PS I love it when a plan comes together
Chris briefly got to eat his dinner with both hands tonight.
First word!
TJ has a word – admittedly lacking slightly in the pronunciation department, but much repeated to his proud Mum’s delight.
It was his sister’s name.
Little Cow
Suddenly TJ can wear size 0, and we have a bunch of new (secondhand) clothes to play with! Yay! (Also, the zucchini went down just fine so we’re all good food-wise.)
Zucchini
TJ seemed unhappy after his taste of rice cereal last Saturday, so we waited a few days then tried again. Again, not happy. So he may be intolerant of rice. After another few days (ie today), I tried him on zucchini (subscribing to the theory that if you give a kid fruit, he’ll expect all food to taste good, and will hate vegies – but to an infant, even zucchini is exciting since he/she doesn’t know better).
Speaking of exciting, TJ’s sleeping patterns are improving rapidly. We might be able to move him to his own room soon (and then move Louisette in with him and I can have a study again!!)
He’s also in the process of discovering his feet: a thrilling new toy that travels with you.
PS
Still yesterday. . . a daycare day, so therefore a day when I make sure TJ plays with Louisette’s toys/books/quilt.
This is him licking one of her favourite books.
Leaning in
TJ is very close to the point when he can hold onto an object (rather than an attentive person) in order to stand. In the meantime, he can stand solo if he’s leaning on something with his chest. (It looks like I’m holding him up, but I’m just looming.)
This is what a boat person looks like
My little sister has just been arrested for taking part in a peaceful sit-in at Zed Seselja’s office here in Canberra. She and several others stayed in his office, refusing to leave until they were given an answer to one question: “When will the 789 children and their families be released from immigration detention?”
Here in Australia, both sides of the government have been mistreating and demonising asylum seekers for decades, keeping them in camps indefinitely and without trial (often in other countries in a transparent effort to avoid legal responsibility – even when those countries have appalling human rights records), and breaking international human rights law in the process.
Australians are fundamentally decent, so the government also blocks the media from reporting on what is actually happening (especially anything individualising, such as names and photos). I supported today’s protest via social media, and used images of my own children to stand in for those who are deliberately hidden from our sight.
I thought about explaining the situation to Louisette and videoing her response – but I realised that just TALKING to her about kids in immigration detention would be harmful to her. There are mothers in detention right now who were desperate enough to leave everything they knew in order to protect their children. Now they have to answer questions like these:
Mummy, are we safe now?
Mummy, is this Australia?
Mummy, when can we get out?
Mummy, they won’t send us back. . . will they? Mummy?
Felicity Banks 