Monday, April 30, 2007

Mummy's girl

Pebbles has discovered books. Well, she knew about books, but this past week she's become rather passionate about them. Just try to walk past her, where she sits in a puddle of cardboard, opening and closing the multicolored, multi-textured tomes, struggling to turn the pages, chattering happily to herself.

"UH!" She says, holding up her favourite, MOO,BAA,LA LA LA. "Read to me!"

And so, of course, we've been doing a lot of Mooing and Baaing, and very little laundry.

What joy! I watch her, and I imagine the places she'll go, the people she'll meet. The things she will see, safe here at home, and the things she'll learn. I hope that books are a respite and a joy to her, as they are to me.

She's just like her mum, I think happily (and secretly) to myself, hugging that little evidence of me - my legacy - close. And then hugging her close, instead, and settling into another round of GOODNIGHT MOON. I love to see myself in my kids, maybe we all do. I'm quick to ascribe traits to this little bundle of change: she's fearless like her Dad, because she climbs everywhere, up the stairs, on the back of the sofa. (Nevermind she hasn't any real experience with the downside of gravity and she doesn't know better.) DH says she's got my temper, and while I can't deny she has one, I tend to think it looks more like his.

What traits have you shared with your children, through nature or nurture?

Monday, April 16, 2007

The dog days of motherhood

Hello writers!

I can't believe it's been two weeks since I checked in. Wow, but anyway.

I'm in a phase right now when all my resources - diminshed by cold and sinus infection - are going to my family, work and home. We didn't hire the girl from Yemen, there was a whole government application process that was going to take weeks, if not months, and we were really running out of time. We did find someone, though, so all's well that ends well, except for the poor girl from Yemen. I do like her a lot.

I'm a really lousy housekeeper. Seems no matter how much time I spend cleaning, the place is always a wreck. It bothers me the most when I'm tired, which is not the best time for cleaning, but whatever. We're a happy, mostly healthy, loving family. So the place is messy. Clear a spot to sit and have a cookie and some tea.

*Yawn* Pebbles thinks cow's milk is revolting. She also spurns formula. She likes to nurse every hour or so through the night. Any suggestions? *Yawn* Might not be so bad if I could sleep between nursing, but nooooo, I use that time to do my very important worrying. And that's even after reading THE SECRET for half an hour before lights out. What's the matter with me?

On the bright side, I'm down 20 lbs. {G}

Writing, well hey. Maybe later. Right now I need to take an Advil and dry my hair.
Keep blogging, I'm leaning on y'all more than you know.

Monday, April 02, 2007

Monday Monday

Little Miss 4:30 am is asleep. Whew. I think she had some belly cramps, poor mite.

I've begun one of those chores that never seems to be completely done - I dragged out one of those plastic-drawer organizer thingies and emptied it. Why? Can't remember, now that the whole kitchen table is covered with crap I can't throw away but don't particularly want - and certainly don't need right at the moment. Oh,yeah, I thought it would make a good activity-chest. It now holds coloring/activity books and crayons, colored pencils, markers, construction paper, play-dough and accessories, paint and accessories, and craft stuff - felt, googly eyes, popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners. So that stuff is finally all in one place, and I'm not dealing with the rest until I've had some tea.

We've chosen someone to fill the soon-to-be-empty chair at work. She's from Yemen, she's bright and sweet and I'm happy.

My wee Pebbles is going to be one year old this weekend. I'm ecstatic, I'm bursting with love, I'm devastated. I'm making lasagne for fifteen - everybody has their way to deal, eh?

And in other news, guess what we did yesterday??? Hmmm??

We went to Chapters! I had gift certificates from Christmas, that's how long it's been. I bought:

Scent of Shadows - yeah, I have a copy, but nobody's allowed to touch that. (Thanks, Vicki!)
Taste of Night
Dead Witch Walking
The Virgin's Lover, Philippa Gregory
The Belly Button Book, Sandra Boynton
Franklin is Bossy
The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Chores
The Berenstain Bears - No Girls Allowed
Clap Your Hands! - an Elmo book with a puppet built in that Pebbles adores.

I accosted every salesperson who passed within ten feet of me to show them SOS and ask whether they've read it yet, and told them they absolutely must. They had a few in the stacks, and they were setting some more out on the tables by the checkout line.

Chapter three is coming along. I'm worldbuilding, (or Scottish village building, anyway) and enjoying it. My copy of A KINDLY PLACE? LIVING IN SIXTEENTH-CENTURY SCOTLAND is coming in very handy. Off to snatch a few moments now.