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.

Single-Parenting it

The weekend approaches. 3 days in with this single-parenting thing... working on a new sleep routine for Abi, since Robin usually puts her to bed. No idea what we'll do this weekend.

Abi went to the beach with daycare this week. She really loved it and told me all about playing in the sand and water and beach on the way home. She also listed all the foods she ate, and one I couldn't identify. She named it again today on the way home. Finally called J to figure out what it is... Goldfish. And it's not even her who eats them - it's the other kids, though I'm sure they share with her. She was very excited to talk about eating Goldfish. Of course, every day she tells me "I already had two cookies." Yes, yes you did Abi... 3 days ago... I guess if you already had 2 cookies you don't need any more today. What's the other thing she tells me she already ate...? something that seems funny to me.

Her favourite phrases are funny. "My daddy/mommy told me that." "I already..." "Remember when..." "Can I have a cookie please? One cookie, two cookies! I already had two cookies, mommy!"
"Mom, I want to go home. I want to go to bed." she says with her head on my shoulder
"you do?"
"No! I don't want to go to bed!"

I have a couple good video waiting to be formatted and will share soon.
g'night

Mimic

I have this "thing" where I unconsciously tend to mimic speech and behavioral patterns. I can only assume it comes from moving around as a kid and was part of how I would fit in to new situations. Or maybe everyone does it. Certainly it has certain benefits for group identity and depending on what psychologists or sociologists you ask you'd get a different explanation. For example, I remember noticing in junior high how my friend used to walk with her palms parallel to the ground. Then one day I noticed I was doing the same (and I still do slip into that mode sometimes). It certainly wasn't intentional -I thought it was funny. When I lived in Newfoundland, I picked up several turns of speeches (some of which I am trying to rid myself of, like "where you to?" which bothered me to hear and I can't imagine why I would mimic it - perhaps I also subconsciously enjoy tormenting myself).
There are words and pronunciations I retained from when we lived in England and I'm sure there are other subtle things I've never noticed or had pointed out to me yet.

Lately I've been frustrated by my mimicking of Abi's speech. It is counter-productive! As you know, I don't believe in "baby talk" and we have always used regular words with Abi. Nevertheless, there are "baby" words she has picked up elsewhere. I know, for example, some of the kids at daycare and the park use them, probably either because they are used to baby talk or because they treat her like a baby. Words like "horsey" rather than "horse". (I know this is not how her daycare provider speaks.) Other things are her own experiments with phrases and sentences. Upon occasion I have caught myself mimicking Abi. So, when she is looking for a toy, such as a horse, I may accidentally say I found her "horsey" - using her words back to her. It is very frustrating to me! I still also catch myself refering to myself in the third person. Now that she clearly knows the proper uses of "you" and "me" and "I" and "your", etc, I think it's safe to eliminate phrases in which I refer to myself as mommy instead of I.

I expect there will be extra postings for the next little while as I become hyper-critical of my own single-parenting* and spending extra time with Abi (now that I'll be putting her to bed, which is about the only thing I don't do, so I suppose that's not much extra time).

*This is not a permanent state! Robin is going away for work.

sorry honey

It has been brought to my attention that I may have slightly exaggerated the case when I stated Robin had not added programS. In my whining I forgot to consider that he'd really only intended to add the one (Zotero) that he forgot. The rest are things I need to add; programs he doesn't realize I use. Like the photo software for the camera, the software for my digital voice recorder, etc.
Sorry honey.

All set up

For the most part I'm all set up on the new computer in my office. Files have been transferred. Most of the programs are uploaded (apparently after switching to 64 bit Robin neglected to once again upload the programs - so really he wasted a bunch of time and had me trying to search out the programs he'd said he had added - programs I need to work).
Alas, no new monitor yet. Waiting for a "super sale" :( WOrking from the ol' massive monitor that takes up half the desk. So unpractical! Where will my work papers go? This is half the reason I had a laptop in the first place - to save space. For now, the speed and functionality of the new harddrive outweighs the inconvenience of the monitor, so I'll make do. But I may whine a little.

Getting used to a full keyboard again (back to my original keyboard, because at least I was once familiar with it and it works well) and a mouse (wireless!). Orienting myself to Windows 7. Trying to figure out why I can't update the flash player (giving up for now!) The usual new-computer stuff.

In Abi news.... let's see... counting up to 20 for fun. Have I previously mentioned her love of the book Everyone Poops? It's been her favourite for a while now. You can tell because she recites the book (or as she says, she reads it) almost exactly. "Fish poop. Birds poop. And bugs too!" With summer in full swing around here, she's enjoying playing outside with water - except for the getting wet part. The seeds we planted together are growing well and she enjoys watering those for us.
I promised photos, so let me go check the files and see what I have. I'm going to time how long it takes to find stuff on the new computer... There you go, up top. Abi trying to tie her own laces. she can get a half-knot.
Let's see about a video...



Which reminds me that she also feeds the cats as well as Darla now.

(PS It was very fast to upload and find photos.)

Daddy loves me

It's been a while since my last post. Sorry. Been busy. Among other things, we're switching over to a new computer! I can't wait to start working on it in my office. So far Robin's been setting it up with the programs I need. It runs Windows 7 and it's fast. That's all I care about - speed. And I'm looking forward to having two documents open side by side so I can take notes while reading e-articles. To do that we need to buy a new wide monitor. This is my first time on the new computer, which is still in the basement.
We've also had several funerals to attend. My great aunt a couple months ago, then my grandpa and two of his siblings last month all within a few weeks. It's been a bad time to share my family name. We've seen the extended family a lot lately. Abi has quite enjoyed that aspect of it, especially trips to see Em - or as she calls her, Emy. She's quite enamored of my cousin. My dad, sister and nephew were also in province visiting my grandpa before he passed away, so Abi talks of her cousin DoDo a lot and wants to see him.
Yes, I know, we're working on that - moving home.

In Robin news, guess who's going to Mexico for 3 weeks without his family soon. Good guess! Now, you might be inclined to think him fortunate, but he's going for work, it's freakin' hot there, and he can't drink the water or ice - so I don't know how much fun he'll have :P Or so I tell myself as I prepare to single-parent it for 3 weeks. I may see about taking a few days vacation at my aunt's (hi Rita...) if she's available.

As for Abi, she's as cute as ever. I'm not just saying this, honest. I can't go anywhere with her without a couple people at least saying so. I swear, I don't know why she's so smiley and happy all the time. Every time she cries I like to point it out to people: see, see, she's not always happy! She's extra talkative lately. She enjoys telling me all about her day. She plays a lot of imaginary games. I continue to be frustrated by her puzzle skills (or lack thereof), but I know it's because her skills lie elsewhere right now. Nevertheless, I don't like doing puzzles with her! lol It's been fun listening to her language develop, such as coming up with her own complex sentences such as "daddy loves me".
Yep, life is full and wonderful and exciting. Which is why I've not been online much. I have some photos on my ol' laptop, but nothing special. I promise to share some good pictures when I have them.