What Are We Up To Now?

We're finally in to winter.  The rains have come, keeping us inside for longer resulting in a bit of cabin fever.   Leigh and I were fortunate enough to get out this past weekend and go to a hockey game in Melbourne - Canada vs USA - and it was great to get out and about and get a break for a bit.

Go Team Canada!

The boys are constantly on the go, and being stuck inside because of the weather doesn't stop their enthusiasm either.  In fact, they continue to grow bolder and more curious, and it worries me somewhat.    All I want to do is protect them and keep them safe, but I know I can not.   I am proud of their achievements and see such different abilities and strengths in each of them.


Levi - Almost 20 Months

Levi loves cars!

Levi has such a sweet nature about him.  He loves to spend time with his family, and absolutely adores his sister.  Throughout the day, he'll often come over to give her a cuddle and a "pat" on her back.  He has worked hard at pronouncing her name...slowly and deliberately - "Ahhh-leeee-yah!", he says.   He often thinks of others - especially Malakai (whom he calls "Ka-Kai").  When he notices that Kai doesn't have his dummy or blanket he will take it to him. Lately he has a soft spot for Pa and today just pointed out the window to where Pa had been building a gate earlier in the week, and shouted "Pa!"

He's beginning to practice speech more often these days.  His first favourite words to begin with were 'uh-oh' and "oh no!".  These terms were often in reference to his need in seeing everything done in the right order.  When things are out of place, he finds it very difficult to leave it - and shouts "uh-oh" continuously until the wrong has been righted.  For example if you dropped something on the floor, he'd stand by and shout "uh-oh" until you picked it up.  If it was something that he could fix himself, he would.   I have seen him put cloths away, and toys too.  His latest fanaticism is shoes.  "Uh oh" he shouts as if to say,  "Your shoes haven't been put away at the door", and off he goes to put them away for you!  He loves trucks and cars, and kicking the soccer ball.  If he was to pick a favourite toy, it would be his riding trike that we got him for his 1st birthday.  He also loves to jump, and could jump with both feet off the ground at 16 months.   He loves to climb and doesn't seem to show any fear at all - scary!!!! He absolutely loves to dance to music especially on the show Playschool, but his favourite show to watch is "Rah Rah" and often asks for it to be put on the TV.  He looks forward to swimming every Saturday and can swim underwater.

Just last week, he had an accident where Kai accidentally knocked over the old oil heater on his foot and smashed it.  Thankfully it wasn't broken, nor did he need stitches, but he needed some skin removed and two holes in his toenail to release the pressure under the nail.  He has been very brave as it begins to heal, hardly complaining about it at all.  What a champ!

Among many other words, he's also begun to say,
"Nin-now"- Window
"Oot" - Out!  (Usually to Kai to tell him off)
"Cruck" - Truck
"Ap....pull" - Apple
"Nack" - Snack
"Go...Cah" - Go In the Car
"RoRo" - Row Row Row Your Boat


Malakai- Almost 20 Months

Our little monkey!  Malakai is absolutely hilarious and is very cheeky and loves to tease.  He loves people!  He makes friends quickly, and seems to really love our friends daughter Rebekah who is 3.  The way he looks at her when she's here is amazing. He is smitten!  He will try to follow her and do everything she does.  He also loves it when people come to visit and used to cry when he had to say goodbye to people.

From early on, he was fascinated with music.  His favourite song currently is Muse's "Knights of Cydonia".  He often asks Leigh to play "Nah, Nah, Nah....Nah Nah Nah" and insists on the video so he can watch and sing along with the band and crowd.    He also loves to dance, and will make an effort to do the actions to music when he can.  His best feat so far is "Rock A Bye Bear".  He is great at rhythm already and bangs on the table in time when we sing grace.  I have often heard him singing as he plays.  Lately he has been dragging a large toy alphabet caterpillar around the house by the head and sings out as he does so.  Swimming and music class are his favourite activities.

Another bump on his forehead!

He does not sit still for long and he can not run fast enough, and has had a few accidents when his legs couldn't keep up with how fast his upper body was wanting to go.    Just today, he fell head first right into the tiles from running to quickly. When he hurts himself it is a dramatic affair.  Early on, I used to think that he was in a serious condition when he cried until I learned that he was very emotional - and often cried louder than was often necessary.  So it can be difficult to really know when he has hurt himself badly.  I have found a good measuring stick in Levi, who will cry along with Malakai when it is bad, and ignore him, when he is just asking for attention.

Malakai's favourite game is chasey (catch me if you can!) and he also loves hide and seek.  When it's time for bed, Malakai will race into the living room wildly looking for the best hiding spot before Leigh catches him and throws him into bed.  It is a game they play every night, and one he looks forward to the most.  If he is stuck somewhere where he can't hide when Leigh comes to get him, he throws his hands over his face and hides in the corner as if hoping his hands have made him invisible.

Kai loves shoes, and will often wear mine around the house for fun.  I also can see that he likes to look at how things work, and cleverly tries to figure them out.  If he does something good, and we miss giving him praise, he will clap and cheer for himself.  He is so cute!


Aliyah - Almost 7 weeks

You wouldn't think that Aliyah is up to much these days, but she is growing up fast.  She is capable of lifting her head already and rolling from her front to her back.  She seems to know when her brothers are around her, and actually relaxes.  She has received a number of head butts, and knees to the head from her brothers as they try to get close to her, but she rarely complains about that.

She is very vocal when she is hungry, and loves to be held.  She seems to respond really well to music especially if I am singing.  She looks cute in anything!

Little Princess