New Words Coming Daily

Nathaniel's vocabulary is rapidly expanding: "What's that", "bubba", "hot dog", "Everyone!", "I'm Bacon", "Raindrop Bop",and today, a pretty darned good "hello". His attempt at his brother's name--"Carter"--is getting better, too. And of course, he's intent on mastering Mr. Spock's "Illogical"--but is it too much that I'm trying to work in "Kirk to Enterprise", too? Who says this stuff is bad for you?

Cleanliness Is Next To--Oh, Who Can Keep Up?

After a lively double-bath (Mom and Pops had better invest in new rain ponchos), Carter and Nathaniel roamed the upstairs in anticipation of another episode of "The Movers" on "the big TV". When you're only two years old and you're introduction to entertainment is through iPhones and flatscreen plasma TVs, where do you go from here? Amazing to consider that one day, they'll be looking at these old photos and home movies and laughing at how crude our technology was...

Bowmanville Bound: Pt. 3

Bowmanville Bound, Pt. 2

Leader Of The Pack

It's a father/son ritual--the boy's first bike--but somehow Grandpa got the one-up on me while I was off getting photos printed. He and Carter ended up in the sporting goods section and Carter became instantly enchanted by one of the tricycles on display. A real beaut, too--a red Radio Flyer special with a little storage hatch on the back! He took to it right away and was in no real hurry to get off it any time soon--and when I went back with him to take a look there was no doubt that this would be in possession in the very near future.

Soon, Carter and Nathaniel will be the three-sensations of Stanley Park--better get out of their way!

Cleanup In Aisle...Well, All Of Them...

It's a tradition during visits to take the boys out for a Wal-Mart run--after all, where else can the boys roam for miles uninterrupted and chow-down on fries under one roof? While Pops got new photos printed and Mom took care of essentials, Carter and Nathaniel kept Grandma, Grandpa, and Wendy busy by heading off into every nook and cranny. One day, when the boys are older, we'll tell them that Wal-Mart was once just a chain of stores, before they ruled the Earth, and no doubt the boys will groan and roll their eyes...

Bowmanville Bound, Pt. 1

Very few residents of the province of Ontario are what you would call "big fans" of Premier Dalton McGuinty, who seems to feel that increased prices and taxes are the price of "civilization" (I'll be floating that quote around in my brain while I'm waiting at the polling station next election, Mr. McG). But he did give us a much-welcome new holiday, "Family Day", which certainly helps break up the long, miserable Canadian winters.

Of course, a long-weekend guaranteed a visit from Grandma and Grandpa, so we packed up the car and headed out mid-morning to Wendy's new digs in Bowmanville (still getting used to the route. Viva Mapquest!).

Upon arrival, Carter dispensed with the pleasantries and headed straight for the computer, eager to get an Imagination Movers marathon going (he remembered that Dad had saved a YouTube playlist, accessible from anywhere). That meant Nathaniel could get more time with the great presents offered up: yet another variation on a talking Elmo, a cool froggie ball, and a Valentine's Day monkey!

The boys were glad to see Wendy, Thomas, and Steph again--even Mooch was more tolerant than usual. She must be getting used to them...

Photo Op

Only two-years old and the boys have already met their first political mucky-muck...welcome to the horrors of the "adult world" boyos. Today, the regulars at Shelly's Drop-In hosted a visit from local politician Rosario Marchese, NDP rep for the Trinity-Spadina district of Toronto. Marchese offered up a suitable reading of Eric Carle's "Baby Bear, Baby Bear" for Nathaniel, Carter, and their friends but would that be enough to secure votes in the next municipal election? Only if he can guarantee The Imagination Movers on every iPie...

The Road To Shelly's

Happy Valentine's Day 2011!

A New Friend For The Day

Karen had some personal business to take care of today, so she offered the services of her friend Rissa, who'd been the nanny of a family in the neighourhood until very recently (they'd moved to the U.S.). We had her come by to the house a day earlier to meet the boys and make sure we were all agreeable on the scenario, and her one solo day with the boys went off splendidly. Within her first hour of revival, Carter had belted out almost all of his entire song list and Nathaniel brought over every book in his collection...

Highly Illogical

It might seem to the outside observor that I'm forcing my many interests/obessions onto my boys, but it's amazing what they pick up on and what they don't. Carter favours The Beatles early period, rather than my preferred later efforts, and "Where The Wild Things Are" is a complete bust, despite the presence of the stuffed monster dolls and the art hanging on their bedroom wall. But Nathaniel sure is interested in my "Mr. Bacon", is getting better at pronouncing "Superman" (who hangs over his bed), and has developed an enchantment with my Mr. Spock talking figure, which I picked up at Burger King toy nearly three years ago. All he does is stand there and utter "Your rescue attempt would be highly--illogical", but Nathaniel finds him hilarious. Let's hope he never learns the Vulcan nerve pinch...

Dancing With Himself

Carter has taken quite a strange interest in my iPod boxes--which I took out of storage to look for a TV connector--so much that he spent the better part of Saturday stacking them up and talking to them, singing them songs, etc. Well, imagine my surprise when he suddenly burst into an impromptu-dance-routine, and began to shout song lyrics. One set I was able to make out was "dancing by myself!" which, of course, the title of a huge Billy Idol/Generation X song from my glory days in the early 80s.

When I tracked it down on YouTube (it has everything, after all), he recognized it instantly and started bopping around the kitchen. Apparently, Gabby's birthday party the previous day consisted of a lot of 80s hits, so likely, he heard it there. Still, the fact that he picked it up after one viewing is amazing--I've heard The Rolling Stone's "Brown Sugar" probably a thousand times since I was a kid and still can't tell you the opening verses...

Race To The Top

First prize is--bed time!