What you doing Mom?
What you doing Mom?
What you doing Mom?
What you doing Dad?
What you doing Mom?
I'm answering this question about 40 times a day, sometimes for 10 mintues straight. Nathan hasn't had any really annoying habits (save the occasional whiny mood) until now.
Unfortunately, sarcasm goes right over his head. So does a straight answer it seems.
Can't wait for this phase to end.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Waterloo -- Part Three
Hmm... isn't it always the way. I got the first posts up right away and have delayed on the final one. Procrastination!
The rest of our trip to Waterloo was very relaxing... just what I needed. I'm sure I reverted to my childhood mode while letting mom and dad do all the work including the cooking and cleaning. I managed to finish both my books: Middlesex and the final Harry Potter... no mean feat. I usually get about 15 pages read a day at home, so at that rate, I was looking to finish those books in 2009.
Nate had a wonderful time with his Waterloo family. He had four adults at his beck and call, and he got to play quite a bit at his Aunt Becky and Uncle Jon's house. There's nothing like a house full of new toys to permanently endear a 2 year old. And he's at the age where gender discrimination hasn't really hit. David was most concerned about his affinity for the pink vacuum (he vacuumed the entire house) and the tea set. Personally, I was more worried about the fact that he pocketed Maddy's pink Barbie cell phone. My little klepto kept it in all his shorts pockets, repeatedly pulling it out to mimic what I sound like on the phone.
Other than the new toys, Nate had a great time riding Olivia's old tricycle, watering the garden and "helping" grandma and grandpa with the yard work, sweeping up his chalk drawings and eating a lot of ice cream.
On the adult side, David and I got a chance to relax, and of course eat too much. Being pregnant, I could hide the weight gain fairly well. Although my mom's attempt to foil David at the annual Trivial Pursuit humiliation failed (she poured David a generous scotch before and nearly managed to edge him out of a victory), the rest of us held up fairly well. Next year we'll have to pour him an even bigger one.
One change in Nate that I've noticed since being back is that he's taken to calling me Mom. Probably because he heard me call my mom that. It makes me a little sad. He's too young to be sounding so grown up!
Here are some final photos. I hope everyone else had a fantastic summer!
Backyard pool fun with Madeleine and Olivia. What good is a pool if you can't torment the girls?
Helping everyone out
Playing with the girls' toys
One of Nate's favourite outings was the train ride to St. Jacob's. Even upon returning home to Vancouver, he talks about his train ride. Grandma Claudia, Pepere joined Grandma and Grandpa Eagles and Nate and me on the trip. The only downfall was the pouring rain all day. However, Nate found solace in a new red umbrella.
The rest of our trip to Waterloo was very relaxing... just what I needed. I'm sure I reverted to my childhood mode while letting mom and dad do all the work including the cooking and cleaning. I managed to finish both my books: Middlesex and the final Harry Potter... no mean feat. I usually get about 15 pages read a day at home, so at that rate, I was looking to finish those books in 2009.
Nate had a wonderful time with his Waterloo family. He had four adults at his beck and call, and he got to play quite a bit at his Aunt Becky and Uncle Jon's house. There's nothing like a house full of new toys to permanently endear a 2 year old. And he's at the age where gender discrimination hasn't really hit. David was most concerned about his affinity for the pink vacuum (he vacuumed the entire house) and the tea set. Personally, I was more worried about the fact that he pocketed Maddy's pink Barbie cell phone. My little klepto kept it in all his shorts pockets, repeatedly pulling it out to mimic what I sound like on the phone.
Other than the new toys, Nate had a great time riding Olivia's old tricycle, watering the garden and "helping" grandma and grandpa with the yard work, sweeping up his chalk drawings and eating a lot of ice cream.
On the adult side, David and I got a chance to relax, and of course eat too much. Being pregnant, I could hide the weight gain fairly well. Although my mom's attempt to foil David at the annual Trivial Pursuit humiliation failed (she poured David a generous scotch before and nearly managed to edge him out of a victory), the rest of us held up fairly well. Next year we'll have to pour him an even bigger one.
One change in Nate that I've noticed since being back is that he's taken to calling me Mom. Probably because he heard me call my mom that. It makes me a little sad. He's too young to be sounding so grown up!
Here are some final photos. I hope everyone else had a fantastic summer!
Backyard pool fun with Madeleine and Olivia. What good is a pool if you can't torment the girls?
Helping everyone out
Playing with the girls' toys
One of Nate's favourite outings was the train ride to St. Jacob's. Even upon returning home to Vancouver, he talks about his train ride. Grandma Claudia, Pepere joined Grandma and Grandpa Eagles and Nate and me on the trip. The only downfall was the pouring rain all day. However, Nate found solace in a new red umbrella.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Waterloo -- Part Two
On the first day we arrived in Waterloo, Becky, Jon, Maddy, Olivia, Becky's parents, Nate and my parents headed via caravan to African Lion Safari. It's what it sounds like, an outdoor zoo for "African" animals. I put African in quotes because when I was a child, my mom took Jon and me to the Safari. If you'd have asked me, I would've said it was a tourist "shack" from which you drove around to see the monkeys (they climbed all over our car and I know mom was afraid of losing a windshield wiper or worse), a few tired lions and some giraffes.
TImes have changed. The place has become a booming tourist attraction with multiple buildings, play parks, water rides, train rides, bus tours (of the grounds), and a fabulous kids water park. We went on a sweltering hot day and, within minutes, Nate was beet red from the humidity. Given the jet lag and the heat, coupled with missing his nap, I'm amazed he didn't have a pure meltdown. (I won't pretend he was sunshine and roses, but he coped pretty well.)
Generally, I'm against all forms of zoos that aren't for rehabilitation of sick/injured/endangered animals. However, Nate did enjoy his time there and he was fascinated by the different animals. While I can't say I'd be a regular visitor, it was an experience I'm sure Nate will remember (however hazily) in the future.
After the kids' play park, the petting zoo, the tour, and lunch, we hit the water park which completely revitalized Nate. He spent an hour in the water and I had to drag him kicking and screaming from it. I have to say, not only did it cool him down (and remove the flush from his cheeks) but it was the best designed park I've ever seen. I'd pay the admission again just to go there!
Finally, we rode a mini train around a small track. I can't say that we saw anything of interest, but Nate certainly LOVED being on a train. He's still talking about it a week later.
Here are some pics from the day:
Nate loved the ball pit. Note the rosey cheeks.
At the petting zoo... a curious camel.
A deer.
Some bird that looks like a mini-Ostrich... perhaps an osprey? I left the catalogue I made mom and dad buy in Waterloo by accident.
Some sort of African cattle.
The monkeys. You weren't supposed to feed them, but note in the second picture that the monkey has grabbed food out of the window of the car.
This is the dominant male of the pack. He's about double everyone else's size with a thick pelt and a real swagger to his walk.
Here's a young baby travelling attached to the mom's belly. Later they transfer to the back and then they are independent.
The ostrich. Apparently the whole thing about burying their heads in the sand is a myth.
The tear drop marking is on all of these animals (elan?)... darn, I need that travel guide.
The endangered white rhino. Killed for their horns.
Giraffe butt. Like the zebras, their markings are unique to each animal.
Baby zebras are brown and white and mature to black over the next 5 years. Zebras have proven (over the centuries) to be impossible to domesticate. Good for them I say.
Bison used to roam all over North America. Now there are only about 35,000 left.
Wait for me!
Waiting for the train.
He's ready to go.
Quite an adventure! Look at the grin.
I'm sure to Nate, this train seemed to be enormous!
TImes have changed. The place has become a booming tourist attraction with multiple buildings, play parks, water rides, train rides, bus tours (of the grounds), and a fabulous kids water park. We went on a sweltering hot day and, within minutes, Nate was beet red from the humidity. Given the jet lag and the heat, coupled with missing his nap, I'm amazed he didn't have a pure meltdown. (I won't pretend he was sunshine and roses, but he coped pretty well.)
Generally, I'm against all forms of zoos that aren't for rehabilitation of sick/injured/endangered animals. However, Nate did enjoy his time there and he was fascinated by the different animals. While I can't say I'd be a regular visitor, it was an experience I'm sure Nate will remember (however hazily) in the future.
After the kids' play park, the petting zoo, the tour, and lunch, we hit the water park which completely revitalized Nate. He spent an hour in the water and I had to drag him kicking and screaming from it. I have to say, not only did it cool him down (and remove the flush from his cheeks) but it was the best designed park I've ever seen. I'd pay the admission again just to go there!
Finally, we rode a mini train around a small track. I can't say that we saw anything of interest, but Nate certainly LOVED being on a train. He's still talking about it a week later.
Here are some pics from the day:
Nate loved the ball pit. Note the rosey cheeks.
At the petting zoo... a curious camel.
A deer.
Some bird that looks like a mini-Ostrich... perhaps an osprey? I left the catalogue I made mom and dad buy in Waterloo by accident.
Some sort of African cattle.
The monkeys. You weren't supposed to feed them, but note in the second picture that the monkey has grabbed food out of the window of the car.
This is the dominant male of the pack. He's about double everyone else's size with a thick pelt and a real swagger to his walk.
Here's a young baby travelling attached to the mom's belly. Later they transfer to the back and then they are independent.
The ostrich. Apparently the whole thing about burying their heads in the sand is a myth.
The tear drop marking is on all of these animals (elan?)... darn, I need that travel guide.
The endangered white rhino. Killed for their horns.
Giraffe butt. Like the zebras, their markings are unique to each animal.
Baby zebras are brown and white and mature to black over the next 5 years. Zebras have proven (over the centuries) to be impossible to domesticate. Good for them I say.
Bison used to roam all over North America. Now there are only about 35,000 left.
Wait for me!
Waiting for the train.
He's ready to go.
Quite an adventure! Look at the grin.
I'm sure to Nate, this train seemed to be enormous!
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Waterloo -- Part One
Our family (minus Chilco) headed out to Ontario to visit my mom and dad and to attend David's cousin's wedding. Nate was a trouper on the airplane both there and back. However, I have noticed that WestJet has some sort of policy now where all the families seem to be seated (herded) to the middle section of the plane, around the wings. I should preface my next comment by saying that David and I are always conscious of the "don't let them be seated near me" looks other passengers give us in the lounge/pre-boarding area. So now, with all families within a four row radius on the plane, it is not entirely obvious whose child is the one crying/fussing/annoying other passengers. I am tempted every time some toddler screams or acts up to jump up, point to Nathan and announce, "Not my child. See, my child is quiet. My child is not disrupting your sleep/movie/flight. Okay? Everyone got that?" David thought it might be excessive to do that. I'm still not convinced.
Anyway, we spent 1 full day in Waterloo before dumping Nate with the grandma and grandpa (he still hasn't mastered those names, prefering to point and say "You"). We drove up to Barrie on the eve of the long weekend in the most budget of budget car rentals. Did you know that they still made cars without automatic locks and windows? We braved the stop and go traffic on the 401 and 400 (to Barrie), arriving at the hotel with enough time to shower, change and get stuck in downtown Barrie traffic. We arrived at the church with one minute to spare. I think I might have knocked over the bride in my attempt to barrel through the doors and into a pew before she walked down the aisle.
Never having been to a Catholic wedding, I was warned that they are long (1.5 hours) and include a full Mass. Thankfully, I mean, unfortunately, the groom is not Catholic, and thus the ceremony was a brief 20 minutes. My kind of service.
The reception was lots of fun. David actually said, "I'm not going to drink much because it will only make me tired." After driving him and cousin Tim to the bar after the party wound up, I don't think I saw him again until he stumbled home at 2:45 am. Famous last words... or something like that.
Here are some pics. Will write about the rest of the holidays in a later post.
David's cousin Meghan and her new husband Bruce.
The cake... another Aunt Kathy creation.
Us...
David on Aunt Ginny's knee. (Poor Aunt Ginny)
Doing the hokey pokey.
That's Sean's girlfriend Tina next to Claudia. She was a real firecracker.
The boys drinking from one of the centerpieces. They claimed it was a martini, but since the bar had no vermouth, I'm thinking that they were drinking straight gin. That may have been where the trouble started.
Anyway, we spent 1 full day in Waterloo before dumping Nate with the grandma and grandpa (he still hasn't mastered those names, prefering to point and say "You"). We drove up to Barrie on the eve of the long weekend in the most budget of budget car rentals. Did you know that they still made cars without automatic locks and windows? We braved the stop and go traffic on the 401 and 400 (to Barrie), arriving at the hotel with enough time to shower, change and get stuck in downtown Barrie traffic. We arrived at the church with one minute to spare. I think I might have knocked over the bride in my attempt to barrel through the doors and into a pew before she walked down the aisle.
Never having been to a Catholic wedding, I was warned that they are long (1.5 hours) and include a full Mass. Thankfully, I mean, unfortunately, the groom is not Catholic, and thus the ceremony was a brief 20 minutes. My kind of service.
The reception was lots of fun. David actually said, "I'm not going to drink much because it will only make me tired." After driving him and cousin Tim to the bar after the party wound up, I don't think I saw him again until he stumbled home at 2:45 am. Famous last words... or something like that.
Here are some pics. Will write about the rest of the holidays in a later post.
David's cousin Meghan and her new husband Bruce.
The cake... another Aunt Kathy creation.
Us...
David on Aunt Ginny's knee. (Poor Aunt Ginny)
Doing the hokey pokey.
That's Sean's girlfriend Tina next to Claudia. She was a real firecracker.
The boys drinking from one of the centerpieces. They claimed it was a martini, but since the bar had no vermouth, I'm thinking that they were drinking straight gin. That may have been where the trouble started.
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