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.

Trapped under a baby! Quick, send help!

I was going to start this post by writing about our resident squirrel...but then I got trapped under a baby. And then whoosh! another day went by.
Sheesh!
Here I am writing about how the days drag and now it's been almost a week since I wrote.

I think the days still dragged for the most part, but baby F., as well as other obligations, aka fun-times for Mama and Papa, have stolen some of my writing time.

Even now, she's starting her combo revue act while I'm trying to write:
Speaking Pterodactyl while yielding a mean maracas.

Oh the joy.

But back to that squirrel.

So it seems to be definite. I cannot keep certain planters. Or rather I cannot keep them growing anything viable, for my resident squirrel(s) will not let this happen. The only way around it is that I guess I have to make little cages around some of the planters...which means they'll look oh so pretty. But hey, sometimes one must sacrifice aesthetics for actually being able to grow any damn thing. I didn't go to all the trouble of fixing them up, just so the squirrel could have a sand box after all.

I've tried luring him away from the now-empty-but-for-the-dirt-planters by setting out some almonds, but I guess Mr. Fancy-Pants-Squirrel is too hoity-toity for stale nuts. Harrumph!

I've even caught him eating my roses *and* rose bush leaves. Sigh.

That was last week. I hoped to be able to make said plant cages, but just haven't had the time. Boo to me.

F. has been very vocal lately (which is good), but sometimes her vocal skills are just a scooch
ANNOYING AS HELL!

See what I did there? Wasn't that grating and harsh? Now imagine that feeling for hours and hours at a time. There you go. Now you know what she's been like lately ;o)

But after hours of these grating noises, I'll pick her up and she'll nuzzle away on my chest and give the equivalent of baby hugs...and all is good again.
Well, it helps if Vóvó has been by, even if briefly, to break up the droning.

Last Friday evening we handed F. over to Vóvó and Vôvô and moi and the boy went to what is likely to be the last karaoke evening we'll have for quite a while. One of our dearest friends A. is moving out west, Californi-ay, and we wanted to have a proper send-off for him. Speaking of which, we'd already attended a going-away party for him earlier in the month and he was due at another one the day after. I've never known someone to have so many going-away parties! It's a testament to how lovely a person he is that everyone he's ever known wants to say goodbye.

So anywho, we went and had ourselves some karaoke and much fun was had by all. Of course all the compromising photos and video have been destroyed* so you'll just have to take my word for it ;o)

We had big plans for Saturday involving various DIY projects which have literally been half done since May...but well, that didn't quite happen. I'd missed out on some sleep and needed to catch up and just veg out.

We did manage to start watching Sight and Sound's Top 50 Greatest Films of All Time, and we decided to start a little blog about it, 'cause... well, why not? :o) Besides, I believe I've already addressed my whole "my memory is crap" debacle.

And then on Sunday, our friend K. and her little boy N. came over for a visit! Hurrah!
We'd been trying to have them over for weeks, but something always seemed to pop up at the last minute.

They came by and we decided to go and check out our newest neighborhood park Riverfront Park. Only one portion of it is open as of yet - they'll be expanding it within the next few years - but the part that's already open has a playground, so I thought it'd be a good choice.

Hmm, it might have been. If it wasn't seemingly miles away from our apartment...and if it hadn't been far hotter a day than I'd realized.

The playground itself was nice enough, even if it afforded absolutely no shade. I suppose the little trees they planted nearby, will someday provide shade, but I have a feeling it'll be long after F. has a need for a playground. Besides, she ended up pretty much sleeping the whole way and back, so didn't really end up spending any time with N. :o(

Next time, we'll go to the shaded park 5 minutes away from our apartment and get our exercise from playing around, rather than walking the breadth of our neighborhood.

Oh right, I almost forgot about the trapped under a baby thing. Yesterday F. was pretty inconsolable. Just grumpy the whole day and wasn't resting at all. That is until I settled her on my lap, where she proceeded to snooze away...for 2 hours! Usually I'd transfer her over to her playpen, aka "Baby Prison" but seeing as she (and me) had had such a rough day, I thought I'd let her be. And so was effectively trapped under a baby for 2+ hours. Still, it could be worse.

It could've been an elephant :P

-- Mama-in-Training


*there are indeed lots of pics and some vids, but you didn't really think I was going to plaster them here, did you? ;o)

P.S. And to end, an amuse-bouche courtesy of my Postcrossing addiction:

I call this one "Kitties by the Shore" :o)
It came from Helen from the Ukraine via Cyprus where she was vacationing.