Saturday, July 7, 2012

Walkabout

Eliot loves going on long walks.  With Rissie around he has been taking advantage of every opportunity that arises to get out and stretch his legs.  Nearly every morning, during Peter's morning nap, he and Rissie will head out on a little walkabout.  Behind our apartment complex is a large nature reserve with sprawling lawns, winding foot paths, and ponds populated with exotic water fowl.  Peter likes to get in on the action too and often we will all go out in the afternoon to get some exercise and watch Eliot throw rocks into the water.

Eliot checks something out before running to catch up on the board-walk.

The board-walk wends its way through a thicket of  swamp paperbark trees.

Hefting a branch into the water.  It made a jolly splash.

Collecting rocks.

White ibis

The aptly named yellow billed spoonbill

A pair of black swans
  
A swamp-hen

Showing off a large rock destined for the pond.

His rocks are lined up and he's ready to go.

A running start is best for throwing rocks into the pond.

Pinch-able-cheeked Peter

Peter gets a little walking time in too. 

Eliot throwing a stone.  He has pretty good follow through.

A lovely afternoon for a walk.

Friday, July 6, 2012

Winter in Perth

Rissie is visiting us right now.  She wasn't sure what to expect of winter in Perth, and to be honest, neither was I.  The week before her arrival storms of wind, rain, and cold (15 degrees C) tore through Perth, leaving people without power and waking me up in the night with images of tree branches coming through the window.  I'd heard wind howling around the eaves before, but that was the first time I'd heard it roaring around the eaves.  But the day my sister arrived the sun burst out in welcome and the temperature soared to a comfortable 22 degrees.  We celebrated with a trip to the beach.



Turns out winter in Perth isn't half bad.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Happy Father's Days!





Goodness!  Between Spencer's homecoming and Rissie's arrival I've pretty much fallen off the blogging wagon.  But I hope I'm climbing back on board in time to wish a very happy (if very belated) Father's Day to my dad and all of the fathers in my life.

We all did our part to make Spencer's Father's Day special.  I made homemade pork vinndaloo, per his request, for dinner.  Eliot gave him a back massage.  And Peter took his first steps (videos have been taken and will be shown on the blog once I can get that function working).  Spencer had worried that he would miss Peter's first steps while he was away in Paris, but Peter saved the special moment for his Daddy.

No mention of Father's Day was made in church that morning.  When we returned home and checked the calender we discovered that Australia doesn't celebrate Father's Day until September.  So there's probably another homemade pork vinndaloo dinner in Spencer's near future.




Monday, June 4, 2012

Daddy's coming home!


Spencer is getting home tomorrow.  It dawned on me as I was scrubbing Peter's hair with shampoo tonight that this would be the last time I'd be doing bedtime routine with the boys on my own for awhile.  I feel like a little kid who has waited patiently all through December, and now it's Christmas Eve and I am DONE waiting.  Nothing like 9 weeks alone with two little boys to help you appreciate what your husband does to help out.

I'm not the only one looking forward to Spencer's return.  Eliot is looking forward to having Daddy home and is excited to play with him tomorrow.  I'm sure Peter will take it all in stride.  I'm also sure that Spencer is going to be shocked by how much they've both changed.  Skype doesn't always do them justice.  We might have to pull out the Oilers jerseys again to celebrate!

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Eliot-isms

Eliot is becoming quite the little chatter-box.  He loves to talk on the phone with various friends and relations and takes it very seriously.  Just thought I'd share a few of his little quotables--of course, they do lose a certain something without the sound of his little voice.

"Where's are me?...There me is!"

He loves involving Yellow Bear in everything.  Here he is sharing some stir fried chicken.  Notice Yellow Bear has his own little piece of chicken.

Sharing a washing machine moment with "Lellow" Bear.

brefiskt = breakfast
neskt = next
magnekt = magnet
fiskt = fixed
head bones = head phones
kanolo bar = granola bar
nookatella = nutella

Here's one I eavesdropped on yesterday:
"Peter, what you doing?  You want the fire truck?  Good job!  You did it!"

This one from the back seat of the car today:
"Peter!  We're going really fast!"

Eliot loves playing with Peter in the crib.  They pile in and then I toss a blanket over top to make a 'tent'.

Eliot helping me tidy up the living room (back in February when it was probably 40 degrees out, hence the missing layers of clothes).  But where did all those books go?

Ah, yes.
I love this kid!

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Just a few Little Peter pictures...


Peter will climb into anything that opens itself up to the possibility.

He loves using Eliot's stool to play at the bathroom sink.  If I am sitting on the stool to help Eliot with something Peter will come in and push me off.

Just messing about while Mama prepares the shower.


Our apartment doesn't have a bathtub so we improvise with a plastic tub.  Peter has a great time climbing in and out. 

 The magical time between shower and bed when he gets a little more playtime with Eliot (aka hiding from Mama and the inevitable pyjamas)