How Luca was upset that we didn't have a stall at the market because then we couldn't employ him informally and pay him a wage
How Annick explained a new game she learned at school where you have to decide whether you want to kiss, kill or marry someone or something and it is definitely called 'Kiss Calamari'.
How Annick wants to be a teacher when she grows up so she can be the one who writes on the board and Luca wants to have a shop where he sells things, "a toy warehouse, no a toy land!" With an extra big lego section
How happy I feel when I think about coming home to them
Sunday, May 05, 2019
Friday, October 12, 2018
Winter 2018
Luca, on learning that the first course might be called the 'starter', decides that the next two must be called the 'middler' and the 'ender'. Annick, meanwhile, thoughtfully wonders whether it is called an entree because it is served on a tray.
Annick: If you marry a boy, you can't have a baby. If you marry a girl, you can't have a baby.
Mama: How do you have a baby then?
Annick: Well mama, womens and mens have different parts inside their bodies.
Annick making her first French play on words, talking about a cereal called 'Puffin' - "Apres on mange des puffins, on aura pas faim!"
Luca, explaining he had eaten "hot dogs a la creme", and papa having to explain quietly that he means chocolate eclairs.
How they have been watching Masterchef and go to bed and pretend they are contestants, describing what they are about to cook to each other. "Well Luca, I'm going to cook a, um, raspberry ice cream with chocolate and caramel." And how it evolved the next night into the toutous being on Masterchef:
- Carey Ours: Well Annick, I'm going to cook..."
- Annick: No, in Carey Ours language.
- Carey Ours: Carey Ours Carey Ours Carey Ours.
- Annick: What does that mean?
- Carey Ours: It means, I'm going to cook, um, tuna, um, tuna cream pie.
Annick: If you marry a boy, you can't have a baby. If you marry a girl, you can't have a baby.
Mama: How do you have a baby then?
Annick: Well mama, womens and mens have different parts inside their bodies.
Annick making her first French play on words, talking about a cereal called 'Puffin' - "Apres on mange des puffins, on aura pas faim!"
Luca, explaining he had eaten "hot dogs a la creme", and papa having to explain quietly that he means chocolate eclairs.
How they have been watching Masterchef and go to bed and pretend they are contestants, describing what they are about to cook to each other. "Well Luca, I'm going to cook a, um, raspberry ice cream with chocolate and caramel." And how it evolved the next night into the toutous being on Masterchef:
- Carey Ours: Well Annick, I'm going to cook..."
- Annick: No, in Carey Ours language.
- Carey Ours: Carey Ours Carey Ours Carey Ours.
- Annick: What does that mean?
- Carey Ours: It means, I'm going to cook, um, tuna, um, tuna cream pie.
Sunday, June 10, 2018
Luca 8yo and Annick 6yo
Luca at 8
Nicknames - binou, bibi, little guy, ti-gars, bugarug
Personality - cheeky and stolid, occasionally inescapably emotional, a bright and curious outlook on life and his favourite place is reading in his chair by the window. Still a little one, still full of careful affection and gentle observation, but growing up bit by bit. A sweetheart to the stars.
Favourite music - things with drums, something to throw himself around to, a good solid beat is always welcome
Favourite books - Ninjago books, Pokemon books, still with all the information books, can occupy himself with a Lego catalogue for HOURS. Treehouse books (just pre-ordered 104 today!), the Bad Guys, Dogman.
Favourite shows - c'est pas sorcier, Dangermouse, NHL hockey highlights with papa, Ninjago
Favourite things to do - build Lego and has branched out into his own inventions rather than sticking to the models, particularly vehicles with special features; reading in his chair; setting up worlds for Stephen Harper and Orange Bear
Annick at 6
Nicknames - mini, bebe, squish, ladybaby, my lovely one, boubou
Personality - increasingly dramatic, effervescently imaginative, caring and soft-hearted, a bundle of giggles and wit and pouts and writing signs that say "don't come in this means you mama and papa" spelled really badly. My delightful, helpful, hilarious little squish.
Favourite music - modern pop, especially Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith. Also girl power.
Favourite books - Barbie books, princess books, but also Treehouse, the Bad Guys, Dogman and her monthly Pomme d'Api
Favourite shows - My Little Pony, Barbie Life in the Dreamhouse, Octonauts, Dangermouse, Samsam and Toc Toc Toc.
Favourite things to do - arts and crafts with her "arty-crafty things", making music, tumbling, dancing, going to the park, wearing her wheels to the supermarket, cuddling up for stories and chat, making tea for the toutous, making clothes for the toutous.
Nicknames - binou, bibi, little guy, ti-gars, bugarug
Personality - cheeky and stolid, occasionally inescapably emotional, a bright and curious outlook on life and his favourite place is reading in his chair by the window. Still a little one, still full of careful affection and gentle observation, but growing up bit by bit. A sweetheart to the stars.
Favourite music - things with drums, something to throw himself around to, a good solid beat is always welcome
Favourite books - Ninjago books, Pokemon books, still with all the information books, can occupy himself with a Lego catalogue for HOURS. Treehouse books (just pre-ordered 104 today!), the Bad Guys, Dogman.
Favourite shows - c'est pas sorcier, Dangermouse, NHL hockey highlights with papa, Ninjago
Favourite things to do - build Lego and has branched out into his own inventions rather than sticking to the models, particularly vehicles with special features; reading in his chair; setting up worlds for Stephen Harper and Orange Bear
Annick at 6
Nicknames - mini, bebe, squish, ladybaby, my lovely one, boubou
Personality - increasingly dramatic, effervescently imaginative, caring and soft-hearted, a bundle of giggles and wit and pouts and writing signs that say "don't come in this means you mama and papa" spelled really badly. My delightful, helpful, hilarious little squish.
Favourite music - modern pop, especially Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith. Also girl power.
Favourite books - Barbie books, princess books, but also Treehouse, the Bad Guys, Dogman and her monthly Pomme d'Api
Favourite shows - My Little Pony, Barbie Life in the Dreamhouse, Octonauts, Dangermouse, Samsam and Toc Toc Toc.
Favourite things to do - arts and crafts with her "arty-crafty things", making music, tumbling, dancing, going to the park, wearing her wheels to the supermarket, cuddling up for stories and chat, making tea for the toutous, making clothes for the toutous.
Sunday, May 20, 2018
Autumn 2018
How Luca will go to get a funky new haircut at Just Cutz and will still choose from the array of videos to keep him entertained, "Peppa and George please mama"
Annick, observing an overstimulated Luca running about after breakfast, musing, "perhaps we should have a calming exercise as part of our morning routine mama."
How Annick writes Mama and Papa as 'MAMA PBPB' or sometimes, 'BPBP'.
How Annick wrote an invitation to Doudou Mouton to come to her school picnic, and addressed it to 'DDOOO MTOOO'.
How Luca will have long, querying discussions with you about "what is technology? Is it like electricity? Are they the same? What can we do with technology? Is a jet plane technology?"
How after listening to a great Fierce Girls podcast about Nancy Wake, the WW1 spy, Luca sat himself at the table and drew a 'WANTED' sign for her, the White Mouse.
Luca, looking at his calendar: What is Palm Sunday?
Me: Er... I'll tell you the story of Easter next week.
Annick: I know the story of Easter already. It is about bunnies.
Me: Well, yes, there are two main stories of Easter, and one is about bunnies, the other is about Jesus.
Annick: What is a Jesus?
Luca: You know Captain Cook, Annick? He's already dead. He was a pirate who killed lots and lots of people. He found land but he was greedy and wanted it all for himself.
Annick, passing a vase sale at the kitchen shop: Mama, look at all those wine jars!
How Annick still writes everything in mirror writing, and when showing us how she can tell her left hand from her right by making an 'L' with her fingers, gets mixed up because she can't tell which L is the right way round.
How Annick's immediate response upon regarding an immense whole salmon brought home from the fishmonger is to ask "can I touch the eyeball?"
Mama: if you had a dog, what would you name it?
Annick: I would call it Snowpea!
Luca: I would call it Michael.
Mama: if you had a car, what colour would it be?
Annick: ooh! Golden rainbow sparkle PINK!
Mama: How was school photos today?
Annick: Good!
Mama: Did you take a photo together?
Luca: Yes. I tried dabbing but they wouldn't let me.
Annick, getting up mid-breakfast to go to the toilet as usual: "I need to go wee wee before my next CHOMP!"
Mama: What is the difference between being seven and being eight?
Luca: Well, the bad thing about being eight is you can't wear Hot Wheels t-shirts any more.
How after listening to a great Fierce Girls podcast about Nancy Wake, the WW1 spy, Luca sat himself at the table and drew a 'WANTED' sign for her, the White Mouse.
Luca, looking at his calendar: What is Palm Sunday?
Me: Er... I'll tell you the story of Easter next week.
Annick: I know the story of Easter already. It is about bunnies.
Me: Well, yes, there are two main stories of Easter, and one is about bunnies, the other is about Jesus.
Annick: What is a Jesus?
Luca: You know Captain Cook, Annick? He's already dead. He was a pirate who killed lots and lots of people. He found land but he was greedy and wanted it all for himself.
Annick, passing a vase sale at the kitchen shop: Mama, look at all those wine jars!
How Annick still writes everything in mirror writing, and when showing us how she can tell her left hand from her right by making an 'L' with her fingers, gets mixed up because she can't tell which L is the right way round.
How Annick's immediate response upon regarding an immense whole salmon brought home from the fishmonger is to ask "can I touch the eyeball?"
Mama: if you had a dog, what would you name it?
Annick: I would call it Snowpea!
Luca: I would call it Michael.
Mama: if you had a car, what colour would it be?
Annick: ooh! Golden rainbow sparkle PINK!
Mama: How was school photos today?
Annick: Good!
Mama: Did you take a photo together?
Luca: Yes. I tried dabbing but they wouldn't let me.
Annick, getting up mid-breakfast to go to the toilet as usual: "I need to go wee wee before my next CHOMP!"
Mama: What is the difference between being seven and being eight?
Luca: Well, the bad thing about being eight is you can't wear Hot Wheels t-shirts any more.
Tuesday, March 06, 2018
Summer 2017/18
Luca: What is infinity time infinity?
Annick (triumphantly): BINFINITY!
How they read Tintin or Agent Jean in the morning before school and show each other the funny sequences, bursting into shared giggles.
How Luca can read enough now to actually read Andy Griffiths' The Bad Book to her, and how they both love this.
How they both excel at lo-tech entertainment - drawing, reading, dolls, Lego. How Luca will animate a drawing and draw a battle as it happens, with sound effects and explosions and everything.
Annick: I already have a plan for school! Number 1: I made friends already, number 2: I know everything, number 3: the puppets are funny! Number 4: (long pause) er, go outside to play. Number 5: Go home.
Annick: a bug! Ewwwww!
Mama: Annick a bug is just a creature on earth just like you.
Annick: yes, but I've got underpants on. Bugs don't wear underpants.
How Annick has just blossomed at school and after not even three weeks can sing three songs in Mandarin, count to "nearly 100", sing a close enough approximation to the national anthem and has picked up phonics so fast I can't quite believe it. Just two weeks ago she was 'writing' random strings of letters, but today wrote 'My book from home by Annick' as 'Mi B Fo Hom BiAnnick' and made a paper caterpillar labelled 'KATPLA'
How Annick talks blithely about her new friends of barely a fortnight, and talks of Tilly and Nhu and Elodie and Safa.
Mama: What did you learn at school today darling?
Annick: Well, I learned the mathematics. And I learned to read and how to write using sounds!
Luca: I love maths mama. I really love it.
How Luca takes the Abbotsford restaurant 'Pizza vs Burger' very seriously and considers who would actually win if they had a fight.
Annick (triumphantly): BINFINITY!
How they read Tintin or Agent Jean in the morning before school and show each other the funny sequences, bursting into shared giggles.
How Luca can read enough now to actually read Andy Griffiths' The Bad Book to her, and how they both love this.
How they both excel at lo-tech entertainment - drawing, reading, dolls, Lego. How Luca will animate a drawing and draw a battle as it happens, with sound effects and explosions and everything.
Annick: I already have a plan for school! Number 1: I made friends already, number 2: I know everything, number 3: the puppets are funny! Number 4: (long pause) er, go outside to play. Number 5: Go home.
Annick: a bug! Ewwwww!
Mama: Annick a bug is just a creature on earth just like you.
Annick: yes, but I've got underpants on. Bugs don't wear underpants.
How Annick has just blossomed at school and after not even three weeks can sing three songs in Mandarin, count to "nearly 100", sing a close enough approximation to the national anthem and has picked up phonics so fast I can't quite believe it. Just two weeks ago she was 'writing' random strings of letters, but today wrote 'My book from home by Annick' as 'Mi B Fo Hom BiAnnick' and made a paper caterpillar labelled 'KATPLA'
How Annick talks blithely about her new friends of barely a fortnight, and talks of Tilly and Nhu and Elodie and Safa.
Mama: What did you learn at school today darling?
Annick: Well, I learned the mathematics. And I learned to read and how to write using sounds!
Luca: I love maths mama. I really love it.
How Luca takes the Abbotsford restaurant 'Pizza vs Burger' very seriously and considers who would actually win if they had a fight.
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
Spring 2017
Luca, on the way to school: Mama, my plan today is - one, get to school, two, find Kenny and play, three, go to class, four, learn things, five, have a snack, six, do some activities, seven, have lunch, eight, work some more, nine, finish school and come home!
Annick: Mama, there is an Annick shop around here and it is a shop where I sell things.
Mama: What things do you sell?
Annick: Well, ice cream, chocolate, lasagne, meat, flowers, princess dresses... and wigs!
How Annick calls her bear "Peddington"
Luca, playing some sort of boat rescue game on the sofa with his sister: Annick, don't do that! Would you like it if someone threw you off a boat and then you got eaten by sharks? Is that a kind thing to do? Would you like it if it happened to you?? Annick, indignant: YES, I WOULD LIKE IT.
Luca: Oh no, my bandaid fell off! It came off my tinkly finger!
How Luca is learning to play chess at after-care and talks about his "prawns"
Annick: You know, before you are born, you are in space and you are nudie! You are from a planet called Nudie Holes.
Annick: Mama, there is an Annick shop around here and it is a shop where I sell things.
Mama: What things do you sell?
Annick: Well, ice cream, chocolate, lasagne, meat, flowers, princess dresses... and wigs!
How Annick calls her bear "Peddington"
Luca, playing some sort of boat rescue game on the sofa with his sister: Annick, don't do that! Would you like it if someone threw you off a boat and then you got eaten by sharks? Is that a kind thing to do? Would you like it if it happened to you?? Annick, indignant: YES, I WOULD LIKE IT.
Luca: Oh no, my bandaid fell off! It came off my tinkly finger!
How Luca is learning to play chess at after-care and talks about his "prawns"
Annick: You know, before you are born, you are in space and you are nudie! You are from a planet called Nudie Holes.
Sunday, September 03, 2017
Winter 2017
Luca, discussing how in the Gruffalo, the snake, the owl and the fox all want to eat the mouse, "and that's because a mouse has lots of energy". Someone's been watching too many wildlife documentaries.
Me: Thank you for being patient today darling.
Annick: Not that patient!
How Luca will play his clapping syllable games as he goes to sleep.
How Annick will end a story to Papa with a cheerful, "et voila!"
Luca: Annick hit me with her guitar!
Annick: It is not a guitar, it is a UKULELE.
How Annick talks about literature, "mama, you know there are two kinds of books, friction and non-friction. Friction is not real" and how she calls authors "wroters".
Luca, making pretend ice cream in the bath: "the flavour of mine is fruity pineapple flavour! It's delicious! It's got lots of gluten free in it!"
How the soundtrack of our life is an unfurling sticky tape dispenser.
Sitting in the warm dusk, eating ice cream by the beach in Hawaii - what is your favourite part of this holiday so far darlings?
Annick: seeing the sea turtles!
Luca: eating this ice cream right now.
Me: Thank you for being patient today darling.
Annick: Not that patient!
How Luca will play his clapping syllable games as he goes to sleep.
How Annick will end a story to Papa with a cheerful, "et voila!"
Luca: Annick hit me with her guitar!
Annick: It is not a guitar, it is a UKULELE.
How Annick talks about literature, "mama, you know there are two kinds of books, friction and non-friction. Friction is not real" and how she calls authors "wroters".
Luca, making pretend ice cream in the bath: "the flavour of mine is fruity pineapple flavour! It's delicious! It's got lots of gluten free in it!"
How the soundtrack of our life is an unfurling sticky tape dispenser.
Sitting in the warm dusk, eating ice cream by the beach in Hawaii - what is your favourite part of this holiday so far darlings?
Annick: seeing the sea turtles!
Luca: eating this ice cream right now.
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