Guest Starring Miles :: The Performance

Standing in front of 11 pairs of eager ears, Hugh and Miles gave a performance of a lifetime. They stood proud...and loud playing their beloved violins for their nursery school mates.They kicked off the concerto with their signature, Mississippi Hotdog. A tune played using only the E string. They followed and ended with, I Wish I Had A Motorcycle...also played solely with the E string. And as a surprising twist, Hugh called out to everyone to sing along. Sing along? Sure, why not. I wish I had a motorcycle. I wish I had a motorcycle. I wish I had a motorcycle. I wish I had a motorcycle. I wish I had a motorcycle. I wish I had a motorcycle. I wish I had a motorcycle. I wish I had a motorcycle.
It could have continued on and on...and it may have if it weren't for Hugh's sudden lift of his bow high into the air. He then swung his violin under his arm and took a deep...very deep bow. We knew then, and only then the piece had come to an end. All of us applauded...and by all, I mean... minus the one who covered her ears. Bravo Maestro Hugh. Bravo Maestro Miles.
xo

W

W is for ::Wishfully WatchingWinter WorkingWobbly WalkingWheel and barrowand lastly the The Letter W is for Whoa! What a Waistline!!!xo

The Letter W

xo

Growing Up

Hugh:: MOM! DAD! COME QUICK!!!!!
Us:: What is it Hugh? Are you okay?
Hugh:: Look!!! {pointing to his arm} Goooooood News! I'm strong now like Daddy. See?
Mummy:: Oh yes. Your muscles are so big!
Hugh:: NO! Not my muscles. LOOOOK.
Daddy:: {silence}
Mummy:: {silence}
Hugh:: Look! I have hair on my arms now. JUST. LIKE. DADDY! I'm strong!!
Us:: {bending down for a closer look...a little closer...a little closer...we spot one tiny questionable arm hair} Ah. Now we see. Wow...you really are growing up.
Hugh:: Yep. I know that already.

We forget sometimes Hugh won't be 3 forever...like when he's in the throes of a tantrum...or when he calls for us to play Builder in the middle of the night. Mysteriously, time stands painfully still during those moments. But then, he grows an arm hair. And suddenly I feel the urge to press the pause button on age 3. Sigh. It's undeniable, he and his arm hair are growing-up...really, really fast. xo

Sunday

Simple Pleasures ::
Favourite colours...so long pink, hello blue.
{Aunt Eleanor, you may now reclaim pink as yours.}xo

Happy Birthday David!

Happy Birthday to the Daddy who fixes broken hydraulics and faulty caterpillar treads. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who can wrestle with his sons much better than the Mummy. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who pours the Mummy a glass of wine. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who makes the best egg sandwiches and buttered toast. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who cries when he laughs. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who invented Man Camp. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who soothes his baby son back to sleep...every night. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who buys good coffee. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who loves the colour orange. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who cringes only a little when the Mummy buys more yarn. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who tells the best monster story. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who can and does cook a lot more than egg sandwiches and buttered toast. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who teaches his son how to use tools safely. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who listens to cool music. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who works really hard. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who wraps presents perfectly. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who always, always does the laundry. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who loves to play with his sons. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who encourages the Mummy to carry her new mobile phone...and turn it on. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who scares away monsters. Happy Birthday to the Daddy who understands the Mummy's inability to properly count the minutes/ hours/days it requires to make a birthday present {late again! rats...sorry dear!}. And Happy Birthday to the Daddy who each and every day fills his family's hearts with laughter and love. Happy Birthday David!
We love you.
xo

Kinship

Just hanging about...in the doorway...chatting it up. A rather one-sided conversation, I imagine...but that suits Hugh perfectly fine. Having one another to talk to...to laugh with...to lean on, these are our wishes for Hugh & Arlo. This evening, from our dusty and crooked doorway, I'd like to believe they experienced a bit of all three...xo

Shhh...

Shhhh...
Did you hear that? No?
Welcome to Quiet Time. My most cherished...beloved time of the day. It may actually trump {sorry Nana} tea time, coffee time and even..cake time.From the warmth of one little chest kissing mine, I thank you Quiet Time.
xo

Meet Builder

"Mooooommmmmmyyyyy, time to come upstairs and play Builder!!", screams Hugh from his bedroom. If we ever cross your mind during the day...and you wonder what we are up to...you might as well answer yourself, 'Playing Builder.' We created an imaginary...ongoing construction site in Hugh's room about a year ago. I play the voice of 'Builder' {whose accent wobbles between an Englishman and Gomer Pyle}. Hugh is commander of the construction site. He is the machine operator, architect, demolition expert and task master. Arlo is the foreman. Always the foreman...a job I wouldn't so much mind trading with him. You see, as Builder, it is my job to play with a machine chosen by commander Hugh. I don't always agree with his choices. One time, he gave me a wheelbarrow missing its wheel. So really it was just a barrow. He had all sorts of tasks for my barrow. Another day I was given a broken plastic scoop. Not the machine...just its missing scoop. Unfortunately I made it look too interesting and he decided it was his turn to play with it.
"Here Mummy...I mean Builder...you take this."A two-dimensional, painted puzzle piece of a bulldozer. For the life of me, I cannot make this look desirable enough for Hugh to take back. And so day after day, I push my flat bulldozer back and forth across the construction site....back and forth...and back again. Oh the sacrifices we mothers builders make to keep our sons bosses happy!xo

V

V is for ::
VroomVentVanityVoyeurand finally, the letter V is for Vilvaldi Violin Video

Via con Dios
xo

The Letter V

Remember this game? It's back!
The Letter V
xo

10 Months

Happy 10 Months Arlo!

Congratulations! You have officially lived outside of me longer than you did inside!
With all this living, tell us what you've been doing ::
Did you crawl this month? Yes.
Did you stand up this month? Yes.
Did you say 'Mama' this month? Yes.
Oh pardon me, I didn't hear you. Did you say 'Mama' this month? Yes.
One more time, did you say 'Mama' this month? Yes. Yes. Yes!
Did you grow your first tooth this month? Yes.
Did you grow another tooth this month? Yes.
Are two more poking through...at the same time this month? Yes.
Did you bump your head three times in the exact same spot this month? Yes.
Did you dump an entire pail of mop water all over you this month? Yes.
Are you strong? Yes.
Did you learn how to use a broom this month? Yes.Is that your favourite toy? Yes.
We thought toilet paper was your favourite toy? It is...look at my toes...left foot curl; right foot spread.But your toes told us the wheel was your favourite toy? That's true. And Hugh's door? Of course.
And the piano? That is not a toy. My word Arlo, you have so many favourite toys this month! Surely you must have one that tops all the rest...please tell us your true-blue favourite?My brother, Hugh.

We love you Arlo!
Happy 10 Months Old.
xo

Sunday

Simple Pleasures ::
Love...of course.Happy Valentine's Day!
x0

Saturday

Simple Pleasures ::
Over indulgence...just a little...only sometimes.xo

After School

With the contents of his Valentine's school pouch spilled out on the table...Hugh declared,
"Wow. I sure am loved!".We read each of Hugh's cards carefully again and again. And turned the other way as Hugh licked his fourth Red Food Dye No.40 sucker. After all the foil from the chocolate hearts were picked up off the ground...we agreed,
"Yep, you sure are!"xo

Hugh's Valentine's Day Card

When most people find out they are pregnant, the first purchase they make is a book called, What to Expect When You're Expecting. When I found out I was pregnant {with Hugh}, the first purchase I made was a glossy magazine called, Martha Stewart's Kids Craft. For me, being a mother meant one thing, "CRAFTS!". I felt it terribly important that our growing fetus would need to know how to cut out a snowflake...how to work a glue gun...how to paint Easter eggs {with natural dyes, just as Martha would do}. Eventually, I was given a book on pregnancy, but it was always the craft magazines that really pumped me up for our new arrival.Imagine my shock when our 3 week old couldn't properly cut with scissors. At 8 weeks of age he couldn't decoupage. And I was most amazed that at the ripe old age of 6 months he wasn't at all interested in learning to knit.But now...but NOW...AT LAST...we are beginning to feel the craft vibe. Don't get me wrong, it's not something we do everyday. And I am often on hands and knees begging {and bribing} for a craft companion. But when a holiday comes calling...you better believe we are all cutting, gluing, glittering, felting...you name it...we are crafting up a storm. Martha would be so proud!
xo

Guest Starring Miles

Although it has been awhile since we have written about our dear friend Miles...he continues to play an important role in our daily lives. After spending all morning together at school, Hugh insisted invited Miles to come for a play date. And play they did...all the way through lunch, dinner, bath and bedtime...they never stopped.
"Please may we have a sleep over!?!" they begged.
"You're only 3! How do you even know about sleepovers?" we returned.
I guess when you are best friends....and your life has only existed with one another in it...you just know these things.xo

T.P.

Dear Toilet Paper,
We give you thanks.
As always, we thank you for the necessary....obvious reasons. But today, we also thank you for the years of entertainment you have provided for our children. We've seen how far your toilet paper highway can stretch. We've enjoyed endless hours of spinning tricks on your holder. We've saved your cardboard rolls transforming each one into the likes of puppets, microphones, binoculars and even musical instruments. We've appreciated how quickly you can dissolve when a slobbery-toothless mouth chomps down on your quilted layers. All impressive, indeed.

However...unbeknownst to us, you had one more talent yet to be revealed. Charmin, Cottonelle, Cashmere, Scott...whichever one you may be, we thank you for your uncanny ability to soothe our boy, Arlo. When he is tired, his heavy head finds comfort on you. When he is sad, his wet face falls to you. As long as you are in his grasp...{and nobody is threatening to release you... as thought by Arlo in the picture below}...all is well with his world. From the bottom of our hearts...as well as the bottom of our bottoms...Toilet Paper, we give you thanks.
xo

Sunday

Simple Pleasures ::Knee pads.
xo

Saturday

What did I used to love about bowling? The bowling shoes.What do I now love about bowling? Watching Hugh...oh man, true love!xo