Playdate or Face-off?

It's so hard to tell with babies what they think of one another. Take Morgen's recent trip to her friend Leila's first birthday celebration. For the most part, the babies seemed interested in one another as objects of curiosity, to be observed, and perhaps occasionally poked and prodded (generally in sensitive areas - eyes, ears, etc.). But then there were moments like that pictured above. Here is the question: are these two playing a friendly game, rolling the ball back and forth between them, or are they competing for the same treasured object?

In other news, Morgen turned 10 months old this week. The day passed with little fanfare, but Morgen did get a chance to try out a new toy - the exersaucer - that a neighbor lent us. As is clear from her expression in the pictures below, she enjoys it, but I have to say that this is a toy that was designed with her parents in mind. Finally, we have a semi-secure and at least moderately entertaining place to put our increasingly mobile little girl that isn't her crib when we need to leave the room for short periods! I love it! 

 

Not much to do with the picture.

 

It has been a while since my last post - my apologies. Since that last post, Morgen has begun to babble, roll both directions, and show that she is thinking about squirming. She also imperiously and frequently demands to be helped into a standing position so that she can explore her world by tottering around at a run. I think we've got temper tantrums in our future.

But the real reason for this post has nothing to do with Morgen or her picture. I've got to ask you something - will you humour me with a response? 

As you know, I'm heading back to school in early May. As you may not know, I need to make a dissertation topic switch. I still love my old topic (connections between knowledge of the body and music theory) but it's too unwieldy for me to tackle right now. Should I study:

1) Music in Outer Space (history of music in international space exploration) OR

2) Orpheus and the Canadian Singer-songwriter (modern resonances of mythology...possible case study is Leonard Cohen).

I'm deliberately not going to explain either of these any further....I'm looking for gut reactions here, because I value such things.

Back in the Saddle Again

To celebrate the melting snow and to sniff the whif of Spring that has been wafting up and down our street, we loaded the buggy up with our baby girl yesterday and walked into the village. We thought it would be a treat for Morgen to be outside in something other than her snowsuit. Something about the snowsuit makes her feel like she can't move anything but her eyes. Unfortunately, something about her mauve jacket makes pull her arms half out of the sleeves and look cranky. No matter what we do, she ends up slumped sideways, batting floppily at her stroller toy and radiating a singularly unimpressed vibe. Walks are more of a treat for mommy and daddy than for Morgen these days, but I'm sure that will change once she realizes that parks and playgrounds are places you get to by stroller.

  

Contrast that stroller face with the happy "balls are fun! I didn't know balls were fun!"-face you see below. Maybe we should just take a big ball along in our stroller? This is what happens when I take off to do some shopping for new clothes. I start by visiting the toy store. Then I pick up a bunch of cheap balls that really aren't age-appropriate, because hey, balls are fun! And I know lots of moms with babies who might agree with me. So, even though I didn't find any pants that I liked that also fit me, the trip was still a success. When Morgen gets tired of her new toy, I'll play with it. She's not really allowed to have it until age three anyway. So maybe I should just keep it in my room until she's older....meanwhile I'm keeping myself occupied by finding good homes for some fun balls.

9 months!

Well, February has flown by. Despite several viruses and trips to emergency for fevers and associated conditions, Morgen has discovered her inner comedienne. She's a ham, ladies and gentlemen, She's a ham. More than this, she's a ham who likes to chew on things. Nothing is funnier than a face full of baby toy, after all. She's chewing on everything, especially when the item in question is itself questionable - like her "orange owl", for instance. We call it an owl, but no one knows what it is, really. And no one knows whether it would be a good idea or a bad idea for Morgen to chew on it. Angela perhaps can look into this for us. When Morgen was a newborn, this owl was the toy she first reached for, first held, and this was the toy that encouraged her to coo. Now, it's the one she prefers to hold in her mouth. She's also learned that she doesn't need her hands to hold it in this way. We'll need lots of help getting it away from her if she ever cuts a tooth. So far Morgen is all gums. That's pretty funny too, I suppose. 

Other toys are being used as hats, or as drums and rattles. She likes to kiss her toys, especially a hard plastic electronic "baby CD player" because it has a clearly presented smiley face painted on the front. If you come over and she thinks you're cute, you may get a kiss too.

Foodie Thoughts

 

So, lately some friends of ours are displaying an increasing tendency toward "foodiness". 

We already have several friends who are seriously into gastronomical exploration. One couple we unfortunately don't get to see very often, because they live across an ocean, and, well, let's face it, Gavin and I aren't able to drop everything and fly over for a visit. Another couple we get to see frequently, when our children aren't ill or suffering insomniac spells. I have watched the progression of these friends' hobbies, listened as more friends caught the foodie bug. I've noted the cookbooks from which they draw inspiration, considered their cheeses, sauces, and mains, and I've joined with them (vicariously) in enjoying each carefully photographed and homemade gourmet meal. 

So, foodie friends, this post is for you. 

Gavin had a special request for his birthday dinner this year, and who was I to deny him? I said "It's your birthday. 

Anything you want, I'll make it, or we'll buy it." It took him several days to decide. I admit, a part of me longed for him to express a wish for pan-seared scallops, or something involving truffle oil, or caviar, or similar expensive nummy novelty. But, those who know Gavin know that two things reign supreme in Kingdom Stomach Hammel. Green apples, and fried chicken. Last night, I discovered that his gift for getting cats to lick (and enjoy licking) apple cores is going 

to extend to our daughter. 

Help me, foodie friends, help me. Because part of me 

really enjoyed my first piece of that chicken. The other part of me had to stop midway through the second piece.