Notes from the Nest

Brigid and I spent some time today out in the garden, picking spinach and coaxing the tomatoes into their cages and the cucumber around its trellis.

That is, I did those things, and Brie sat with her bottom on a blanket, her feet in the dirt, and examined rocks, mud clods and, of course, the spinach. When we're outside, I feel better setting her down to plants with edible leaves. :)

Some of our spinach has bolted, past saving by flower-pinching. So I pulled those plants up, stripped the last of their leaves, and piled stems and roots in the compost. Now I have room for more spinach, or some lettuce in the fall. But about half of our plants came up later, and we're still getting the bulk of our salad from them. It's so NICE not to have to buy it from the store.


Brigid's up to eleven straight steps in a row, and I think past ten is when we stop counting. She had her first major crash yesterday, careening into the coffee table with her face. Don't worry, minor, kissable injuries only. The problem is that she tends to toddle towards her target, and then, when she figures she's close enough, she dives. This works when Dad or Mom are the target, 'cause we catch her. The coffee table is not so obliging.


I drove yesterday! First time in six weeks!


Brigid is now only nursing before naptimes and bedtimes, and during the night. The rest of the time she gets "moo milk", as opposed to "mama milk". She'd been nursing less and less, and I was beginning to get concerned about her getting enough fluids and nutrition, so I started buying whole milk and giving it to her via bottle or sippy cup. She really likes it, and I'm beginning to have visions of wearing sun dresses this summer. :) And it's nice to be able to nurse less, but still have the calm nursing times before sleep, which are pleasant cuddle time for us both.


You know how I said Brie likes to feed herself now? Well, this morning, we reached a compromise. I can spoonfeed her if she's allowed to feed me a Cheerio at the same time. I guess all that matters is that she's allowed to play too, little mimic.


More words! I forgot that she can say "hi!" and does it often and appropriately. Not everybody says "hi!" back, but she says it to all the people she meets - even strangers at the library.


Brie feels like she's blossomed again. She's such a little girl now, and I can feel my parenting duties and joys changing again. This is much more active parenting, a lot more given and take, and a lot more, well, activity. Brie zooms from place to place, and has very certain ideas about what she wants to do and where she wants to go. It's so much fun to see what a joyful, playful, communicative child our little tiny baby's grown into.

-Jess