Magnus Votes Green

The Ontario elections are underway, and today at dinner my father was expressing his opinion on the various parties, mentioning each one in turn.  "Green!" interjected Magnus with a self satisfied smile.

Vancouver Photo Booth Session

On our last evening in Vancouver, Auntie Clemmie and Uncle Amir horsed around with Magnus in front of the laptop:

I love that last picture because you can see grandma peeping from the doorway heh heh..

What a lovely visit we had in Vancouver.  Thanks to our amazingly generous, untiring, and loving hosts.  We'll miss you!!

The Magical World of Abu Dhabi

Before we left Shanghai, Magnus learned how to say "Abu Dhabi", or rather, a close approximation which sounds more like "Dabu Dab! Dabu dabu dabu dabu dyaaaaadeee".  He sometimes likes to throw in a "Daddy" in the mix because he knows that his Daddy is somewhere in a place called Abu Dhabi.

The day Magnus and I left Shanghai, we spent a lot of time watching airplanes at Pudong International.  He loved watching the planes taxi-ing toward the gates, flight crews scurrying around in their modified vehicles, and fairly frequently, a plane taking off.   "Look Magnus!  See the airplane?  The big big airplane?  Where is the airplane going?" I would ask each time.  "Dabu dabu dabu!" he would shout.  I was so tickled by his response that I would encourage him: "Yes that's right, Abu Dhabi!"

Now that we've been in Vancouver for a few weeks, Magnus has decided that many things go to Abu Dhabi, not just airplanes.  The garbage truck for example.  The construction workers.  Po-po.  The cuteness really does not wear off.  Here he is standing outside the apartment telling me that the plane overhead is going to Abu Dhabi:

It then occurred to me that I should probably explain that not everything goes to Abu Dhabi.  Abu Dhabi is perhaps becoming Magnus' Santa Claus, and he might be disappointed when he arrives that it is not the fantastic swirling vortex he envisioned.

On the other hand, we may never even set foot in Abu Dhabi, since Kendrick just signed a tenancy agreement for an apartment in Dubai.  Should the myth continue?  Hmmm….

Kits Playground

Magnus has been hanging out at the local playground the past few days, and he loves it.  I love it too, because they've laid some nice spongey material on the ground as opposed to sand; that ubiquitous irritant in my sandals.  Also, the jungle gym is both challenging, stimulating, and safe.  When I think back to the jungle gyms my brother and I used to climb up and down, I'm amazed we escaped childhood with little more than scrapes and bruises! (Although, I will never forget the triumphant feeling of victory when I finally screwed up the courage to walk across the two narrow beams holding up the tire swing).

Here is Magnus conquering the surprisingly steep slide:

On the second day, Grandpa showed Magnus how to "drive" the steering wheel at the top of the slide.  It quickly became his personal toy of the day.  Imagine trying to talk down a stubborn 2 year old you can't reach from his favourite toy.  No raisons, no gummi bears, no threat of abandonment, nothin' doing.  In the end I had to wait for a proper diversion (i.e. several infants/toddlers throwing tantrums in the vicinity) to take the opportunity to reach up and yank his shirt toward me.

Here he is with his steering wheel:

This is me taking a picture of Magnus from far away, while hiding behind a tree.  Note the expression of relative unconcern, despite Grandma and Grandpa attempting to generate alarm.  Did I mention that Clem's camera has a wicked zoom?

Stanley Park

Last week Grandma and Grandpa took us to Stanley Park.  It was a treat to be surrounded by all that natural beauty!  Magnus liked touching the leaves of an evergreen tree (gosh, I can't even identify it), running up and down a grassy knoll, and imitating the Canada geese who were pecking the ground for.. pine cones?

My favourite picture from that day is this one:

Magnus was running around so much it was impossible to get a shot of him standing still with any natural scenery in the background.  I caught him in this picture because he had decided to walk backwards and was forced to go very slowly.  Also thank goodness for Auntie Clemmie's camera, a real time point and shoot with SLR and amazing zoom capabilities!  This green shirt he's wearing is his favourite shirt.  He recently learned how to say "green" and he uses it all the time to tell us he wants to wear this green shirt.

Having a giggle with Grandpa at the Lion's Gate Bridge:

Magnus 22 Month Biostats

Height: 88cm (~75%)
Weight: 27.5lb (~70%)

Ref: http://www.dietitians.ca/Downloadable-Content/Public/LFA-WFA_Birth-24_BOYS_EN_bw.aspx

Use Your Words!

Magnus' vocabulary list at 22 months (roughly in order of acquisition):

• Mommy (formerly Mama)
• Daddy
• Po-po
• Ta-ta (meaning Gong-gong)
• Ayi
• Am (delicious/eating/cooking/Uncle Amir)
• Apple
• Ice
• Wa-wa (water)
• O
• No
• Mole (yes, his mommy has has a lot of moles)
• Moon
• Bao bao (tombliboos)
• Egg
• Please
• Me
• Ch-ch (ninky nonk)
• Pi-pi (pinky ponk)
• Auntie
• Dabi dabi dabi dabi (Abu Dhabi)
• Meeyummeeyum (yummy?)
• Cheese