February 27 – independence

Extremely difficult choice for the ‘number one’ photo today. I chose to represent your achievement, over sweetness, expression and behavioural quirks.
This afternoon at flinders park you thoroughly mastered two of the slides on your own (experimenting with different ways to descend them, and launching yourself off with ‘ready, set, go!’). You started in the ‘intermediate zone’ and then the toddler bit, and listened when I directed you away from the big slide. Every day I am proud of you, Skip.

Plus there’s your ‘jumping’… On trampolines, over cracks in the pavement, off low steps…

And this face you are pulling a lot, these days, often accompanied by an ‘oooooohhhh’ noise – today imitating the washing machine spin cycle 🙂

And mornings, you are having a lovely time playing in the ‘corner of shame’ – a mess of your clothes, many of which you’ve grown out if and need to be sorted and stored!

February 26 – rain

You’ve got walking (and jumping) in gumboots sorted. Now I just need to find you a little duck hat.

February 25 – yoghurt

oh, yoghurt face. Everything was going swimmingly, for a while there. You were eating like champ with your spoon… Until you remembered it is MUCH more fun scooping up handfuls of yoghurt and having lots of bits to lick it off, (with fingers to spare for furry friends).

This afternoon a longed-for cool change rolled in, so I thought we’d go to the park, rather than the beach. Alas, Maggie found some human poo to roll in… I tried to wash her under tap water, but the disgusting smell lingered, and to the beach we went. You were sucking on a fruit snack up the beach while I was washing her in the water, until you joined us… It was knee deep for me, mid chest for your fully clothed self
You two sure get pesky, some afternoons.

You put your hat on yourself. Jaunty angle, Skip.

Mags showed you the exciting underworld below the play equipment, today.

February 24 – hot day

Discovering beautifully decorated sandcastles (yesterday’s) and knocking them over. You and dad sharing a gleeful “aaaooooohhhhh!”.

I escaped for a short while before lunch to meet up with Deb at the local Hummingbird cafe. I chatted to the chickens under my table while I waited.

And came home to find you giggling, forcing Maggie to lick/kiss you!

February 23 – whistle

A few days ago you noticed that I whistled, as well as calling for Maggie. You’ve tried the whistling through your teeth style, but are determined to learn the ‘real thing’. I’ve seen you practising in the mirror, and peaceful swinging is also a good time to try it. There’s a quiet little whistle coming out already. It won’t be long till you can do all sorts of fancy bird calls like your dada.

February 22 – ouch

This week’s head plant is brought to you by the letter ‘OW’ and Merricks Beach concrete tennis courts.

February 21 – balance

You’ve been wanting to cross this bridge on your own for a while, but it takes a lot of concentration. I picked you up early from family day care, we had a sleep, and out to the park. No one was around, at first, so you could do your own thing. A quick run through the ‘mastered’ obstacles, then to this. You crossed twice with my hands guiding you where to hold on, and my voice reminding you to look where you were going. The third time, you did it! You made a cool little circuit in the park: through the tunnel, across the wobbly bridge, quick sit down on a convenient seat, then across this tricksy one. Congratulations!

February 20 – big and small

You are both so big and so small to me, at the moment. You are so formed as a person and a personality. Calling out to the horses as “bubbas” because you’ve picked grass you want to feed them, wanting to shut the big farm style front gate yourself, all the words you know and use now, and sentences you string together. But then, as you do these things, I can’t help think how soon I will be looking back and thinking, HOW SMALL you ‘once were’… Taking photos like the one of you at the gate, because one day I’ll probably take another shot so similar when you are almost a man, and you will be so tall. So bitter-sweet watching your baby becoming a boy.

February 19 – cuddle day

Babu. After a busy couple of days post-family day care, we had a Tuesday to ourselves. I resolved it would be about you and your wants/needs. I was secretly hoping you would need an adventure and we could go to the pool. Today, it was clear that you just needed to be held. To be close to me and in our own space. We spent hours like this. You half sucking, but more just staying attached. Not wanting to do anything or go anywhere. It filled us both up again, thank you.

February 18 – road raging trucky

‘Get off the road ya mug!!!’ (Or, a rather demanding ‘up mum!’, as the case may be.
You are so expressive, I love it.
It was an eventful afternoon; with a beach swim (still no water at home since Saturday night), playing while dinner cooks (lasagne, which you were too tired to eat), a water-delivery with a driver who let you play in his cab (yaay, the water man!), and a fly I’ve never seen before.