Furry friend

Magic and Charlie are not friends.  Charlie adores Magic but largely only because Magic is the one 'person' in the house over whom Charlie has some dominion and control.  Magic suffers Charlie's frequent, almost violent attempts at patting him only because Charlie also often has food (either intentionally or affixed somewhere on his person from whatever meal he last refused).  

Accident & Emergency

While Papa was taking his mock exam for CFA L3, Mama Bear was left to tend to the cubs.  Unfortunately, as fate would have it, the girl was writhing in pain early that morning (pain strangely absent in the photos) which she never does because she is seemingly without pain receptors most of the time.  Of course, it was a Saturday (so doc's office is closed) so they gamely used up the resources of the Emergency Dept at the hospital before ballet.  Luckily (!?), the effort was worthwhile.  Schuyler had a massive ear infection and a fever so they sorted her out.  And she still went to ballet.  That girl can deal with pain, man!  Must get it from Kim!

Behold the mighty iPhone

p.s. Charlie is fully aware he is not supposed to be standing on the table.  That is exactly the reason he is doing it.

Pick me up

The drone of any schedule can weigh you down.  Some days it seems like Groundhog Day every day, adhering to the same old grind, same work, same people, same chores, same monotonous rigour.  But some days, the same old thing is exactly what you're in the mood for.  Picking up the kids is one of those daily chores that I look forward to most.  I've been away from them just long enough to be really looking forward to seeing them again.  And, at this age at least, they tend to greet you with a cocker spaniel like enthusiasm.  Suddenly, you feel love.  These little people are all yours.  You get to be their Mummy and Daddy.  Sometimes you don't want to be a Mummy or Daddy and you just want a moment to yourself where nobody needs anything from you and you can just relax.  But most of the time, knowing you are the only Mummy and Daddy they get is a terrifying, great big honour.  It makes you want to be a better person.  When we pick them up, the smiles you see above are the reason we do almost everything.   And, overall, it is really worth it.

Crazy driver

Like his sister before him, Charlie loves this car.  Unfortunately, he drives the car like a drunk frat boy, banging into crashed motorcycles and consistently standing on the seat of this wobbly toy surrounded by hard, child-bone-breaking tiles until we pay attention to him... Mr. Scamp, we are not amused.

Mystery Virus

So Charlie spiked a fever.  And had some bizarre rash on his belly.  So Baby Jail sent him home because there were cases of Hand, Foot, and Mouth going around.  Luckily (?) it turned out to be something else altogether - some unidentified virus going around.  In any case, free trip to the aquarium for Charlie and rack up yet another sick day on the kids' behalf for the parents.  Grrr!

Sibs

special treat

While Papa neglects parental duties yet again due to studying, the kids get a sugary substitute which they appear to largely prefer to their Dad.

Kids, this exam is a very, very difficult thing for your dad to do.  It is hard to study and work and be a good, full time parent.  It's hard material in any case.  But it is one of the most rewarding things I have done too.  I hope when you are older, you take on things that scare you.  I hope you take on things that make you risk falling flat on your face.  It is only when you risk that you can know what you can actually achieve.  Or to put it in our little secret language:  Qui ne risque rien, gagne rien!  Go for it!  Don't be safe!  Don't just do the stuff you are good at or can do easily or you will trap yourself into thinking that is all you can do.  I did that for a long time and it was a big mistake.

mothers day cards

baby jail

Charlie's class photo.  We weren't going to do it.  We got the invitation in the mail for class photos and our response was "He's not even two!  We don't need a photo.  We have plenty (as this blog attests)."  But we're glad we did.  I love his pensive hand pose - not sure how they got him to do that!

For posterity, in the group photo are:

top row: Miss Tina, Mia (who likes you), Zachary, Milan, Denith (who was with you since you were four months' old at your old Baby Jail), Miss Shea

bottom row:  Charlie, Alyssa and Brandon (the latter two are twins)