September has passed through in a series of chilly pleasant days. We got a very cold snap right at the beginning of the month. I woke up to see frost all over the garden. I picked all my remaining tomatoes that night. They've been sitting in their boxes on the kitchen table since and ripening nicely. I got a hat started for Maisie when the cool weather hit. It's just a lightweight one in some leftover DK weight yarn. It should match the hood I made her last spring for layering on really cold days. I started some mittens too. I just traced around her hand to use for a pattern but periodically I got her to try the first one on to make sure I was on the right track. She seemed to find it a funny game.

The weekend of the really cool snap Mum and I took Abby for an SPCA fundraising walk. The park was really cold and windy. Tufts of cotton candy were drifting all over the place like tiny pink clouds. Rob and Maisie drove downtown to pick us up. We'd thought Maisie would enjoy running around on the grass, even if it was too cold to play for long, but she had a nap in the car instead. We'd had a tiny bit of snow that morning. Maisie, Abby and Ollie enjoyed watching it fall outside the window. There's more snow in the forecast for early next week so I spent some time yesterday afternoon getting Maisie's slide and our other yard furniture and equipment put away for the season. Maisie was a bit upset to see her slide disappear. I hope she'll be excited to see it come back in the spring.

It's been a little warmer the last two weeks or so and we've had some really nice walks. The trees are all red and gold. I set up some pegs at Maisie's level next to the front door so she can get her own coat and boots for going outside. She likes to be able to do things herself. I also spent a bit of time sewing something sweet for our new niece. I hope this nighty will keep her cozy this winter. While I was in the sewing room I got out the stocking I started for Maisie last fall. It looks like I'm about a third of the way through it. There is a big mirror in my sewing room right now - being stored until we can put it back where it goes - and it just begged for a bit of self portraiture. I've been trying to use my timer a little more often and get myself into some of the pictures I take. I'm trying to keep a photo album of our life and I want to make sure Maisie is able to look back and actually see me, not just know I was there because someone has to be behind the camera.

That last shot of the delicious new yarn. That's Tanis Fiber Arts Green Label Aran weight and it's going to become a couple of extra warm winter hats for me and Maisie. The colours are Chris Grey, Sunset, Gold and Sprout. I think they will look really good with the amouti.

A random assortment of slightly out of date photos that have been hanging out in my "blog this" folder. Some of them have been there for over a month. I think that was my first proper harvest of radishes way back in June. Maisie was very excited about them and "washed" one very thoroughly in a spare water dish on the deck. That little sweater is almost finished. It's sitting my desk in front of me right now just waiting for the sleeves and a bit of sewing up. I hope Maisie likes it. It has little pockets for putting things in.

Maisie has started drinking cows' milk at home … but only if she also gets a fancy straw. The garden is growing. We've eaten those peas and are now waiting for the second crop. The cucumbers have made flowers and I spotted a couple of teeny fruits the other day. We'll see if they reach an edible size before the frost comes. I really need to try some of the hot peppers. The little white flowers were so pretty and now the plant is covered in smallish green peppers growing up instead of down. The plant was from a friend so I have no idea how hot the peppers might be.

Lots of squirrels coming and going. This one obviously has a family. Maisie is starting to get very firm ideas about how certain things should be. For example, if we are sitting at the table and have a box of Timbits we both have to be eating one; I'm not supposed to be just sitting there chatting and drinking my coffee. Fortunately she doesn't require us to eat very quickly. She also knows where her bibs are kept, where the laundry goes, where to put the grocery bags and how to put on her hat. Two days ago she started climbing into her highchair by herself and trying to do up the straps. I discovered a new cabbage dish I absolutely love in a cook book I've had around for ages. Here it is. It's especially nice if you add some chopped bacon.

Maisie has discovered the joy of doors. Specifically, shutting them. If we had the right kind of handles I'm sure she'd be opening them as well. I made her a pair of flannel pajama pants to wear while the weather was really hot. I used Rae's basic newborn pant pattern, added 3.5" to the cuff, 1" to the waistband and used only a quarter inch seam. They fit perfectly and even have a silky green bow on the front "just like Mummy's." I made her a cute little top too but don't know where the pictures are right now. I'll have to do some hunting around so I can share them.

Sorry for the long blog break. It wasn't intentional. I thought it had only been a week or two but when I pulled the pictures off my camera last weekend I discovered it had been a month. There were 1469 photos waiting to be downloaded! How do I summarize 1469 photos? I've been trying all week with little success so this morning I decided to just pull out a dozen or so and make a list to go with them.

1. Maisie now has 12 teeth. Crazy. She can also climb onto the rocking chair, follow simple instructions ("Go get your robot shoes."), and express her opinion about things (No, she doesn't want a bath). We're pretty sure that yesterday she was coming out with a word for squirrel (sounded like "curl"). She loves to see the ducks and goats that are on our way home every day.

2. I made a blanket  for Maisie. It's just a light weight one. Flannel pinwheels on one side and yellow minky on the other. I put one of her name tag labels on one corner. So far she cries when she sees it. I don't know why. I'm sure she'll like it eventually.

3. The last of the snow disappeared, the birch tees came into leaf, the weeds came up, and our garden went in. I did it over a couple of weeks and a little later than usual but we've got peas, beans, squash, radishes, nasturtiums and turnips all coming up. I got three tomato plants and a hot pepper from a friend who had too many seedlings. The tomatoes already have flowers and I'm looking forward to the fruit whenever it arrives.

4. Maisie has developed a firm love of the out of doors world and gets at least as excited as Abby at the suggestion of a walk. She'll bring us our shoes and drag us to the door.

I just looked over and Maisie is playing with her clothes (she's still in pajamas) in the animals' water dish. We got the clothes out so we could put her in something dry (she's been playing with the water dish for a while) and they are now sopping wet and being waved around like flags.

5. We made strawberry ice cream. It was a really good. The hardest part of making ice cream seems to be deciding what kind to make. We were thinking of trying chocolate peanut butter chip next but the rhubarb is ready for picking and I think vanilla rhubarb gelato would be delicious.

6. Maisie experienced rain. We all get pretty excited about rain at the beginning of the summer. It's so novel after eight months of snow. I especially love falling asleep to the sound of it hitting the roof. Few things are cozier.

7. We tried fiddleheads for the first time. I found them in the grocery store one day and decided it would be fun. They look pretty cool. I steamed them, then sautéed them in some butter and garlic. I thought they would taste like asparagus but it was more like spinach with a firmer texture.

8. I grew sprouts. I don't know what got me thinking about sprouts this spring but suddenly I was really into them and completely unsatisfied with the choices in the grocery store. I got some seeds and a little mesh lid and tried sprouting in a mason jar. I was ridiculously easy and fascinating to watch. I took pictures every day for the week. Unfortunately I didn't have any plan for what to do when the sprouts were ready and they got mouldy while I was thinking about it. Still, the growing of them was lots of fun and I know I need a plan for next time.

9. I started a sweater for Maisie. It's going pretty slowly, especially since for a little while I was going backwards, but I hope to get it finished in time for her to wear it this summer. Or at least before she grows out of it.

10. Identifying body parts has become a favourite game in our house. Socks are removed to reveal wiggly toes, elbows are pointed out with glee, tummies are proudly displayed, and did you know that everyone has ears?