Sparrow Lorelei photo gallery

Nineteenth month part 3, 9 November - 9 December, 2010

Drinking from her water bottle. I think this might be when I'd just bought the new one. We got tired of giving her the baby bottles to drink from, she's well past that and their flow is really too slow to work as a good water bottle. Especially as it's starting to warm up and we want her to keep drinking enough. This is what they had in the shop downstairs, I figured I'd try it and it seemed to work well enough. Not so easy to clean (can't be sterilised), but it was during this month that I had a Tupperware party and the gift I was given for being hostess was a bottle brush of a particularly good and effective design. The lady running the party is from my mothers group and knew what I'd find useful!

Sparrow got both her water bottles in one place (or did I put them there?). Anyway, she took one down herself, had a drink from it, put it carefully back (this is only just within her reach and view) and took the next down and had a drink, put it back and took the first again. She was enjoying the water buffet.

The new chalkboard that we ordered at the baby expo finally arrived. Sparrow was quite interested to start with, though not really into it yet. She had a couple of goes but had trouble working out how to get the marks at first. Easier to do with chalk than crayon though. I think it was a couple of months before she really got interested in the idea. I had to keep taking the chalk away from her because it was too interesting to try and eat. Especially after Christmas (I'm writing these notes some months later!) when she'd been given little marshmallows and the small pieces of chalk looked just like them. There was a month there where I just took those colours of chalk out completely to help avoid confusion. But right now she's just curious about this brand new toy.

Out for a walk downstairs. Sparrow is busy talking with her own reflection. Apparently this shop window has a baby in it.

She likes sitting on the couch in the sunroom. It's like a special treat seeing as she's only allowed out there when I go out with her.

On the couch. Very pleased with herself and enjoying climbing over it under her own power.

Hello Mummy. I'm climbing the stairs myself.

We finally, for the first time in many months, had a weekend where the weather was expected to be pleasant - sunny with a light breeze and at least into the low twenties. So it was time to clean the carpets. I'd been wanting to do so since May but you really can't get them dry easily in winter here. Definitely a summer job. So we hired a cleaner and worked our way around, half room by half room, juggling stuff at the same time. Always amazing to see what dirt comes out of the carpet, the joys of living near heavy industry and refineries. Sparrow got to keep rediscovering new things that she'd forgotten to really notice even though they were out to play with - suddenly everything was new and different.

Things were also a bit empty, too. I think I took the chance to rearrange some stuff at the same time. Sparrow did help at least once with moving the carpet cleaner head back and forth, though I can't say her technique was ideal.

Keeping herself entertained while major cleaning works happen around her. I'm slowly getting things back into place. She's sitting on the little stool that Christopher and I used at our Grandma and Grandpa's house. It normally hides a powerpoint but she seems to think that here and now it's an excellent thing to sit on. Very multipurpose item, there's a reason I've hung onto it for many many years.

Pause for popcorn. In the kitchen, where it's well separated from our newly cleaned carpet.

Having all the cushions and rugs and beanbags and everything piled up like this is just a recipe for massive fun. Climb climb climb - stretch - wiggle to edge - throw oneself off into pillows - repeat.