Separated by a common language

Once again, I am surpised at the differences between the American and English languages. So close, and yet... Case in point: What would you call this:
If you're American, I'm thinking you'll guess crib. Nope. Over here it's a cot. Or technically a cot-bed, which I think is marginally larger than a cot, and can convert into a bed. Isn't a cot a bed, you ask? Y'know, those narrow things you sleep on at camp? Er, I guess not.

For some reason, a crib is only the smaller version you put a newborn in. Not to be confused with the reaaally small one, which would be called a Moses basket, which some newborns get instead. Eek.

What I really don't understand is how in a few hundred years our language has diverged in such random spots. Presumably little babies of English emigrants to America slept in something -- and it was called the same thing on both sides of the pond. And yet at some stage, when production and naming of said items were being standardised (the industrial era?), the English decided on crib to cot, and Americans said hey, crib's enough for us. Unless it's a small rocking one, in which case we'll use cradle. Which, as far as I can tell, isn't in regular use in the UK.

Augh!! See -- I will be raising a bilingual child!

Happy 2/3 Birthday Paige!

Yep, 2/3 of the year gone, slowly creeping towards that all exciting 1st Birthday... I must say, that as each successive month becomes a smaller percentage of her life to date, the developmental changes get a little less frequent. As such, fewer new things since the last partial birthday update... but what she can do, she can do better! (no you can't, yes I can, no you can't, yes I can, yes I can, yes I caaaaaaaaaaan!)

Like - sitting up... Paige is pretty sturdy, but I'm still not quite ready to leave her sitting without some sort of back up, be it my leg, a pillow, etc. And she shows relatively little inclination for figuring how to sit up herself -- not sure when that will happen.

And teeth... same old, same old -- lots of drooling, as usual, but nothing visible. Yet. Like mother, like daughter I guess!

Crawling? Er, no. Talking? Nothing recognisable. Food -- yep, lots, but nothing new. Enough to bring her to 19 pounds, so despite all that appears to come out, some of it must be sticking.

We did reach a milestone this weekend, however... we've finally turned the pram around. Sigh. I know it's good for her to see more of the big wild world -- but I already miss smiling and chatting at her (because I wouldn't say I'm chatting *with* her yet) as we stroll.

Saturday Outing

Had a lovely weekend, starting with an afternoon off on Saturday while Ashley looked after the little princess. After a somewhat rainy lunch in a nevertheless super-crowded Borough Market, Nadia (Ashley's colleague Gerhard's wife) and I headed to the Menier Chocolate Factory. No longer making delectable sweet treats, it's now a cosy theatre and restaurant.

Playing at the moment is a fun revue, Forbidden Broadway which skewers current -- and not so current! -- musicals left and right. Among my favourites was the big pre-intermission number, '10 Years More', about the ever-running Les Mis; another was 'Gotta Have a Puppet', covering Avenue Q, the Lion King, and, er, one more show that has puppet-type gimmicks.

The parodies flew thick & fast, from 'Andrew Lloyd, TV Star' (Jesus Christ, Superstar tune, all the rest covered as well) and 'It's All Camp' (Hairspray, Legally Blond, Priscilla'); Wicked, Chicago, and even Annie got it as well.

Funnily enough, one of the women in the 4-person cast reeeeally reminded me of Bernadette Peters, but when they did an homage to Sondheim (Sunday in the Park, Into the Woods, and, er, another), it was the other actress who specifically said 'I'm Bernadette Peters'. Ah well.

Fortunately even if I haven't seen all of the shows they covered, I knew enough to get most of the jokes. Though will have to check out what 'Spring Awakening' is all about... seems to be quite scandalous, as it was compared to Equus and Hair in terms of pushing things on stage! (Though checking out the link, it appears to have closed -- wonder how long it will last in FB then?)