Dance

Dance!

From Amy:

Last weekend Kelly invited my Mum and I to a dance concert. I’ve known Kelly my whole life, and as far as I’m concerned, she’s pretty much a fairy godmother. Not only is she an amazing artist and all around cool lady, but she is also a dancer and has always been really supportive of my love of all things movement related.

We went to see Maria Gillespie’s modern dance concert, and had a really good time. The dancers were terrific (although they did speak a bit in it, much to Kelly’s dismay…she’s a dance purist, and therefore would rather the text stay on the page thank you very much). I don’t think I can put a video of it on here, but I’ll try to find some other cool dance tid bit to include. Hhmm…no video, but here’s a link to some of Maria’s very cool dance photos:

http://www.onidance.org/cms/gallery/

Anyway, the concert was great also because it reminded me that I can leave the house and that Jamie and Felix will look after each other and be fine. SOooo I plan to do more of that! Look out dance world, Amy’s back in town.

PS - as I was posting this I saw that the Hindu God of the Week on the blog is Nataraja, Lord of the Dance - nice little coincidence!

Thar She Blows!

I'm fresh back from an induction at the gym at the local YMCA, a place which has excellent facilities for children (a creche for them while mummy and daddy work out!), and Felix is dancing to Led Zepplin as we get ready for a weekend trip to Bookstar.

The pace with which he seems to quantum leap in developments at the moment really takes me aback, especially as there are those days when I leave for work with the sun still to arrive, the family still asleep, arriving home with the sun long gone and the family...well, asleep.

He is standing unaided, for seconds at a time, granted, but standing, getting himself up and down with great poise and grace. He is chatting - and Amy and I are certain that he is using 'mama' exclusively for her. It certainly sounds different from the baby-jabber.

Also tooth number one has broken (it broke a few days ago, but only in a 'we can feel/sense something' way - now it is out, a little slither, a small tip, out of the gum! Felix certainly seems fascinated with all things tooth-related at the moment also. He has been fantastic at getting himself back to sleep if woken up by the pain of the tooth, with Amy and I laying, listening, ready to help, he tends to make a few grumbles and then gets himself back to sleep.

Well, we have to leave now, so I'll leave you all with a video of the wee man chatting about something obviously very important...

Jx

Hope on the Radio

Yesterday was the inauguration of President Obama, and all day I was in a good mood. It’s strange to be in the middle of history, to know that this day will be written about and referenced and spoken of, and to go about your day with that knowledge.

As we Gambells of LA don’t have a television set, Felix and I listened to the ceremony on KCRW (fantastic public radio station here). I know I’m a bleeding heart liberal, but I didn’t realize how much it would affect me. I cried leading up to the ceremony and hearing how excited everyone was, how many people were braving the bitter cold to be there. I cried during the pledge (even with the switched wording blooper). I cried during the President’s speech. To hear him speak, eloquently, intelligently, is such a joy. It’s been so long since I’ve heard a politician, any politician, use language so well, and I thank God, Allah, and Buddha that the country elected this man. Finally a leader who I want to follow. Finally a person who seems to understand the magnitude of the tasks before him. Finally a kindred soul and independent spirit in the white house.

I was thinking about all of this as I was listening and feeding Felix his breakfast (bananas and strawberries and yogurt). There’s a good chance that Obama will be the first President that Felix will remember. Thank goodness he won’t remember any of the George W era. A while ago, my Mum was recalling how on the election night of Reagan over Mondale I had a homework assignment to do. We had to fill in the colors of each of the states. Of course most of my map was colored in red, going to Reagan, and Mum said how depressing it was for her. I don’t remember her being depressed at all, but I do remember coloring in all those GOP states, and feeling sorry for Mondale. That was one of my very first political memories, and definitely my first memory of an election, and I wish it could have been a bit different, a bit more inspiring. I hope that Felix can grow up feeling positive about this country, and inspired by its leaders. I hope he can grow up respecting and looking up to the President. I’m feeling that way now, more patriotic, more optimistic, and it’s a wonderful change.

Felix, the Hornblower and Felix Makes a Point

Along with a spatula, something that Felix gets a great deal of pleasure out of is his kazoo;



And, at risk of turning the blog into an episode of 'Children Do the Funniest Things' here we see Felix as we attempt to capture him in his post-meal chatting phase, showing that he is not our performing monkey;

A Fine Balance

Well, as the New Year saunters in, some things seem to remain constant, like the gorgeous LA weather, and Felix’s dislike for squash. However, some things are changing all the time…Felix is now cruising around furniture and will be walking in no time, and Jamie is back to work on CSI. Felix and I miss him terribly, but count our blessings that he has such a good job right now.

We continue to have mostly good days and a few bad days here and there. A couple of nights ago Felix decided not to sleep, and, since he has been sleeping pretty well recently, this hit me hard. I’m not used to being up all night any more, so I really struggled the next day. Motherhood is still so challenging at times; sometimes I don’t know how anyone gets through it. But then Felix starts laughing at the specks of dust in the sunlight, or just gives me a big hug, and it all becomes wonderful.

I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions, but my quest for balance in life continues….balance of time with Felix and some for myself (hahahahhaaaaaaaaa!!!), balance of living simply and frugally and also enjoying and splurging on some things (yes, I still go to Whole Foods every once in awhile…my guilty pleasure!). I’m also trying to find the balance between seeing and feeling the pain and darkness in the world (I listen to a lot of NPR and sometimes the news is so stark and sad I almost can’t deal with it) and also seeing and celebrating the goodness, the generosity, the strength and the sweetness that is in all of us and out there in the world.

Happy New Year every body, and lots of love and balance to you!

Amy

Happy New Year, one and all!

Felix enjoys his current favourite toy, an empty coffee tin

As the New Year is born into the world, Felix is quietly nursing with Amy after a good nights sleep, still toothless, but ready to tackle 2009!

2008 was quite a year, however it seems that with all the changes and shifts of that year, 2009 looks to be just as busy. Felix is currently changing at a rate of knots - in the last week alone he has started to pull himself up into standing, talk in different voices, bounce while kneeling - he also continues to master the kazoo!

Felix sports a knitwear number from Grandma Gambell, with daddy

He's an impressively curious little guy, and has incredible eyesight (spotting the smallest thing, he will go for it and try to manipulate what ever it is, studying it intensely) and an inbuilt sixth sense that just knows when a room that he shouldn't be in is open (where he will at once crawl at full pace towards that open portal).

Yesterday I assembled a book shelf with his assistance, him mainly picking through the pieces of wood, and trying to eat the tools, or hide under half assembled pieces, but ultimately he was more interested in the box that the flat pack furniture came in than the actual construction. However, now he has a new book shelf to attack, and another place that he can remove the books from and place them about him on the floor.

Felix stretches his legs, and begins the pull up to standing, with a little help from his high chair

Happy New Year, everyone!