First Steps

Today, with absolutely no warning at all, Audrey decided to level up her walking skills.

We were at baby sensory class and she was ignoring the teacher and the group activities for a bit in favour of crawling around investigating things. She pulled herself up to standing holding on to the chairs that line the outside of the room, and was walking along the row one chair at a time when she came to a gap. She reached for the next chair but couldn't quite reach it, so she just... stepped towards it and grabbed on, and continued on her merry little way.

I was absolutely floored, as previously she's resisted all attempts to encourage her to walk. She crawls so well and it's just so much easier for her to get around that way, so she's not had much incentive to walk instead. No one else noticed, as they were all involved in the activity, and I felt that it was a really quiet, emotional moment for me. A moment that was all mine and hers.

We rejoined the other mums and babies and it was a beautiful class, as always. I felt amazed, walking home, by how quickly we've reached this point. I remembered feeling her move inside my belly, and watching this little black and white squiggle dancing on a screen at her ultrasounds. Sometimes it's good to quietly reflect on where you are, and where you've been.

Of course by the time we got to our afternoon group at the library I was all done with quiet reflection and shared the news with great excitement with our friends there!

She did it again at the library - pushing off from one chair to another, much to the excitement of everyone. Only little almost-steps, flinging herself in the right direction mostly, but I could have burst with pride.

In other exciting news, Audrey got to meet her Uncle Bob this weekend!

Uncle Bob lives a long way away, so this was the first time Audrey got to see him. Audrey demonstrated how good she is at sticking her tongue out and waggling it.

It was lovely to see them saying hi to each other, and all too brief. Come back and visit soon, Uncle Bob!

Right, we're off for bath time and warm pyjamas and Winnie the Pooh. Life is so very rich.

Paper flowers

It's Audrey's first Valentine's Day!

Our date today was Aloysius the rabbit. We took him on a special expedition into town on the bus to look at some art and have lunch with Dada. He got shown lots of Important and Interesting Things out of the window.

It was great seeing Ian at lunch time, and Audrey loved meeting all his work friends.

We even got to see our good friend David.

Then we brought Aloysius home and ate home made soup with pearl barley, we sang songs and had bath times and read "That's not my bunny" until Ian got home too.

It was a beautiful day.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Roar!

It's easy to be brave when you're a lion.

I love her adventurous spirit. I love how she doesn't worry about things, how in the moment she is. And I love, love, love that lion suit, a gift from our friend Isabelle!

On Friday she had a friend round for tea for the first time - little Daisy. It was cute to see how much more confident Audrey was here at home, as compared to play group or at her friends' houses. She babbled away and crawled all over the place, having a great time.

She also had a great time last weekend at our friends Clare and Steven's house. They cooked us a lovely lunch, and we got to see our friend Alasdair too!

I got to talking a lot with my friend Addie this weekend about the type of parenting Ian and I try to practice, the type of parent we want to be. It's refreshing sometimes to re-affirm things, to remind yourself of where you are and where you want to be. I am a Mama who misses her baby when she's sleeping. I respond to her when she cries. I think you're never too young for books, and that feeding my baby right is one of the greatest gifts I'll ever be able to give her. I am a Mama who goes to hippy baby classes where we learn sign language and sing about recycling. I am a Mama who talks to her baby about photosynthesis and shows her how to spot constellations in the sky when we're walking home through the park after dark. I am a Mama who prefers baby wearing to a buggy, even when my back's aching. I am a Mama who co-sleeps, homeschools, blogs, never has the tv on.

I'm proud of the Mama I am, even when it's not the Mama that other people would be in my place.

She can stand unsupported really well now. I fight down the urge to rush over and protect her from falling - she can do it just fine without me hovering.

She'll be ten months old tomorrow. How would I describe her at this age? Fierce.

Curious. Fun. In love with herself and the world.

Beautiful. Human.

Unashamed and true to herself in a way I wish she could carry with her forever.

Amazing.