are grateful that we had time with him before he passed away. The funeral was last week - a simple memorial for a wonderful man. He is greatly missed.

While my family was here we took a visit to the Butterfly Conservatory one afternoon while grandpa was resting. Inside the Conservatory was very hot and humid (especially for us Winnipeg folk). Butterflies were literally everywhere and flying around in flocks (or whatever the technical name is for groups of butterflies). The kids were afraid, and who can blame them. Those were some large butterflies in their faces.

The pictures start here on flickr. Here are a select few:
















Abi and I now have matching hats and jean jackets.






And, in other news, I turned 30.


Abi sang me Happy Birthday. It was awesome. I wore a crown that I had crocheted the night before. We had friends over and at the best brownie double-chocolate cheesecake EVER.


I get plenty of hugs. Life is good.

Adventures with a Two Year Old

Maybe the blog needs a new title soon: Adventures with a Two Year Old.
And what an adventure it is! Full of fun and excitement and questions and giving orders to the animals.
"No Darla!" "Move Darla!" "Darla sit" (not surprising since the two of them are always at my feet).
The last week has been particularly fun. Abi's been home from daycare because of Spring Break, Robin's home with pneumonia, and I'm sick too. And by fun I mean trying, but also enjoyable when I have the energy to smile.

Saturday morning the Ostara Bunny came and left eggs full of Playdoh for Abigail. Unfortunately, she was only half dressed, so I can't share photos or video.

She's been enjoying her newly expanded train track (thanks to her Aunty V and Uncle S)I rearranged the living room to put the table back in the middle as a play area. With a box as a bench seat, she enjoys building puzzles at the table, colouring, and having tea parties with her birthday tea set.
She's also been trying to ride her scooter (handed down to her by a friend)


She loves her Apple Boots (thanks Nana) and Apple vest (thanks again Nana).
Lately she's been wanting to watch two movies - Lion King and Aristocats. (She also enjoys the "teapot" movie - Aladdin.) She narrates the whole way through. Much to my surprise, last night she sat and watched Lion King from start to finish and cried when Mufasa died. Admittedly, with Robin and I sick, it's been quite convenient that she wants to watch a movie.

I know there was more I was intending to write about for a week, but I forget what. So I'll leave you with a couple new videos from the weekend.

Abi sings No More Monkeys as she attempts to put her new puzzle together. We hear a lot of this and the "Bus" song and "Everybody" (from Aristocats).

This is a rather long video, but I was trying to capture a snapshot of her usual behaviour. Lately she is sleeping long and eating TONS. A growth spurt is clearly pending. (Aunty Coco will appreciate the PJs).

Offically Two

Abi is now two years old.
We had a relaxed celebration this morning over breakfast.

Abi briefly wore the hat she made a while back at daycare. She had to re-decorate it yesterday because she long ago had pulled off all the decorations.



Making her wish... she had no problem blowing out her candle.

At home she agreed to pose with the blanket I knit her - but only if Darla would be in the picture and she could sit on the blanket.



I posed too :)

Then she put her new bunny down for a sleep...


...and took a 10 second nap herself.


Tomorrow is another day of celebrations for her with her friends at daycare.

Last Minute Knitting

Lately I find myself desperately trying to finish a knitted gift project at the last minute.
Tonight it is Abi's blanket.
In February it was my sister's wedding shawl (knit in only 1 week!)
In December it was my mom's socks. The one pair I finished the day before we left for home.

I had intended to knit up a fun toy called "Which Came First" for Abi. It's an egg that flips inside out to become a chick. I now plan to make it for Ostara, which is not very far away.

For her birthday, however, I really want to finish this blanket I started long ago for her. Foolishly I made it using sock yarn and knit in a 1x1 ribbed pinwheel. It looks fantastic and it's wonderfully squishy, but slow as molasses to knit. Nearing the end I've switched to larger needles and DK weight yarn. It won't have as wide of a radius as I had intended, but I'm confident I can finish knitting it tonight. Weaving in all the ends is a whole other issue...

Early morning breakfast tomorrow, so I can't stay up too late... Best be getting back to work. Stay tuned late Sunday/early Monday for birthday photos.

Secret Winnipeg visit

Fewf, Veronica finally updated her status on Facebook and as far as I'm concerned that means I can now share that I spent last week in Winnipeg preparing for and attending my sister's wedding.
It was a semi-elopement wedding with just the siblings (and families, except not Robin who had to work) and parents in attendance.
Official photos have yet to be sent, and since I was both in the wedding party and occupied with a cranky baby, I don't have any of the ceremony :(
But I have a few pictures I'll go post on Flickr.

Abi had a great time with her cousin. She and I were busy visiting grandparents and aunties and preparing for the wedding! I managed to forget Abi's snowpants, hat and scarf at the new in-laws (although we thought I'd forgotten them at the farm) and then I left my keys in Winnipeg! Going there, I neglected to bring shoes for the wedding because it was in their living room, I didn't have room for shoes, and I figured I wouldn't need them. I forgot we were going out for dinner and apparently everyone was wearing shoes indoors, including my sister. Who'd have thunk my hippy-sis would wear shoes at her wedding?? :P I also had to rush to finish knitting her a wedding shawl. I was going to make her a large shawl for this summer, but when I received the phone call two weeks before the wedding I decided to drastically revise that plan!
Oh, it was crazy. And I couldn't say anything!

Off to upload pictures as I've been waiting to do forever!

No Evil

Abi started this series on her own. I only asked her to cover her ears.





All dressed up and wearing the near-impossible-to-find black patent shoes!

GOAL!

"Go Canada!"
Abi surprised J at daycare yesterday by shouting out "Go Canada" while J was talking to the older kids about the Olympics.
That's Robin's girl! Her Nana would be pleased as well.
She enjoys watching the Olympics with Robin. Or perhaps, more accurately, I should say she loves shouting "GOAL!" during the hockey games and "Go Canada!" The latter is her favourite chant right now. We hear it a lot.
It's better than when she chants "Abi Abi Abi" (although that's fun/funny too, if a little self-centered).

I have many new pictures to share, but I can't right now. Soon.
Abi's second birthday is quickly approaching. Just over a week left... eek. My baby.

My laptop is in desperate need of something. I think it's the power cord (specifically where it connects to the computer) that needs to be replaced. Robin wonders if the input jack is shot. Either way, it randomly decides to not recognize it is plugged in, and my 5 years old battery simply does not last long. Very frustrating. I have to keep the battery meter window open to keep an eye on it. At this very moment I'm having to hold the cord in a particular position to charge the battery... thus I think I'm right about the cord.

On Valentine's Day with Love

Dear friends and family. I made this video for you today:

This weekend I also baked heart-shaped cinnamon cookies for us:
Yum. My trick? This is a standard flattened-ball style of sugar cookie, so to make the heart I rolled the ball, pinched one end, used a knife edge to cut into the top, split the cut apart, then squished with my palm on the cookie sheet. Easy-peasy and very cute.

Thought you also might enjoy these funny and cute pictures from this weekend:
All dressed up for today. Abi loves wearing tights and a dress. She asks for them. She also dislikes dirt and bugs. Hmmm.

Beds

I'm torn! Abi slept in her own bed last night. She slept through the night. She is still asleep at 9am (after nursing at 7am). I didn't sleep quite so well, but I refused to succumb to my own fretting and check on her, thus risking waking her as I opened the door. Robin checked for me.

How did this happen? Last night we attempted to go see Avatar. Alas, it was sold out and we ended up going for dessert and lattes (and a few geocaches for Robin, including one near Chapters which allowed me to browse for a little while). We enjoyed our evening out, but we were only gone less than two hours. We returned home by 9pm (rather than after 11:30) and expected to find Abi not sleeping.

Our friend Chris had come over to babysit. We'd given 8:30 or so as a bedtime. Lately we've been struggling to get her to sleep. The old routine stopped working - it all being signs of bedtime which Abi resisted. I knew it would be different for Chris, just as it is different for J at daycare when Abi takes naps. Abi listens better to others - as is common for kids. I expected it might be more difficult to convince Abi to fall asleep alone in our bed when she is used to us being there to put her down, so I finished setting up her bed in the purple room. Before Chris arrived I gave Abi her nightly "medicines" of vitamin D and the homeopathic Calm we're trying. I showed her the new bed prepared for her with her pillow and blankets, her horse (current favourite animal, and technically this one is a unicorn since all my horses tend to have horns), and her favourite books and other toys in a basket beside the bed. Much to my delighted surprise she decided to play "night-night" and climbed into bed, pulling the blankets up. Of course, when I suggested she really could go to sleep them if she wanted, she quickly jumped out of bed. That was the same moment that Chris arrived. As we were heading to the door to greet our guest, Abi ran back for her pillow and horse. She also decided she wanted a blanket so I grabbed her pink Earth Goddess blanket from the basket of favourite things.
I should note, Abi still has no "loveys" - no transitional objects. She simply is not attached to any of her things. She enjoys the toy she is currently playing with or fixated on, but that changes very regularly.
Downstairs she proceeded to put her horse down for night-night on the couch. She loves to play night-night with toys. That's why she wanted the pillow and blanket.

When we returned home we were surprised to discover she was fast asleep. We plugged in the monitor and proceeded to watch a movie in the basement, still expecting her to wake up. We went to bed fairly early, keeping our door open to listen (much to the delight of Fenwick), and I drifted in and out of sleep, waiting for her to wake... Finally I heard her stir at 7am. When I went in she was still mostly asleep, so we nursed and (again, much to my surprise) she fell back asleep.

Needless to say, after co-sleeping for almost two years, it was difficult for me to sleep. I've suspected for a while she'd be happy in her own bed, but we decided to wait until after the holidays in Winnipeg, and then we were wanting to get a bed rail, and then the fight to get her to stay in bed to fall asleep... While we were out last night, I told Robin I thought her first night in that bed might mark a turning point. We discussed whether or not we will continue putting her to sleep there, whether or not we think it will be effective with *us* putting her to sleep there. It's worth a try, especially if she sleeps so well in her own bed! No snoring dad to wake her...

And that, dear friends and family, is the story of Abi's first night in her own bed and why her co-sleeping momma didn't sleep well.