Lately:

We've been living apart.
She's falling asleep on her own. Tucked in, books read, talking to herself.
Pregnant, pregnant, tired, tired.
Computerless.
Still nursing.

I've been looking forward to snow and the mittens that accompany it.

 playing drums

Diaper hat.

Blue hair.

 

Lion girl.

 Biking attires.

Girl + Daddy.

First Official Bike Riding

We played christmas pretty low key this year. Not too many presents, just family hang outs, dinner, hilarity, etc. I don't think our family originally ever set out to form any traditions, but we have customs that have taken to sedimenting now. I'm beginning to really appreciate those things you can rely on like that. My sister makes a mean turkey, even when she cooks it to fast and too hot. Mysteriously undry. We fight over Charlotte. We only get each other gifts if we can think of something, no pressure, I don't think anyone expects a present in return when they do. Our family pretty much rocks. And its nice seeing the kids play together and being the older ones now, the aunts and mommies.

We got Olive a bike helmet. A gift for all of us. We are so excited to have her come around with us. Greg bikes for work, but even before that we are a cycling family. I wouldn't have a car if I didn't have a baby. We biked everywhere, to work, to school, for groceries. I biked up until I was 7 months pregnant. Until my waddling overtook me. In fact most of our gifts to each other were bike related, just as they were last year. It our opportunity to get all the vain things we can't really afford and wouldn't buy for ourselves. A Brookes saddles for Greg, some grips and fenders for me.

We have 2 rear mounted child bike seats, but for now are choosing to ride with her in the Ergo carrier. Here are a bunch of reasons why:

x Rear mounted seats are directly over the rear axle of the bike, so the shocks and jiggles of riding are a lot more pronounced there than an adult can feel from their saddle which is farther forward, and subject to less shock.

x The jiggles of riding are minimized when she is close to our bodies. The Ergo also has a snap-up hood designed to give support to her head. In a rear mounted seat, she would have nothing but her own little neck muscles.

x In the winter she is shielded from the violent wind by our bodies, and sharing direct body heat should she need it. We can also feel for ourselves if she is getting too cold for the ride, and stop.

x A lot of injuries that children sustain from riding in rear mounted seats actually happen when the bike is standing still, and falls over. They make the bike less stable. If Greg feels himself falling over he is more likely to catch himself by instinct, and Olive on his back, regardless of the bike falling. Where as if she were in a seat on the back, he might catch himself, but she would still fall with the bike.

For myself, I think I am still going to wait a little more for the spring until I ride with her. She'll be bigger and maybe I'll be confident about the rear seats when she fits them better. I'm also not confident in the snow and wouldn't risk falling. Greg on the other hand, knows he wont fall, with or without her. Plus he rides with heavier packages on his back all day long.

Vitamin C

We have a cold. Isn't that the way families experience it, with a giant collective we?  So Olive's been zippered to my hip, and we spent the morning alternating between nurse-nap and nap-nurse. When she doesn't feel well, Olive is pretty much the same, smiling and flailing her hands about, singing, talking, that is as long as she is in my arms. Left on the floor to play would be a very unimpressed little one, and she has developed a very good whimper. So we cuddle and nurse and nap until we all feel better. Except Greg whose day is more like bike-cuddle-sleep, bike-cuddle-sleep.