crawling, climbing, walking

So, Kaspar turned one and he's still not walking. He's been very close to taking his first steps, but he always bails on it the very last second. He is such a good and fast crawler, that walking simply does not seem to be a priority. However, he can stand up, in the middle of the room (without holding on to anything) and just stand there looking at a toy in his hands for quite some time. Today he stood up on his own and began to move to the music that was playing, sort of dancing without moving his feet. That was quite a sight! When he stands still, he seems so stable and so sure of himself, it's almost unbelievable, that he's about to get back down on all fours to advance ahead. A while ago, my mother and I were sort of placing bets ... She was convinced that he'd walk by the time we returned from our trip to Latvia. I was sort of aiming for twelve months. We both lost! And all Steve wanted was to be at home, when Kaspar takes his first steps, but I have a feeling he might not get his wish granted, either. He's leaving for another three week tour tonight. I highly doubt that Kaspar will start walking tonight, even though Steve has been trying his darn best to convince him, he should. But Kaspar is not only a crawler, but also an absolute acrobat on the stairs! He knows how not only to climb up, but also how to come down the stairs feet first. When there is nothing better to do indoors, or when the clock strikes 8pm and he's not even mildly interested in sleeping, we take on the stairs. Climbing the whole way up or coming down is one of those things that makes him so very proud and happy. Three or four climbs can also exhaust him enough, so that I can get him into bed! If I did not get bored assisting him, he would be willing to spend hours climbing up and down and up again until he'd probably just fall asleep right on the stairs. No, I'm not joking. I've heard of stories like that! In fact, Steve has been known to have fallen asleep in the hallway as a baby!

the heat is unbearable

The heat during the last few days here in Toronto has been absolutely unbearable. It’s disgusting! Every move makes you break out in sweat. Kaspar has been spending the days pretty much naked, but even then, as I bend over to pick him up or just give him a hug I’m met by a clammy, sweaty, hot little body. He doesn’t seem to mind the heat, except that his sleeping schedule is all messed up again. I wonder if it’s due to the heat. One good thing has come out of this heat wave - Kaspar has learned to like water. I tried for months to give him water to drink, in a bottle, a sippy cup, plastic cup, anything… but had no success, whatsoever. The heat has given him a lesson, though. Yesterday he fell asleep sucking on his water bottle.

Last week we put out the little blow up pool out on the driveway for Kaspar. It was all good for a few hours, while he was in it, but you should have seen the tears as he was being taken out. The tears, the screaming! It was just like the time, when we were on the beach in Latvia and he was not allowed to play in the water any longer. As I was carrying my squirming, screaming child back to the towel, I remember lifting my head up and having my gaze meet the gaze of and older woman, who looked at me in total amazement and anger. I wonder what she was imagining I was doing to my kid? Here, in my own driveway, I’m only worried about my neighbours. At least I can explain myself to them! Within a few days, the pool became a sort of a stunt thing for Kaspar, and we had to take it down for his own safety. While he did learn, that he was not going to be allowed to soak in the pool every hour of every day, he began to lean over the edge (just to put his hand in for a bit) and came close to diving into the pool head first several times. So, now the pool is back in the box. And Kaspar only gets a little bucket of water. That usually ends up getting poured over his own head in no time at all. :-) He does love water. I'm looking into swimming lssons in my own neighbourhood.

I have to leave for work in just a few minutes. In some ways I would love to stay at home and spend the day doing nothing in the back yard, but today the enticement of an air conditioned office is making me very happy. Last night was hot. I had a hard time sleeping. Then the wind and lightning kept waking me up. I wonder if there was a tornadoe somewhere close by. Will have to listen to the news this morning....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

It's his birthday! Yes. Today is Kaspar's birthday. We did have a party yesterday - here are some pictures to prove it :-) The cake did not go down well. He was fascinated by it, but only by trying to shove all the icing and blueberries off the cake and onto the floor. Apparently that's what you do with a spoon. Taste test proved to be disastrous, because he simply spat the spoonful out. It's a miracle it did not land only the cake itself. Steve called, just as we were serving the cake and he got to sing happy birthday to Kaspar over the telephone. We had a fun day, which lasted well into the evening. Kaspar took a three hour nap and gave me a good break, but then he was ready to party again and we ended up calling it a night at 10:30pm.