Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Just a Little Update

It's been a while since I did a post about how the boys are developing, learning and growing.  So here we go...

Eliot is fully into drawing, colouring and writing letters and numbers.  As the weather started getting warmer in September I let him sit just outside our door in the sunshine and colour.  He loves it.

Peter loves trucks and buses of any kind.  One day we were at a second-hand store and he spotted a toy garbage truck.  You can imagine his response.  It was the best $4 I spent that week.

He lines them up to look at their wheels and then falls asleep happy.

Peter has done this for a while now with cars, trucks and trains.  He'll lie down beside them to get a good look at the wheels turning round.  

Playing on Eliot's bed surrounded by all their "buddies."

Eliot is still a big "help" in the kitchen.  Here he's helping me roll out Naan.  He even got his toy lizard involved in the work.

Eliot's play has become much more imaginative and he brings Peter along for the ride (who is generally happy to be doing/saying anything that Eliot is doing/saying.)  Here they are taking their animals to the museum (zee-zee-um, as Peter would put it.)

Eliot is still fascinated by all things mechanical and Peter is just fascinated with everything.

Rough-housing with Daddy.  Always a favourite.

When Spencer was on his trip to Germany, I took the boys back to Kings Park for more of the festivities which included a pony ride.  Peter was really enthusiastic about putting on a helmet, but once he realized that I intended to place him atop one of those big hairy animals he quickly retreated.  So Eliot was the Lone Ranger.


Peter has become rather shy in public, but at home he gives Eliot a run for his money in the Clowning Around Department.

The boys love to climb around in forts and mazes.  I make some...

...and they make others.

Last month Eliot mastered buttoning up his pyjama top, of which he was justly proud.

They are our sweet, crazy, obstinate, lovable boys!

Eliot
Favourite colour:  still red
Favourite food:  he still loves tacos, but has recently developed a taste for sushi.  His favourite is the raw salmon roll.
Favourite toys:  Yellow Bear is still Head Toy.  He also likes wrapping gifts and cutting paper.
Stuff he says:  His pronunciation of many words has greatly improved.  He now says Yellow Bear (instead of Lellow Bear) though he still says "fiskt" and "neskt."  He also springs a big word on you every now and then.  Like the other day when he ran out of tape and said that it was "very disappointing."  He is incredibly chatty and will talk to us at length about all sorts of things. 


Peter
Favourite colour:  still blue
Favourite food:  He loves fruit (apples, pears, raisins, strawberries, etc.) he also really loves dates.  Milk is by far his favourite beverage.
Favourite toys:  Fuzzy Yellow Bear is his companion and friend.  As for toys, he of course loves his trucks and trains.  He's fascinated with all manner of traffic sign-age with a special emphasis on stop signs and yield signs.
Stuff he says:  "Rerrow Bear,"  "ee-mow" (oatmeal).  He asks a lot of questions and always says "oh" when you've given him an answer.  For example:  "Mommy, why we goin' dat way?"  "Because that's the way to Eliot's school."  "Oh."  Trust me, it's extremely cute in person.

Both boys are growing by leaps and bounds.  They are so dear to us and we love them so much.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Work trip


Late last month Spencer went to Germany, to the little town of Wolfenbüttel, to present a paper at a conference held in this building....

He also had the chance to explore the town and check out its quaint streets and markets.


On the way home he had a 48 hour layover in Bangkok.

His aunt and uncle, Jim and Karyn Redd, who have been in Thailand for the last year on a mission, were able to meet up with him and show him around.

The Grand Palace.  I love the trees.  They remind of Dr. Seuss.

Spencer got to take a ride in a tuk tuk.

Here was the view from inside.

Every evening that Spencer was away the boys and I would take out the atlas and Eliot would point out where Daddy was on the world map.  It was exciting to think of him going to interesting places, but they were pretty happy to have him home again.