Tag Archives: Adelaide

Talking before Two

Adelaide-Cow
Adelaide found “Cows” at Mapleton’s Organic Dairy and declared it for all to hear.

And just like that, she’s talking.

Sure her words aren’t the most clear all of the time, but she’s discovering sounds and creating sentences and loudly declaring anything that she recognizes so that everyone will know that she has found a fork, or a dog or a truck.

It’s been going on for months – her mouth forming words, so this shouldn’t come as a shock. But somehow this is. She got her haircut just over a week ago and since then it’s like she’s aged 6 months and is far older than this one-year-old about to turn two.

Adelaide-Moose
Adelaide found a “moose”

Yesterday as she played with her alphabet magnets, she loudly yelled out different letters of the alphabet. They didn’t match the magnet she held but she was trying to spell out words and was so confident in doing so.

At daycare she yelled out “Carinna I’m high” after climbing the rock climbing wall up to the top of the play structure. And then following up with “I go down slide”. Her babysitter was dumbfounded as it was like she was not the same baby anymore. She was a full blown toddler.

My husband calls her a “senior baby” and now she is a “senior executive baby.” I think there’s no denying her status – she is a Toddler with a capital “T” and I love her more than anything.

In less than a month, my little girl will be turning two and it’s going to be so magical and amazing because I never thought I’d reach this level of parenthood. We tried for so long to have a baby, that to have a two-year-old in the house is an incredible thing. Every new word she learns and every new skill she masters I stare at her and marvel at her awesomeness.

Adelaide-Pondering
Adelaide pondering the world as she eats some “Nuts”

I made this wonderful thing and she is awesome.

A friend laughed when I told her how amazing it is to hear my daughter say “Mommy” in a way where it sounds like she has something really important to tell me. “That’s cute that you still love her talking,” she said.

Her voice was missing so long in my heart and it has filled me up and made me realize a love I never knew existed.

And the girl with that sweet little voice that I love, she’s going to be two July 31st.

Two.

Oh how lucky I am to be her “Mommy.”

The Great Scottish Descendant Debate – Choosing a Tartan

When my daughter Adelaide gets older, I have decided that she is going to try Highland Dancing. Fast paced, lots of fun, steeped in history, Highland Dancing will allow her to get some exercise, make some friends and learn to follow instructions.

My daughter is less than a year old. Why would I want to get her signed up for something so early? Truth is, she’s always had an incredible way of holding herself upright. She likes her legs out straight, her toes pointed. She has a dancers stance. Always has and I think it would be great if she can get involved in something that also has costumes that I can support and agree with.

My husband is pretty much on board with this plan. Together we talked to friends who have a daughter in highland dancing. She started dancing a little older than I initially expected, which I’m completely okay with. I always found it funny when people had their daughters in dance at the age of 2 even if it is really cute.

Our friends also talked to us about the clothing and how nice it is having something that is a little less revealing and there is also the ability to show off your family history – something that I would love to do.

The truth is, my daughter has a chance to wear many different tartans from both sides of her family and I’m having a really hard time deciding which tartan would be the best choice. Having descended from several great Scottish families, we have a lot of tartans to choose from. Here is a breakdown:

Murray (of Atholl)

Father’s side: Adelaide’s great-grandmother was Janet Latimer Murray.

These tartans all represent the Murray's of Atholl according to The Scottish Register of Tartans. Right: Dress tartan. Centre: Original tartan. Left: Murray traditional tartan
These tartans all represent the Murray’s of Atholl according to The Scottish Register of Tartans. Right: Dress tartan. Centre: Original tartan. Left: Murray traditional tartan

Elliot

Elliot family, Tartan, Scotland, Scottish
The Elliot tartan per the Scottish Register of Tartans

Father’s side: Adelaide’s 2x great-grandmother was Helen Elliot.

Sinclair

Mother’s side: Adelaide’s 2x great-grandmother was Margaret Dryden. Our Dryden family came to Canada in the 1700s but before that, they were affiliated with Clan Sinclair.

According to the Scottish Register of Tartans, these two tartans are available for people under the clan Sinclair. Left: the dress tartan for dancing. Right: the original clan tartan
According to the Scottish Register of Tartans, these two tartans are available for people under the Clan Sinclair. Left: the dress tartan for dancing. Right: the original clan tartan

Keith, Falconer and Austin

Keith, Falconer, Austin, Marshall, Tartan, family
This tartan applies to the clans under Keith, Falconer, Austin and Marshall. *This tartan would apply to both sides of Adelaide’s family

This tartan is applicable on both sides of Adelaide’s family.

Father’s side: Adelaide’s 3x great-grandmother was Grace Marshall. The tartan known as Marshall is also known as Keith, Falconer and Austin.

Mother’s side: Adelaide’s 5x great-grandmother was Nancy Dickson. Clan Dickson is considered a sept of Clan Keith. This would mean that this tartan is on both sides of the family and could be a strong contender as a tartan for Adelaide.

MacLaren

Mother’s side: Adelaide’s 3x great-grandmother was Catherine McLarty. My research shows that McLarty’s would have worn the MacLaren tartan.

MacLaren Tartan
Both of these tartans are acceptable for the MacLaren Clan per The Scottish Register of Tartans.

Kennedy

Mother’s side: Adelaide’s 4x great-grandmother was Margaret Kennedy.

All three of these Kennedy tartans have slight variations in colour but are options for Adelaide.
All three of these Kennedy tartans have slight variations in colour but are options for Adelaide per The Scottish Register of Tartans.

McInnes

Mother’s side: Adelaide’s 4x great-grandmother was Euphemia McMaster. Through some basic research, I understand the McMaster clan was part of Clan MacInnes, but there may have been a divide around the time of the Jacobite Rebellion.

MacInnes Tartans, Scottish
The MacInnes Clan members have several tartans to choose from. Left: dress tartan according to The Scottish Register of Tartans. Right: ancient hunting tartan.

 

In light of the Cambridge Scottish Festival this weekend, I think we need to go see some of the tartans in the flesh before we make a decision. Which tartan do you think we should choose?

Note: Tartan images came from The Scottish Register of Tartans.