Pretty Tree!

Hurrah! We have our Christmas tree and it's twinkling and glittering with lights and decorations. Lilli loves the tree. She nodded enthusiastically when I asked if she liked the tree and agreed with me again when I asked if she thought it was pretty. She touches the dangling penguins and baubles with a gentle and curious finger and gazes at the lights with interest. I'm eagerly looking forward to a slew of new toys for Lilli. Christmas can't come soon enough! We've been isolated at home for the past couple of weeks with a seemingly never-ending cold we brought back from our fun Thanksgiving in LA. Green snot pus the kaibosh on many social activities and ruins many a clean sweater! Needless to say we're both tired of all the old toys and these four walls and were delighted to rejoin our music group this morning. Lilli enthusiastically danced around the room and in her excitement managed to execute her first feet off the ground and into the air jump!! She's been working on that for weeks!! She's also been honing her drawing skills and yesterday she announced that she was going to draw a hat "at, at" before drawing a couple of intersecting circles. She pointed at it, looked at me and stated proudly "at, at." She signed "hat" just to make sure that I had understood! This is the first time she's made me aware that her scribbles are anything more than erratic zigzags and swirls. However Lilli can not be left alone with crayons. It seems that she has a taste for them. Orange and pink are apparently very delicious colours. Though they are all blue to her!! Blue is the one colour word she can say so consequently all colours are blue. Every once in a while, if you are lucky you may hear a "pupple" but again it's application is questionable. Here's to a Christmas in our home where Santa is wearing blue and the Christmas tree is purple. Add to that surreal vision a little girl recklessly spinning in circles around our pine-needled festooned rug to The Nutcracker. Merry Christmas all.

About a Little Girl

I'm not quite sure when Lilli evolved from my baby into a little girl. Note my loss of proprietorship. She is a very determined, independent and funny girl! She certainly lost some babyness when she picked herself up and started walking at the beginning of the summer. That was a while ago, yet I feel that it's only been in the past couple of weeks when I have started looking at her in this new light.

The change in hair style might be the culprit. She looks adorably girlish with two pigtails sprouting out of the top of her head. Along with the Pippi pigtails is a fierce determination to do everything herself, from blowing bubbles to wiping clean her peanut buttery fingers and mouth after lunch. Any attempt to remove Lilli from fun activities, such as the park, drinking the bubble mixture, eating her crayons, evokes such strong emotions, floods of tears and such a big down-turned bottom lip that you could never believe. Her new status was confirmed this weekend when she demonstrated empathy. She placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder after I turned to her with a very exasperated expression on my face after Jon displayed similar childish behaviour to what I was just experiencing with her!!

Lilli becomes immensely grown-up when copying me. Today she sat in her great grandfather's childhood chair, with teddy on her lap and tried so hard to read teddy a story. It was a little too difficult to hold both Big-Ted and the book together, let alone turn the pages, so I sat in front of them both and read the story, over and over again. Every once in a while Lilli would look at teddy with a smile and an expression that said "isn't this book great Teddy?" Teddy isn't the only stuffed friend in our home that Lilli showers with affection. She takes Baby Doll for walks around the house in her toy stroller before settling her down to nap with a cushion, a blanket, a kiss and a cuddle.

She certainly communicates in only the way little girls can - with very expressive beautiful eyes. Narrowed to a mock scowl at times or dancing in mischief, her eyes convey her meaning all too clearly. I have received many a steely stare during diaper changes. Lilli woke up last Thursday a slightly different person. She seemed more content. Happier. As we were looking through a book she clearly said lion when I pointed to its picture. Later in the day she pointed to the cat that strolled past us and exclaimed excitedly "CAT." Since then she has been saying new words every day. Today I heard "apple" and "cracker." She finds French and Spanish words hilarious. However, without a doubt, "Volvo" is the funniest word around. Most of the time she is talking some strange language to herself and us. I hear full sentences, complete with pauses and full with meaning. She has long conversations with anything that can pass as a telephone, including the dental floss box. I'm looking forward to being able to understand her fully. For now her play world is still her own.

Scary Animals

On Monday Lilli and I visited the zoo. It was almost empty. A welcome change for us. We pulled up to the gorillas and I wheeled Lilli straight up to the glass where a big gorilla was sitting with his back to us. Lilli was terrified. She screamed and wriggled in her stroller as I frantically tried to release her from its straps. She eventually calmed down in my arms and was content to look at the pictures of the gorillas on the wall and watch the footage of the baby gorilla. However, whenever I turned myself around so she could watch the real gorillas over my shoulder her sobbing started all over again. We didn't stay too long with them. The tigers were wonderful, but I don't think Lilli spotted them. However the beautiful young male snow leopard was clearly visible and Lilli pressed herself anxiously into my embrace and whined in fear. It seems as though her memories of the rude donkey we met on our previous trip have not faded. He brayed loudly just as we were peering at him over the top of his stall. Lilli trembled violently in my arms and let out a cry to rival the sound just uttered by the onerous donkey. I hope she'll be able to enjoy the animals soon!

Quirks

Let me share some of Lilli's wonderfully lovable traits. I'll begin with her long lasting addiction to fluff. Each morning while lying contentedly on my lap and nursing she picks fluff with her small exploratory fingers from my woolen blanket and rubs it against her nose. Sometimes she'll try to eat it. Other times she presses it into my face or presents it to characters in her books. I find balls of fluff all over the house. My blanket is looking rather scrawny. When away from the blanket she'll find other sources of fluff. The woolly hair on her doll. Her nighttime blanket knitted by our friend Erin. Any soft sweater that I may be wearing.

Her love of soft fluffy fabrics must have originated from those hours of being bounced as an infant in my arms. During those early months I lived in a large fluffy grey cardigan. It was warm and soft and Lilli spent much time with her nose buried into the nook of my arm. Since then her appreciation has evolved to include anything woolly. In her crib she curls up on top of "road-kill teddy" and under her special knitted blanket. Before we lift her out of the crib she gathers teddy and blanket together and clings to them tightly while she gradually shakes off the residual sleepiness.

When fully awake Lilli can be found in one of the following three states of action: running, sitting or lying down. Her running state is out of control, with flapping arms, protruding belly, legs that either carry her upper body too quickly or too slowly. Sometimes she'll fall over nothing, other times she runs over objects or down hills defying my expectations of a horrible spill. I'm relieved when she chooses to sit on the floor to look through a book or play with some toys. However I'm not excused just yet! She turns to look at me expectantly and an imperative little finger points insistently to the floor beside her. She is saying so clearly with her body, SIT HERE MUMMY. When the upright view-point becomes tedious Lilli likes to lie on her back and look up at the ceiling. Again, she'll pat the floor beside her and we both lie on the living room floor waving our feet in the air above our heads!

4th of July Creek Trail

NEAR: Leavenworth

ROUND TRIP: 7 miles

ELEVATION GAIN: plenty!

This is possibly our last hike for the year and did we need it! We were desperate for some soul food after spending the past month worrying over Jon's job. The sun broke through the clouds on Saturday and the skies over Leavenworth were intensely blue. After a frigid and sleepless night in our tent at pretty Lower Johnny Creek campsite along the Icicle River we were ready to warm up on the challenging 4th of July Creek trail. Lilli, exhausted from her restless night and with the beginnings of a cold, was looking forward to snoozing in her backpack. The trail steeply snakes its way up to Icicle Ridge gaining 4370ft in 6 miles. I had no aspiration to reach the crest. Our plans were to hike as far as we could in an hour and a half, enjoy the views and breathe the fresh mountain air. We hiked further than I hoped, had wonderful views along the valley and tempting glimpses of the jagged Stuart range and the clear air was scented with the rich perfume of the Ponderosa Pines we were climbing between. Lilli napped deeply and awoke just after we had settled on a rocky butte looking over the valley. We discovered pine needles, gnawed pine cones, deer scat, bark, twigs and rocks. Before long it was time to return to our campsite to welcome our friends who were joining us for a night. Lilli, Jon and I set off down the trail. Lilli dawdled, stumbled and marched down 2 switchbacks before our patience wore thin and she was packed out on Jon's back.

Where's Daddy?

My goodness! I have neglected my blogging duties! It's been a month since my last entry, which is testament to how busy we've been. We've attended a wedding, walked along beaches, visited family in Massachusetts, spent many hours at the park and started school! Today, Lilli and I are just back from music group where we tap rhythm sticks, bang on drums, sing songs and waltz in circles around the mirror-lined studio with colourful scarves waving in our hands. This afternoon I think we'll take a walk around the neighbourhood to enjoy this rare late-September sunshine. Since our return from the east coast, Lilli is not content playing at home with me. Instead she stands at the front door yelling at me to go outside. She also misses Daddy after having had him exclusively while on vacation. She expectantly looks at the front door and hopefully calls for him, "Dad, Dad, Dad ..." So we're busy. We go out twice a day if possible, rain or shine. She is excited about the car since it usually takes her somewhere interesting, like the zoo, the store, a friend's house, the park! So long as the journey doesn't take too long. Unlike our flight. That was exhausting. On our trip out Lilli constantly kicked the seat in front of her. She did eventually fall asleep after a relatively short protest. Our trip home was late and way past her bedtime. Despite her exhaustion she manically fought sleep. I think she finally fell asleep propped up against Jon's side half-way through Karate Kid. She was a good traveller and I am so glad we bought her a seat. Not so for our Thanksgiving trip to LA. She will be squirming in our laps for what will probably be the longest 2 hours in our lives!

More, More, More ....

Lilli has burst out of her month long silence with a demanding vocabulary! More and Mum are the two most frequently used and abused words. More, more, more is quickly followed with a crescendoing Mum, Mum, Mum if I haven't speedily reacted to the more request. The problem is deciphering more of what in particular she wants. More beans, more potato, more hand washing, more rocks, more tickles, more 'this little piggy,' more water, more birds, more garbage truck? The last two are particularly difficult to satisfy! She echoes words, such as dirt and dog, and watches our mouths in fascination as we talk to her. At dinner she wanted more, more, more, mumumum saying fffffffiiiisshhhhh. Fish, fish, fish over and over again! Her sign language repertoire is impressive. She's been working on Grandma and Grandpa while looking at the photo of Nana and Grandpa. Of course she signs more, eat and milk like a pro. Outside is a popular new sign. She puts a unique spin on bird and drink. The hands swimming together like a fish sign (for fish) is accompanied with a whole body wiggle! She freely applies the sign for car to any type of vehicle, be it bike, truck, bus or car. However she correctly signs airplanes when we hear them roar overhead. Our neighbour, a speech therapist, reassured me that despite what people say, signing at this age does not delay language, but in fact enhances and encourages language development. In addition it helps to reduce toddlers' frustration at not being able to get their meaning across. However our signing conversations are limited in their scope and sometimes Mummy just doesn't get it despite all of Lilli's frantic hand signaling, arm waving, narrowed read-my-mind eyes and insistent "talking." Or maybe I do get it and Lilli's finger is pointing (and accompanied with a repetitive "dat, dat, dat") to Mummy's much needed mug of hot tea. We're working on the sign for hot! We have, I'm afraid to say (or gesture), the sign for hurt down pat.

Bean Creek Basin

NEAR: Cle Elum

ROUND TRIP: 5 miles

ELEVATION GAIN: 2000 ft

This pretty alpine valley is nestled above the Teanaway River and under the imposing granite wall of Mt Stuart on the east slopes of the Cascades, about 2 hours drive from Seattle. Considering this lengthy journey we decided to camp near the trail head rather than force Lilli to sit in the car for 4 hours and the backpack for 3 hours in a single day. We rushed away from Seattle on Friday afternoon after a very busy day spent cramming the car full of camping gear and arrived a little late at the campsite. But our tardiness didn't matter since Lilli refused to sleep until night fell and the tent grew dark. Once she was peacefully asleep we enjoyed our dinner under a clear sky full of stars. Our woodland silence was shattered with the arrival of noisy young neighbours who startled us with excited chatting about their shotgun. We watched in horror as the gun was unloaded from the car along with a shovel!

Thankfully we lived to the following morning, by which time Lilli was burrowed 2 feet deep under the covers in our bed. Despite the massing grey clouds we set off for Bean Creek Basin. The trail follows Bean Creek's rounded v shaped valley upward, passing dry forest and tired lupines. The sound of the rushing creek and the slow steady rhythm of my steps soon lulled Lilli to sleep. She missed the trees that were snapped like twigs from various avalanches that roared down the steep slopes from the ridge above. At 2 miles the valley widens and stony Earl Peak dominates the skyline. Within another half mile we staggered into a verdant meadow full of purple larkspur, fiery indian paintbrush and creamy buckwheat. Welcome to Bean Creek Basin! Lilli discovered grasshoppers while we enjoyed our delicious salami sandwiches.

That afternoon we treated Lilli. Now it was her turn to have some fun. The Teanaway River, flowing past our campsite, provided all the entertainment we needed. Lilli was in toddler heaven throwing rocks into the river pools and splashing her feet in the cold shallows. Another toddler joined us and soon Lilli and Sylvia become firm friends.

We packed up the following morning after a rather rainy night, said farewell to our friendly fellow campers (excluding the shotgun crew who had thankfully left), and returned to Seattle to prepare for a night out with friends at wonderful Cantinetta.

Summer Time

My mouth is full of delicious summer flavours. I forgot how wonderfully tasty gooseberries are. My face is sticky from licking the spatula after baking and blending these funny furry tart green berries that will be transformed into a creamy fool tonight. I must plant a bush next year. Right now I'm enjoying my salad concocted from last night's BLT leftovers: juicy beef tomatoes, crispy bacon, smooth cool avocado, crunchy carrots, home grown buttery lettuce and a tangy blue cheese vinaigrette. Maybe I'll enjoy a sweet succulent peach for dessert! My taste buds will be bombarded again tonight with an explosion of exotic flavours. Jon is cooking one of our favourite summer dinners: hamburger curry. It doesn't sound appetizing, however the spices and ground beef meld beautifully in this rich creamy curry which is topped with a warm salad of summer squash and fennel. Lilli savoured her simple lunch too. Cubed cheese, cucumber, peanut butter on toast and strawberries we picked from the garden this morning to the roars of the Blue Angels flying overhead. I am glad we are escaping to the mountains this weekend. Seattle can keep their noisy F/A-18 fighter jets. We'll take ourselves and our airplane-fearing daughter to the silence of the Cascades, where hopefully all we'll hear are birds, bubbling creeks and the wind rushing through the pines.

Our summer has been beautiful. The days have been perfectly warm. On hotter afternoons Lilli has cooled down in her giant bobbing inflatable giraffe paddling pool. On cooler mornings we've walked to the park (Lilli now walks most of the way herself) or watered the garden together. This week we started a new music class. Lilli confidently introduced herself to everyone in the group. She breaks the ice with an offering. She becomes frustrated when her proffered doll or instrument is not accepted with an outstretched hand and a smile. She gleefully watched the bigger children running haphazard laps around the room squealing in excitement when they careened past her. Standing in the middle of the race course made this game even more hilarious and exhilarating. Dancing with yellow silk scarves in front of mirrors that endlessly reflected each child was also fun. Lilli marches, spins in circles, bobs and wriggles her bottom and flaps her arms to the melodies. This morning we danced to The Beatles in the living room, shaking loose the sand from our hair that we accumulated yesterday at Golden Gardens beach. Ahh, summer days.

Denny Creek

NEAR: Snoqualmie Pass

ROUND TRIP: 4 miles

ELEVATION GAIN: 700 ft

It seemed like half of Seattle decided to join us on our hike to the Denny Creek waterfalls. Not surprising since temperatures were forecast to soar again today. The parking lot was overflowing and there were two forest rangers conducting traffic and writing parking tickets. After a detour to buy a parking pass (or be fined $55) we set off to the trailhead, a 1/4 mile from the car. Lilli walked, ran and stumbled the full 1/4 mile + through the car park in her turquoise squeaking sandals. We diapered her and backpacked her at the trailhead and marched through the cool green forest to the Slippery Slab. This was the destination for many families. Kids were splashing in the river, sliding down the waterfalls and hopping over rocks. It was a colourful scene with adults and children in bright summer clothes, multi-hued beach towels and a large blue inflatable mattress. We rapidly left the crowds behind and continued up the increasingly steep and rocky trail. We burst into yellow sunshine as we traversed a steep slope, hurriedly rubbing creamy sunscreen into pink arms, and sweated up switchbacks to pretty Keekwulee Falls. Here Denny Creek emerges from small canyon and skips over smooth granite steps or lingers lazily in emerald pools before diving once more in a white spray into a dark lower canyon. Jon, Pete and I took it in turns to eat our juicy pepperoni and caramelized onion sandwiches and splash in the toe-numbing pools of clear mountain water with Lilli. She was captivated by the water cascading off a small tarnished ledge. I was entranced by her acute concentration upon the water running through her cupped reddened hands. The heat forced us to retreat to the cool forest and back to our car.

Mount Catherine

NEAR: Snoqualmie Pass

ROUND TRIP: 3 miles

ELEVATION GAIN: 1300 ft

Welcome Lilli to the beautiful Cascades. This was a perfect first hike for you. You rode up the pretty path on Mummy's back with a rock in each hand. You enjoyed watching the sunlight flickering through the trees. It was delightfully cool in the shade of the forest. The path climbed steadily, switchbacking up the west flank of the mountain. It wasn't long before we reached a ridge where we could watch the heavy marine clouds spilling over Snoqualmie Pass and floating in wisps towards Lake Kachess. Silently you fell asleep and missed the final scramble to the rocky summit. You peacefully slept while the rest of us enjoyed our sandwiches, took photos of the glorious encircling views and slapped at hungry bugs. We could see Mt Stuart to the east, the Snoqualmie peaks to the north and the closer peaks of Granite, Silver and Chair. Rainier was hidden under a blanket of cloud. Somewhere across the valley your Uncle Dave, Auntie Lynn and Uncle Pete were also sitting atop a mountain eating their lunch and taking deep breaths of mountain air. Daddy carried you down the mountain. You awoke just as your hiking buddy, Jamie, nodded off on his Daddy's back. Mummy and Daddy were happy you enjoyed the hike. They certainly had a wonderful day and are planning many more mountain excursions.

Fun at Home

Lilli and I have so much fun together. We play games throughout the day with all her toys. Sometimes Lilli will play by herself. Yesterday she played a game with Big Ted (my old beloved teddy bear). She first helped teddy drink from the tube of diaper cream, then rifled through my drawer of pajamas and picked out a pink t-shirt for teddy. Next she placed the diaper cream drink in a drawer above her head, thought better of it and decided it should in fact go in the drawer above. It's wonderful to watch these small shows of inventive play. Lilli has a blossoming imagination. I'm frustrated to be in the dark until she can fill me in on the story.

Besides her toys, Lilli appears to be enjoying everything so much more (apart from teeth cleaning and diaper changing). She loves our fun action songs and giggles outright at chase and hide-and-seek and funny faces. Lilli has the most wickedly inviting eyes which peer at me in a most mischievous way when playing peak-a-boo. Most comical of all though is the way she swaggers drunkenly around the living room windmilling her arms to her favourite music.

Wading Pool

Todays heat necessitated a trip to our local wading pool. It wasn't quite a mob scene, but close enough to provoke slight motherly anxiety! Despite the fact that I was gripping Lilli's arm tightly and continually pulling Lilli away from toys-that-don't-belong-to-us, she had a grand time splashing in the water, chasing trucks and balls and crawling into the deeper section where she could lap the murky water like a thirsty dog! It was a fun way to cool down on our hot afternoon.

Lilli's Bus Journey

Today Lilli and I caught the bus downtown and back. It was a big adventure. Lilli's first bus ride! How could I deny her a ride any longer since she has her own toy bus and enjoys watching the real buses rumble down the street. She loved it. A kind man gave up his seat for us since the bus was standing room only (the full time Mum completely forgets about rush hour!). We found ourselves next to a lovely grandmother type who kept Lilli entertained the entire journey. Between big smiles to her new friend Lilli watched the passing cars and trucks on the freeway. The bus home was empty, but despite the lack of interesting faces Lilli hugely enjoyed herself. She surfed the seat with her forehead pressed on the window, giggling at the vibration and gazing at the passing traffic.

Montana

We're back from beautiful Montana. It was everything I thought it would be. Big sky country indeed. Beautiful meadows filled with lush grass and pretty wild flowers, green hills rolling up to snowy mountain peaks, tumbling streams and sparkling rivers meandering through big broad valleys. Not only was it scenic, it was interesting too. It's mining and logging past has littered the state with ghost towns and rickety trestles.

We logged around 1700 miles over the week and needless to say the inside of our car is littered with puffs and crackers while an entomologist would be proud of our front grill. Oh yes, wonderful bugs were hatching in Montana much to the delight of the trout and fly fishing enthusiasts. Besides squashed bugs and stale crackers, we brought home a fully fledged toddler. While in Montana Lilli switched from mostly crawling to mainly walking, sprouted 3 molars and began to feed herself with a spoon and fork. She slept little and ate even less over the week due to the constant entertainment provided by her many cousins. We discovered that when pushed to exhaustion she will sleep in a car seat, a backpack or a tent. The three of us even managed a few short hikes and avoided being mauled by grizzlies. No, we didn't even see one. Our only wildlife sighting was graceful white-tailed deer flickering through a stand of aspen. And birds. Every day at the cabin in Lolo I was enchanted by the bird song all around.

Since our trip was so successful we're now planning future hikes, road trips and vacations and I already have a long list of places to visit. In fact we hope to try a short hike at the pass this weekend.

First Steps

Lilli took her first lurching steps on Monday. 3 unsteady little steps between me and the couch. Last week she did take a couple of steps at the beach with my hands around her middle. Though the only support my hands were providing was a false sense of security, I'm not sure whether those wobbly paces really count. However Monday's steps were ones she should be proud of! We're waiting for her to repeat them and expand on them, but she's focusing instead on standing alone. Yesterday she looked so happy with herself when she realized she was standing without support. Her excited arm flapping quickly brought her down to the floor with a bump.

Arriving with this blossoming skill is anxiety. Loud noises spook Lilli. Truck and bikes roaring past, dogs barking, Jon sneezing, buzzing lawn mowers, grumbling helicopters. Quieter noises will prompt Lilli to sit by me and grasp my leg. A loud noise will bring a panicked look to her face and she'll rapidly crawl into my arms and press herself into me demanding a tight cuddle. No longer can she eat in the dinning area. Something outside the window is terrifying. Lilli now eats in the kitchen or with the shades drawn. Her anxiety is even seeping into her night time sleep. Two nights this week she has awoken screaming and will not settle for hours. Last night I camped on the floor by her crib. Every 5 to 10 minutes she would reassure herself I was still there. The pressure of my hand on her back was not quite enough. I had to speak. She had finally settled by 1.30am, which was a vast improvement from Monday night when she was agitated until 3am.

But perhaps it's her rapidly developing communication skills that are provoking these restless nights. Yesterday Lilli perfectly answered a simple question. She pointed to my glass of water and insisted "dat dat dat." To which I asked, "Lilli want water?". Lilli responded with a firm nod and "esss." It felt like our first true conversation. Her current favourite word is up. As we climb the stairs she repeats like a mantra "up up up up." Her repertoire of sign language is increasing quickly. She signs more, all done, food, drink, milk, fish, car and airplane. There are a few more signs which she's invented and I have yet to translate!

Airplane, Helicopter, Motorbike, Truck

Lilli looks to the sky every time an airplane wooshes over head or helicopter buzzes past. She eagerly cranes her head to catch sight of the garbage truck as it rumbles by the window. Loud roaring motorbikes are puzzling, perhaps because they're too fast to catch sight of. When we're outside playing in the garden these deep grumbles are a little frightening and Lilli always seeks the reassurance of my arms. She stops what she is doing and crawls over to me and climbs quickly into my embrace. From the safety of my hug she peers over my shoulder and squints up at the sky searching for the source of the noise. On a recent sunny afternoon Lilli and I were playing with the water tub in the garden. She sits naked on the rug wearing nothing but her floppy sunhat and climbs in and out of our washing-up bowl which is filled with warm water. It was rush hour and their were plenty of TV helicopters monitoring the traffic and planes slowing down as they approached the airport. I frequently found myself cuddling a dripping wet naked baby, slick with watery sunscreen.

The Name Game

Lilli is determined to learn the names of all the items in our home. With her pointing finger and imperative look we label the mask, the mirror, the birthday cards, the candle sticks, the lights, the couch, the kitchen, the door ...... When we ask, "Where is the ....." she points to the intended object and pronounces "there" very clearly or if feeling lazy or uncertain just tilts her head in the general direction. While playing in her nook with all her books pulled off the shelf and scattered on the floor, we invented a new game, "Pass Mummy the Book." I was amazed that Lilli would retrieve specific books for me when requested. Sometimes she needed a little more information than just the title, but her face would light up in recognition after a few first lines and she would busily scan the messy assortment for the tone in question.

A Picky Eater

Lilli is becoming quite discerning about what food she enjoys!! It seems as though she lost her taste for pureed food overnight. Now it's quite a challenge to make sure she eats a balanced diet. Before the green vegetables were disguised in the mush. If she had her way she would eat cheese and blueberries for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Though I am relieved that she has taken to cows milk and finds drinking it from her cup very amusing! So we're down one nursing a day and if the conditions aligned for me, I could have most of the day to myself! We nurse first thing in the morning, after her second nap at 4pm and then again just before bed.

This morning I thought I would give her a little treat of some apple juice (very diluted) with her breakfast. She downed the entire cup of juice and then refused to eat her yogurt, cereal, apple and blueberry blend. This was the first time she's refused breakfast. Luckily for me she consented to eat her breakfast when I added puffed kamut. By the end of breakfast she was dripping. The apple juice had passed straight through her!

Now, what to give her for lunch?

Happy 1st Birthday!

Happy 1st Birthday Lilli!! Congratulations. You made it through the year. Today, Lilli you are going to experience another first. We are going on a ferry. It's a very small ferry and the trip will only take 10 minutes. On the other side of the water is a small and beautiful island called Lummi Island. We are going to stay for the weekend in a lovely big house with our friends Eric and Gail. We will visit the beach and look for shells, watch for glimpses of the snowy mountains, play with all your new toys and enjoy the bubbles in a hot tub. What a way to welcome in your 2nd year.

Weight: 20 lbs 11.5oz (50th %ile)

Height: 30" (75th %ile)

Head Circumference: 18" (50th %ile)

In Love with Lilli

Lilli has the biggest, widest most beautiful smile which is accentuated by dimples and shining happy eyes.

Lilli has a wonderful mischievous look - what is she thinking!!

Playing tickle and chase and sizzle games on the bed and listening to Lilli laugh and giggle and pant from all the fun.

Warm cuddles and snuggles with a sleepy, red cheeked Lilli after naps.

"Bumping heads" and seeing Lilli's gorgeous blue eyes looking up at me.

Holding Lilli's relaxed body, feeling Lilli's warm deep breath on my neck and her soft head pressed into my shoulder when she snuggles into me before bed while I'm singing her lullaby.

Watching Lilli marching around the living room, straight legged, with her walking cart.

Oh so touchable, soft skin.

Massaging Lilli's little sturdy and chunky legs, especially as she's insistently climbing the couch or waving them in the air while nursing.

Lilli's quick foot stamping and body swaying dance to the musical soothing plastic aquarium.

What's Up with Lilli

Lilli is growing up quickly!! She changes from week to week.

Body Parts

Walking and Cruising

Cereal Thief

Fake laughter

Book fun

Shadow games with Daddy

Impatience

Pointing

Lilli's Birthday Party

We celebrated Lilli's 1st Birthday with an early party on Saturday evening. Uncle Dave, Auntie Lynn, Auntie Laurie, Uncle Greg and cousins Gemma, Max and Emily joined us for dinner. Lilli had so much fun playing with her cousins. She thinks her birthday presents are awesome. Thank you Smith Family! They were wrapped up so beautifully and the ribbon was bright and scrunchy and curly. Inside the colourful paper Lilli discovered a spotty pink ball, rubber building blocks of all sorts of colours, a cell phone which looks just like Mummy's and Daddy's and a very cute summer outfit. Uncle Dave let Lilli eat lots of crackers which is one of Lilli's favourite foods. She is very good at stealing the bigger cracker pieces from Uncle Dave's hands when he is distracted!! Lilli was a little tired at dinner and did not enjoy Daddy's pulled pork. Everyone else thought it was delicious. Birthday cupcake was yucky too, but the candle was entrancing. Uncle Dave and Uncle Greg also had candles in their cupcakes. Lilli unfortunately was too tired to enjoy all of dinner and went to bed before everyone left. Lilli turns 1 on Friday 28th May. She's looking forward to opening some more presents.

Shoe Shopping

Lilli and Mummy went shoe shopping today. We bought Lilli her first pair of proper shoes. Lilli picked them out. They are pink and pretty. Lilli loves them, although she curls her toes under when she is wearing them. They help her stand. They anchor Lilli to the floor. When Lilli walks in them she lifts her feet high and sometimes does a little dance.

Happy Birthday Granny!

Lilli would like to say, if she could, Happy Birthday Granny! We miss you! It's been just over a week since Granny flew home on the big airplane. We watch lots of airplanes crossing the sky above our heads in the garden. Since the weather has been so beautiful since Granny left we've been spending plenty of time in the garden. Lilli loves picking daisies. Sadly the garden at home has no daisies. Just some intriguing tomato plants which can not be touched by little curious fingers. Walking on the grass in bare feet is fun. The grass tickles Lilli's toes. She holds on tightly to Mummy's hands and stomps and sways around the lawn. Lilli wears a big floppy hat which sometimes falls over her eyes. Lilli doesn't like the hat that much, but Mummy thinks she looks adorable.

Today, besides being Granny's birthday, is swimming day. We haven't been swimming for a long time because Lilli has been sick with two colds! After swimming we are going to have a picnic in the park and then enjoy the swings and watch the ducks. Yesterday we went to Ravenna Park and walked through a cool ravine with a pretty stream. Lilli paddled in the stream and squished her feet into the cool sandy stream bed. Lilli rode in the backpack which was very fun. She enjoys pulling Mummy's hair and kicking her to make her walk faster.

Tonight we're going to see Uncle Mike who is visiting Seattle. Lilli is excited to see her cousins and Auntie Laurie's dog. She may even get to stay up later than usual. She'll hear all about Uncle Mike's upcoming tandem bicycle odyssey across America with Auntie Steph.

Lilli would like to say that she thinks May is the best month for a birthday. Nana also has a May birthday (Lilli says "Happy Belated Birthday Nana") and Lilli's 1st birthday is in two weeks. Mother's Day was kind of like a birthday for Mummy. Daddy took Mummy and Lilli out for breakfast at Mummy's favourite cafe. Lots of people surprised Mummy when they wished her a "Happy Mother's Day." She didn't even know some of them. Daddy and Lilli also gave Mummy a lovely card and some pretty flowers. In fact Mummy says Mother's Day was better than her birthday. This year Mummy, Daddy and Lilli will be in Montana for Mummy's birthday. Mummy wants to go horse riding, but Daddy is not so sure! Lilli is too little to ride on a big horse. If she's lucky then she might get to play with her favourite uncle, Uncle Pete.

A Series of Unfortunate Events

We had a wonderful couple of weeks with Granny. Mummy enjoyed seeing her Mummy so much. They talked a lot. Lilli loved playing with Granny. She had some fun games to teach Lilli. In particular Lilli loved the game where finger puppet turtle swims across the rug to nibble on her toes. Turtle then spots a perfect dark corner to hide and swims up Lilli's trouser leg!

Granny's visit was also memorable due to a series of unfortunate events. The day after Granny arrived Lilli succumbed to a cold. Daddy came down with the cold next and finally Granny and Mummy gave in and suffered mildly. The cold epidemic forced us to cancel our weekend trip to Lummi Island with Eric and Gail. Everyone was very upset. Mummy, Granny and Lilli did visit the zoo, but the sun gave way to hail which turned into persistent rain. We all got very wet and didn't see many animals since they were tucked away into nooks and crannies to stay warm and dry. We did watch the baby gorilla playing with his Mummy. Granny and Mummy were fascinated by the gorilla's wonderful faces and expressions. Then of course, the ultimate unfortunate event was Lilli's tumble from the couch and our trip to urgent care.

However, Granny's stay brought some wonderful moments. Mummy and Daddy enjoyed a delicious meal at a local restaurant, Granny and Mummy went to the cinema. One afternoon, Lilli, Granny and Mummy met Daddy for lunch at Microsoft. And Lilli, Granny and Mummy shared lots of fun on the living room floor.

New Words

Lilli is moving beyond "Dog" and "And This." Her latest words are "Toes" and "More." The latter is accompanied by the hand sign and an expectant look towards the table where she hopes to see either cheese or puffs, her two favourite foods! She can understand much more than she can say and is avidly learning names for objects. She points to flowers, lights, nose, mouth, toes, baby doll and ball when asked. Pointing is a new skill that is being put to much use and we frequently play the name game where Lilli points to an interesting item and we put a name to it.

Happy 11 Months Lilli!

11 months old! Only one month to go before the big 1. And we couldn't make it through the first year without a trip to urgent care. So on Lilli's 11 month birthday she took a nose dive off the couch and landed on her head giving herself a big bump and a trip to the hospital. It was a late night party in the waiting room for Lilli. Lots of interesting people to watch, a fish tank with some evasive clown fish and bubbles and a chance to stay up a couple of hours past her bedtime. Thankfully all was well and the doctor reassured us that Lilli probably passed out from holding her breath rather than concussion. When very upset some toddlers will hold their breath for so long that they black out. What a nerve wracking 11 month birthday.

Boot Camp Part II

Yay for Granny who made it to Seattle despite Iceland's volcano! We love having Granny visits. And Granny is taking Lilli through her paces!!

Walking

Every morning before breakfast Granny and Lilli goose step around the house. Lilli marches behind her walker with straight legs and a great swagger. Granny helps Lilli turn the corners since the walker only goes in straight lines.

In the box, Out of the box

Granny and Lilli have great fun with an old cereal box. Lilli puts toys into the box, Granny gives the box and shake and the toys rattle, and Lilli dives in and pulls them out.

Cuddles for Baby Doll

Under Granny's tutelage Lilli looks after Baby Doll, showering her with kisses and cuddles. Sometimes Baby Doll is fortunate enough to enjoy being pushed around the room in the walker by her big friend, Lilli.

A TV Night

How rare that I have some time to write! But here I am on the couch with Jon's laptop on my knees, nibbling on chocolate, sipping hot fruit tea and listening to Jon having fun with a jazz tune in the office. After my post I am looking forward to curling up in front of the TV. NCIS is on! Maybe it doesn't sound like heaven, but it is to me.

So what shall I write about before NCIS claims my attention. How about Lilli's second word? Last week she clearly said "Dog" (with a silent g) after listening to the neighbourhood dogs barking. Or perhaps I should mention her new adorable hair style? She was strapped in her high chair, Daddy held her hands to stop her swiping and swatting at the scissors, while I snipped a cute but jagged fringe (or bangs as they are known here). Maybe I should mention that Lilli is working on new teeth. That it looks as though all her remaining teeth, her molars, canines and lower side incisors look as though they are about to break through together. I could tell you that Lilli is perfecting her sign language, though we're not quite sure if we have a clear understanding. We think the sign for 'more' might only mean more puffs or more cheese or more of that yummy food we were just eating. Not more of the sloppy stuff. Should I share that Lilli has taken to nipping me while nursing? She flashes me a mischievous grin when I scold her while prising open her clenched jaws. I know, I know, but somehow she is capable of biting and smiling simultaneously! You'll be amused to hear that Lilli is still full of inquisitive energy and she becomes more and more fun every day.

Now, to NCIS. Perhaps one night I'll get back to my knitting.

And This ....

Lilli's first two word combination might just be "and this." As she was playing with her blocks and puzzles pieces today, taking them out of the tray and putting them in very specific places on the rug before returning them to the tray, Jon noticed that as she laid each piece down she said what sounded like "and this."

Mama dropped out of her vocabulary last month, to be replaced by Dada. She's all about Dada now, and this!

Sit and Spin

Lilli has a new move and it's called the "Sit and Spin." It's easily executed. You sit on your bottom, preferably diapered for padding, and use your feet to push yourself around in a full circle pivoting on your bottom. It enables quick scanning of the room to see which toy or electrical outlet to investigate next or in a pinch to locate the whereabouts of Mummy and Daddy. Mostly it's used to express excitement over a song or a toy.

Clothes Peg Fetish

Babies seem to enjoy every day household items so much more than carefully designed expensive age-appropriate toys. Tupperware, pots, measuring spoons, spatulas, paper, blankets and lately clothes pegs are infinitely more fun! One day Lilli discovered the bright clothes peg bag in the bottom of the laundry hamper and the love affair began. She spends minutes at a time flinging the clothes pegs into the laundry hamper and taking them out again. If they fall in too deep she calls for assistance with a stamp of a little foot, a scowl and a frustrated whine. I find clothes pegs all over the house, even in the bathtub. I have clothes pegs in my jacket pockets since we have implemented a new rule: no clothes pegs while in the car seat. Lilli isn't complete without a clothes peg in each hand and extracting them from her surprisingly strong grasp can be quite a challenge!

In Harmony

Lilli has found her singing voice! Besides singing along with me, particularly when I'm crooning her lullaby, she sings long notes in harmony with the guitar. She plucks a string and steadily hums or hahs along with the note. She plucks another string and modifies her pitch appropriately. Will we be cheering her along on Pop Idol one day?

Sick Parents

We were stricken simultaneously with the virus on Friday. Imagine two sick parents, lying on the living room rug shivering under blankets, taking it in turns to either run to the bathroom or retrieve Lilli from mischief. Are not these virulent bugs meant to afflict each member of the family one by one, allowing at least one adult member to be fully functioning? Friday was a tough and very sad day. Our weekend escape to Orcas Island, that I had been so looking forward to, cancelled. A baby with diarrhea, that still shows no sign of abating, and two very pathetic parents.

Sick Baby

Oh dear, we have a sick baby here and things are rather stressful. Yesterday Lilli went down for her afternoon nap with a severe case of hiccups, but for once she didn't cry. Just a few murmurs and whimpers. I relaxed outside in the sunshine with my knitting and didn't hear a peep from her. An hour and a half later I found my poor baby sleeping off the effects of what looked like a nasty bout of sickness. The mattress was covered with vomit, as was Lilli, from head to toe, with a piece of regurgitated strawberry dangling from her hair, just for good measure. It was awful. She refused to nurse or to drink any water. I frantically called Jon and demanded that he return home immediately and called the doctor for advice. Our very energetic baby for once was subdued. I nestled her in the carrier and walked around the house in bemused circles singing nursery songs for the remainder of the day.

Well today her stomach is settled, but the bug or whatever is behind this, is still in her system and causing some explosive diarrhea. She's nursing happily but refusing all food apart from puffs!! Frustratingly she wrinkles her nose at Pedialyte, but who can blame her. I hope she's feeling better tomorrow. I miss our crazy baby and I don't want to cancel our weekend escape to Orcas Island. Oh, and our beautiful new carpet was christened yesterday, a week to the day it was installed.

A Pee and Poop Story

Phew! It's been a busy week!! I've been frantically painting the upstairs, readying it for the carpet installation which is happening as I write. Amazingly Lilli is sleeping through loud hammering. I envy her ability to sleep through this deafening noise. Such a skill would be handy for siestas interrupted by the obnoxious whine of leaf blowers (they should be outlawed) and Sunday morning lawn mowing (why do people cut their grass at the crack of dawn on the weekend?).

Our late night painting sessions and my entire weekend which I dedicated to the brush and roller have paid off and our upstairs looks amazing. I on the other hand look awful! Oh well! Soon I'll be able to stretch my battered knees in my new bedroom which will be perfect for morning yoga practice and I will be far above the persistent blaring of car alarms in my peaceful attic allowing for some much needed afternoon naps! Lilli permitting.

While I was busy slapping on the paint, a lovely pale butter colour, Jon was busy entertaining Lilli this weekend, with much needed assistance from Pete. She certainly kept them occupied! A very nasty diaper rash forced us to roll up the rug and let Lilli loose on the floor with naked bottom. She peed standing up, while squatting by the guitar, a couple of times while investigating the corner near the bathroom. She peed everywhere! She pooped once on the floor which Uncle Pete stepped in while rushing her to the potty. She also pooped in the bathtub on Sunday night. I decided that was one clean-up operation that warranted my help! We were all exhausted by the end of the weekend. But the upstairs was closer to completion and the diaper rash was on the way out!

Put in, Take out, Underneath

It is as though Lilli woke up a couple of mornings ago and decided, hey, I'm ready to start learning about taking things apart and fitting them back together. And ever since that morning she has been perfecting her skills. She has three colourful plastic nesting pots which are now the favoured toy. She attempts to fit the big one in the small one and the medium one in the big one and so on. An added bonus is that her wooden balls fit perfectly in the pots. When she tires of nesting pots we play "Guess which Pot the Ball is Under!" Once this game becomes old then Lilli returns to an old favourite: "Chase the Ball around the House."

Music Time

Have you ever seen a 9 month old push a 3 1/2 year old off a toy? I was impressed with Lilli's determination today. Lilli and her older friend were playing a duet on a small keyboard, but Lilli was obviously limited with the higher notes and wanted the whole keyboard for herself. With the help of her leg and foot she successfully took control of the keys playing the upper notes with banging hands and the lower keys with that sneaky left foot. However where Lilli had brute force, her friend had cunning and turned the volume down so low that we couldn't hear Lilli's modern composition.

Potty Time

Lilli loves her potty! She sits on the potty before and after sleeping. Most of the time she pees in it and we shower her with oodles of praise. She still pees and poops in her diaper, but that's ok. We don't expect her to wait until we put her on her shiny red plastic throne. She won't develop bladder/bowel control for a while yet. Right now we're only working on associating the sensation of peeing with sitting on the potty and taking advantage of her eagerness to please. She applauds herself with hand clapping and smiles when we praise her with "yays," "woos" and "good job Lilli."

She's fascinated with her pee. She reaches down between her legs to feel the stream of liquid and often times tries to reach even further down to splash with the pee in the bowl. Oh such fun!! Thankfully hand washing is just as entertaining!

Maybe by the time she's two she'll be fully potty trained. Just think of all those diapers we will have saved from the land fill and the water we'll save from washing our cloth inserts. She'll be wearing colourful little pants while her peers are only just going through the change!

Road Kill Teddy

Lilli is loving Floppy Teddy to death. Floppy Teddy resides in Lilli's crib. She likes to snuggle up with him, chew him, feel his soft bumpy tummy and sleep on top of him. Sometimes he's a teddy to cuddle and other times a handy pillow for her head. Floppy Teddy is one of my creations, knitted out of scrap yarn. He has two purple arms and two purple ears, two multicoloured legs and a tan head and body. Unfortunately I was a little too frugal with the stuffing. Consequently Floppy Teddy doesn't have a physique of which to be proud. He's a rather hunched and retiring little fellow. However after a night underneath the sleeping Lilli he closely resembles road kill. Every morning we find him flattened in various tortured poses. I won't even dwell on the holes and snags Lilli inflicts upon him with her teeth!

9 months

Length: 28.5" (75th %ile)

Weight: 17lbs 7oz (25th %ile)

Head circumference: 16" (75th %ile)

Welcome to Microsoft

Lilli experienced the vast world of Microsoft today. We joined Jon for an early lunch at The Commons, the small food and shopping center within the Microsoft campus. Lilli loved crawling on the spotless pavement while we enjoyed an al fresco Indian lunch and riding high on Daddy's shoulders around the campus. We visited Jon's cube and rolled around on the astro turf football (soccer) field. I think this may have to become a regular outing.

In the meantime Lilli has some accomplishments I know she would like me to share. Besides sporting 6 sharp white teeth and weighing in at over 18lbs (18lbs 10 oz as of February 3rd) she is also sleeping through the night! There have been some exceptions, due I believe to yet more teeth possibly moving around, but on the whole we are a better rested and happier trio! However this latest development is even more exciting than 8 hours of blissful uninterrupted sleep. Lilli is starting to get it! She plays with us and can show us that she understands! We play chase around the house, peakaboo now evokes squeals of laughter, she knows exactly want she wants and does not want to do and she can wave, clap, lift her arms up, kiss and wrinkle her nose when prompted with words. We do have a slight confusion with the wave word since she limp-wristedly flaps her hand at the surfing "Wave Sheep" in her book "Where is the Green Sheep?" Kisses are great fun and very sloppy. She dives in for mouth to mouth kisses with lips in a big O and coated with drool! Delicious! She loves swaying to music and strumming Jon's guitar. We're trying to discourage our budding Jimi Hendrix from plucking the strings with her teeth!

Her activity level continues to increase. If there was a speed crawling event at the Olympics I believe she would win Gold. She sprint crawls from one corner of the house with fun off-limit toys, such as the computer, to the opposite corner, with the TV and stereo, to the bathroom where we've always successfully won the race to the toilet brush on which she's impatient to gnaw. If not crawling, then she's climbing up and over boxes or standing with the help of the bars of her corral. Thankfully she has mastered the fine art of gentle descent by slowly bending her knees to return her padded diapered bottom to the ground. However her preferred ground texture is wooden floorboards, concrete, lino or rug. On recent sunny day outings (the weather has been beautiful here) to the park and the beach she refused to venture off the picnic blanket. She instead sat close to the edge warily fingering the grass / sand.

Investigations!

Lilli has been an inquisitive little bean! Her latest exploits include:

1) Studying squirrels (and generally any furry or feathered creature that enters into her field of vision).

2) Moving the tupperware back and forth across her face to compare what the world looks like directly verses through the dull scratched plastic screen.

3) Playing chase with Mummy.

4) Picking up minute specks of dirt from the rug with thumb and forefinger and inspecting them closely before applying the taste test (if Mummy isn't quick enough to intervene).

5) Smiling mischievously over one shoulder at Mummy when about to play with shoes, wires and plugs (Mummy needs to contain her amusement and become more consistent when scolding).

6) Roughly examining faces with her hands, pushing at eyes, poking little fingers up noses, batting cheeks and chins, pulling off spectacles. If you're not careful then she'll try to chew on your ear!

7) Mimicking Uncle Pete, especially when he roars like a lion!

8) Kissing and licking her reflection in the mirror or generally anything smooth and cool. The fridge door, dishwasher door and window panes are also great candidates for the lick test.

9) Turning the pages of the book (far too quickly for Mummy and Daddy to read though).

10) Crawling over and under, swinging at the park, bouncing, standing and climbing.

11) Comparing two objects, one in each hand. She'll first visually inspect them, then explore their taste and texture with her mouth and finally the last test is the sound experiment. What noise do they make when banged together?

12) Taking things out (shape puzzle pieces, pots within pots, toys hidden within pots).

13) Playing peakaboo with a blanket or the laundry or any fabric draped over her head!

According to "The Wonder Weeks," Lilli is starting to categorize the world around her. She is exploring and studying objects, people and animals to discover how they are similar and different. Apparently this novice researcher is beginning to think more like an adult. However these big changes are also impacting her emotional life. Her experiments always require a lab partner! Mummy can't stray far, otherwise there will be tears. Our little wriggly and fiercely independent baby now enjoys cozying up for hugs. There are times when all she wants is to be carried around in my arms, legs astride my tummy and with a fistful of my sweater, watching my every movement with big wary eyes.

What a Week!

Lilli's social world got a whole lot bigger this week! Here are some notes from her diary:

Saturday 30th

Spent the afternoon with Nana and Grandpa who are staying with Auntie Laurie and Uncle Greg. It was so good to see them and all my cousins again!

Sunday 31st

Went back for brunch. I love showing off my crawling and talking to Nana and Grandpa. And they have one of those walking teddy bears, this one though is really fluffy and his bark scares me and makes me cry.

Monday 1st:

Today was boring. I stayed at home with just Mummy for company.

Tuesday 2nd:

Mummy and I played on the swings in the sunshine. In the afternoon Daddy came home early and went spent the afternoon back at the house of the walking teddy (which they call Logan).

Wednesday 3rd:

I had to go to the doctors. Everyone at the doctors was really friendly, but they were fickle. Otherwise why would they poke needles into my legs. Ouch. That hurt. Then Mummy, of all people, turned against me. She left me to cry in my crib during my nap. I didn't want to go to sleep. I wanted to play with her. So she left my by myself in my dark room. I was so upset. I did eventually sleep because I was so tired from trying to climb out of my crib and crying. However that afternoon she made it up to me by taking me to visit Nana and Grandpa again!! I love talking to Grandpa and pulling Nana's laces. I even got to nibble on cousin Max's cast (broken feet are much tastier!). I was so tired that night I didn't really notice that Mummy left me to fall asleep by myself. I did try to protest, but she distracted me by letting me cuddle Floppy Teddy.

Thursday 4th:

We went to the park again! I love the swings and the slide. And Daddy and I hung out with Nana and Grandpa again! If it weren't for the fact that I'm left alone in my room every nap and bedtime, this would be the best week ever!

Friday 5th:

I love swimming! I splash my arms and kick my legs in the pool. It was chilly today. My lips turned blue! But I warmed up in the shower. After swimming I caught up with my friends, Oliver, Harrison and Bennie. They were all born in May, like me. Back at home I hit my head twice. Once when I was helping Mummy load the dishwasher and the second time when I was helping Mummy fold the laundry. I think Mummy needs to be more careful when I'm kneeling up and standing. I'm still very wobbly. The second bump made my head spin.

I tell you, this thing they think I can learn, they call it "self-soothing," is hard. I just want to hang out with Mummy. I hate it when she leaves me alone. I have to keep her in my sights at all times. I cry and cry when she leaves me in my crib, but she ignores me. It doesn't feel soothing at all.

Tomorrow:

They tell me Nana and Grandpa are coming over to visit us tomorrow. Mummy is making them an English breakfast. I hope I get to have some too!!

Lilli's Fun Day

Mummy and I had so much fun today!

I helped Mummy with the clean laundry. I rolled around on the bed and crawled through the big pile of clean clothes. I enjoyed hiding under my clean sheets and bibs and pulling them off my head. Mummy folded my clothes for me and I unfolded them. I even managed to climb into the laundry basket, though Mummy wouldn't let me play with the pegs. When I got too close to the edge of the bed she would pick me up by the ankles and I would turn upside down. Oooooh!! My head would spin when Mummy plopped me down again on the bed which made me laugh.

Later we went to the park where there were lots of big boys and girls playing and running in circles around me. It was exciting. I can't wait to be able to run and join them. Today though I sat in the swing and dangled my arms and legs and giggled and giggled. Mummy even helped me swing. It was great!!

We then went to the shops and Mummy bought me a ball that wiggles and giggles. Later I chased it around the living room floor. I like my new ball. It's pink and blue and fun. I wish I had it yesterday to show to my friend Anya who came to visit with her Mommy.

Mummy also let me ride in the grocery cart. I felt so grown-up! I loved the view from the chair. I chewed on my shoe and practiced dropping it over the railings of the cart. I would then chew it some more and drop it some more. I had a red chin from all my chewing. Mummy even let me hold the yogurt. I love yogurt. I met a lot of friendly people in the store and smiled at other kids riding their carts.

Mummy tells me that next week is also going to be lots of fun since Nana and Grandpa are coming to visit. I grin at their picture they sent us for Christmas every day!

From hands and knees to feet

We're entering the age of bumps and bruises! It's only mid-morning and Lilli has a nice red welt on her forehead. She lost her balance while attempting to climb the mirror and tumbled head first into the sharp wooden frame. The crib is another fun place to practice standing as is the baby corral, both having handy vertical bars which are great for support. However both can hurt too! The soft couch is perfect, though a little too high for her to pull to standing unassisted. Though it is early days with this new trick. I'm sure it won't be too long before she'll be independently cruising the length of the couch. For the time being we're just practicing standing on wobbly legs and flat feet. Moving those legs and feet is another matter. The best climbing gym is Mummy, Daddy or Uncle Pete lying on their side. Belt buckles, buttons and zippers become accessible and hips and shoulders are the perfect height for hoisting that round belly off the floor. Sometimes Lilli just enjoys tottering high above her knees while gnawing on the end of a tasty leather belt. Other times she'll attempt to scale you to reach the toys lurking in the shadow of your back. Hair makes for great hand holds and various bodily bulges and hollows work as foot holds. Oh did I put my fingers in your eyes and my foot in your mouth?

The 5th Tooth!

As Lilli lay asleep on my lap at bedtime tonight I was able to run my finger along her gums and discovered the appearance of tooth number 5! But where is her middle left tooth? She has both lower front teeth, the top middle right tooth and both top side incisors.

Corralled

Lilli has been corralled! We have set up a large baby prison in our living room. It is almost the size of our living room, but it keeps Lilli away from the unfinished dry wall, the heater vents, our appetizing shoes and all our electric wires and plugs. She has made frequent perimeter laps, inspecting the walls for weak spots. I know she's planning her break out and is currently biding her time till an opportune moment arrives. Until then she seems perfectly content on the Inside chewing her toys and occasionally eating the rug. She is even using the bars for her new game of posting the plastic toy through the bars to the Outside.

Abba Ba Ba Ba

Lilli loves Abba! She frequently requests Abba, "abba baba" she says, and so on it goes and we dance around the living room to Mamma Mia, Super Trooper, Take a Chance on Me, oh the list of favourite tunes is too long to write here. I think a disco ball may be a good 1st birthday present for this little diva!

Swimming

Lilli and I went swimming today. We are enrolled in swim classes at the Greenlake pool and today was lesson 1. It turned out to be more stressful than fun! We were running a little late due to naps and parking was tough despite the rain, which I had hoped would dissuade the lake walkers and joggers. Not so, since the car park was overflowing. However we waited in the car, holding up traffic, until a spot became available. Hey, it was raining and I have a baby. People can wait! I walked into the changing room and found chaos with Mums, toddlers and babies everywhere. Lilli and I found a tiny patch of floor space in a corner and I wedged her on the floor between my knees and wrestled her out of her clothes. It took me about 3 tries to get the swim pants on since I couldn't figure out which side was the front! All the other kids, apart from 1, were sporting swimsuits over the top of their swim pants. Oh well! There will be time enough for cute swimsuits. In the water Lilli didn't even notice her change in surroundings. She was avidly interested in all the other children and their Mummies/Daddies/Grannies. However they were doing their best to avoid us! Lilli was hacking loudly and despite my attempts to pass it off as pool water inhalation, concerned parents were throwing me accusatory glances (I knew they were thinking "why bring your sick kid here!") and edging away from me. I used it as an excuse not to be social. I would like to chat with other Mums but I hate meeting people in those types of situations. I'm terrible at small talk and have no idea how to start a conversation with a stranger. Not even when we're sharing the same experience!! To make it worse, I was irritated with myself and my anxiety and shyness since I wasn't being the role model for Lilli that I would like to be. However, Lilli made friends with a rather grotty and independent rubber duck which would float away as soon as it was free of her hands and mouth. It's tough holding on to a wriggling baby, sing songs with actions and keep the duck close by! Of course Lilli would loudly protest the duck's frequent freedom dashes!! Getting dried and dressed wasn't too bad. I gave up on making sure Lilli was completely dry. Damp was good enough. But she did enjoy the shower, though was trying her hardest to eat the hand-held shower head!! I hope it becomes more fun and less farce!

Baby Cuisine

I'm having fun combining flavours for Lilli's snacks. Pureed dishes prepared to date include:

Sweet potatoes, prunes and cinnamon

Mango and yogurt

Dried apricots, banana and yogurt

Peas and carrots

Leeks, potatoes, peas and parsnips

Chicken casserole with root vegetables

She seems to enjoy them all, though none are quite as satisfying as chewing on our toes!

I have many more recipes to try thanks to my new cookbook by Annabel Karmel.

Happy New Year

Day 1 of 2010 and Jon is currently coaxing Lilli to take a nap. This is a habit was hope to break this year! The jet lag isn't as tough flying east to west, however we're still a little out of sync and Lilli's having a hard time getting back on track. Last night, which was NYE, Jon and I were in bed at 7.30. Lilli was asleep in my arms at 5.45. Fireworks woke us around 8pm and I vaguely recall Jon rolling over in bed and muttering about how obnoxious it all was! It's New Years Eve love and it isn't even midnight!

Well I have a few goals for 2010. Unfortunately nothing exciting. They are very ordinary, slightly boring goals. Here they are, listed in no particular order:

1. Exercise so I can tackle the mountains in the summer with Lilli on my back

2. Organise the house (including the basement and garage)

3. Help Jon finish the attic and office

4. And most importantly be the best mother I can be!

Perhaps I should also include 'remember to blog frequently' to my list!

Granny Boot Camp

Granny has been taking Lilli through her paces!! She's determined to witness Lilli's first true crawl! Granny has been using the carrot on a stick method, by placing toys just out of Lilli's reach. Lilli in frustration stretches out to them, rocks on all fours towards them and asks Granny for help. It all falls on deaf ears!

Not content with focusing solely on crawling practice, Lilli is also perfecting her pincer grip, babbling and eating skills. She's enjoying British baby food and she gobbles down pots of banana and peach puree. I rather like this flavour too!