Expressions of an 8 month old

Kashton is still toothless. Totally absent of a single pearly white.

But I know these days of gummy smiles are surely coming to an end. Both of my other children were around 10 months when the landscapes of their sweet little mouths changed forever... my guess is that it will be the same for Kashton.

In the meantime, here are some of the many faces he can make that I enjoy so much, with not a chomper in sight!

Friday Haircuts

My children were in desperate need of a little summer shearing, so we kicked off the long weekend in style with haircuts at Melonheads.

This was only Malachi's second professional haircut, the first being before his first birthday, so I was a little nervous about how he'd do. Worried for nothing... he sat like a champ, totally distracted by his choo-choo chair and with a little car for each hand. I had to reward his great behaviour with a new BUS, even if I was a little sad to see all those gorgeous mahogany locks all over the floor and my little boy looking like he was twelve. There's nothing quite like a haircut to grow them up in an instant!

Before:

After:

And the Princess getting pampered:

Quick notes from the homefront

Malachi is talking a lot! I haven't counted, but I bet he says well over a hundred words now. He says cheese, apple (ap-pow) and cookie. He sings along to "head and shoulders, KNEEEES and toes". He tries to copy everything we say, complete with hand gestures and tones. Like yelling at the dogs to stop barking at our poor mail lady. Or exclaiming "no no no" with a big frown as he empties the recycling bin for the 50 billionth time today. Yikes.

He says "bookah bookah" for book and "bootah bootah" for boot. "You" involves a ridiculous amount of lip involvement, but he's pretty close most of the time, and his little mispronounciations make me laugh.

However, where this comes from I'll never know:

Grapes is "blugghh". Every single time. I think he is trying to say the "gr" sound, and it comes out as "bl", and then its like he just gives up. Word vomit really, but so cute and weird.

Kashton is sitting up on his own momentarily. He's digging the jumperoo, and laughs at everything. I have to say, I find the 4-6 month stage really challenging. He wants to do so much but doesn't quite have the ability yet. It makes for a really long and challenging day, when he is no longer content to lie on his back. Another month, and hopefully he'll have mastered sitting up, and we'll be onto solids, so that should ease some of the disconnect between his brain and body. It's also been so fun to watch my two little boys develop a growing relationship. It's very obvious to see that there is real affection between them, and the older Kashton gets, the more I can see that these two are going to be great pals, and occasional sparring partners in the not too distant future.

Thyra, who could speak perfectly clearly by age 2, and could carry on a totally grown-up conversation, even throwing around words such as "prehensile", (I'm not actually kidding, and there's many a witness who can attest to her overly verbal abilities as a toddler), is still wowing us with her smarts. Her 3rd term report card today was full of glowing remarks and lofty percentages, and she is the recipient of an "honors with distinction" award yet again this term. So far she is an exemplary student, and I have my fingers crossed that she avoids the many pitfalls of teenage behaviour that I fell headlong into, and keeps up the hard work.

So on this normal Thursday afternoon, this is where my kids are at, and these are some things I don't want to forget.

In like a lion?

All day I noticed the sun shining.  I saw the little patches it left on the kitchen floor, where one heat-seeking canine curled up in its warmth.  The other lolly-gagged on the back steps, basking in its spring-like rays.   I heard the drip drip drip of snow melting off roofs and eaves, but noted that there was no rustle of branches.  It had all the appearances of a perfect day.  All was calm, peaceful and sunshiny and I was inside.  

My children, well the littlest ones, were not cooperating with any attempts to transition our day from within the confines of our domicile to the freshness of the great outdoors.  Finally, at 4 o'clock, when Thyra's pleasant, smiling face appeared, we donned coats and boots and hustled outside before the temperature dipped, and the sun's last rays faded into evening. 

It was wonderful.  Sloshy, mucky, and wet.  Wonderfully wet.  

We meandered over to the park, Malachi in his stroller, Kashton strapped snuggly into the carrier.  There were plenty of other kids and parents enjoying the balmy afternoon. You know it's been a long winter when 11 degrees above 0 feels balmy.

Malachi had a ball.  He swung and slid, teetered and tottered and like any normal toddler, grabbed handfuls of gravel to sift between his fingers.   There was laughing and shrieking and much clapping of hands, as he enjoyed a much-loved activity that has been on hold for way too long, thanks to alternating bouts of illness upon illness and freezing cold weather.

We were all smiles and glee and then a milestone of sorts occurred.  Malachi capped this little outing by a decently-sized temper tantrum at being told it was time to go.  Until now, he has always just agreed and been happy to follow us, regardless of where we've been or where we're going.  Today his little mind figured out that the park was much more fun than home, and that his timetable wasn't jiving with mom's.  

Although though he calmed down pretty quickly, and I was actually amused at his reluctance to leave,  this new development is making me a little nervous.  I'm wondering if this is going to become the new routine whenever we're at the zoo or the pool or a friends or anywhere he's having a great time.   Hopefully today's little display was partly, ok mostly due to the fact that he was probably scared spitless that once we left he wouldn't see another playground for weeks on end.  

Here's hoping for stroller-rides and swings a plenty in the very near future.  And weather and dispositions more lamb-like than lion.

All over but the crying...

It's so exciting when they first fall out - those little pearly bastions of childhood. I mean what says "little girl" better than pig-tails, bobby-socks and a gap-toothed grin?

There comes a time however, when even the last, most tenacious hanger-oner succumbs to frantic wiggling and falls out.... leaving a mouth full of only adult teeth in the head of my tween, and a pink slip for the Tooth Fairy with thanks for services rendered.

And at the sight of a few tears brimming in my eyes, as I mourned her passing youth, my quickly becoming teen-aged daughter responded in a way so befitting of this new chapter in her life, and said in a rather mocking and semi-embarrassed tone:

"Are you crying?"

Hope has her FIRST birthday

Family day we helped celebrate the first birthday of this little cutie!

What better way is there to spend Family Day than with a whole bunch of family?

(even if it isn't your OWN!)

Birthdays, milestones and stuff...

Can I just say how pleased I am that my husband is finally celebrating the last year of his 20's?

He likes to harass me about my age, and the fact that I am in a whole other age range than he is, but in 365 days, the mocking will cease. Well until I turn 40??

I think I will begin a countdown to his 30th birthday. Everyday I will rub my hands together in evil anticipation of the nearing of his middle-agedness.

For now...

Happy 29th Birthday Husband!

(enjoy every minute!!)

Kashton is also 4 months old already, and has entered the era of the bib. He's figured out how to blow bubbles and make raspberries, and he is constantly covered in spit and drool. It's so cute, and so icky all at the same time. But I could seriously eat that kid up. He gets more delicious every day, and is so full of smiles and glee that I can't resist him.

Malachi's word of the week is "uck", as in YUCK. He says it every time I change his or Kashton's diaper.

I think he has the concept down.

Words this week

Grandpa

Taco

Boot

New words Malachi likes to say.