mama bird

Dear God -

Thank you for making human babies way cuter than bird babies.

Also, thank you for Mrs. Robin, who so frequently and very faithfully flies off to find food for her babies' bellies. She is teaching me devotion, sacrifice, and how to be a better mama.

Cheers,

Gillian

worker's comp

This is what happens when one drops a glass jar of soya sauce on one's toe. I'm out one helper.

ten months

Today Henry started crawling. I clapped excitedly. Must have looked like a neat thing to do because, today, Henry also started clapping.

large and in charge

Books are not necessarily Henry's friends.

it's hot

but we're coping.

up and at 'em

Henry can stand now, and he likes to get into Joe's stuff.

Here's how Joe feels about that:

african moynihan safari

We had a summer fun day today... David skipped work (legitimately... he took the day off... he didn't just play hooky) and we met up with the Moynihans at the African Lion Safari. We had a great day of elephants, tour buses, splash pads, and picnics. (But not peacocks... we - er, I - did not enjoy the peacocks.)

Peacocks nearly attacked my son and what did I do? Ran the other way. Those are terrible maternal instincts. Later, Joe followed some peachicks with a stick so I think the peacocks and the Kantors are even now.

On the tour bus, watching out for lions. No lion rides this time, Emma.



Best picnic spot ever... lunching while watching elephants bathe (they didn't mind).

And the splash pad... Joe splashed a man we didn't know and Henry had a nap.

Henry woke up for the elephants... Joe only barely.

Thanks, Moynihans! It was so great to see you and we had so much safari-ing! Again, again - let's do it again.

I'm a soccer mom!

This is how we spend our Saturday mornings. More pictures to come as Joe finesses his footwork.

goodnight madness

Downtown Oakville hosted Midnight Madness on Friday, and what's more fun than taking your small children out into big crowds at midnight? This morning, Joe talked excitedly about all the things we did at "goodnight madness" and hopes to go again tonight (... but it was only one night. He may be disappointed to discover an empty street with no more fishing games or popcorn.)

farm kids

In the ever-continuing endeavor to get some farm in our kids, Andrea and I took the gang to the Country Heritage Farm for the annual farm fair to learn about tractors, barrels decorated as animals, wheelbarrows, bale mazes, and sand. I think they're ready to graduate to driving combines with Papa now.

my job is done here

They are now looking after themselves.

new owners

We sold our house! Hurray! This is actually old news as we were fortunate to sell within a week of putting our abode on the market (thank goodness... very tough to get two boys out of the house during mealtimes/naptimes/always inconvenient times so people could look at our house).

So, new owners, we hope you love the place and are as happy here as we were. Please enjoy the garden and free tomatoes.

(The picture below is not the new owner. This Robin is squatting on our back lamp post and giving me the heebie jeebies every time I go into the backyard. It, too, comes free with our place.)

things of late

We're potty-training. It's exhausting.

Henry has his second tooth. (Bottom right.)

Joe's playing soccer. We have a deal that if he wears his jersey and is a team player, than he gets a timbit (see previous post).

Henry has a very awesome and very fake laugh he lets loose every time he sees Joe. Sounds like this: "HA HAH HA."

We're doing lots of laundry (see first point).

can you imagine how much better avocados would be?

Last week... Joseph watched me cut open an avocado and take out the pit. And, with wide eyes and big grin, he asked, "Is that a timbit?!"

(It's no fun to explain jokes but if you live in Oceania and are reading this blog, than this is a timbit.)

(Also, yes, I suppose we eat more timbits than avocados. Shame on us.)

what we're doing tonight

Lowering the mattress on Henry's crib... after I opened the door to see him standing up, smiling proudly, and about to topple over.

what we're doing today

hanging out with cousins

out with a splash

Our last day with the Hansens... poo. Instead of sitting around, feeling blue because they have to go back home, we went watersliding. It was a busy, hot, fun, slippery day.

This is how the under-two set start their day at a waterpark. The lazy river was more than they could handle.

The rest of us took on some larger rides.




Hip hip hooray! We made it through the day!

... and fell asleep five minutes later in the car.

Thanks, Hansens, for coming all this way. We're so happy to have some extra time with you. Can't wait to see you when you come back... at Christmas? Next summer? Busy next week?