Wednesday, 20 August 2008
Veg*nism and attachment parenting
I have just starting making my way through a huge backlog of posts on bloglines that accumulated while I was away and have just had the pleasure of reading this post by To-Fu* (guest posting over at Crunchy Domestic Goddess) on the connection between Veg*nism and Attachment Parenting.
I really enjoyed To-Fu's post because it resonated with me so strongly. I like the way she points out the natural affinity between choosing to adopt a veg*n lifestyle out of compassion for other living creatures and choosing to adopt an AP parenting style out of compassion for babies & children (not that these choices are the only way of acting on this compassion - but they are the two that I personally have made).
I also agree with her that adopting both lifestyles can bring you in for a huge range of defensive reactions from other people who see your choice as an implicit criticism of their own (or, at least, of the status quo):
Especially when Lily was a little baby I sometimes found it extremely difficult to share my feelings of frustration over her feeding all night (and all day), over our difficulties in getting her to nap anywhere but in the sling and in the exhaustion that this situation created for me. Most people's reaction to this issue was simply to say - "Put her down to sleep in her own cot!" or "Don't feed her so much." But the thing was that this wasn't helpful to me. I needed support in getting through what is a very short period of intense time in my baby's life - a time when she genuinely needed me to be available to her and to be truly responsive to her needs. For me, ignoring her needs (and I truly believe that they were needs) was not an option, instead what I needed was assistance in building up my own reserves - either through eating better, drinking more water, taking rest when it was available, asking for assistance with tasks that became overwhelming AND (most importantly, I think) truly accepting my choice to parent Lily in this way.
In fact, for me everything became much easier when I really embraced attachment parenting and really truly learned to trust my own instincts - rather than allowing other people's opinions and advice to constantly plant seeds of doubt in my mind and to force me to question myself all the time. Feeding or soothing an unsettled baby frequently during the night can be very tiring, but it is far more exhausting when you are constantly wondering if you should be doing something different and if you have "created a rod for your own back". When you actually believe deep inside that you are giving your child a true feeling of security and connection that will stay with them for the rest of their lives, and when you know that you are sharing this experience with countless other lovely parents around the globe, then the night becomes a lot shorter and a lot kinder.
I could turn around now and link this back into veg*nism and the joy of sharing this lifestyle (and yummy food & recipes) with other people around the world, but I really need to do some work! But, just quickly, this is why I love the blogosphere so much - because it was through other blogs (and lovely commenters on this blog) that I came to find other people who were parenting their children in the same way that P and I are trying to parent Lily and it was by reading their experiences and sharing our experiences with them that I was able to break through my own feelings of isolation and the self-doubt that these feelings created.
(OK, I really am going to write my bloody PhD now.)
[*Found through HPP, thank you!]
I really enjoyed To-Fu's post because it resonated with me so strongly. I like the way she points out the natural affinity between choosing to adopt a veg*n lifestyle out of compassion for other living creatures and choosing to adopt an AP parenting style out of compassion for babies & children (not that these choices are the only way of acting on this compassion - but they are the two that I personally have made).
I also agree with her that adopting both lifestyles can bring you in for a huge range of defensive reactions from other people who see your choice as an implicit criticism of their own (or, at least, of the status quo):
Both the AP lifestyle and veg*nism require a person to strip away tradition and ignore well-meaning but faulty advice [I would say "unhelpful" rather than "faulty" but...]. Talking about veg*nism can be tough for the same reasons it’s hard to talk about extended breastfeeding, sleep sharing, gentle discipline, and all that is AP: People who aren’t into it (for whatever reason) tend to feel judged or indicted.What I related to most of all, however, was her allusion to the feelings of isolation that this can engender. The defensive reactions I can handle. In fact, they can quite easily be kept to a minimum either through tact or, with the most defensive types, silence on touchy issues. The main issue for me is the feeling of isolation that this silence (and walking on eggshells) can create.
Especially when Lily was a little baby I sometimes found it extremely difficult to share my feelings of frustration over her feeding all night (and all day), over our difficulties in getting her to nap anywhere but in the sling and in the exhaustion that this situation created for me. Most people's reaction to this issue was simply to say - "Put her down to sleep in her own cot!" or "Don't feed her so much." But the thing was that this wasn't helpful to me. I needed support in getting through what is a very short period of intense time in my baby's life - a time when she genuinely needed me to be available to her and to be truly responsive to her needs. For me, ignoring her needs (and I truly believe that they were needs) was not an option, instead what I needed was assistance in building up my own reserves - either through eating better, drinking more water, taking rest when it was available, asking for assistance with tasks that became overwhelming AND (most importantly, I think) truly accepting my choice to parent Lily in this way.
In fact, for me everything became much easier when I really embraced attachment parenting and really truly learned to trust my own instincts - rather than allowing other people's opinions and advice to constantly plant seeds of doubt in my mind and to force me to question myself all the time. Feeding or soothing an unsettled baby frequently during the night can be very tiring, but it is far more exhausting when you are constantly wondering if you should be doing something different and if you have "created a rod for your own back". When you actually believe deep inside that you are giving your child a true feeling of security and connection that will stay with them for the rest of their lives, and when you know that you are sharing this experience with countless other lovely parents around the globe, then the night becomes a lot shorter and a lot kinder.
I could turn around now and link this back into veg*nism and the joy of sharing this lifestyle (and yummy food & recipes) with other people around the world, but I really need to do some work! But, just quickly, this is why I love the blogosphere so much - because it was through other blogs (and lovely commenters on this blog) that I came to find other people who were parenting their children in the same way that P and I are trying to parent Lily and it was by reading their experiences and sharing our experiences with them that I was able to break through my own feelings of isolation and the self-doubt that these feelings created.
(OK, I really am going to write my bloody PhD now.)
[*Found through HPP, thank you!]
Tuesday, 19 August 2008
Baby Steiner Doll
Last week my sister-in-law and I decided to make baby Steiner dolls for our little ones. We were inspired by this post from Loobylu, which kindly linked to a nice simple tutorial by Sooz. Here is the result.
It is very "handmade", uhum, but Lily likes it. She alternates between calling it a "person" and a "baby", before "snuddling" it. It is made from 100% wool felt from here and filled up with wool stuffing. I would like to make one with a little more character (like Loobylu's), but am not feeling quite tricky enough yet...
It is very "handmade", uhum, but Lily likes it. She alternates between calling it a "person" and a "baby", before "snuddling" it. It is made from 100% wool felt from here and filled up with wool stuffing. I would like to make one with a little more character (like Loobylu's), but am not feeling quite tricky enough yet...
This girl dressed herself
Lily insisted on choosing her own clothes this morning.
"Dress," she demanded as we entered her room.
"OK, which one?" I said, as I offered her a couple of choices.
"This one." (The PINK one!)
It is cold outside today so I offered her a choice of pants for underneath.
"No; tights," she replied. And so I complied. I guess she can always where leg warmers and a jacket over the top...
Where do they learn these things?
Here is a photo of her chosen outfit:
"Dress," she demanded as we entered her room.
"OK, which one?" I said, as I offered her a couple of choices.
"This one." (The PINK one!)
It is cold outside today so I offered her a choice of pants for underneath.
"No; tights," she replied. And so I complied. I guess she can always where leg warmers and a jacket over the top...
Where do they learn these things?
Here is a photo of her chosen outfit:
Monday, 18 August 2008
Fronch toast
P had a craving for "Fronch Toast" (vegan French Toast) yesterday and so that is what we had for lunch - topped with fresh strawberries and a drizzle of maple syrup. Not exactly nutritious, but it certainly was delicious. Thanks P!
Sunday, 17 August 2008
17 months
Dear Lily
On Thursday you turned 17 months old.
As usual you are amazing us with just how quickly you are growing up. In the last couple of weeks you grew so fast that suddenly all of your pants were too short. Your language is also getting more and more sophisticated. You are now able to communicate very clearly with us - to tell us what you want, how you are feeling and (most often) inform us as to what you are planning to do next. You will often announce: "sitting" "dancing" or "stomping" just prior to launching into that exact action.
You seem to have taken a little more interest in food lately too, which is probably a good thing. Often around 4pm you will look at me and say "Mum dinner" and when I ask you what you want your usual answer will be "Broccoli", although every now and then it is "Mushroom", "Pasta" or "Rice". Earlier in the day you are more likely to demand "'matoes", "Bissies" (corn thins, rice crackers...), "Blueberries" (sometimes: "Blueblues"), "Strawberries", "Toast with 'mite" (vegemite), "Tofu", "Tempeh" or "Soym" (soy milk). In a somewhat poor reflection on us as parents you have also started to demand "Coffee" in the morning. Fortunately an empty cup appears to satisfy this demand.
You have also taken to asking us for foot rubs, which I think is hilarious. Your usual method is to say "Foot: hurts: rubbing", but "Foot: rubbing" is becoming more common since you have realised that you apparently don't need to provide pain as an excuse. My favourite demand at the moment, however, is when you ask for a "snuddle". Fortunately this is a fairly frequent occurrence, but it still makes my heart swell every time you ask for one.
Last month we went on a family holiday to Brunswick Heads on the NSW north coast. Unfortunately you got very ill with a middle-ear infection for part of our time there, but other than that we all had a wonderful time. Your grandma (my Mum) came to stay with us for a week and you really enjoyed having her around. In fact, you now ask (hopefully) for "Grandma" whenever you see a woman with glasses on and got quite excited when you thought that you had found her in the pages of a magazine.
While on holidays, we were staying just near a wonderful little cafe designed for parents and children and you made good friends with the resident little boy; Charlie. Every day you would ask to visit Charlie - which was just as well for mama and papa, because it allowed us to get a coffee fix while we were there. We were also across the road from a gorgeous park that was set right on the river. First thing in the morning you would look out the window, see the park and demand that we go out. Your favourite part of this park was the slide. It was a tall twisty one and on our first morning there you figured out how to climb up all the stairs, turn around and go down backwards (on your tummy) all by yourself. I was very impressed and you were in heaven.
Once you got over your ear infection we also had lots of fun trips to the beach. We would dig a big hole in the sand to play in and when we got it just right it would fill up with water which was excellent fun to splash around in. Even though it was the middle of winter, the weather was still warm enough for us to actually have a couple of swims too. I was so impressed by how brave you were in the water. You marched out until it was above your waist and even got back on to your feet after being knocked over by a wave.
On the way to and from our holiday we stayed overnight with your grandparents in Sydney. You love being at their house because they have a dog (Midnight) and a cat (Freya). You chased poor Freya around the house saying "Pat, pat" and every now and then she condescends to actually letting you touch her. Unfortunately Midnight is still a bit young and a bit big for you to really pat him yet, but you both love each other dearly from a distance and are no doubt plotting all sorts of adventures together for when you are both older and calmer.
When we got home you picked up every phone (toy and otherwise) in the house, saying "Hello? Grandma? Grandpa?", so it may be that you love their house for more than just the animals. It made me sad to think that we live so far away from them, but at least you cheered up considerably when your other grandparents came over for a visit and when we were able to get over to your cousins' house for a nice long play. I am so happy that you are growing into such a happy little social being and it is so much fun to watch you form relationships with other people (especially the special people in my life).
Next month spring will finally return. I am looking forward to getting outdoors with you more and letting you explore the big wide world.
love
mama
xo
On Thursday you turned 17 months old.
As usual you are amazing us with just how quickly you are growing up. In the last couple of weeks you grew so fast that suddenly all of your pants were too short. Your language is also getting more and more sophisticated. You are now able to communicate very clearly with us - to tell us what you want, how you are feeling and (most often) inform us as to what you are planning to do next. You will often announce: "sitting" "dancing" or "stomping" just prior to launching into that exact action.
You seem to have taken a little more interest in food lately too, which is probably a good thing. Often around 4pm you will look at me and say "Mum dinner" and when I ask you what you want your usual answer will be "Broccoli", although every now and then it is "Mushroom", "Pasta" or "Rice". Earlier in the day you are more likely to demand "'matoes", "Bissies" (corn thins, rice crackers...), "Blueberries" (sometimes: "Blueblues"), "Strawberries", "Toast with 'mite" (vegemite), "Tofu", "Tempeh" or "Soym" (soy milk). In a somewhat poor reflection on us as parents you have also started to demand "Coffee" in the morning. Fortunately an empty cup appears to satisfy this demand.
You have also taken to asking us for foot rubs, which I think is hilarious. Your usual method is to say "Foot: hurts: rubbing", but "Foot: rubbing" is becoming more common since you have realised that you apparently don't need to provide pain as an excuse. My favourite demand at the moment, however, is when you ask for a "snuddle". Fortunately this is a fairly frequent occurrence, but it still makes my heart swell every time you ask for one.
Last month we went on a family holiday to Brunswick Heads on the NSW north coast. Unfortunately you got very ill with a middle-ear infection for part of our time there, but other than that we all had a wonderful time. Your grandma (my Mum) came to stay with us for a week and you really enjoyed having her around. In fact, you now ask (hopefully) for "Grandma" whenever you see a woman with glasses on and got quite excited when you thought that you had found her in the pages of a magazine.
While on holidays, we were staying just near a wonderful little cafe designed for parents and children and you made good friends with the resident little boy; Charlie. Every day you would ask to visit Charlie - which was just as well for mama and papa, because it allowed us to get a coffee fix while we were there. We were also across the road from a gorgeous park that was set right on the river. First thing in the morning you would look out the window, see the park and demand that we go out. Your favourite part of this park was the slide. It was a tall twisty one and on our first morning there you figured out how to climb up all the stairs, turn around and go down backwards (on your tummy) all by yourself. I was very impressed and you were in heaven.
Once you got over your ear infection we also had lots of fun trips to the beach. We would dig a big hole in the sand to play in and when we got it just right it would fill up with water which was excellent fun to splash around in. Even though it was the middle of winter, the weather was still warm enough for us to actually have a couple of swims too. I was so impressed by how brave you were in the water. You marched out until it was above your waist and even got back on to your feet after being knocked over by a wave.
On the way to and from our holiday we stayed overnight with your grandparents in Sydney. You love being at their house because they have a dog (Midnight) and a cat (Freya). You chased poor Freya around the house saying "Pat, pat" and every now and then she condescends to actually letting you touch her. Unfortunately Midnight is still a bit young and a bit big for you to really pat him yet, but you both love each other dearly from a distance and are no doubt plotting all sorts of adventures together for when you are both older and calmer.
When we got home you picked up every phone (toy and otherwise) in the house, saying "Hello? Grandma? Grandpa?", so it may be that you love their house for more than just the animals. It made me sad to think that we live so far away from them, but at least you cheered up considerably when your other grandparents came over for a visit and when we were able to get over to your cousins' house for a nice long play. I am so happy that you are growing into such a happy little social being and it is so much fun to watch you form relationships with other people (especially the special people in my life).
Next month spring will finally return. I am looking forward to getting outdoors with you more and letting you explore the big wide world.
love
mama
xo
Wednesday, 13 August 2008
Monday, 11 August 2008
We're back
We got back yesterday from our two-week holiday in Brunswick Heads (a beachside town in northern NSW, Australia). With the exception of a very unfortunate period during which Lily was incredibly unwell with a middle ear infection (and our crappy accommodation, which I will tell you about later) we had an absolutely lovely time.
Brunswick Heads is such a lovely little town and the weather was mostly warm and sunny. We spent many a day lazing around on the beach, playing at the park and browsing the local markets. In fact, we fell in love with the area so much that we even toyed with the idea of buying a house up there. It was this gorgeous converted weatherboard church on a large country block in the middle of nowhere - paradise. Needless to say we came to our senses when we remembered that we actually couldn't afford it...
Brunswick Heads is such a lovely little town and the weather was mostly warm and sunny. We spent many a day lazing around on the beach, playing at the park and browsing the local markets. In fact, we fell in love with the area so much that we even toyed with the idea of buying a house up there. It was this gorgeous converted weatherboard church on a large country block in the middle of nowhere - paradise. Needless to say we came to our senses when we remembered that we actually couldn't afford it...
Wednesday, 23 July 2008
Cloth Nappies (Diapers) - a short guide
In the last week or so I have had a couple of requests from family members to provide some information about cloth nappies (diapers) for their friends who are expecting their first babies. Given that this is not a particularly uncommon occurrence, I thought that it might make sense for me to write a little blog post on the topic in order to provide a bit of help to anyone else who might stumble upon it.
When I was a baby my parents used terry toweling rectangles that they had to prefold, pin and then cover with a waterproof wrap (that we call pilchers in Australia). These were then soaked in buckets of water, rinsed and then washed and hung out to dry. Later disposable nappies entered the scene and many people abandoned this time-consuming process for the convenience of disposables - creating an enormous amount of land-fill in the process (but apparently using a lot less water, so the jury is out on the environment impact).
Anyway, recently fitted cloth nappies have entered the scene in a big way. These are a massive improvement on the old terry toweling nappies. They are now made from a whole range of materials - from lovely soft bamboo fleece, to hemp fleece and organic cotton. They come prefitted to your baby and they simply snap closed (or are fastened with velcro strips). Inside the nappy many people use a fleece liner to keep their baby nice and dry and then cover the nappy with a waterproof cover made from either PUL fabric or lanolised wool (although some nappies have an inbuilt cover - these are called all-in-ones - more on that later).
What's more you don't have to soak them in water. Instead you simply squirt any solid waste straight into the toilet (with a little hose thingy called a "Little Squirt") and then put them into a sealed bucket until you have enough to wash.
When washing your nappies you just need to remember to have 2 out of 3 inputs in order to ensure that they are properly clean. These three inputs are: detergent, hot water and sunlight. So, if it is going to be overcast for a few days and you won't be able to dry your nappies in the sun, then you should use a hot wash. Otherwise you can do a cold wash or skip the detergent and use washing balls instead. Up to you.
OK, now for your options. Modern cloth nappies generally come in three main categories. You have your "all-in-ones" which either have a removable liner and booster or are "pocket nappies" (containing a pocket at the back to stuff your booster into). Or you have a fitted nappy and a separate cover (pilcher). The all-in-ones tend to come in two or three sizes and so you have to purchase a supply of nappies several times over the life of your baby. In contrast nappies that have a separate cover will often grow with your baby and so you only have to buy a supply once (unless you get a little carried away with trying different brands and buy more anyway...). That said, the all-in-ones will often fit a little better - particularly when your baby is in the tiny newborn stage.
Before Lily was born we decided to purchase a full-time pack of BabyBeeHinds Bamboo Fleece nappies with separate PUL covers (and wool covers for overnight). Afterwards I kind of regretted doing this because it is quite fun to try a few different types of nappies and the all-in-ones are certainly more convenient when you are out and about (and particularly when traveling). Additionally they didn't actually fit Lily properly until she was almost three months old. That said, however, they have proved to be a fantastic buy. Since three months they have totally grown with her and fitted absolutely perfectly. We have never had a leak. They have also worn really well and I have since found out that they are well-known as the "work horse" nappies because they really do last very well.
When Lily was around 7 months old a lovely friend gave us a couple of all-in-one (well all-in-two really) nappies from the fabulous Widdlewuns site (note: actual shop is here). Not only are these the cutest things in the world, but we also found that they were just fantastic for traveling (because packing extra liners, rather than extra nappies takes up so much less space), super quick & easy to put on, and that they dried really quickly. So, we bought a couple more and have just put in a order for some overnight nappies (Snoozywuns).
Other friends of mine have had some success with nappies from Bum Genius (although these did leak apparently after six months on a little one whose mother describes her as a "super wee-er") and Pea Pods (which were lovely a compact on a little one, but then she grew out of them and her parents had to buy more - and chose BabyBeeHinds).
The friend who used Bum Genius also went on to sew her own nappies, which is another great options. There are some instructions and free patterns available to download from Oz Cloth Nappies, which also lists a bunch of online stores that sell supplies (such a PUL, Bamboo Fleece, Hemp fleece etc.).
Unfortunately, all of these nappies are sold by Australian companies and so my recommendations are not much use to people in the USA (where both of the friends of my family-members live). For them I am wondering if anyone out there has any suggestions? (Also, I will email a friend on mine in Ithica who I know uses cloth nappies and update this post with her wisdom).
For more information on cloth nappies (reasons to use, how much money you will save, logistics, why they really aren't that much hassle, etc), here are a few articles:
The Joy of Cloth Diapers
Nappy Tips & folds
How to chose the right cloth diapers
Nappycino (This is not an article - it is actually an online site dedicated to cloth nappies. It has a chat room where you can ask questions of many people who use them and where you can search for past discussions that will probably answer most of your questions.)
When I was a baby my parents used terry toweling rectangles that they had to prefold, pin and then cover with a waterproof wrap (that we call pilchers in Australia). These were then soaked in buckets of water, rinsed and then washed and hung out to dry. Later disposable nappies entered the scene and many people abandoned this time-consuming process for the convenience of disposables - creating an enormous amount of land-fill in the process (but apparently using a lot less water, so the jury is out on the environment impact).
Anyway, recently fitted cloth nappies have entered the scene in a big way. These are a massive improvement on the old terry toweling nappies. They are now made from a whole range of materials - from lovely soft bamboo fleece, to hemp fleece and organic cotton. They come prefitted to your baby and they simply snap closed (or are fastened with velcro strips). Inside the nappy many people use a fleece liner to keep their baby nice and dry and then cover the nappy with a waterproof cover made from either PUL fabric or lanolised wool (although some nappies have an inbuilt cover - these are called all-in-ones - more on that later).
What's more you don't have to soak them in water. Instead you simply squirt any solid waste straight into the toilet (with a little hose thingy called a "Little Squirt") and then put them into a sealed bucket until you have enough to wash.
When washing your nappies you just need to remember to have 2 out of 3 inputs in order to ensure that they are properly clean. These three inputs are: detergent, hot water and sunlight. So, if it is going to be overcast for a few days and you won't be able to dry your nappies in the sun, then you should use a hot wash. Otherwise you can do a cold wash or skip the detergent and use washing balls instead. Up to you.
OK, now for your options. Modern cloth nappies generally come in three main categories. You have your "all-in-ones" which either have a removable liner and booster or are "pocket nappies" (containing a pocket at the back to stuff your booster into). Or you have a fitted nappy and a separate cover (pilcher). The all-in-ones tend to come in two or three sizes and so you have to purchase a supply of nappies several times over the life of your baby. In contrast nappies that have a separate cover will often grow with your baby and so you only have to buy a supply once (unless you get a little carried away with trying different brands and buy more anyway...). That said, the all-in-ones will often fit a little better - particularly when your baby is in the tiny newborn stage.
Before Lily was born we decided to purchase a full-time pack of BabyBeeHinds Bamboo Fleece nappies with separate PUL covers (and wool covers for overnight). Afterwards I kind of regretted doing this because it is quite fun to try a few different types of nappies and the all-in-ones are certainly more convenient when you are out and about (and particularly when traveling). Additionally they didn't actually fit Lily properly until she was almost three months old. That said, however, they have proved to be a fantastic buy. Since three months they have totally grown with her and fitted absolutely perfectly. We have never had a leak. They have also worn really well and I have since found out that they are well-known as the "work horse" nappies because they really do last very well.
When Lily was around 7 months old a lovely friend gave us a couple of all-in-one (well all-in-two really) nappies from the fabulous Widdlewuns site (note: actual shop is here). Not only are these the cutest things in the world, but we also found that they were just fantastic for traveling (because packing extra liners, rather than extra nappies takes up so much less space), super quick & easy to put on, and that they dried really quickly. So, we bought a couple more and have just put in a order for some overnight nappies (Snoozywuns).
Other friends of mine have had some success with nappies from Bum Genius (although these did leak apparently after six months on a little one whose mother describes her as a "super wee-er") and Pea Pods (which were lovely a compact on a little one, but then she grew out of them and her parents had to buy more - and chose BabyBeeHinds).
The friend who used Bum Genius also went on to sew her own nappies, which is another great options. There are some instructions and free patterns available to download from Oz Cloth Nappies, which also lists a bunch of online stores that sell supplies (such a PUL, Bamboo Fleece, Hemp fleece etc.).
Unfortunately, all of these nappies are sold by Australian companies and so my recommendations are not much use to people in the USA (where both of the friends of my family-members live). For them I am wondering if anyone out there has any suggestions? (Also, I will email a friend on mine in Ithica who I know uses cloth nappies and update this post with her wisdom).
For more information on cloth nappies (reasons to use, how much money you will save, logistics, why they really aren't that much hassle, etc), here are a few articles:
The Joy of Cloth Diapers
Nappy Tips & folds
How to chose the right cloth diapers
Nappycino (This is not an article - it is actually an online site dedicated to cloth nappies. It has a chat room where you can ask questions of many people who use them and where you can search for past discussions that will probably answer most of your questions.)
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
16 months
Dear Lily
On Monday your turned 16 months old.
This month your world seemed to expand dramatically. You can suddenly name almost all the important people in your life - your grandparents, your cousins, the other little people in our mother's group, some of your aunts and uncles, and your grandparents' cat and dog - and it seems to have made quite a difference to your willingness to further forge your independence from your papa and I.
You and I went up to Sydney the other week to spend some time with one set of your grandparents (the ones with the cat, Freya, and dog, Midnight) and you were in heaven. Not only were there even more people around to read you stories, play games with you and generally dote on your every request, but there were also two animals that you simply could not get enough of. Even now you keep turning to me and saying "Freya, pat" in a hopeful little voice.
Another development this month has been your language. In addition to acquiring many more little sentences, you are have also started to pronounce all of the syllables in most words. I think that this has made it much easier for people other than Papa and I to understand you and as a result you can now convince many more people to do your bidding. This new power seems to please you very much (quite understandably).
If last month was the month of The Wiggles then I would have to say that this one has been the month of Playschool. You have so moved on. The look on your face when the theme music starts and that little bear trots out with his red balloon is just priceless. It is the look of pure happiness. It is amazing how quickly your tastes have changed. While you used to shout of them to continue singing, you are now quite content to sit and listen to the story and watch them do craft activities. At this rate you may be happy to watch The Gruen Transfer with us (or Spicks and Specks with your Papa) within the year...
Your extended attention span has also been evident away from the television. You have really started to engage in quite extended periods of independent play. A favourite place for this is your play kitchen, but you are also very happy in your sandpit, the garden or playing with your wooden animals and blocks. While I do enjoy playing games with you, I must admit that it is very nice to sometimes be able to sit back and watch you entertain yourself (or even to get a little done around the house while you do). I especially love all of the make believe play that you are getting into - pretending to be an animal, cooking with playdough, or putting your 'babies' to bed.
I know that I say this every month, but little one I simply cannot believe how fast you are growing up. You seem like such a big girl now. You are so independent and you can run and jump and even carry on a perfectly comprehensible conversation with me. It simply amazes me.
This month we are heading up north for a little family holiday. Hopefully you will enjoy having lots of fun excursions with Papa and I (and with two of your grandmas when they join us) and spending lots of time playing on the beach.
love mama
xox
On Monday your turned 16 months old.
This month your world seemed to expand dramatically. You can suddenly name almost all the important people in your life - your grandparents, your cousins, the other little people in our mother's group, some of your aunts and uncles, and your grandparents' cat and dog - and it seems to have made quite a difference to your willingness to further forge your independence from your papa and I.
You and I went up to Sydney the other week to spend some time with one set of your grandparents (the ones with the cat, Freya, and dog, Midnight) and you were in heaven. Not only were there even more people around to read you stories, play games with you and generally dote on your every request, but there were also two animals that you simply could not get enough of. Even now you keep turning to me and saying "Freya, pat" in a hopeful little voice.
Another development this month has been your language. In addition to acquiring many more little sentences, you are have also started to pronounce all of the syllables in most words. I think that this has made it much easier for people other than Papa and I to understand you and as a result you can now convince many more people to do your bidding. This new power seems to please you very much (quite understandably).
If last month was the month of The Wiggles then I would have to say that this one has been the month of Playschool. You have so moved on. The look on your face when the theme music starts and that little bear trots out with his red balloon is just priceless. It is the look of pure happiness. It is amazing how quickly your tastes have changed. While you used to shout of them to continue singing, you are now quite content to sit and listen to the story and watch them do craft activities. At this rate you may be happy to watch The Gruen Transfer with us (or Spicks and Specks with your Papa) within the year...
Your extended attention span has also been evident away from the television. You have really started to engage in quite extended periods of independent play. A favourite place for this is your play kitchen, but you are also very happy in your sandpit, the garden or playing with your wooden animals and blocks. While I do enjoy playing games with you, I must admit that it is very nice to sometimes be able to sit back and watch you entertain yourself (or even to get a little done around the house while you do). I especially love all of the make believe play that you are getting into - pretending to be an animal, cooking with playdough, or putting your 'babies' to bed.
I know that I say this every month, but little one I simply cannot believe how fast you are growing up. You seem like such a big girl now. You are so independent and you can run and jump and even carry on a perfectly comprehensible conversation with me. It simply amazes me.
This month we are heading up north for a little family holiday. Hopefully you will enjoy having lots of fun excursions with Papa and I (and with two of your grandmas when they join us) and spending lots of time playing on the beach.
love mama
xox
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