Big and strong

We told Schuyler that good food makes you grown big and strong - healthy brain and big muscles.  Now, she (and her cohort) love showing us the results of their healthy eating.  Apparently, showing your muscles requires Schuyler to make a face like needs to go number 2.

Boy crazy

So a snippet from Schuyler's conversation at breakfast:
"I dreamed about Quinn (boy crush who left the island last summer). I keep thinking about stuff I don't want to think about, Dad. Boy stuff."

Has it started already?  BHS is looking more and more attractive for school.

learning the ropes at baby jail

 

 

So when I pick up Charlie from Baby Jail, I always try and sneak in to observe him in the wild and today I found him right at the top of this rope climbing wall.  I wasn't letting him climb the piddly little two foot high rope climbing wall on our climbing frame outside.  

family dinner

 

Auntie Ardleigh and Uncle Jamie spoiled us by taking us to Mid Ocean for an early supper so we all got in our fancy clothes in line with our fancy supper - a buffet with all the trimmings.  We all filled our tummies and eventually (as it was already past bedtime) the kids' attention spans began the break down and polite dinner conversation was no longer in their repertoire.  Fortunately, Auntie Ardleigh was even prepared for this eventuality (much more so than the kids' actual parents):  She pulled out toys, paper pads, and crayons from her magical bag and order was restored.  Really amazing.  THANK YOU!

the charlie push-up

 

 

So we've been trying to set a good example (and do ourselves a favour) but doing nightly exercises.  Sometimes you guys love it when we do this and do it with us.  Other times you freak out (well, Charlie freaks out) and want to try and prevent us by tugging on us and crying "No push ups!".  And then there are the times when you feel we just aren't pushing ourselves enough and feel a little "help" is needed in the form of an extra 30 odd pounds clinging to our backs while we do our push ups.  Thanks for the helps, kid.  

ducks and missiles

 

 

We got a bad night's sleep.  I'm not sure whose fault it was but it was some combination of Magic, Schuyler, and Charlie getting up throughout the night and then finally getting up for good way too early.  So Papa got up and tried to think of a way to clear out of the house so Mama could get some sleep because she had taken care of the kids for a whole week of shows while Papa did stand up at Just For Laughs.  So we headed down to Southampton Princess to get some brunch because (a) it was somewhere different and (b) it was far away.  After a reasonably successful brunch, we ran around the hotel and found the games room with arcade games.  I'm sure most psychologists wouldn't recommend first person shooter games for toddlers and a four year olds but it was much more about flying the planes and racing cars than it was anything else and they REALLY dug it!

bermuda pony racing

 

 

I have to admit I didn't truly believe we had pony racing here.  I'm not entirely sure I know what a pony is (I used to think it was a baby horse but I've been corrected on that).  I'd seen people trotting around the roads in their little pony harnesses.  I'd seen the signs advertising the races.  But i didn't actually believe they were real.  Until, Chris called and said he and Eli were there.  We sped down there but were too late to get in the stands.  Instead, we got to watch the final two races (rather dangerously) from the edge of the track.  It was brief but thunderous and stunned the kids (who were equally happy watching the horses chill out in their transport.   

table for two

 

Waiting for a table to open up at Monty's, the kids discuss the intricacies and complexities of life... and how many pancakes to order.

the fairy garden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back in the Arboretum, Schuyler dressed for the occasion, ready to greet her fairy cousins. It was a beautiful day punctuated by a phone call from your Uncle Richard to let us know that his second daughter, Ida, was born.  Beautiful.  I hope you get to spend some real time in the future with Uncle Richard and Aunt Lydia - they are special people who will make your life bigger and more interesting - they have for me.

botanical gardens

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2013 arrives

 

So, you probably won't believe this, but there were loads of headlines in the newspapers (if you are wondering what "newspapers" are, check the museums or Google them) and on tv about how the ancient Mayans predicted the world would end on December 21st 2012 so there were actually people who were concerned about this.  You'll find there are always people predicting the world will end and yet it always seems to keep on trucking along.  This is healthy though.  It's good not to take the world for granted.  The world kept going and we celebrated the new year by putting you to bed and having a glass of wine on the porch and going to bed at 10:30pm - your parents rock!

I don't like the number of this year.  I'm not superstitious about the number 13.  It's just I don't like the number as a whole.  As I'll probably tell you at some point, I have synesthesia which, for me means, I see colours when I hear music or see numbers.  2013 is yellow and red which are some of my least favourite colours (red's not too bad but yellow is just mean - did i mention the colours come with personalities?).  I know this is weird but, let's face it, your dad is a bit weird.

Schuyler will turn 5 this year, Charlie will be 3, your Dad will be (gulp!) 40 and your mother will be 27 again.  We're both working hard in our jobs to move up another rung this year so it may be a big year for all of us.  We can't believe how big you are getting (and how big we're getting!) but we're trying so hard to soak it all in and really enjoy you at these ages when you still want to play with us and a hug from us (or from you) will make everything better.  We love you more than you will ever understand.