Preludes And Nocturnes

Malcolm is understanding WAY too many things these days.  This afternoon when I asked him where his milk was, he got down on his belly and made the uh uh uh noise under the couch.

Yep, there it was.

If I ask him if he wants to go upstairs, he’ll run over to the baby gate.  If I ask him if he wants a banana, he’ll either go to his chair or make what is now a very sublte ‘no’ gesture with his hand/arm.  It has now evolved into a bit of a belly/chest/thigh smack depending on if he is sitting or standing.

He will pull things out of the fridge and then delights in putting them back in and closing the door. He started to close the door and I said there was still one more thing behind him. He turned and picked it up (er, a full 4 litre of milk) and put it where it went. Then closed the door.

He has been helping us load the washing machine (front loader) and then closing the door.  Tonight I was getting things from the washer to the dryer above and he kept taking anything that fell out onto the floor and putting it back in the washer. I explained the clothes were clean now, so we put them in the dryer or on the rack upstairs.  I don’t think he really got any of that, but he did then understand that the wet clothes are coming out - started taking them out, and handing them up to me for the dryer.

I know. He’s like a genius or something.

Pick

I just got Malcolm the Kushies Toddler Bib and love it so much we bought him another one. It has excellent coverage, the little pocket at the bottom to catch food, and wipes down with the dishes so no waiting for it go to through the wash. They call it a Taffeta Waterproof Bib in Infant and runs about $5.50.

http://www.kushiesonline.com/Taffeta-Waterproof-Bib-p/b272-b273.htm

http://www.jetwithkids.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/sleeveless-bib-girls.jpg

Pan

We just bought Crayola Tadoodles felts and I think I’ll return them. I love the idea of a big “weebles” style holder thing - but the ink flows too fast. There was ink everywhere and it was hard to explain to Malcolm where the colour would come from since it was all round. He seemed to just find it frustrating.

I bought the ‘paint’ set too, tonight, and might just assume neither are worth it. They were on sale for $3.50 each, but at that point I think I’ll just get a basic set of washable markers.

http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl0/10/109609/09_2008/crayola.jpg

Any suggestions?

The Yarn Harlot just posted about Spinning Tuesdays - I love the idea of setting up a specific day for a specific goal.  You all know how I am about goals - and there are a few I am missing out these days.

I miss getting to the gym. Jim and I have been exercising together as the weather is really nice lately. We’re walking just over two miles most days - longer on other days.  But I really like setting up the gym.

I think I need a specific day for prep and marking. My schedule is not going to have much extra time built into it with the sitter covering my exact time at the campus, but nothing more. We’re thinking about getting a daycare day in for my prep, marking, and maybe time to write some articles (really good for professional developement).

Crafts.  I have not put ink to paper for.. I don’t know how long.  Certainly a few months.  MONTHS without crafting or painting or drawing or cutting up paper.  I went to Michaels in Kamloops yesterday and had a breakdown because I couldn’t justify buying art supplies having not touched a whole bag of things I got back in June.  So despite having a 45% off coupon for art stuff, I only got one thing (at the prompting of Jim - smart man).

So I think September is a great time to set up specific days for some things. And the one I want to focus on is the art. I am in an artisan fair in November and would feel pretty silly sitting there with just me and two cards.  Each priced at $88 to cover my costs.

This is Malcolm’s new “word”.  Usually with a point at something.  He’ll then do this cross-chest wappy arm motion to indicate “no”.  Kind of like a modified Umpire “he’s safe” motion.. or something.

But, he sure understands a whole lot.  If I say “upstairs!” he’ll rush over to the gate, “highchair” and he’ll head over, and I can ask him “milk, water, biscuit?”

Mmm, this is my combo of computer mouse and mouse toy for the cats. I have taken all the cat toys. But, to be fair, the cats play with most of my stuff too.

I walk just as much as I crawl now.  And I’m amazingly steady on my feet. It is pretty cute.

I just woke up - don’t you want to give me a kiss?

We had a young woman come over today and it seems she might be able to care for Malcolm here at home two mornings a week and take care of the daycare situation.  She’d be here for 5 hours and we’d pay $50 rather than the $35 for all day care outside the home.. but no waking Malcolm and getting him ready two early mornings a week.

So now I just need to contact the other woman and let her know we won’t be needing her. It had gotten much worse than just the whole “me freaking out” thing. With Jim’s schedule changing, I would have been on my own my two work days and have to get malcolm up and ready and me ready and out of the house by 7am.  Sorry, let me rephrase that, DROPPING HIM OFF at 7am. And she has hours from 8am onwards.  Too much confusion.  So, I think this is going to work.

I feel horrible telling the other woman we won’t need her. I know this is part of what she relies on for income, I’m feeling horrible, Malcolm really liked it over there, and I feel bad all around. But I know this is a better solution.

Random question - if I blogged every day, would you all read and comment?  I’m thinking I want to up the blogging a bit.. but not if I’m the only one here.

I’m having wooglies about my daycare situation. It is a home care set up and she can take one other child besides Malcolm.  I really really like the woman. And Malcolm likes her.  But I don’t like her neighbourhood and I am totally freaked out with the idea of leaving him with someone all day.

I don’t worry about him being in her home, it is the idea of them being out. The other baby is 11 months and she talked about going to the park on her block. This freaked me the hell out.  Then she started talking about this daycare “crew”. She has talked a few times about her SIL, sister, and friend all on that block who take in kids. This makes me nervous. It is just how they talk about all the kids and how much they see them. When I went to pick up Malcolm after the trial-run last week one of the women came over not knowing I was already there. It was kinda awkward. She had come by to “see the new baby” and brought her two daycare kids with her. This has me so upset and I DON’T KNOW WHY!

The friend had two 2 year olds in a little wagon. They looked kind of messy. I had this crazy visceral reaction to the whole thing (but just smiled and was totally cool and only freaked out on the inside and then cried in the car on the way home). I suddenly pictured my woman wheeling Malcolm and this other baby around the neighbourhood and.. I don’t know.. being at each other’s houses? I don’t know! Why am I so upset?

I don’t expect her to sit and stare at Malcolm all day - is it just that I have to still build up trust? Am I just being a freak? I have no worry about her and her home.. it is the going out and some weird reaction I’m having to the daycare block party. 

I am wondering what it would cost to have someone come into our house two days a week to care for Malcolm.  I think if nothing else I’ll try to find some time next week to go check out some more places. It is just that I like this woman and wonder if I’m just reacting to the general idea of leaving M with someone else.

This morning we got Malcolm all cleaned up after breakfast. The hands, the face, the bib off, the tray off.. ready to unbuckle from the chair.

At this point he smiles up at us, reaches into his mouth and pulls out a secret ninja hidden fist-full of chewed up food. Still smiling, he reaches over and drops it all on the floor… rubbing his hands on his face and then clapping.

Thus, in one move getting food on the floor, his hands, his face, his hair, and down his shirt.

Pan - The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. I just wanted some fluff. It boasts being the Manhattan Steel Magnolias. Nope. Very poorly written, a real inconsistency of voice (it reads like a Hallmark made-for-tv-movie but then she’ll drop an F-bomb to… I don’t know, establish her street cred?) My mom, who reads everything, didn’t finish it. AND she’s a knitter. If you want a knitter book that is good, go for something by stephanie pearl-mcphee.

Pick - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Just finished it this morning. It was excellent. Really really excellent. I found it so well written, wonderful voice as it is all in the form of letters, and excellent characters. I cried a number of times, but not in a bad way. It was real, it was about some tough things (Nazis etc), but it was beautiful.