The arrival of summer -- in May

Summer has arrived with a vengeance here in the Midwest, and of course we found out on Sunday of a holiday weekend that our air conditioner wasn't quite feeling up to it. We've booked a repairman to come out as soon as possible this week. Looks like we'll be spending lots of time at the shops and in the sprinkler today!

Kellan has announced that when he grows up he either wants to drive a train or be a baseball player. Now, the train we can understand, he is obsessed with trains (genetic I think), but we have no idea where the baseball idea originated. We don't watch baseball and neither of us are fans. Its all football (soccer) all the time around here. Nic thinks that he wants to truly embrace his American side.

His language is becoming so much clearer and he talks about pretty much everything these days. Its nice to finally be able to understand 90% of it! He does still have a few silly words that he's decided to use instead of the actual English equivalents, but we at least know what he means (even if nobody else does). Here are a few of his latest vocabulary oddities:

Jop = orange
Yay = one
Poppop = Grandpa and Grandad
Addie = Grannie
Otay = OK (I know that this is pretty common -- but so cute!)

Here are a few photos from this week. These are two of his best girls -- Carmen and Olivia (he calls her "Lillia"). He adores them both.

We need a dog

This is Kellan and his "black puppy". He adores this dog statue. When we go to the park he will pet and brush it, give it food and water, and of course provide lots of cuddles and kisses. Now, doesn't this sound like a boy who needs a dog? Anybody willing to back me up here? Come on daddy, he needs a dog of his own!

Back to the park

Spring has returned at last! We've been outside all weekend. Kellan loves the park more than any other place and we're lucky to have five excellent parks within ten minutes of home. He knows each of them by their colour of slide and requests the "Blue slide" or the "Yellow slide" and so on. Yesterday we also took him to the Highland Games where his absolute favourite event was the caber toss. I only hope that it isn't a glimpse into his own future. What must that do to your body! Each time that they performed the event, Kellan shouted, "Stick -- boom! Again. More, more!". They thought he was hilarious and even took his photo.

Happy Mother's Day!

Its true, posting that self-portrait (see below) from early this morning sans makeup, sans hairbrush, sans flattering camera angle, is not something that I would have done prior to embarking upon this journey that we call Motherhood, but then I was a different person before Kellan. And, to be honest, I like this "Mom" person so much better. Kellan's best Mothers Day gift to me has been a fun and easygoing day despite his being two and a bit (which is a handicap in and of itself) and being stuck indoors most of the day due to freezing cold overcast rainy weather. I received some consumer gifts of course, but having had a bit of "me" time today and even just listening to Kellan and his dad play together in the other room while I am home! have been the best treats of all. Maybe next year we'll be able to cycle, go to the park, and enjoy a day outdoors, but you know, for all the ugly weather and lack of things to do in central Illinois on a Sunday, this has still been a really nice Mothers Day. Next stop, dinner at my favourite Vietnamese/Thai restaurant. Happy Mothers Day to all of you moms out there!

Retro Man

Nic said, "The 70s called -- they want their clothes back".






Grandma sent this cute Elmo baseball shirt, a favourite of course. He was monkeying around before his shower this evening.

Everything but sleeping...

Play group was at our place last week and the bed was the most popular place to be. Who needs a bunch of expensive toys anyway? Carmen and Dominic are the two friends pictured with Kellan here.