Claire has fuzzy hair. Already.
A month or two ago people would give Claire a once over and say "what's up with her hair?" It was never said in a mean or distasteful tone, just endearing curiosity. Still, I never understood the question because it looked like normal baby hair to me - wispy and sparse. It's brown with a slight red/orange tint depending on the light. I'm up close and personal with Claire all day every day so I'm blind to her quirks.
Since then I've been observing her hair. I can't explain the colour although there is Scottish and Irish ancestry on the much older branches of the family tree. As for the style, well, crazy is as crazy does. Lets just say that the family tree has seen a lot of it.
There's a tuft of growth at the top of Claire's head with a fringe around the base and not much in between. It's not growing in a uniform way but rather in segments. In profile it looks like she has a mohawk. It's pretty cute and indeed unusual so I can see now why people comment.
Over the summer her hair has gotten even wispier up top and around the sides. I wonder how crazy it's going to be in a few more months when it really fills in. Wouldn't it be funny if it eventually went straight? Stranger things have happened!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Dish duty
Emptying the dishwasher is not my favourite chore, especially when I have a heavy baby strapped to me.
But, I will not forget the time in the not too distant past when we had no dishwasher, or a proper functioning kitchen for that matter. For that reason I will never complain about emptying the dishwasher - baby strapped to me or not.
But, I will not forget the time in the not too distant past when we had no dishwasher, or a proper functioning kitchen for that matter. For that reason I will never complain about emptying the dishwasher - baby strapped to me or not.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Snow leopard on the prowl
Well it's about time.
It's been a month since we received the OS X upgrade and additional memory in the mail and I finally managed to sit down to complete the upgrade this evening. Yay.
I'm embarrassed that it took so long to get it done, but am positively delighted that it worked without a hitch. I was bracing myself for something to go wrong and expected to be heading off to the computer store tomorrow for help. Not necessary as it turns out. The system is running fine, C managed to upgrade itunes and transfer music to his iphone and I got my Kobo reader up and running.
I haven't gone through all my applications, but I can look into that another day.
Phew, now I can scratch that off the "to do" list. Next!!
It's been a month since we received the OS X upgrade and additional memory in the mail and I finally managed to sit down to complete the upgrade this evening. Yay.
I'm embarrassed that it took so long to get it done, but am positively delighted that it worked without a hitch. I was bracing myself for something to go wrong and expected to be heading off to the computer store tomorrow for help. Not necessary as it turns out. The system is running fine, C managed to upgrade itunes and transfer music to his iphone and I got my Kobo reader up and running.
I haven't gone through all my applications, but I can look into that another day.
Phew, now I can scratch that off the "to do" list. Next!!
Friday, August 10, 2012
Simple pleasure # 15 - bargains
Spending $6.00 for 3 plastic ponchos during a torrential downpour in Niagara Falls.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Toronto the good
This entry is in thanks to the dozen or so people that helped me during my journey this week with the girls on the TTC from home to Union Station and back.
I'm not stressed about packing us up and getting to where we need to go on public transit. Claire is easy enough to manage now and Lauren is usually pleased with the adventure and behaves well, as we don't take transit all too often these days.
I'm also really good about packing. I keep just the right amount of transit fare in a pocket that's easy to access and carry just enough snacks and chewy toys and diaper gear to keep the girls happy but not weigh me down.
On this latest trip I packed all I needed into Lauren's pink ballerina knapsack and carried it on my back. Claire was strapped into the Snugli on my front. I was anticipating lots of walking at our destination so I opted to bring along the small stroller for Lauren to use if she got tired. I didn't let her sit in it on the bus or subway because it takes up too much room. So with Lauren holding on to one of my hands and me pushing the folded up stroller in the other, I must have looked like a woman with her hands full - to say the least.
I was comfortable, but still there was no hesitation from people offering up seats or finding empty seats for us. Doors were opened for us and one gentleman on the subway offered to hold the stroller for me just to lighten my load.
For all the grouchy, rude and crazy behaviour I've witnessed on transit in the past, this sort of kindness restores my faith that there is a lot of good in the city.
I'm not stressed about packing us up and getting to where we need to go on public transit. Claire is easy enough to manage now and Lauren is usually pleased with the adventure and behaves well, as we don't take transit all too often these days.
I'm also really good about packing. I keep just the right amount of transit fare in a pocket that's easy to access and carry just enough snacks and chewy toys and diaper gear to keep the girls happy but not weigh me down.
On this latest trip I packed all I needed into Lauren's pink ballerina knapsack and carried it on my back. Claire was strapped into the Snugli on my front. I was anticipating lots of walking at our destination so I opted to bring along the small stroller for Lauren to use if she got tired. I didn't let her sit in it on the bus or subway because it takes up too much room. So with Lauren holding on to one of my hands and me pushing the folded up stroller in the other, I must have looked like a woman with her hands full - to say the least.
I was comfortable, but still there was no hesitation from people offering up seats or finding empty seats for us. Doors were opened for us and one gentleman on the subway offered to hold the stroller for me just to lighten my load.
For all the grouchy, rude and crazy behaviour I've witnessed on transit in the past, this sort of kindness restores my faith that there is a lot of good in the city.
Babe magnet
Babies are magnets for attention.
I learned this very quickly when Lauren was an infant and I would take her out and about. It was hard to go a block without someone (strangers!) wanting to take a peek at the baby. I thought the attention would ease off as she got older, which it has somewhat, but I still notice that she gets lots of smiles when we walk down the street. She is cute if I do say so, especially when she's skipping along and singing as she often does, wearing her cute dresses that she loves, with her pom pom hair bobbing up and down.
Claire is getting her share of attention now too. This time around I'm much more used to the advances by strangers and am always ready with the same answers to the same questions:
She's a girl. She's (insert number) months old. Yes, she's big for her age. Yes, she's very smiley.
A few days ago a curious mum sitting with her baby on the streetcar asked about Claire. Turns out her baby was born on the same day! Too funny. Maybe the kids will go to school together if they live in the neighbourhood.
Just a few moments ago on our return home from dropping Lauren at daycare, Claire and I were approaching two men who were carrying planks of wood into someone's house. I was observing the wood and could see that they were the tall baseboards which are common in older homes. We had the same kind installed in the living and dining rooms last year. As I was babbling to myself in my head impressed that I properly identified construction material, I noticed one of the guys smiling at us. I thought he was going to tell me to watch that I don't get my head smacked on the wood, but instead he said "how old?"
Pardon? was my response, because I wasn't expecting that question.
How old? he said again.
Oh, five and a half months.
Congratulations! Mine just turned one. It's awesome!
Well, congratulations to you! I said, and walked on by with a grin on may face. I couldn't help but smile.
It's sweet when people notice babies but the attention typically comes from women and even more so from the older grandmas. The handful of guys who have said hello always mention their own new babies or nieces and nephews with pride, which I find especially sweet.
I learned this very quickly when Lauren was an infant and I would take her out and about. It was hard to go a block without someone (strangers!) wanting to take a peek at the baby. I thought the attention would ease off as she got older, which it has somewhat, but I still notice that she gets lots of smiles when we walk down the street. She is cute if I do say so, especially when she's skipping along and singing as she often does, wearing her cute dresses that she loves, with her pom pom hair bobbing up and down.
Claire is getting her share of attention now too. This time around I'm much more used to the advances by strangers and am always ready with the same answers to the same questions:
She's a girl. She's (insert number) months old. Yes, she's big for her age. Yes, she's very smiley.
A few days ago a curious mum sitting with her baby on the streetcar asked about Claire. Turns out her baby was born on the same day! Too funny. Maybe the kids will go to school together if they live in the neighbourhood.
Just a few moments ago on our return home from dropping Lauren at daycare, Claire and I were approaching two men who were carrying planks of wood into someone's house. I was observing the wood and could see that they were the tall baseboards which are common in older homes. We had the same kind installed in the living and dining rooms last year. As I was babbling to myself in my head impressed that I properly identified construction material, I noticed one of the guys smiling at us. I thought he was going to tell me to watch that I don't get my head smacked on the wood, but instead he said "how old?"
Pardon? was my response, because I wasn't expecting that question.
How old? he said again.
Oh, five and a half months.
Congratulations! Mine just turned one. It's awesome!
Well, congratulations to you! I said, and walked on by with a grin on may face. I couldn't help but smile.
It's sweet when people notice babies but the attention typically comes from women and even more so from the older grandmas. The handful of guys who have said hello always mention their own new babies or nieces and nephews with pride, which I find especially sweet.
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