Face-plant Crawl (We have pictures of this, but they're naked, and we don't want our daughter to have nudie pics on the Internet, thank you very much!)

The moms were over on Tuesday and it was a crowded, noisy house with babies everywhere drooling, puking and poking each other. One baby--Tessa--who is almost 3 weeks older than Istra was impressing us all with her almost-crawl. She would get up on her knees and push up with her arms but then she wouldn't go anywhere; or she'd try to go somewhere and fall over. We were all looking at Amy with those half-fearful, half-pitying smiles, telling her that she was going to need to start baby proofing really soon. I think most of us were sort of outwardly laughing at Amy and quaking on the inside for ourselves. Yes, life is about to get a whole lot more interesting for some of us.

And yes, Tim and I might be two among that frazzled number soon. Apparently Istra learned a few things from Tessa. Yesterday Istra rolled onto her belly (as she's been doing for around a month now) and actually got up on her knees and almost crawled. She still doesn't know what to do with her arms, but once she figures that out we're in so much trouble. As it is she is travelling very slowly, propelling herself forward largely on her forehead.

She's also been a little bit grumpy lately and has been inconsolable on a few occasions--or at least inconsolable by the usual methods. Tim seems to be convinced that she is teething and there are other signs to support this conclusion--drool, biting hands, pulling ears. I don't see any teeth yet, though; so we could be in this for the long haul.

Forgive me if I depart from the subject that is closest to all our hearts just for a moment to give some other life-altering news. I am currently waiting for news as to whether CUPE 3903, the union of which I am a member since becoming a grad student at York, is going on strike. A strike will mean no work and no classes for me. Some would say a strike means a holiday! While I do feel sorry for those who are depending on the money that they are earning doing GA and TA work, personally a strike sounds very nice to me right now. It would give me time to write the papers I need to write without technically being under obligation to do so.

Ah, word came in late last night that a strike has been averted and that the bargaining team for CUPE 3903 has made astonishing gains with the latest contract. York grad students already have one of the best benefits packages in the country and apparently it just got better. I'll post more on this as I find out more details. If it is as good as they say it is I may have to go get a massage on the administration!