the first dip 2010

It was such a gorgeous sunny Sunday on our weekend walk in Ferry Point Park that we decided to indulge Schuyler's affection for "swimmin". Schuyler was ecstatic about her first swim of the season. Dad perhaps not so much.

1 2 3 Ardleigh cook nana bread

Some of this language stuff appears to be sinking in... i'm so proud. I'm also slightly worried that i'm becoming one of "those" parents... y'know, the kind who force a skill like writing their name at way too young an age on their kids through sheer brute force repetition. She does seem to love to count though. She does it as she settles down to sleep while we're not there. I'm sure she sees sheep.

nonstop

Schuyler experiences her first fruit smoothie... and her first "ice cream headache"

fortunately, she shows no shame in taking a wee in public... this skill will get her through college parties.

This game is called "Terrify Your Parents" and largely consists of constantly ascending and descending a wet, slippery ladder at a recklessly fast pace...

fortunately, like all games she plays, they end in sugar plums dancing 'round her head.

exploring

time out

This was one of those moments when you see the calculations going on inside your kid's head. Eli was put in time out against the wall for throwing a rock. Schuyler wanted to be in time out with him and sidled up next to him. Eli promptly told her to go away since she wasn't in time out. So our Schuyler walked over, picked up a rock and threw it and then went over to join him "Schuyler time out". Smart cookie. Although her methods are a little worrying.

dolphins

baby dolphins! only a few months old...

Schuyler's is not content to be a spectator. We spent most of our time preventing her from jumping into the dolphin pool. Being two years old, she burst into paroxysms of tears and frustration. A fruit yoghurt eventually soothed the savage beast who seemed less interested in the gigantic water-bound mammals than she did in the opportunity to swim.

field trip: destination dockyard

So Chris and Michelle had a great idea to go to Dockyard so we gathered out potty training daughter plus our new ubiquitous portable toilet and hopped on the ferry with them. This is the beginning of our adventure...

the fun never ends...

Trystan and Schuyler spent most of the day in various forms of undress in and out of paddling pools. We're saving these pictures for 21st birthday party slide shows.

refreshments

party time!

Excerpt from the evite to Schuyler's party:

We have managed to keep our daughter, Schuyler, alive for two full years, so we are celebrating!

This party has no theme. There will be kids. They will be loud and quite possibly crying. Hence, beer/wine.

There will also be cake in some form. There may be people you don't know there. Hence, beer/wine.

If the weather holds, there will be a wading pool (which will begin as 100% water). There will be a small climbing thing with a slide. Hopefully, a little bouncy castle (thanks, Chris and Michelle!).

There will be nibbles and beverages that are not beer/wine. There will be conversations about child rearing, schooling, vocabulary and poop. Yes, it's yet another kid's birthday party but you know it's always more fun than you think it will be (remember, beer/wine!).