kanguragu: February 2014 - Annick 21 months, Luca 3y9m

Annick
- BITING. HARD. Luca has more than one teeth-shaped bruise on him.
- Feb 6 - a first real sentence: "papa aime la soupe" - although really, she was just trying to get papa to eat her soup so that she could have the promised "fromage gruyere". Tantrums might have ensued.
- sentences now flowing like water!
- says "tank you babbeh" when mama gives her things, probably because that's what mama says when Annick gives mama things (although more articulately)
- still calls Luca 'Tootar', although she can definitely say Luca if she really wants to, but she clearly doesn't.
- cannot say her hard Cs, so comes up with adorable sentences like, "I tooking pantakes mama!"
- makes up songs while she does things - eats noodles, sings "I like noodles! I liiiike noooodles!"
- loves tea parties and colouring in.
- had a complete meltdown because she found a photo of Luca when he was about 18 months old, wearing a pair of shoes that now belong to her. She was absolutely infuriated at the idea that she had to share her shoes with Past Luca and threw the biggest tantrum ever. She went over to the shoe cupboard to get one of Current Luca's sandals and threw it at Current Luca as if to say, "THIS is yours", then burst into furious tears.

Luca
- starting the PR campaign - "Annick is a naughty girl!", "Annick is mean!", "mama, look what Annick is doing!" but otherwise adores his little sister (except when she bites him)
- starting real swimming lessons - informs mama and his teachers that "it's a little bit scary" but we'll get there bit by bit. Papa had the genius idea to get him to launch himself into the pool like an A380 taking off, which at least gets him in the water.
- still obsessed with rubbish trucks and has set up a recycling system of newspaper fragments, bits of plastic and paper clips for picking up and sorting in the lounge room
- actually asked for a haircut and had one! The promise of watching Peppa Pig during it helped.
- eating like a horse
- might be ready to try a real bike, the way he nonchalantly glides along, feet in the air, on a balance bike.

Both kids still like to have 'Fait dodo, Colas mon petit frere' sung to them before going to bed (preferably by mama if they're playing power games) and Luca actually knows all the words now and sings along, albeit somewhat tunelessly. Annick only knows the key, or important words, such as 'gateau', 'chocolat' and 'bonbon'.

Luca in action.

She's got style, Annick. I'm not sure what style, but style nonetheless.

Nothing better for a bit of peace and quiet than 15 minutes of Caillou on youtube.

"Galop galop galop, ah dong!"

Luca also has a very special relationship with his Ah Kong.

Already on stage.

Luca builds a Mesopotamian tower at the museum.

Annick is ALL about the oil pastels.

And the shoes.

Luca makes a tanker truck from a milk bottle and a rubbish truck from a flour box! Or mama does.

When they're not annoying each other, they are playing together beautifully. There is not much in between.

Annick likes to play lying down these days.

We go to Kennett River and Annick drinks milk by the sunrise.

Luca was very excited to see the bunk beds and is happy to know that he and Annick will share one as soon as she is big enough - Luca will go in the top bunk!