Sitting and Nursing

I seem to be spending much of my time sitting and nursing Jem. Sitting around and nursing. Sitting around and nursing. Violet doesn't seem to mind, either snuggling in beside me or drawing with her crayons close by (of course, if Oma is here she is playing with her). She's still being a sweet big sister, and her interest in him is growing now that he's more fun. I'm often cautioning her to be gentle, but he never seems to mind her attentions, whether it's enthusiastically dangling toys 1 cm from his face or trying to rip his hands off pulling him to sit up. He just adores her.


I started him on some brown rice cereal last week, and he seems to enjoy it. Four months is maybe a little early for cereal, but the kid has teeth already; I figure this is nature's way of telling me he's ready for hamburgers...I mean cereal. He reached out for my face last week during a nursing session - so sweet. I'd forgotten about all these little baby milestones and I enjoy them even more the second time around.
I thought he would be a bit too young for the exersaucer. Apparently not! He's been hanging out in there quite a bit lately. Violet was never that into it, but he can happily spin around and grab/chew things for a while. This has, of course, renewed Violet's interest in the exersaucer. She can get herself in, but not out. Today she got herself in, and then asked for a banana. Since I was nursing (surprise!), I told her she could go and get it herself. She said "I can get it! But I'm stuck. Lift me out like a rocket!". I guess our numerous trips to the Museum of Science and Technology have made an impression.



In other news:
We were watching Pocahontas ( a recent fave of hers) and she informed me "Pocahontas lives at Value Village".


The past couple of days, she has been particularly contrary; a lot of whining and crying. Today was a better day, and as she brushed her teeth tonight, she told Jesse "I was pretty grumpy yesterday, hey?".
I find that so neat.

The Babes

Happy New Ears!

That's what Violet just said to me as I slipped into her room to give her a kiss before her nap. She was describing a drawing she had done at her playgroup. For Happy New Ears.

We had a lot of family come to stay over the holidays- the most this house has ever held. I really love having a house full of family, and it really feels empty now that they are gone. Violet loved having so many patient and loving people to cater to her whims. Now I just have to deprogram her sweet, innocent brain of all the choice phrases her Aunt Nina taught her to say.

Despite the fact we had all just rolled out of bed, many of us were sick, and the size of Angie's head, we're a pretty good looking bunch.

It is nice to get back into our routines now that holidays have passed...I guess what I really mean is thank goodness Oma is back.

This was Jem's first Christmas.

He met some family for the first time.

He cut a couple of teeth, my poor little apple-cheeked Jemy Roll!

We noticed a striking resemblance to his Djido.

And apparently he is a Leaf's fan...and a thug.

In other news -

Again, another pit-stop story.

Coming back from Toronto (where we had a super time, and Violet received a train set that is keeping her busy most of the day), we made our usual half-way stop.

While we were eating, a sappy Josh Groban song came over the speakers. Violet stopped eating and got really into the song, looking really emotional with a faraway look in her eyes. She looked as, pointed at her face, and said "the music makes my eyes look like this".