A Fine Place

In response to a recent post about my mummyhood catch phrases, Kristin sent me an email about her everyday mantra, "I'm gonna miss this." Since then, I find it popping into my head pretty darn frequently. I've been feeling verklempt about Ember's upcoming milestone birthday and "I'm gonna miss this" rings through some of our more tender moments lately.

For example, in the wee hours this morning, when she demanded a feed that I thought she'd grown out of, she put her hands on both my cheeks, broke latch, and said, "Gawl-EE!"
Or that no matter how tired, through each and every feeding, she still holds my finger just as she does in the photo below.
Or the way that she "ooohs" and points when discovering something new.

It's not that I think these moments will dissipate once we start counting the days into her second year. And I know that there will be new, wonderful experiences and moments to treasure. Still, I can't help but feel like I'm leaving babyhood behind and fully graduating on to the next phase. By definition, she is becoming a toddler!

How can that be!?

Wasn't it just yesterday that she looked like this? So small and new.

18 hours old.

Wasn't it just last week that she moved like this?

11 weeks old.

I wasn't expecting to be so mushy about this upcoming day but alas, here I am crying as I watch her squirm in that video. I had already forgotten her chirps and squeaks.

Oh the first birthday - what a fine place to reflect upon my best year to date and to look forward, with wonder and excitement, to what's to come. There's so much to celebrate.

Now excuse me while I go get a tissue.

Eleven

My little chubby cheeked strawberry is eleven months old. I really think this past month has been my favourite one yet. I know I sound like a broken record, but Ember's personality continues to blow me away.

The hands down high for both Andrew and I of the last month is that Ember now gives kisses upon request. And reciprocates smooches when you are smothering her with some. It is so grand to be loved by her. And those kisses are better than chocolate. She give hugs, too. Good ones. She will even pat you on the back. Some days you just need a pat on the back.


Another new talent is how she shares. Sometimes voluntarily, sometimes solicited but always happily. She loves to pass you piece of chicken from her high chair and gets a small case of the giggles when you "Thank you, Ember". It really seems as if she is very proud of herself. Sharing extends to toys during playtime, too. If she is shaking two maracas, and you ask for one, one you shall have. All Ember asks in return is that you shake it and smile. And maybe dance with her a little.

Shake it like a Polaroid picture.

Such a seemingly small development, but the fact that Ember points at things really has changed how she interacts with the world. While out on a walk, Ember will now point at things with an inquisitive look on her face. So we stop, I tell her about the tree or the bird that has caught her eye. You can ask her to point at Hugo Kitty Cat (it has more or less become his official name), Daddy or Mummy and she will. Tonight, when Andrew came through the door she pointed at him and exclaimed "Daddy!" It was the high of Andrew's day.


She took her first official steps on October 17th!!! On that particular Sunday, she just decided to let go of furniture and walk unassisted. It was only two or three steps at a time before she would grab onto something again but she had decided that she was going to walk. That night, while at Grandpa's, she walked 12 consecutive steps. Since then, she has only gotten stronger and will walk up to 10 feet at a time. Different floors, her footwear and audiences throw her still but the girl walks. If she really needs to get somewhere, however, she crawls as it still a more reliable form of transportation.

Hunting wabbits.
She was trying to climb up the chair back.

Ember's musicality really impresses me. Any beat will get her hips shaking and hands clapping. She has begun to sing with songs in the form of "la la la". Very often I will sing a few notes of the scale to her, and she echoes me.


Other Spark bits:
- She has begun to help. "Ember, can you please pass me the block?" "Ember, can you put your books on the shelf?" Of course, she doesn't help me clean up an entire room of her toy debris. It would take to long considering after each time she does a single act, she stops, begins clapping and says "Yay!"

- We travelled to Vancouver as a family. Ember went to the Aquarium for the first time, rode a water taxi for the first time, played with her Grandma Michelle, Uncle Stu and Uncle Jamie at Granville Island, had fish and chips for the first time and much more!!

- She laughs when other people around her laugh, as if she understands the punch line.

- She calls "Mama", "Daddy" from her carseat in the backseat and laughs when we answer her.

Double Digits

My girl, as of yesterday, is 10 months old. If we're friends on Facebook, you already know that I'm in disbelief about this. But the math really seems to check out, unless October is no longer the tenth month of the year. *sigh* Oh I dread the sappy mess I will be when the calendar turns to December. I warn you now, it won't be pretty folks.


Full on belly laughs while Daddy rocks her in the chair.

Life has been pretty happening for Ember as of late. Of course, she's learning how to interact with the world around her more everyday. Playdates now have value for her (not just me!) as she plays with her peers. Walks are all the more entertaining by watching magpies and jack rabbits. Any two objects become musical instruments which produce groovy music perfect for boogieing to. It's wonderful to witness the discovery.


Beaming up at Daddy.

We started music class at the library and she LOVES it. At our first class, we sat down in the circle, Ember in front of me. She immediately crawled towards the centre where books had been scattered. About a foot and a half away from me, she looked back and smiled. It was as if her face said, 'Really? I can go? Thanks! This is awesome!!' It was during this class that Ember seemed to develop her first crush. Joseph. He's 13 months old, can walk, run and he drinks milk out of a big boy cup. I can see the appeal. He spent half the class running around, she spent half the class crawling behind him.

Our second class, Ember's affections switched to Maddox. Then Noah. Back to Joseph.

And, finally settling on Maddox again. She didn't follow their every move this time though. Instead she sat in the middle of the circle with them and plucked their toys right from their hands. She's the only girl in class to be so aggressive with the lads - can't imagine where she got that....



No official first steps have been chartered yet. Watching her walk is like watching a kid on their bike with training wheels that aren't even touching the ground. Sporadically, Ember will let go of furniture and stand unassisted for a minute or so and then settling back onto her crutch. Just yesterday, while walking hand in hand, she shook my hand free and just stood in her place. We're thisclose.



Her dancing. It's hilarious. Her little hips sway side to side and her hand flips back and forth. It's very Beyonce with just a little Indian flavour.


Shaking her groove thang to the music of movie trailer Andrew was watching.

She's also embracing her inner red head. We've seen hints of a tantrum. Thankfully they're really easy to stave off at this point. When she threw herself back on the floor and began shrieking recently, I just looked down at her and said, "Really? Already? Aren't you a little young for this?" She looked right up at me and smiled. Yup, she's really harnessing the power of her emotions. I'm not too sure where she got that. What? You don't think it's me, do you? Nah.

Ember and Hugo have forayed into the realms of friendship too. It's fun to watch them swat playfully at one another. The two chase one another around, Ember often pulling on Hugo's tail to slow him down. Or they just sit at the patio appreciating the simpler things in life.





While I hate the lightning speed at which this journey is progressing, it's wildly fun, entertaining and rewarding. I can't help but look forward to what's next. Happy 10th month, ladybug.

The Seven Month Itch

Miss Ember turned seven months old yesterday. We are just charging towards that one year mark. La sigh.

Oh the character development that has taken place over the past month. During the months hitherto Ember's six month birthday, she was my 'ladybug'. Since then, she has earned the nickname 'turkey'. She is fully mobile now - pseudo crawling - and itching to go.

All. The. Time.

It's all hands on deck when Ember isn't contained, strapped down etc. because she can clear a room in no time. She is now trying to pull herself up using furniture though without any success - yet. These acts of bravery and strength have resulted in two black eyes. They lasted all of 5 hours each, but 0f course this hasn't detoured at all from trying repeatedly.

Andrew and I are trying valiantly to baby-proof without going overboard or buying new furniture. There has been one casualty, a lamp, which we apparently neglected to properly tuck its cord away.

In other news, Ember is slowly warming up to food, with her favourite so far being pears. Sleeping has become less of a hassle; we've even established some semblance of a schedule. AND, we can see a bottom tooth - just waiting for it to pop through!

Likes:

- Patty cake - she will hit my hands as I sing the song.
- Bedouin Soundclash. The first time this they came up on the shuffle, she started bouncing and swinging her arms.
- Laura Branigan's Gloria. She bounces back in forth to the beat of this song which is hilarious because this was my favourite song when I was her age.
- Walking along with the help of Andrew or me; she could go for hours viewing the world from her 26" vantage point.
- the 'Bless You' that comes after sneezes
- being scared. Not kidding. She erupts in giggles when you spring up behind her and startle her; it's the cutest and strangest thing.

Dislikes:

- Having freedom dashed away when being strapped down into her carseat, stroller and so on.
- black eye inducing slips and spills.

I was going to post photos from her seven month photo shoot, but the following video sums Miss Ember too perfectly not to share.

Happy seven months, turkey!!

Ember's Half Birthday

Yesterday marked Ember's six month birthday. It's hard to believe that half a year has gone by already; time flies when you're having fun. And yet, I can't believe it's only been six months; it's hard to imagine life without our chubby cheeked strawberry.



Much has happened over the course of the past month: Ember has mastered sitting up on her own, said her first words, tasted pureed food and despised it, while enjoying two more travelling adventures. She weighs in at 14 lbs, 10 oz making her a lightweight, but that bubbly personality of hers has her fighting in a different class.



I continue to be impressed by her. She is confident, trusting, curious and brave. Oh and let's not forget determined. Or out going. The nature versus nurture debate rages on, as I wonder where she gets it all from.



Likes:

- babbling, dancing and singing - la la la la

- rocking back and forth on her hands and knees

- all things Eric Carle and Margaret Wise Brown

- sitting in her high chair - the world is so exciting from that vantage point

- sippy cups

- the way her feet taste



Dislikes:

- rice cereal and other pureed foods - yuck!

A Hand-full.

Yesterday marked Ember's 5 month birthday. Five fingers worth of birthdays; a real handful.



It's just a matter of time before she crawls; she can now hold herself up on her hands and knees.



"Emmm-ber, where are you?" Peek-a-boo is her favourite game right now, clever girl. No matter the hiding spot, she tracks you do by following your voice and hits you with a huge smile.

Likes:

- her thumb

- rolling across the room

- petting Hugo the cat - how she giggles when she feels his fur!

- the wind through her hair

Dislikes:

-sitting still