Camping

This weekend we took Kale camping for the very first time. I was nervous about it (all that fire for him to be attracted to), but ended up having a fabulous time despite the mosquitos.

Chilling out in the sunshine with toys.

Playing in the mud (later he got a bath in the very same tub)

Attempting to escape from the tent. He mastered the art of it by the end of the weekend.

Sitting on the picnic table entertaining our friends Dan and Deanna.

On the way home we stopped off at Target in Bellingham. Beyond picking up a few shirts for all of us Kale learned that he could push carts. Everytime the cart crashed into a wall he would screeech until we moved the cart so he could continue pushing it back and forth back and forth. Our little boy is trying to walk.

"Two steps forward, two steps back

we go together 'cause opposites attract"

Kale and Alex have been opposites since the very beginning and it continues on today. Kale crawls and pulls up to standing. Alex sits and walks. Either way we had a good time hanging out and having dinner together tonight.


Kale looks like he is reaching for a little illicit boobie.

Kale finds the Dryer

hats...

Kale hates hats. He tears them off (even if they are tied on). He cries if he can't get them off. For sun protection I carry an umbrella rather than battle the hats. We inherited this adorable little cap and I have never been able to get him to leave it on though I try periodically. Tonight he left it on just long enough for a photo.

Sumi and Dan

A long time ago (1996) I met a fellow incoming freshman at orientation. Sumi and I enrolled for the same Chemistry course so we would see one another again and have been in touch ever since. Dan, her now husband, was also in that freshman Chemistry course and I remember studying for our first round of finals with them. Now they live way out in Denver where Sumi is doing her residency. They popped up for a visit today...

Dan Kale and I along the SeaWall.

Dinner...Kale still won't look at the camera.

Hanging out with the fishies at the Aquarium.

Kale finally warmed up to them and was reaching out for a rescue from boring Mum and Dad.

All photos courtesy of Sumi and Dan.

Swimming with Grandma Again

Grandma Kitch is in town for the weekend so we headed out to our favourite outdoor pool for some swimming and french fry eating (Kale's first and surprise surprise he loved them). Kale loved the water and splashed and kicked to his hearts delight. He even put his head under water, though he wasn't too thrilled with that experience.

Visual Eavesdropping

(it sounds better than spying)

For the past few weeks we have been watching our neighbors across the street (we don't know them at all) whip their house and yard into shape. They powerwashed the fences and tile roof, replaced their front door, pruned, mowed, edged, installed solar pathway lights, and then they hung out Christmas lights. At this point I began to wonder if it was a wedding. They are an East Indian Family and we all know from Bend it Like Beckham that Christmas Lights are hung out to celebrate a wedding.

This evening they hung garlands of flowers over the door so we figured something was happening and sure enough a little while later there was a whole crowd of people outside the house. They were dressed to the nines in gorgeous sari's and suits and there seemed to be some serious bantering going on between the people inside and outside the house (including singing). It was great fun to watch and we wish we understood more of what was going on. Too bad we didn't get to know our neighbors before this happened. Smiles.

Mr. Handsome

Our friend Lilia took this photo at Clara's 1st Birthday Party.

Really *#$% Cool New Chair

Grandma and Grandpa Mosksowitz bought us this new chair a few weeks ago and it arrived yesterday. It may look like a simple glider chair but just like cars the features matter. This chair glides, reclines and....swivels; combine that all with the sleigh frame and you have the chair of our dreams. Here are some pictures of Kale claiming ownership of his new chair. We claimed ownership of it last night when I rocked him to sleep (so asleep that I could have dropped him from waist height onto the bed and he wouldn't have even stirred). Thanks so much for the wonderful gift, I am confident we will use it every day.

42 weeks and 2 days

Kale has been living on the outside for longer than he lived inside me. This feels like a momentous milestone, his life is more his than mine, even if he still likes to be carried and cuddled much of the time.

Kale Bug,

Over the past 42 weeks and 2 days you have become the most amazing little boy. Every day I love watching what new things you discover and pay attention to even if they aren’t always what I would like you to be paying attention to. You are absolutely fascinated with the world around you even if you only want to look at it from the safety of my arms and legs.

This past week you have been going diaper free a lot because there is a heat wave going on here in Vancouver. Sometimes while you are cruising* around you pee. When the pee hits your feet you look down so surprised and then sit down to splash in the puddle that appeared at your feet. Every once in a while you realize the pee is coming out of your penis and wiggle it around so the pee sprays everywhere and not just on your feet.

You also have been pointing with your right index finger at anything and everything. We aren’t quite sure if you are asking us to bring the world to your fingertips or if you are just excitedly showing us everything you see. Today, however, you were nursing with your eyes closed and still pointing excitedly all around you so maybe you are pointing for the shear joy of pointing.

This weekend you started feeding us even though you still don’t like us to feed you. We were hanging out by the pool this weekend and you would take a bite of your rice cracker and then put it in my mouth for me to take a bite. Today you grabbed a snack out of my hands and took a bite and then put the rest of it right in my mouth. At dinner tonight your Daddy asked your for a bite and you put a pea right in his mouth.

You aren’t using words yet (other than the occasional mama or dada) but you talk constantly. Daddy and I forget that you understand what we are saying a lot of the time. Which you obviously do since you knew what we were saying at dinner tonight. We are working on it, please be patient with us. Eventually we won’t talk about you in the third person when you are right there in our arms.

Love,
Mumma

*Cruising - taking steps while holding on to the couch, coffee table, or other pieces of furniture for balance

Mixing Bowl Madness

Kale loves swimming at the pool. He giggles, splashes and had a grand old time. A few weeks ago I cleaned out the sandbox we inherited with our house and filled it with hose water, presto baby pool. The first time I set him in it he screamed and screamed. The second time I added boiling water so it was nice warm water, he screamed and screamed. The third time we sat near it and he crawled over and happily played with it from the outside. This week instead of filling the baby pool and trying to keep the water clean I just fill a mixing bowl with water, all the splashing spilling fun in a low effort no screaming package. Alex wasn't quite sure about this bowl full of toys and water so she grabbed a toy and scooted her self out of the splash zone to chew on it.

Popsicle Video

Well here it is, I have figured out how to put a video up on the web all by myself. Lets see if it works....

First Popsicle

I made some coconut milk apricot banana popsicles and gave Kale one today. He actually held onto the handle and licked it just like I would do with a popsicle. Stay tuned for the video....(if I ever figure out how to edit them).

Busy day at home

I turned my back for half a second and suddenly all of the cookbooks were on the floor. On top of the dirty laundry which had been spread out extensively.



The effort obviously exhausted him however as he went down shortly thereafter and has been asleep for 3 1/2 hours. He normally naps for 1 1/2 hours in the afternoon so this is a little unusual. 45 minutes ago he cried and I went in to get him but he wanted to nurse and then fell right back asleep. In the world of napping how long is too long? I never thought I would have to ponder this question. I am currently following the universal addage, never wake a sleeping baby.

Swimming

Here we are hanging out in the pool. Kale had a great time spashing and kicking in the pool and even withstood getting spashed by older kids jumping into the water.