Time Machine

The one feature of Leopard that I look forward to the most is Time Machine. Now that I’m taking a zillion pictures of Amelia I really want to make sure I don’t lose any of them. And Leopard is making this easier with it’s new built in backup system.

Browsing the web today I found a really good, in-depth article explaining just how Time Machine works. After reading this article, it only makes me want to upgrade to Leopard that much sooner and get my backup system in place. Especially since the new iPhoto (iLife ’08) keeps all the photos and the photo library database in one package rather than in a folder structure like the previous versions do. You can no longer just back up the iPhoto Library folder. So having Time Machine back that up for me will be a lifesaver.

Nez Afghan Progress

Nez Afghan Progress

The top border is finished. Now comes the fun part of figuring out how to pick up 103 stitches evenly along the left side. :) Yeah. I have a feeling it’s going to come out a little wonky, but that’s okay. It’s just a throw that will be tossed on the couch. Despite the trouble I’ve had with Homespun, looking at the blanket now that it’s looking like something, I’m actually pleased with how it’s coming along. It looks pretty neat. I’m looking forward to seeing the final result, now that I’m seeing it take shape.

Leopard is Here…but I Must Wait

Apple is releasing the new Mac OSX today. Leopard will be available for purchase as of 6pm CST this evening. And I don’t have it. :( I haven’t ordered it and I doubt I will be ordering it at least for another month or two. Why, you ask? Because I don’t have the money. It’s the same reason I haven’t yet ordered my copy of iLife ’08. Lack of funds. It totally sucks because I’ve been looking forward to it since the first announcement last year sometime.

We’ll be getting the family pack seeing as how we have 3 Macs currently running at home. The desktop will get a full clean install of the new OS and all needed applications. It’s way overdue. The laptop, being that it’s pretty new (I’ve only had it since June), will most likely just get an upgrade after some clean up and a full backup, of course. Thankfully I have a large external HD that is perfect for that.

I think the features I’m most looking forward to is Time Machine and Stacks. I currently have a cluttered desktop with all the downloads that I haven’t cataloged yet. It will be nice to get those off my computer and into someplace that’s easily accessible. Time Machine is essential with all the gazillion of pictures I take of Amelia that I need to preserve. And I love that I’ll be able to use the same external HD for both the desktop and laptop.

And with all the knitting patterns I’ve collected in PDF format, the Quick Look feature will come in handy when I want to look inside a particular pattern. Heck it will even be great for scanning my digital layouts.

So hurry up Christmas and get here fast. I have a feeling that’s when I’ll finally be able to upgrade. Unless we just take the plunge and use the trusty old credit card, which we keep vowing not to ever use again except in an emergency. Can I consider this an emergency?

Trial and Error

I always kept hearing about the many different brands of bottles that people would go through to find one that their child liked. But we didn’t have that problem. I chose Avent and Amelia took to it well. In fact, she got so used to the fat nipples, that she didn’t like the skinny ones that most bottle brands come with. Fine by me.

Now that we’ve moved on to sippy cups, it’s a whole other story. I just got back from purchasing the 5th style of cup I think she might like. Crossing my fingers that she takes to it. She has her favorite but it’s not my favorite. She is very stubborn and wants to only drink from the Nuby Sippy Cup. I think she prefers it because it’s very squishy just like her old bottle nipples. But now that she’s growing up and “chewing” on stuff, she chews them to bits. Within a week or two I’m having to buy a new one because she has chewed through the spout and it’s leaking everywhere.

My MIL bought her some really cheap $1 cups that have the old traditional style spout. Well, she refused them for the longest time and then finally began to accept it. Problem was we changed them up about the same time we took her off of formula. Bad move. Now she refuses to drink from the cup. I guess in her mind if she has her old Nuby cup, she’s getting her formula and not regular milk. So, bad mommy that I am, I reverted back to her Nuby cup and she gulps down her milk with no problems. But before I did that, I went and bought a few new cups (to replace those darn Nubys) but she doesn’t like them either. The spout is too long and she doesn’t even take a sip before throwing it away.

So today, I bought yet another kind of cup. It has a soft spout instead of a hard one, but it’s not a nipple spout. I just hope she likes it.

It’s all about trial and error these days when it comes to pleasing my little girl.

Sweater Needed

With the cool weather finally settling in down here in Dixie, I feel the need to knit a sweater for Amelia. So I’ve chosen Smitten by Marie Grace Smith. It’s a cute little sweater that I think will look adorable on her. So now I’m in search of some inexpensive yarn in fun colors so I can get started on this ASAP.

Of course I told myself that I wouldn’t start anything new till Nez’s afghan was done, but I just can’t help it. Amelia really needs a sweater anyway. Nez will have to be patient.

But I’m working on her afghan. I had to rip back a few rows on the border. I tried to work on it at my weekly SNB and messed it up. So I’m back down to where I know it’s right and will start again. I brought it with me to work thinking I could get a row or two done at lunch.

But now I’m thinking I might head to Michael’s instead to get some yarn for Amelia’s sweater.

Yeah, I made her the pinwheel jacket and it’s adorable, but for some reason I don’t think it will fit her now. I have no idea what happened to it. I might just have to try blocking it and go from there, but the last time she tried it on, it was kind of snug and that was a few months ago. I hope it does fit, so she has something to wear while I work on Smitten.

A little behind

I’m a little behind, I know. We celebrated Amelia’s birthday on the actual day with another cake and mini-party. It was a success, but even though she had a cake with regular icing, she still didn’t like it. I think she just doesn’t like to get very messy. Pictures are up at my Flickr account: 1st Birthday Party #2.

Since she turned one, we’ve been trying to switch her over to whole milk and it’s not really going too well. We started out with a 1/2 & 1/2 mix of formula and milk. Then after about 3 days went 100% whole milk. She’s refusing her milk now so she doesn’t really drink much at all. I think it’s partly due to the new cups we got for her as well. I don’t think she likes them, so a new drink in a new cup is just not to her satisfaction.

And now that she’s on whole milk, I’m trying to get her to eat more table foods so she still gets the nutrients she needs that she no longer gets from formula. Another ordeal. She’s constantly crabby and is almost refusing everything we try to feed her. She’ll eat mac n cheese, cheerios and some of her toddler snacks. She really loves the lil crunchies. Other than that, she might eat a nibble or two here and there of something. I guess she just has to be in the mood. The other day she ate a whole slice of french toast. This morning she wouldn’t touch it.

I know that all this is normal, but I get so frustrated. I feel frantic when I get in the kitchen and try to find something for her to eat while she’s sitting there crying or fussing because I’m not giving her the right stuff. I want to offer her new stuff so she’ll try it and occasionally it will work. But I guess it’s not going to hurt her to have mac n cheese 4 nights in a row if that’s what she likes, as long as something new is offered as well for her to try.

Ah, the joys of feeding a toddler. :)

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.