Day 265

Ladies and gentlemen. Daftie and I have finished our month of walking over cancer, 10,000 steps a day for the month of March. Before I tell you about our day, would you like some stats? Of course you would. 

Grand total of steps from 1st – 31st March 349,132, an average of 11,262.32 steps per day. Worst day was 13/03/17, chiming in at 10,086. Best day was in fact today. A staggering (and let’s be honest, that’s what I’m doing now) 16,300. Phew. What a journey! It has been such fun and I am so…So many things right now.

A showery start to the day had me worried that today’s final jaunt would be a soggy one. Still, up and at them for music class, the last one before Easter. 

Music class was a lot of fun again today. I do love the class. I’m sure (I hope? I guess? I assume?) Daftie likes it too but it can be so enjoyable for me and I love my Mammy Mates at this class so much. Even when we get told off by Rachel…

After class, Daftie and I took a wee wander over to the modern art galleries to meet Numbnuts for some culture, some walking and some lunch. We had a good nosy at the art, stopping for a bit to look at one of my favourites by Roy Lichtenstein. I am not a huge arty person but I know what I like and I totally believe in having a good interest in many things is good for the soul. 

Daftie had a good crawl about some of the exhibits – nothing near a statue or anything breakable. She also had one of the stewards laughing as she sped across the reception floor. She also made pals with a table of French tourists, who made a point of stopping to say “Bon jour”, which was sweet. They did also think that my poor baldy Baba was a boy but we let that slide. Bless her and her naked head. 

Taking advantage of the sunshine, we took a walk through Dean’s Village and on down to Stockbridge. Such beautiful buildings in this area. Edinburgh is so gorgeous. Have I said this before? I don’t think I say it enough. Totally gorgeous. 

Finished off our epic walk by heading to Canonmills, down Bonnington and half way home via Ocean Terminal again. Very reminiscent of yesterday’s walk but still so lovely. Very blessed with good weather today! 

Arrived home to a Big Human waiting for us, which was awesome. I knew he was due home tonight but I wasn’t sure when so to see him waiting for us was such a lovely surprise. 

Wee Daftie, breaking and entering, eating soft tortilla wraps. 

I’m ending my month of walking and blogging with this. I wrote this about two months ago, on a bus, after an conversation with a woman in ASDA. She asked, with no ill intent, if Wee Daftie was good. It just got me thinking about babies and parents and life. The following rhyming verse is the result. 
Thank you for a joyous month of walking and listening to me ramble. Thanks for the donations, the walking buddies, the support. Hopefully we’ve helped to achieve something wonderful for someone else’s future. Be good. Be joyful. Be thankful. Be daft.

​Is your baby good?
Out and about, with my baby in tow. 

I say in tow, actually strapped to my chest

She’s sweet looking thing, always beautifully dressed

People stop to talk, to smile and coo

“Isn’t she lovely, she looks just like you”

Just when I think it’s all going well, they say those words

That make my hackles swell…
Is she good? 
I’m stumped, I stall I don’t want to be negative, ungrateful or crude

But isn’t that question frightfully rude?

The answer is no, no she’s not. She is 6 months old and a bit of a clot. 

She doesn’t sleep through the night, she bites at my digits,

When changing her nappy, she fights and she fidgets 

When on her changing mat, she squirms and she rolls

ESPECIALLY when I need to clean the poop from her folds

She makes quite a mess, she is difficult to dress

(Literally I mean, figuratively she’s a dream)

She’ll ignore her fancy toys, and rip happily at paper

And always, always wants to eat my face cream

Unless you’re me, and occasionally her dad,

Most people think she is terribly serious or a little bit sad

Truth be told, she’s eyeing you up, taking it in

And when she’s ready, you’ll have earned a grin.
Nor is she bad.
She’s 6 months old and a funny wee thing

She stares rapt when I start to sing

She’ll play with an envelope for the longest time

Take her on the bus and you’ll never hear her whine

She’s great at rolling over, and as strong as an ox

She loves eating dinner, the carpet, her shoes and socks

She’s a right little weirdo, her glorious chatter will make you grin

In the funny baby states, I definitely did win.
So, please, in the future, when meeting a baby

Don’t ask how they sleep, or if they eat their food

Everyone is different, every parent, every child, every day

And none is bad, and mostly it’s good 

But in asking those questions, we feel such a pressure

To confirm our precious baby is perfect, is “good”

When really, they are just being babies, just like they should.