Annick 34 weeks, Luca 31 and a bit months

Summer's here!

Annick:
- standing on her own!  While leaning on something and with helicopter parent insurance
- taking steps!  Only with her left foot.
- yayayayayayayayayaya, plus SHRIEKING
- still eating like a champ, eating chunky things with gusto
- picking up little things between her thumb and forefinger
- can tummy shuffle about the floor and is surprisingly mobile in the bath
- snotface poopybutt

Luca:
- talking up a storm, plus still a little perroquet
- saw his first movie!  The Lion King.  Was a bit scary.  But wanted to see it again straight away.  Then two days later went to IMAX with papa to see a movie about coral reefs.
- finished his first Tintin (l'Etoile Mysterieuse).  Mama has to go get another one now.
- learning how to throw and catch!  Better at the former.  Absolutely rubbish at the latter.
- all about the 'nonononononononono!'

Is a bit whingy when she's sick.

Cous cous is not the most tidy of early foods.

Nor is apricot.

Luca helps papa with the balcony garden which is thriving under his care.

Here you go mama, for your tea.

I think we might end up being a Lego family.

Check out the standing up!

Second popsicle.  Understood the point of it this time.

A pretty lady.

Who needs to be taken seriously.

Luca shows Jemima the musical Christmas box.

The ceiling is FASCINATING.

From about a month ago, but Annick, like Luca at the same age, knew EXACTLY what to do with a noodle the first time she was faced with one.

Joyeux Noel 2012 part 2!

Luca helped EVERYONE open their presents.  This one was Ah Kong's.  It was a can of duck cassoulet.  For reals!

Luca's favourite present - the duplo!

Annick makes sure there is Christmas Ferrero Rocher.

Our cute little man in his Christmas hat, shirt and non-Christmas bib.

Luca and Ah Ma!

Papa and Annick!

The ladies show off their awesome Christmas presents.

A visit from Santa!  Luca is not quite sure.

6 Koo just wants his gift already.

Annick is appropriately alarmed.

Joyeux Noel 2012!

Papa and mama gave Luca a baseball glove and ball - yay!  His favourite present was a set of duplo from Ah Ma and Ah Kong which was a little market stall and truck with vegetables and a cat.  Also a Jemima dolly from Father Christmas who now goes everywhere with him.

Annick's favourite present was access to all the wrapping paper and empty boxes.

Jason received this handy wine preserver from Khim and Michael for all those times when we don't finish the bottle of wine.  One day it will happen!  And we will be ready!

A beautiful book of La Fontaine's fables from Nonno.

Poor Annick, Luca wouldn't let her look at the beautiful music box from Nonna.  So it begins.

Ah Kong and Luca have a cheesy Christmas portrait!

There was only a bit of food.

The now traditional roast pork and potatoes.

Ee Kiong koo and Aunty Jess try not to make Annick cry.

It was silly hats all round!

Ho ho ho!  Merry Christmas!

Annick 32 weeks, Luca 31 months

Little poppets.

Annick:
- more sickness, poor little lady, including what we thought was measles but turned out to be roseola
- didn't poop for three days then pooped six times in one day
- shakes her head 'no' all the time (admittedly does not actually mean 'no' when she is doing it)
- shrieks of delight, particularly indoors
- Grabby McGrabby
- likes eating paper

Luca:
- learning to swear like Capitaine Haddock - "Tonnerre de Brest!"
- comes out with sentences like, "Luca sit in the carosse, the babylady goes in mama"
- very taken with the sparkliness of Christmas and particularly fond of trimmed Christmas trees and street decorations
- sometimes dribbling, sometimes not
- likes singing and dancing!

Annick asleep in the Ocah.

I was at the market with her on my back selecting some apricots when an African woman appeared at one side and a Chinese woman at the other.  The African woman laughed and said, "You are carrying your baby African style!  So you can work easily but your baby is always close and can hear your heartbeat."  The Chinese woman plucked at the fabric and said, "Doesn't she get hot in there?"

I would say that this was demonstrative of cultural differences in raising children, but that would probably be specious.

Caucasians usually ask me whether it is hard on my back.

Annick deals with the NHL strike in her own way.

Luca gets down with the watercolours!  By the end, admittedly, everything was just 'black'.

I think she has enough toys.

Luca and papa enjoy the newly upholstered sofas!

Luca enjoys his first ever icy pole/popsicle.  Well, he looks like he's enjoying it but I think he thought it was a bit too cold and didn't eat it in the end.  Just licked it twice and said, "tastes good!"

Just because she's beautiful.

And so is he.

Making coffee with papa!

Waiting for her avocado toast and short mac at Caffe e Torta.

Luca's favourite thing - watching Playschool!

This week, a sibling special:

Reading together.

Sharing coco bongs.

Playing together.

Even more reading together.

Bathtime together.

Cantaloupe together.