new sandbox

For his second birthday, we decided to have Jamie build Thad a sandbox to play in. He positioned it underneath our back laundry porch to help keep the rain and wind out, and he screened it in to keep out the cats as well as stray mosquitos, which our yard seems to have a number of. Thad has enjoyed playing in it a few times, but I’m sure he’ll enjoy it even more when Thea is old enough to sit in there with him, and he can have someone to play WITH. (A few of these photos were taken before the screen was added.)

 

cozy couch times

We’ve had a cold going around our house for a couple weeks now, and the days have been grey and gloomy. Makes me think Christmas must be around the corner! So, we borrowed a few Christmas movies, and cozied up on the couch.

 

trip to aviation

Two Sundays ago we took a little trip out to aviation so Thad could look at the airplanes and helicopters. He had a great time looking at the planes. He calls them “mons plane” (like monster trucks) as they are so much bigger than the small toy plane he has at home.

Sitting in the Kodiak cockpit with Daddy

Looking at the helicopters



Wow! so cool!

posing

the big King Air

Kodiak engine

peeking over the top!

riding the baggage cart!

He got to sit on the scale, and weighed in at 14.1kg.

 

Instrument Rating

Two weeks ago Jamie went to the capital city, Port Moresby, to have a flight check with PNG Civil Aviation Safety Authority to get his Instrument Rating. He passed the test—hurray—and is now able to fly IN the clouds using the airplane instruments, rather than just around them-visually.

In expectation of a successful test, I made a little cake to celebrate this milestone…and Thad helped me clean the blue frosting off the beaters!

Having an IFR rating can be quite helpful at this time of year, when the weather is so mucky, and is also an organizational requirement of being able to fly solo in our new Kodiak airplanes. With this rating, and some other checks completed, Jamie was able to have his first solo flight in the Kodiak a week ago Friday!

Jamie and Thea with the cake we made...can you tell that blue blob at the bottom is supposed to be an airplane? Thad thought it looked more like a monster!

Thad 2 years - Thea 6 mos

A few photos of both Thad (2 years) and Thea (6 mos):



hmmm, can we have both of them standing? maybe not...



both sitting? that so often leads to falling over!

I just love this one! Thad took her hand to hold and we didn't even ask him to.

Big brothers deserve big smiles!

 

Thea - 6 months

We did two photo shoots of Thea…and it’s so hard to pick favourites!

so many interesting things to see in the grass!



Our big girl is starting to sit up now!



say, 'cheese!'

So, while taking photos, we were constantly telling Thad to “say, ‘cheese’”. Towards the end of our time, Jamie noticed Thad was putting one hand in another and then bringing it up to his mouth.

 

“What are you doing?” Jamie asked Thad. “Cheese,” Thad replied. I guess he thought it was time to get to EAT some cheese!

Cheese! Such a nice rounded mouth for the "ee" sound, maybe he'll do well in the French languge someday.

 

Thad - 2 years ... photo shoot

Trying to get a good 2-year-old photo of Thad. He’s not much for holding still, so I ended up taking a LOT of photos to try to get a good one…but then I had trouble picking my favourite! I love my cute boy!

hug anyone?

not legos

Today I realized why Legos and Bristle Blocks were invented.

Last week we bought some matchbox cars from a family that was leaving and Thad has been thrilled to have more cars to play with. This week, he was looking at Richard Scarry’s Best Word Book Ever (a book that was given to me when I was 3—it really IS the best word book ever!) and saw the picture of an arch and he was talking about a car driving under the arch. So I pulled out his blocks (also purchased from someone leaving J) and I built an arch for him to drive his new matchbox cars under. HOWEVER, as fun as it is for an almost 25-month-old to drive their cars under small block arches, this one just doesn’t have the manual dexterity to do it very many times in a row without the small arch falling apart. And so, while the arch is fun, tears of frustration are often accompanying. This morning, in my desire to avoid all those tears, I had a brilliant plan (if I do say so myself!). I dug out some blue tack and stuck the blocks together with the blue tack! I suppose that this is probably when things like Bristle Blocks and Legos would come in handy. Maybe someday soon, someone will sell some of those…