First Steps

Oh crap. It has begun. One day Abigail is refusing to walk, the next she's sneaking across the room when I'm not looking. Makes me wonder how long she's been doing this for ;)
In the last week or so she has finally decided to take a few steps as she moves between supports to hold on to. Apparently she's decided it's not worth her effort to drop down to her knees, crawl a few steps, and then stand up. I phrase it that way because for a long time now she has preferred to crawl because it is faster and it gets her to where she wants to be. Why try walking when she can get there efficiently on her knees?
However, we have watched a friend's two year old for two full days in the last couple of weekends and I wonder if he has modeled the efficiency of walking for Abi. One day last week she took a couple steps from the gate to me and would repeat this action if I made her. On the weekend she took about 3 steps all by herself while playing at a birthday party. Today I was able to capture her taking a few steps to me on video. A few hours later I was making lunch in the kitchen and from the corner of my eye I noticed Abi moving across the living room from the coffee table to her highchair. At first it seemed normal. Then, it hit me, just as when I watched her first crawl on all fours, that this was NOT normal for her. The table and chair are a few feet apart and she was walking between them as if this was normal for her. Now my little video of her taking a couple steps into my arms seems insignificant. (I'll edit and post it anyhow).

In the meantime, some recent photos:

Abi at a birthday party. She got that little scratch on her cheek when she fell down trying to walk. Perhaps you can also see the mark above her right eyebrow where Darla thwacked her snout into Abi accidentally.


Last Friday I pretended it was summer and dressed her up in several summery outfits (she peed on most of them while playing diaper-free. It will be nice when she can play outside.)



She has been teething hard again lately and is very clingy.


That's about all for now. I'll try to get some videos up soon. First I need to finish grading papers.

April videos

I apologize for not sharing more videos lately. I do have some, but not the time to edit them. I made an exception for this brief pair of clips featuring Abi's three-limbed crawl and saying "Darla". Enjoy.

Special Days

A most sacred holy day has recently passed. One of many days in which we honour a very special birth. This time it was mine.

On the holy day of April the 10th I celebrated my 29 years of life by enjoying it! I had requested a special homemade breakfast of french toast, real maple syrup, peameal bacon, and fresh coffee. It was a good start to the day.
Later we took Darla for a walk with Abi in her Croozer 737 (bike trailer/stroller courtesy of Abi's grandpa) to test out the new wheels.

[Abi and Robin were wearing their matching Bomber hats.]

Otherwise I spent the day knitting and reading the new Charles de Lint book. We dined at Boston Pizza that night where I was sung a very hearty (loud) birthday song. Celebrations continue this evening and tomorrow with some friends.
Robin and Abi gave me time at a local spa. I look forward to that! I could definitely use more of that. I also look forward to my other gifts arriving. Mom. *Ahem* ;) I did get a fun book of knitting meditations from one friend. You know, so when I'm knitting and I have a few moments, I can reflect upon knitting. (Well, assuming thesis thoughts don't rudely intrude as they so often do.)

Earlier that week, on Wednesday, Abi and I attended a book launch in Toronto for the Charles de Lint book The Mystery of Grace. Mr. de Lint and his wife opened the launch with a musical set, and then as another band came on stage, de Lint signed books. I picked up the 2008 chapbook Yellow Dog while there and had it signed to Abigail. It was a rather spur of the moment outing as I had only finally read the announcement for the event at 1am that same day. I had hoped we could meet up with some friends in Toronto, but alas my trip was not planned early enough and everyone had plans for the evening.


The previous weekend, friends and I hit the local yarn shops on our first Yarn Crawl. We travelled to three shops: Yarn Bird in Elora, Wellington Fibres just outside Elora, and the new All Strung Out in Guelph. Wellington Fibres was my favourite as they raise their own angora goats (babies were expected while we were there), process the yarn, spin it and dye it on site. A girlfriend had gifted me with some of their yarn for a previous birthday and I made my purple lace scarf from that (my first lace and first continental-knit project), so I was excited to visit the shop. I got some lovely yarn that day for an assortment of projects (I had a list on hand). If you are on Ravelry you can check my stash - and if you're not on Ravelry I assume you aren't very interested in yarn. If you ARE interested in yarn and all things knit/crochet, then you SHOULD be on Ravelry.

Easter weekend was fun. It started with my birthday. Then we looked after a friend's son and went to market on Saturday, followed by dinner with Robin's cousins. Sunday we... what did we do yesterday? Clearly not very eventful. I spent most of it grading papers.

Recent Abi news:

• While she is still stubbornly set against walking - that is, if you try to help her walk she will drop to her knees and crawl away - Abi has learned a three-limbed crawl to accommodate carrying things while moving. With an item in her right hand, her left side is in the usual crawl position, while her right leg is extended in front of her.
• Abi clearly knows who her pets are. If you ask her where Monkey, Darla, or Fenwick is she will scan the room and point to her. Of course she can do the same with Robin or I.
• We have recently noticed that she tries to say Darla and she will try and mimic other words. Uh oh :D I'm sure once she gets started we'll never have a quiet moment again.
• Except when she sleeps. She is currently going down for regular midday naps (sleeping now while I eat lunch) and falling asleep around 9pm. Hooray for bedtimes.

It's not snow

If I can't see it (don't look!) it isn't there. There is not a thin layer of snow outside. And even if there was, it would melt by the afternoon I'm sure. So I don't have to worry about it.

Instead, I am focused on today's YARN CRAWL. Awesomeness!!! We're hitting up three LYS full of delicious wool that will tempt me. Good thing I have been squirreling money away for months :) Robin will never know... d'oh! Socks and soakers. Baby sweaters and shawls... so many projects in mind. And then there are the toys! Oh boy oh boy.

Classes ended this week for me. A long week of excellent student presentations. Excellent, but long none the less. Now I just wait for the papers to come in next week and grade a few late submissions in the meantime. But not this morning.

Newsworthy Day

Wow,
so many friends announced new engagements and pregnancies today!
And so many others shared their congratulations! The threads of comments are all very long.
Fools.
And just for the record, we are not expecting any brothers or sisters for Abi in the near future.
Happy April Fools Day

Things in a Box

Things in a Box is a great game. I am borrowing the title to describe Abigail's "art" scattered around the living room. I believe I have previously mentioned her penchant for putting things in boxes/containers and taking things out of boxes/containers. This afternoon I noticed she had quite the collection of boxes with things in them.

Animals in a box.


Block in a box


1 Block in a Box


Blocks in a Box


Variation on Things in a Box: Tree in a Dish


Variation on Things in a Box: Animals in a Flower Pot


Variation on Things in a Box: Pig outside a Box

Abi is quite the abstract artist. What do you think? Could she make a living as an artist? She is a Pisces...

Oh I Wish I Were

Oh I Wish I Were
Words by Mandy
Sung to the tune of the Oscar Myer Wiener song

Oh I wish I were a brave fire-fighter
Yes that is what I’d really like to be
And if I were a brave fire-fighter
I’d rescue all the cats stuck in a tree

Oh I wish I were an organic farmer
Yes that is what I’d really like to be
And if I were an organic farmer
I’d plant carrots and turnips next to peas

Oh I wish I were a math and physics teacher
Yes that is what I’d really like to be
And if I were a math and physics teacher
I’d know the square root of infinity

Oh I wish I were call center agent
Yes that is what I’d really like to be
But if I were a call center agent
Everyone would say “don’t bother me”

Oh I wish I were a veterinary doctor
Yes that is what I’d really like to be
And if I were a veterinary doctor
I’d clean up lots cat and puppy pee

Oh I wish I lived in Banff or maybe Whistler
Yes that is where I’d really like to be
And if I lived in Banff or maybe Whistler
In all my spare time I could go and ski

Oh I wish I were a professor of religion
Yes that is what I’d really like to be
And if I were a professor of religion
I’d know the meaning of infinity

Oh I wish I were an Olympic Bingo player
Yes that is what I’d really like to be
And if I were an Olympic Bingo player
I’d win the gold with O 63.

This is a song I enjoy singing to Abigail. It is inspired, no? Can you guess my inspirations?
It is intentionally tongue in cheek and not meant to offend anyone.
I welcome additional verses in the spirit of the song. Can you do better than I have?

First Tentative Steps

It is finally happening. After many months of cruising along the furniture; stealing baskets, boxes and chairs to walk with; and standing alone, Abigail has taken her first tentative steps to mommy. This evening she turned from the chair, let go, reached out to my outstretched fingers, and holding on to them ever so lightly, walked towards me. Right into Darla who heard my excitement and wanted to join in. As she started those first steps I called Robin, but he couldn't hear me over the xBox and, alas for him, he missed those first steps. I tried to encourage Abi to do it again, but the moment was lost. We'll try again tomorrow. She is FINALLY asleep. I suspect more teeth are coming because she has been very much wide awake ALL DAY and many times through the night these last several days. Maybe longer. It's hard to recall.
I'm editing a video of Abi climbing in and out of baskets and boxes, which is quite cute. I'll upload it to the youtube account when finished. Until then, you'll have to settle for a great toothy still of her in a box.

Are those not the cutest bug pants? Look at how proud she is of herself for climbing into the box (after she pushed it into the corner).

Welcoming Ostara

Spring is here in all its glory.
(Let us ignore the brisk winds outside today after a warm week. Let us not think of the possibility of snowflakes.)
The snowdrops are blooming in my garden and the crocuses should be coming out soon. It seems we lost our lovely siberian squill bulbs last year. I don't recall seeing them last spring, although I will grant that I was preoccupied. Rabbits or mice probably ate the bulbs.

I began the day with tasty mini french toasts using up the baguette I bought at the Stonecrock Bakery in St. Jacobs on Tuesday when Rita, Abigail and I went out to enjoy the afternoon.
Delicious. Abigail had baked egg yolk.

With a full belly, Abigail and I took Darla on a walk to Superstore to pick up photos. While there I noticed a new shop that sells clothes. I was going to keep walking until I noticed the wall of baby onesies with cute sayings like "insert food here; poop here" (accompanied by arrows). These cotton t-shirts and onesies are even made in Canada. I just *had* to pick up the "Fairy Princess" t-shirt, complete with wings printed on the back. I also got the "Yay 4 Boobies" and "I [heart] boobs" onsies. Robin will love them and I am proud to have a breastfeeding baby. She's certainly not showing any signs of weaning soon.



Abigail and I are attending her second Ostara ritual this evening (first this year). She is going to help me invite the ancestors. We'll be bundled up warm. And, uh oh, I just realized I need to make something for the potluck after.

Well being

Today I had an appointment with our (Abi and my) naturopathic doctor about me. Nothing to be concerned about - I'm fine. It was simply time to check in since I hadn't seen her about my health (except as it relates to Abigail) in well over a year.
Things I learned (which were not exactly news, but yes I do need someone else to tell me because when I tell myself these things I easily ignore it) include that I need to eat more calories and protein to compensate for how much Abigail is consuming while nursing. We don't want me shrinking any more! Size 4 is small enough - smaller than I've ever been. I'm also going to go back onto vitamin supplements, even though I am terrible at remembering to take my vitamins! Maybe if they came in the shape of Flintstone characters I'd remember...
We talked about stress levels, and I think I handle my stress quite well. It doesn't seem to manifest in any "side effects". My health has been very good. I don't get sick very often.
So how do I do it?

I am often asked how I "do it all". That is, full-time research, teaching, stay at home mom. I don't think I'm unique in this regard, not at all. But I know how I handle it - by doing more! The "more" stuff is particular however. I knit and crochet. I barely read any more (except for my studies), which I do regret, but I knit and crochet. It is relaxing. It is creative. It is productive. And the projects are so cute! I always have the next (few) projects in mind and I usually have several on the needles (and hooks).
For example, right now I have Robin's space invaders mittens (which have pretty much been put aside since Winter is over and I'm sick of them for now and I'd rather work on other projects in the meantime), I just picked back up a pair of fingerless mitts for myself (after I carefully unknotted the ball of yarn Abi had gotten into), there is the oddball blanket I'm waiting on (other people have to send their squares to me to put together), the baby-wearing and stroller blanket... and I think that is all. I also have "orders" placed for a family of witch hats, a pair of dolls like I made Abi for her birthday, a set of toys for my nieces, 3 more dragons like I made for Abi, and some finger puppets. I also need to make some more wool soakers for Abi soon and I have some beautiful yarn waiting to become my first lace shawl. At the beginning of next month I'm going on a yarn crawl to get more yarn. Mwhahahaha.
I have become a fibre-junkie, I admit it.
I even have the early birthday present book to prove it - meditations on knitting by the yarn harlot herself. I don't have a cool moniker like Yarn Harlot or YarnPr0n (my friend's knit-name), but if I did it would be...
See, I'm not creative enough to come up with one. That's why I'm just Mandyz on Ravelry.
What is this Ravelry I speak of? It's like Facebook for fibre artists (knit, crochet, spinning). It's where I share my projects and look for new ones!

One of my recent favourite projects isn't on here and I can't share it until the recipient receives it.

Where was I going with this (you can always tell my late-night posts) - oh yes, stress management.
In addition to knitting on my own, I meet up with friends Tuesday nights for more knitting accompanied by good liquid beverages (coffee/tea) and better conversation. I won't repeat what we discuss in polite circles.
For additional human interaction I rely on my Friday afternoon coffee sessions with university colleagues (and Abi). And, for the next couple weeks there are also my Wednesday night classes, but I'm not sure if teaching counts as a form of stress relief. Nevertheless, it is adult time / Abi-free and that makes it inherently a form of stress relief.

That concludes my rambling note on well being. Back to knitting my fingerless mitts (made with seasilk wool).