Afternoon Scootering

Magnus spent the afternoon with his new Winter Camp buddy, Jacob.  They ruled the ramps at the mall before taking a lemonade break:

Jacob then stumbled upon a newly established waterbus route.  Miraculously, both boys were up for a boat ride...

They enjoyed the fountain at the Marina Walk, did some more scootering, tucked in a bite of chocolate cupcake, and by then it was time to go home.  Instead of taking the boat back to the mall, we walked/scootered all the way back in small sprints.  If Magnus and Jacob don't sleep the whole night through, then the universe is just not fair.

What Magnus Said...

Mama's boy:

Magnus: Mommy, you're my big big girl

Misheard:

Magnus: Mommy there's a body on that boat!

Gina: Ummm.. what's it doing?

Magnus: Singing!

Gina: Oh yes, the birdie is singing...

Horsing around with Daddy:

Kendrick: I like… carrots

Magnus: Me too..

Kendrick: I like… broccoli..

Magnus: Me too..

Kendrick: I like.. bacon…

Magnus: Me too..

Kendrick: I like.. Maya

Magnus: <shakes head>

Kendrick: No?  You don't like Maya?

Magnus: No, Maya is not yummy!

Kendrick: I like… green peas..

Magnus: Not me…

Kendrick: I like… french fries

Magnus: Me too…

etc, etc…

Magnus: Now say celery!

I like… celery

Magnus: Not me…

Tit for Tat:

Vanessa: MAGNUS, what's going on?

Vanessa: MAGNUS, what's going on?

Magnus: Stop saying that! 

Vanessa: Stop saying that!

Magnus: VANESSA, what's going on?

Trying to get Magnus to sleep but then...

Gina: Uh-oh, Maya is crying!

Magnus: <gently> Mommy.. let her cry…

What else would he have to pick up?

Kendrick: I have to go pick up my suit tonight

Magnus: Mommy, Daddy has to pick up his soup!

Kendrick takes Magnus to the potty:

Kendrick: Is it pee or poo?

Magnus: Pee and poo!  I'm holding my bum and my weewee!

Wearing his new Timex watch:

Gina: It's time to wash hands!

Magnus: Mommy I can only wash one hand.

Positive reinforcement (because he wants to press G and B1 on the elevator and he can't reach anything else):

Magnus: Mommy, I like it when you press number 2!

Fun with me:

Kendrick: Magnus, do you want to do something fun with Daddy?

Magnus: No….

Kendrick: Really?  You don't want to go to the balloon store?

Magnus: Oh!!!   <scrambles to his feet> Come with ME!!!

Kendrick: You mean come with me, right?

Predator and prey:

Kendrick: <munching sounds>

Magnus: No Daddy, I'm not delicious, I smell delicious!

Truly excited to share:

Magnus: Mommy come and see what I made!!

Gina: What did you make?

Magnus: A big MESS!

Snarky:

Gina: OK Magnus, five minutes is up, let's go brush your teeth.

Magnus: No Mommy, five minutes is down!

Surprisingly not snarky in the delivery:

Gina: Eat your spoon!

Magnus: Mommy, did you mean spoonful?

Brain fart:

Kendrick: Apple pie with ice cream is also called Apple….

Magnus: Jumeirah?

It's amazing he never complained:

Gina: Don't fall into the potty, ok?

Magnus: Yeah, I will flush away.

Pattern recognition:

Gina: Good night Magnus <last name>

Magnus: Good night Mommy <maiden name>

Pop culture influences:

Gina: (to Kendrick) Is <your coworker> Korean?

Magnus: Korean I dunno!

Gina: Magnus… who says that? 

Magnus: Oppie Ganna Star!

Our housekeeper was cooking dinner:

Magnus: Mommy, my nose smells like fish!!

Happy 2013!

Today is Magnus' first back at school.  I believe all four grandparents are watching him over the internet from the school's CCTV feed.

Maya and I took a relaxing walk along the Marina and then did a little shopping at the mall.  When Magnus is with us on his scooter, it's not so relaxing because I'm usually running to keep up with him.  It's good for my cardio and bad for the stroller!

I'm typing as fast as I can before Maya touches one of the buttons on the TV, the stereo system, the keyboard, the mouse, or either of the two remote controls.  It's a losing battle, so I'm going to have to cut this short while she amuses herself under the coffee table: she's practicing her new M.O. "lick first, ask questions later."

Two new wardrobe picks for the new year:

A stripey shirt from Vanessa:

Skinny jeans for Maya:

Magnus builds the "Burj Khalifa" in his PJs:

"Mommy, don't stand on the sofa"

Magnus on his exercise book:

Maya hits some milestones:

He was a sk00ter boi, She said see ya later boy...

We had a really wonderful 4 day visit from Vanessa and her parents.  Magnus and Vanessa got along famously.  Here are some shots of them hanging out:

At the beach... 

Is that a designer piece or?

Taking in the views on wheels:

Poolside: 

One last kiss before you go:

And now the question, will she ever come back?  Stay tuned…

Tough Maya

Maya had a fever about a week and a half ago.  This was her first fever.  She had a few nights where she was fussy in the middle of the night but it passed with no problems.  Compared to Magnus, she's had so many more colds, coughs, and runny noses in the first 9.5 months of her life.  However, they are never really that bad.  I remember Magnus never got sick until he hit 1 - and when he did get sick my Mom and I were up several nights in a row taking turns nursing, soothing, and cuddling him.

Here's Maya getting ready for a boat trip before the fever struck:

And here she is after recovery:

She's climbing all over the place!!

Parent Teacher Meeting

Today I had a 10 minute parent teacher meeting with Magnus' new teacher.  She's only had him in her class for 3 weeks, but she is quite happy with his progress.  I raised the one question that Kendrick and I always want to ask: is Magnus socializing normally?  Her answer was yes, he has social skills and interacts normally with the other students.  There are however several situations where he will prefer to play on his own, and not join other kids unless specifically invited by his teacher.  For example, when they all go play in the miniature town, Magnus almost always goes off and finds his favourite toys (toaster, toast, ice cream cones) and plays all by himself.  We agreed that he was a bit of an introvert.  No surprises there, right?

I snapped  a picture of the Christmas concert stage on my way out (Magnus' show is in 2 days):

Introvert though he may be, Magnus is of course still yakking our ears off.  Here are the latest quotes:

As we speed by on a boat:

Gina: Magnus, look, do you see that?  It's the tallest building in the world!

Magnus: (nods) Mommy, is it the burj Khalifa?

Looking out the window from our guest room at all the skyscrapers:

Magnus: Mommy look at all the castles!

Looking out from Cesar's balcony on the Palm Jumeirah

Magnus: Mommy look, it's Treasure Island!

Chatting about his little sister:

Gina: Maya can't even walk, can she?

Magnus: No, she is just a baby, and her hands are so chubby!

Yummy is what matters:

Magnus: Mommy, apples are good for you

Gina: Yes, apples are good for you

Magnus: Mommy, cakes are good for you

Gina: No, cakes are not good for you!

Magnus: (pause) Mommy, are cakes yummy for you?

During the song "Over in the Meadow":

Magnus: Mommy, It's a hairy mother spider

Gina: Yes it is!  Who else is hairy, Magnus?

Magnus: Gong gong!!

Gina: Um, his name is Harry, but he's not hairy!!

I have yet to explain bird reproduction:

Kendrick: What do birds eat? 

Magnus: Eggs!

How many times have we played "this little piggy???"

Magnus: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven!  Mommy, I have eleven toes!

Gina: Are you suuuure?

Magnus and fashion:

Magnus: Oh!  Mommy you are wearing a merry-go-round!

Gina: Actually Magnus, that's a pattern called paisley.

No videos for this post, but something interesting has been happening with one of his recent videos.  The video of Magnus watching Gangnam Style has been getting over a hundred hits - mostly from Italy.  It's the only one of his videos that has so many views, and there are hits from all over the world (azerbaijan, finland, etc)- usually singletons.  It occurred to me that Gangnam style is soooo popular that many people have mis-heard and/or mis-typed the name while searching youtube, and thus came across Magnus' spelling of the song, "Opee Ganna Sta," and for whatever reason watched his video.  How very interesting....

What Magnus Said and What Maya Did

Maya is starting to do things that Magnus never did to us.  I specifically chose the words, "to us," in order to emphasize how her actions are spurring us to use more surveillance, baby-proofing, and all around kung-fu reflexes.

Here are some examples:

• Maya will stand up in her crib and bounce.  We lowered the crib 2 months earlier for her than we did for Magnus.
• Maya will stand up in her stroller and bounce up and down.  Magnus never, ever, did this.  Ever.  We now strap her down every time.
• Maya will splash her bathwater so that it hits her face, and then giggle.  She also tries to stand up in her bathtub and bounce.
• Maya had a sparkly, pink sticker appear in one of her doody diapers.
• Maya got stuck under the coffee table.  She bumped her head a few times, and then screamed.  In despair?  No.  In anger?  Yes.

Magnus is seeing his monopoly over his toy empire slowly eroding, as Maya wants to play with just about everything and we are forcing him to slowly give way.  Despite this, every morning is a new day, and he still loves his little sister.  Here are some things that Magnus is saying these days:

Lunch pre-empted

Gina: (rapping) What time is it?  It's time for lunch!

Magnus: No, it's what time is it?  It's time for potty!

Gina: You have to go to the potty?

Magnus: Yeah!  

Gina: Go, go , go!!

Not sure I get the joke..

Gina: Did anything funny happen at school today?

Magnus: Yes.  All my friends ate my donuts. (laughs)

Magnus disagrees with Dr. Seuss

Gina: One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish

Magnus: No, it's one fish, two fish, three fish , four fish

Gina: No, it's One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish

Magnus: No, it's white fish, green fish, red fish , blue fish

Running away with the thermometer:

Magnus: (singing) You can't catch my temperature!

Opening the curtain and letting the sunlight in:

Magnus: Mommy, it's light time!

Gina: It's daytime, Magnus

Practising for the Christmas concert:

Gina: Oh what fun, it is to ride, in a one horse open...

Magnus: Snake!

Gina: No, it's sleigh, Magnus

Magnus: No Mommy, it's snaaaake!

Imitating his Mommy:

Magnus: Do you know what, Mommy?

Gina: What?

Magnus: Water will make you feel better…

Maybe he's right:

Magnus: I is for ice cream!  Mommy ice cream is good for you.

Magnus chats on the phone:

And now, life in pictures. Maya now officially sits in the high chair, and Magnus sits in the booster chair.  It only took a couple of days of training before Magnus was happily repeating after me, "High chairs are for babies!"

This morning was nice and sunny after a rainy day yesterday.

Maya shows off her new decor (thanks to grandma!)

And finally, some shenanigans with foam blocks:

Magnus is good at NOT sharing:

And some cute father-son time: