Simone's Report Card

Yesterday was the last day of fourth grade for our dear little artist. Her report card was outstanding, and a great improvement on last trimester's. It was all 3s, 4s, Es and Ss. Way to go, Simone! Wow, now she's a fifth grader.

Simone's Play

Simone's play was yesterday. She did well, and didn't seem nervous at all. It wasn't as good as last year's play, but the kids were good in it.

I nursed Wiggly in the audience, and if anyone noticed, they didn't say anything. I couldn't get a read on how Ollin felt about it. I get the sense that he is embarrassed by it but doesn't see any way around it. Come to think about it, that's how I feel, too.

Dangerous Food and a Parasol

Andromeda is trying to eat, but I'm not sure if the bread I've been offering her is a good idea. She manages to get big chunks off of it and chokes on it. She doesn't gag; she stops breathing and her eyebrows turn red. I turn her upside down and pat her back, and it flies out. I ask her if she's okay and she grins at me, with red-rimmed, teary eyes. I wish I had more room, a kitchen, a way to let her explore food in a safer way. Squishy food that she can't choke on. Maybe I'll get her one of those mesh food- holders.

On a lighter note, Ollin had the genius idea to use one of our rain umbrellas as a parasol down at the pool. He tucked it into the slats of one of the pool chairs and Babby and I sat comfortably in the shade. While he and Simone swam.

Pool

I took Simone to the pool yesterday, though it's not my favorite thing to do. There's no shade down there and Babby won't let me sit down when she's in the sling, so I wander around all hot and bored. Yesterday, though, I didn't bother with the sling, and Andromeda and I sat in our own shadow and played; it wasn't so bad.

Andromeda Eats

Andromeda is not quite six months old, and she still needs to prop herself when sitting, though she's getting stronger every day. They say to wait until baby is six months old, and can sit unsupported before starting solids, and her pediatrician recommended rice cereal as a first food.

Thing is, Babby wants to eat. She wants to be a part of whatever we're doing, but nothing so much as eating. She tries to faceplant in my dinner! I'm not so sure about rice cereal. I know they say it's mild and unlikely to set off any allergies, but it's also not as nutritionally dense as many, many other foods, especially breastmilk. She also wants to feed herself with her own hands.

I read about baby-led weaning; it seems just right for Andromeda. Instead of spoonfeeding baby purees, you sit them up with a bit of what everyone else is eating and let them try. I've given Babby french fries, bread, banana, avocado. She loves to gnaw on a hunk of hard bread. She's not so fond of avocado. Usually I'm holding her while we do this, though twice now I've propped her up in a high chair. She doesn't get very much in her; it's just for play at this point, so that she's doing what we're doing and satisfied.

Yesterday she chewed up some bread and loved it, and I think she may have actually eaten a few crumbs of it. Hooray for Andromeda!

I don't know what I'm going to tell the pediatrician. Probably the truth, just to see what she says. I feel that I need to have us eating healthier food, though. If we eat veggies, Babby will eat veggies. If we eat crap, I have to either feed her crap, too, or not let her eat, neither of which are very good options. French fries aren't that bad, but they aren't that good, either.

Simone's Concert

Simone had her last violin concert of the year last night. She plays well for a first year student, but I don't think she'll want to play next year. She prefers the piano, and she hates the concerts; she gets very very nervous. She stood up next to her classmates before they started and I could see how upset she was. The boy next to her made some jokes and helped her calm down a bit. It's funny, but she doesn't get that nervous when she's acting, even if she has to sing or dance. Maybe she feels better prepared for those, or feels he has more skill.

Andromeda was a good baby. I nursed her in the car before the show, and she didn't cry until the last song. I had her dance on my lap, and smiled, "Yay!" when everyone clapped. I wanted to show her that listening to music and clapping was happy fun even though it was loud and a bit startling.

Baby Reaches!

Andromeda reached for me for the first time yesterday! I think she knows her name, and she might understand "Daddy". Not so much "Mommy" but I understand that she might still think of herself as a part of me, and so Mommy doesn't have as much meaning. She's starting to take more concrete naps, but I don't want to say much about that. It seems whenever I mention Babby's sleep, she changes it, LOL. She naps best on my lap and often wakes when I put her down, though, and I don't want to jinx it, she does sleep in her crib at night.

Simone's Birthday

Simone's Birthday has gone well. We took her to her favorite deli for lunch, then got her pizza for dinner and cold stone for dessert. She got lots of nice presents (thanks to all who gave).

She's had a party at school, a party at Nana's, and she's to have a party at Cal Skate.