The Sweet Pea Chronicles

One the most useful things we found this year at local garage sales was a little kids swing.

Sadly, we lack a good place to hang it outside … so we’ve improvised and hung it inside, between the kitchen and dining room. As it just hangs from metal hooks, we can let Camille look outside as she swings or into the kitchen.

Camille loves to swing, she often gets quite vocal and babbles to herself. Best of all, kitchen productivity has gone up significantly. She babbles happily away, all while I can get the dishes done or make my own lunch. I do have to keep pushing every few swings to keep her going, but get 15 free seconds after only a couple pushes. I have a feeling that I am teaching Camille `How to Make Lunch in only 23 Easy Steps!’, but it’s wonderful to unload the dishwashes and have Camille right there at the same time.

When she was only months old, when we would take her out in the stroller she would often get into this quiet, watchful, and quick-to-smile state [that I called Buddha Baby] - a variety of her quiet-alert stage. Her quiet demeanor, relaxed disposition, slow watchful look to her eyes, and her quick return of a smile reminded me of a Buddhist monk for some reason - and the term seemed to fit. As she’s gotten older, these distinct stages have generally disappeared - she’s moving closer to moods. Buddha Baby Camille is still seen when we swing, ride in the backpack carrier, and sometimes in the stroller … when she’s free on her own locomotion, I don’t think she ever stops long enough to be contemplative and quiet.

And sometimes she will take short naps in the swing, when we’re lucky - like these pictures.