Months have passed

So much has happened, the kids have done so much growing!

Things to not forget about right now:

- how when you go in to check on Luca at night, he has tucked in his two bears under his Montreal Canadiens blanket on top of the duvet, so they are comfortable
- how Annick sings 'North Star' from Peppa Pig
- how Annick will call, "yoo 'oo!  Je suis là!" when she wants your attention
- how Luca still cannot say his English Rs and says things like 'owwinge bear', 'wun!  Wun faster!' and 'turn awound and awound'.
- how Annick will give you a squeeze and say, "squeeeeeze!"
- how Luca makes fantastical vehicles and large-scale operational buildings out of duplo
- how they both still love the post-bath nudie run and subsequent tickle
- how they only want to help in the kitchen so they can lick the utensils ("je peux licker le bol maintenant, mama")
- how Luca quietly talks to himself when he's playing, narrating the events
- how Annick puts her little dollies to bed and gives them bisous and sings them songs
- how both of them ROAR when you mention dinosaurs (Luca's favourite still being the "dinosaur rex")

Enjoying the winter sun in St Kilda.

Port Phillip Bay in winter.  Probably still warmer than Lake Ontario in summer.

Definitely not a little baby any more :(

Watching Sam le Pompier with great intensity.  I don't let them watch it any more, the stupidity of the 11 people who live in Sam's town was making me crazy.  How are they not all dead from fire by now?

Annick puts a selection of toutous (including Stephen Harper) to bed.

In the park, well protected from head injury.

Luca has decided it is time for him to start climbing the rope ladder and coming down the fireman's pole.  Some practise still required.

At the Pastello children's art exhibition in NGV.  They drew with their heads in perfect synchronisation, it was very entertaining.

Unnervingly fascinated by this ridiculous video art installation of a man dropping small things through a hole in his pocket so they came out his trouser leg.

The awesome feathered bears currently in the NGV foyer!

At the NGV Kids Club, doing le bricolage.

Getting to grips with a glue stick.

One expert balance biker, one novice, one human training wheel.

Vroom!

She sat under this stool for a good half hour, wrapping the telephone wire around the legs.  Who knows how two year old brains work.

Bringing the bricolage home!

Luca tries out some phonics programs.  He's great at recognising his letters (has been for a long time!) but still grappling with the idea that letters correspond to sounds.

 Great helpers, expert bibine hunters.

Luca - 4 years old

Luca at 4
- Nicknames: garçonnet, ti-gars, mini-beau, mini-gars, cheeky monkey, honeybun
- Personality: a squishy little bundle of oddity, punnery, vehicles, contrariness, smartarsery, affection, reservedness, self-control, no self-control (depending on what for), laughter, imagination
- Favourite books: Tintin, Dr Seuss, books about vehicles, Maisy, Put Me In the Zoo, Rapido dans la ville, SamSam
- Favourite things to watch: documentaries about vehicles, Peppa Pig, Toc Toc Toc, Bananas in Pyjamas, Caillou
- Favourite toys: Duplo/Lego, trucks, planes, groceries
- Favourite things to do: build things out of duplo or Lego, cook, organise, make the shopping/faire l'epicerie, deliver things, watch the rubbish trucks

Luca is a boy of imagination, who creates worlds to play in that you can almost see as he goes about (and narrates) his business with whatever tools and toys he has to hand, and the infinite resources of his ordered little brain.  He especially likes to play the grown-up - shopkeeper, construction manager, homeowner.

He prefers to do things only when he is ready.  He might LOOK like he needs to go for a wee, wiggling about on his bottom like a hyperactive beetle, but actually "I'm just warming my bundt mama" and he will tell you when he needs a wee when he's ready (which is generally at the very last minute).

He is brave even though he tells you things are scary, although he'll run to the other side of the room with a cheeky smile when the dark bits of storybooks come up (or when a tickle is about to happen).  He is stoic in the face of scary things such as needles, and understands that scary things sometimes have to be endured.

His grasp of both of his languages is improving exponentially, although he is still mixing them up (probably mama's fault) and comes up with sentences like "Annick va sleeper chez nous Nonna?" or "Nonna va sitter là Papa?"  A month in Montreal has done amazing things though.

He is quick to tears and easily frustrated, but easily comforted and distracted with nicer things.  He loves to help and to take responsibility, but equally likes to have things done for him and would rather have someone put on his shoes than put them on himself.

He likes to get his little sister into trouble - if he is told not to do something, he sneakily tells Annick that maybe she should have a go at the forbidden action.  He LOVES to read stories and ask questions that he already knows the answer to.  He says he doesn't love Papa, but boy does he love Papa.  He also adores his little sister and especially his Mama.

Bonne fête ti-gars - on t'aime, toi aussi!

Annick - 2 years old

Annick at 2

- Nicknames: babylady, minibelle, mini-fille, Madame Pet, fillette, sweet banana, tiny one
- Personality: a whirlwind of energy, giggles, sulks, jokes, tantrums, artistry, stubborn independence, moist affection, shrieking hilarity, pouting diva-dom, heart-melting cuddles.
- Favourite books: Hairy Maclary, Maisy, Hooray for Fish, Very Little Red Riding Hood
- Favourite things to watch: Peppa Pig, Toc Toc Toc, Play School
- Favourite toys: dolls, vehicles, stickers
- Favourite things to do: draw, sing, investigate

Annick is the smallest member of the family but probably the loudest, always eager to dive head first into laughter and play, always quick to dissolve into indignant tears (less quick to emerge from them), always ready to play the little clown, not always ready to give affection when asked for but will generally give in after a few minutes and cover you with joyful kisses and proper squeeeeeezes.

She talks and talks and talks and talks, a little mimic and a persistent questioner.  Favourite phrases are "what's that?/c'est quoi ca?", "why?", "where [insert name here] gone?" and a ingratiating "pleeease?"  She loves to sing and where Luca will chat away to himself while he plays, Annick carols her little heart out, current favourite soundtracks include Row Row Row Your Boat and The Wheels on the Bus.

She has a strong grasp of her adorableness and likes to dress up, look pretty and check herself out in the mirror.  She also likes getting covered in dirt, tangling her hair and roaring like a dinosaur.  She will wear what she wants, thank you, not what you give her and is happiest in a 'petite robette' with 'couettines' in her hair, or alternatively, shorts and a t-shirt with an animal on it.

She still needs a sleep at lunchtime and cuddles at frequent periods during the day.  She loves to ride on papa's shoulders or wrapped up in mama's arms.  She also, at times, cries "I walk myself!" and won't even hold your hand, preferring to throw a tantrum if you try to grab her while crossing the road, so often crosses the road upside down in a pique.  She is always on the lookout for animals and has a sharp eye for planes in the heavens, or the moon in the daytime sky. 

She is serious in new company but doesn't take too long to thaw.  She will on occasion immediately take to someone, such as Uncle Kevin or mononcle Roberto, without the designated thawing period.  Her serious face is adorable, as is her joyous face.

Bonne fete Annick - nous t'aimons!

April 2014 - Annick 23 months, Luca 3y11m

 NEARLY 2 & 4!

Annick:
- stubborn as an ox, crafty as a fox
- Is very into pink, although sometimes I think her concept of what pink is might be a little dubious. 
- Mama: I got your blue dress out for you today Annick.
  Annick: I WANT PINK
  Mama: It's a nice dress!
  Annick: I WANT PINK
  Mama: It's got frills, like Nonna's dress, you'll like it.
  Annick: I WANT PINK
  Mama: (sighs) OK, we'll go and see if there is something pink.
  Annick: (disappears into bedroom, re-emerges clutching aforementioned blue dress) I found a pink one mama!
- When she says words in French and Ah Ma asks her, what does that mean Annick?, Ah Ma gets an airy "iss Fwench" in response, in a tone that suggests Ah Ma doesn't need to know any more than that.

Luca:
- loves to paint, is very good at doing flowers (one big long stem, a swirly top)
- getting quite interested in his letters and numbers and can count up to 20 now without missing any numbers, in both languages.  OK, he can count up to 19.  The concept of 20 seems to elude him a little at present.
- knows exactly how to push everyone's buttons
- still loves his duplo, still OBSESSED with rubbish trucks
- one of his favourite games at the moment is 'Delivery Man', where he delivers things in whatever vehicle he happens to be playing things, zooming along calling, "Livree man, livree man!"
- will not call people by their proper name if possible, usually goes with "Mr Moo Moo Ma", although also fond of calling his favourite people "super".  Super mama, super papa, super 6 kim poh.  Ends a phone conversation with mama with a cheery, "bye bye I love you super mama!" before dissolving into hysterical giggles.

A lovely little lady.

Cooperating in Mei Ling Ee's garden.

Taking Clara out in a kangaroo carry.

This does not appear to be a particularly secure prison.

Mmmmmmm... bread dough...

Say cheese!

Aunty Jess reads in French.  Luca and Annick are in hysterics.

Keeps the flies off.

Coffee time with Ah Koo.

Annick helps load the washing machine.

Watching the Stanley Cup playoffs.

March 2014 - Annick 22 months, Luca 3y10m

Miam, les macarons!

Annick:
- quite likes swimming lessons most of the time, is learning how to go underwater
- not eating very much these days, except for tamarillos and cheese
- talking up a storm, sentences, conversations, questions, everything!
- sings all the time, and like Luca when he was little, is a great fan of Baa Baa Black Sheep and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
- tantrums and screaming, ohmygod
- does not take kindly to being teasingly told off on the tram by strangers for pressing the next stop button when she shouldn't - overdramatises about it ALL THE WAY HOME
- still the little artist, drawing all the time
- Luca is now 'Luca' instead of 'Tootar'
- a devoted mama to her little baby Clara (or 'Clahwa'), although which dolly is Clara seems to depend on which dolly is closest to hand.

Luca:
- singing!  Makes up all these ridiculous songs, probably because he can't remember the words of the song he is trying to sing, so just fills in the gaps with whatever he feels like.
- dancing!  We thought Annick was the tiny dancer in the family, but Luca has really pulled out all the stops this month.
- really knows how to push Annick's buttons and takes great delight in doing so.  Has spent much of March in time out.
- loves to watch 'C'est pas sorcier' on youtube with papa, especially the one about les vieux avions.
- is steadfastly denying the concept of grammatical gender - Papa: LE marmalade est un garcon, et LA confiture est une fille.  Luca: NON!  Le marmalade est le marmalade et la confiture est la confiture!

Annick brushes Clara's, erm... feet.

Luca likes his new blue hoodie!  It has POCKETS.

Annick's hair is beautiful but untamed.

MWAH.

A rare day of adorable sartorial coordination.

Two of Luca's absolute favourite things: vehicles and arrangement.

Ah koo gets kisses these days instead of hysterical screaming.

Luca and mama go to Moomba and eat an ice cream.

Annick in her stripey top, spotty skirt, wellies and towel dress.

Mama bought Luca a dressing gown with a rubbish truck on it - no better gift was ever received.

Papa is sad because Annick is mocking him.

What happens when Papa gets Annick dressed for the day.

Annick loves to draw on her little drawing plane.  Draw, erase.  Draw, erase.  Draw, erase!

 Luca is a dancing machine.

She's an easy lover

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!

The beach is most valuable for the sand.

Annick is a little buried treasure.

Luca wraps up warm!