It Runs in the Family (After Skipping a Generation)

I've noticed that in the last few days Chloe keeps doing this:

She just bends down and stays in that position for 5 seconds or so, gets up and repeats it.  I find her doing it all over the place.  I'm not sure what it is all about.  Is she just trying to show me up?  I mean, I am the least flexible person I know.  I really should take up Yoga.  Maybe that's what she's trying to tell me.  I'm not sure I could face it though.  Seriously, could you face telling the Yoga teacher that you are taking it up because your 14month old daughter can do a better Downward-Facing Dog than you can??

The Edinburgh Sling Library

I briefly mentioned in another post that I've been rather busy setting up a Sling Library.  Now, this is a concept that might be new to many of you who aren't sling-obsessed like I am, so I will briefly explain:

There are so many baby carriers available to buy.  Great carriers that are comfortable to wear, and comfortable for the child to be carried in.  Carriers that are versatile and can be used for years, not just the first 6 months.  Unfortunately, these are not generally the carriers that most people can find if they go into a high-street shop.  If you went into a shop thinking you'd see a representative range of what is available on the market you'd probably think that the Baby Bjorn, and its derivatives, are the be-all and end-all of the baby carrier world.  This is very unfortunate because really, the Baby Bjorn and its kind are some of the worst carriers on the market, certainly in terms of comfort, versatility and value for money.  As far as safety goes, they are fine in that department (it's Bag-Slings that are the main culprit when it comes to a carrier actually being unsafe.)

The majority of baby carriers in existence are mainly, if not only, available to buy online.  This poses a bit of a dilemma for someone who wants to buy a baby carrier.  There are so many types of carrier available - Woven wraps, Stretchy wraps, Soft Structured Carriers, Mei Tais, Ring Slings, Pouches, Onbuhimos - and many different brands within each category.  Picking the type of carrier, let alone the specific Brand, and then spending a significant amount of money on it without even being able to try it on is a bit daunting to most, and rightly so.  This is where a Sling Library comes in.  A Sling Library usually runs on a not-for-profit basis and will stock a range of different types of carriers that you can try on and if you wish, will allow you to hire a carrier to try out for a couple of weeks to see if it works for you before you invest in one yourself.  Ideally the person running the Library will be able to provide good advice on the carrier type best suited to your lifestyle, and should be able to help troubleshoot issues you might be having with a carrier to make it as comfortable as possible. 

Edinburgh didn't have a Sling Library so this summer I decided to set one up.  It was time consuming (probably more so than need be due to my slight OCD/perfectionist tendencies in designing my website and business cards, but I like to think it all adds to the professionalism) but very satisfying as well.  I've had a lot of support from absolutely lovely members of the Babywearing community and many generous donations.  I couldn't have done it without them, and they have my sincerest gratitude. 

So far The Edinburgh Sling Library has been open twice and I've had several visitors, several slings hired out and a very positive response from those who hear about it.  Long may it continue.  It's my little project at the moment, and maybe in the future it could turn into something more but for now I'm just going with the flow, trying not to stretch myself too thin and taking it easy. 

Oh, and if anyone is nosy we have a Facebook Page and a website. 

The Old Adage is True...

Kids love the box more than what's actually in the box.  Don't get me wrong, Chloe has had lots of fun knocking down all the towers we build with the blocks, and one day she might actually create something out of them rather than just destroying, but by far what she plays with most is the box itself.  Generally its preferred placement is on her head, and yes, she will walk around the flat with it on. 

Though this morning I found her using it in a different way.  

Will this be the new favourite?  Only time will tell. 

A walk in the Park!

Chloe really is motoring these days.  She LOVES walking around outside, particularly with Alex.  If the three of us go out together she will happily grab onto his finger and toddle along beside him.  However, all fingers are not the same.  She likes to have one hand free to swing and swish about so only holds on with one hand and she absolutely refuses to hold my finger if Alex is an option.  I do keep trying to offer it, and she does occasionally act like she will grab onto it, but no, it's just a Chloe Fake-Out and she pulls her hand back at the last minute.  Honestly, she'll push my hand away, she's that adamant about it.  Daddy's girl.  

I was out with her in Holyrood Park the other day and it was really windy.  We were on a bit of a slope and a gust of wind came by and blew her over!  She actually rolled down the hill a bit, a little bit shocked but otherwise unscathed.  She is almost running now.  It is so close, but for now it is walking and then up to speed with some little hopping steps, arms out to the sides, a slight flailing movement and a big smile on her face. 

As you can see from the above pictures she has a style.  It's truly adorable watching her, and the joy she gets out of it.  At this stage walking everywhere just isn't an option cause it would take me hours to get anywhere.  She'll happily be trotting along til one moment she decides that she needs to pick up every single pebble on the gravel path, pick every leaf off the bush she is walking past, touch every crack in the sidewalk.  You know, the things kids always do.  And that's fine, I'm all about exploration, but sometimes you gotta get to where you need to go and little legs can only take so much fun, so in the end a hitched ride is the best way home.

A walk in the woods

We went for a walk in Glen Tress today, about an hour's drive south of Edinburgh.  It is a mountain biking mecca and we were meeting a bunch of friends who were hiring some bikes and going for a ride to celebrate our friend Chris's 30th birthday.  They didn't have any bikes small enough for Chloe, and while it was suggested that I could just wrap her onto my back and go for a ride too, we decided that using our baby to cushion my fall might not be all that ethical.  So Alex and Chloe and I went for a walk in the woods while the others splattered themselves in mud and no doubt had a recklessly good time on their bikes.  

We set off from the aptly-names Red Squirrel Car Park and Chloe had fun climbing up onto it, and picking out some pieces of rotten wood from its tail.  Nice. 

Chloe has decided that at the moment she is most definitely a Daddy's Girl and she adored walking around the paths holding onto Alex's hand, while I didn't get a look in.  She found it soooo exciting she was almost breathless with happiness!  We came across some ponds which obviously looked like large bathtubs and she was very put out not to be allowed to wade into them.  

I tested out the new Ergo carrier I got for the Sling Library I have set up (that's a whole other post, I've been busy lately.....) and it was pretty good, Chloe had a lovely long sleep and Alex and I traipsed up a hill, got a bit lost, then traipsed back down again.  It was a rather lovely day. 

It's all just ticking away up there....

Maybe those who already have children Chloe's age or older won't find this so amazing cause they've been there, done that, have the T-shirt etc etc...but I am constantly amazed at how much Chloe has going on in her little head.  Before a child is verbal it is so easy to assume that there isn't so much going on up there.  But thinking like that is seriously underestimating them.  I'm only really beginning to realise all the connections she is making.  She may have made them a while ago but suddenly it just dawns on me that, actually, she knows what I'm talking about.  

Here are a few of the things I'm talking about:

She is a child that definitely knows her mind.  If she has something and wants to hand it to someone, she isn't just handing it out to whoever is nearest.  No, if she thrusts something in your direction, she really wants you to have it.  If someone else reaches out and grasps the proffered object she will not let go of it, will pull it back out of their hand and re-offer it to the original person.  She will only release the item to that person.  Likewise, if she wants one person to hold her hand, she will not be fobbed off with someone else.  I was getting slightly insulted today that my finger just really wasn't good enough and only daddy's would do.  Humpf.

Last night she was upset in her cot, just suddenly beside herself, screaming.  She actually seemed pissed off at me.  Any attempt I made to soothe her resulted in her physically grabbing my hand and pushing it away from her.  If I picked up the dummy to offer it to her she grabbed it away from me and threw it down.  She wanted to be picked up and nothing short of that would suffice. Basically she seemed to be saying "pick me up, or piss off."  And of course once in my arms, insta-silence and cuddles.  She knew when she wanted to be! 

She gets an idea into her head and follows through.  She spent about 15 minutes this evening pulling instruction manuals out of the drawer they live in in the kitchen.  Then she brought one to me in the living room.  She toddled off and came back a minute later with another one to deposit in my lap.  Then off she went and came back a minute later with another.  Eventually I had about 15 of them on my lap.  Then when she was done she transferred them all from my lap to the table.  Then back to my lap again.  hmmm, maybe she has OCD..... 

She definitely understand the phrase "Chloe, it's bathtime!"  This consistently results in her stopping what she is doing, smiling, and running to the bath where she attempts to take off her clothes.  

It probably shouldn't surprise me, but I guess that's what having a first child is always like.  I've nothing to compare her to, I don't really know what is "normal" for her age, not that it really matters to me if she is ahead or behind the curve.  It's definitely exciting. 

The first of many, no doubt.

Chloe sustained her first war-wound the yesterday.  Another toddler had a little nibble on her arm.  Chloe wasn't overly bothered, it happened under the cover of canvas so we didn't see it happen, just heard her start crying.  Had no idea why, I just thought maybe he had stepped on her by accident, and she got over it pretty quickly.  It was only later that I noticed some raised welts on her am.  I wondered if it was some weird insect bite, it didn't even occur to me it might be a toddler bite!  But later on at home, when the swelling subsided and the red marks came out it was pretty obvious.  I'm sure Chloe will be dishing it out herself soon enough.