The Bear

I’ve alluded in a previous post about certain events keeping me from actually doing any writing about Toddler F. 

This is meant to be a record of my everyday memories of F. so if something happens which doesn’t affect her, then there is no need for me to write about it here.

But a couple of things happened which did directly impact her. And I think I should write about them so that one day when she is older, she’s able to read this and know about someone who cared about her. 

Today I’d like to talk about S.

S. was my friend, a lovely young woman whom I’ve known since 2006 - about 7 years or so. We first met at a karaoke session arranged by our mutual friend A., where I came to meet quite a few other people who would all become very good friends of mine. 

After that session, I started to have semi-regular game nights at my apartment and S. was a constant presence in my place, always joining in in our silly games – Cranium was a favorite – and always bringing treats for all of us to share. When Papa-in-Training and I needed a letter from a good friend to prove that we were a couple – for immigration purposes – she was one of only three people we requisitioned. She was also the unofficial photographer at our City Hall wedding as well at many other of our group events and had a true eye for it.

We became closer friends through the years, particularly once we discovered our shared passion for all things cute :o) We’d go to shows - music and art - together and I thought the world of her.
 
Once Baby F. was born, she was one of the first persons to come and visit us. And she brought this little one along.

S. the Bear

It was the first teddy that F. received and was quickly named after Auntie S., forever being known as S. the bear (full name always).

Baby F. quickly took to Auntie S. and they became good friends.

Both Papa-in-Training and I have a fond memory of seeing S. and F. sitting and watching ‘Curious George’ on the telly, with Baby contentedly babbling her explanation of what was happening on the screen to S.
And S. kindly listening and responding to Baby F.’s quasi-questions.

Baby F. loved Auntie S. and so did we.

Unfortunately, S. was taken from us late last year and I’m afraid that Baby F. won’t remember her Auntie S. and how kind and thoughtful she was.

Baby F. often plays with S. the bear and we often repeat her name. We hope to keep her memory alive for our little girl, so someday when she’s older, she’ll remember she once had an Auntie S. who played with her, listened to her and loved her.

Funny Face

Baby F. is no longer a baby. People argue about exactly when a baby becomes a toddler. Most seem to think that it’s when babies start to walk, which given the artist formerly known as Baby F.’s lateness in ambulating, made it seem as if she might become a toddler right around the time she entered grammar school ;o)

Others think that it’s when they turn 18 months, or for lay-people, aka civilians without their own little rug rats, when they turn 1 year and a half. By both definitions, Baby F. is now Toddler F.
It took her a little while but she now walks *and* is almost 2 years old – whoo-hoo! – so yeah, she’s a toddler.  

Deities help us, everyone.

This also means, that in addition to being able to walk and run and stumble and chase cats, she’s also developed quite the personality.  She’s quite a jokester and has been so since at least August of last year, when I’d originally meant to write about this. But alas, many things have come along to interrupt my train of thought, some of which I’ll be writing about in the coming weeks. 

Back to my little comedian though…

Like most babies, er, I mean toddlers, F. is a keen imitator, a verifiable little monkey at aping whatever funny thing she sees moi or her Papa doing. So far this has been amusing as she hasn’t taken to imitating us when we are grumpy ;o)

I might have once upon a time, put a tea towel on my head and pretended I was a ghost for her amusement. Maybe.

Not a towel, but indicative of the various things she'll place on her head. Baskets, towels, books, cats...

Well, since then, she’s taken to occasionally placing a towel upon her own head and running around like a maniac with no set direction in mind. This has resulted in at least one minor crash. No one was hurt, neither F. nor the tea towel, nor well, the wall, but I think she then figured out maybe putting a towel on one’s head and running around aimlessly might not be the best idea ever. Still, for about a week last summer, this was very amusing.

Another just charming habit she picked up (ahem) is to make believe she’s picking her nose. She’ll place her finger just under one of her nostrils and wait for me to admonish her for it. At which point, she’ll giggle like mad and then switch to another finger and wait for me to once again ‘yell’ at her. Oh, the fun we had with this one. The disregard for authority was just oh so precious :p 

Therein lies the problem with some of these acts. I should admonish her for some of them, and I sometimes do, but then she does something hilarious and I’m left trying to stifle a laugh while trying to discipline her. And let me tell you, I’m generally a good multitasker, but suck at doing both of these at the same time ;o) 

Toddler F. also adores to ‘chase’ anyone she can through the apartment, particularly around our kitchen table. Her Unkie D. has been pressed into service to do this but she’ll do it with me and her Papa-in-Training as well. Nothing makes her cackle more uncontrollably than ‘chasing’ someone, which usually involves an adult circling the table with her in tow. 

She’s definitely a little person now, with her own personality and a myriad stock of funny faces that she employs at will to make us laugh. F.’s face seems to be made of rubber sometimes, and she’s definitely a contender for the title of Baby of a Thousand Faces…I mean Toddler of a Thousand Faces ;o)