too fast for my taste

A year and a month passes at break-neck speed these days.

Where is Quincy?

Quincy can be found here. Each. And. Every. Everyday.

A big boy. Maybe not.

Last night at dinner, I said to Jeremy, "You should see how awesome he is at drinking out of a cup without a lid."

What happened next?

As if on cue, he poured the entire cup of milk into his dinner bowl.

the kindness of my parents

My parents are awesome about sending care packages. And I know it's a lot of work. Their dining room table is a resting place for goodies to add to a future shipment. They work as a team. My mom is always asking me if there is anything we need or want and she does all the gathering. My dad hunts for a suitable box in the attic or garage and he takes the parcel to the post office. They are forever thoughtful and we are so very appreciative.

Today was our lucky day. A big box of Easter goodies (and lots of Dinosaur oatmeal) arrived. When I realized it was for Easter, I tried hiding the contents, but Q immediately spotted this bunny motorcycle tucked away at the bottom.

It's now 9 April and Q has been playing with the bunny motorcycle for weeks. He has yet to realize that it's filled with candy. Oh the naivete of a first born! The other day, the egg part snapped off and he told me to take it to my office. I guess he knows that's where there is a growing pile of stuff awaiting repair. Later I told him that the Easter Bunny might visit on Sunday, and he replied sadly, "Easter Bunny broken."

Also no matter what the item, his first response to the question, "Who gave that to you?" is now always an emphatic, "Oma." And he thinks that anything good that comes in the mail must be from Oma.

From 6,000 miles away, my parents still manage to make a strong impression on their grandchild. I love that.

22-months-old

A couple layouts about Q right now. Already 22-months-old.

He makes my world such a fabulous place.

race car driver

Whenever I pull out of an intersection, Quincy giggles and calls out, "Mama race car driver."

This afternoon, I heard him cracking up on the patio. He was riding his bike as fast as he could, saying, "Tinty race car driver."

he totally asks for it

And then goes back for more.

our little animal whisperer

A petting zoo came to Pop In 'N Play today. A nice little diversion from missing Stef.

Could Q have been an animal in a former life or something? I don't know, but he intensely observes them and then seems to channel them. Whether they have hooves, beaks, or whiskers, he has their number.

See what I mean? In case you require more proof, here he is channeling the goat...

Now this isn't the first time he has shared a moment with a furry creature, mind you.

Exhibit A: 28 December 2008, having a conversation with a deer about his "new shoes" and his "shark shirt". Seriously.

Exhibit B: 2 February 2009, getting in touch with his inner billy goat.

Exhibit C: 2 February 2009, eating hay.

And lest you forget, exhibit D: 2 December 2008, a hound at heart.

And finally, another familiar photo, exhibit E: 24 January 2009, in sync with Kai.

Should we worry?!!

we laughed, and just like that, she's gone.

Wow we have laughed a lot in the last two weeks. Stef just fits into our world so easily. In fact, at dinner tonight...which by the way, was, as proclaimed by Jeremy, "the best meal (he's) ever cooked." It was a fish pie. And that means I've eaten fish three times this week. A record for someone who is weirded out by the texture of fish. Anyway, at dinner tonight, Jeremy said he would have liked her to stay a little longer. We will miss her for sure. I am much funnier when she is around. And I sing made up songs all the time. We have a similar sense of humor and we just feed off each other. We crack ourselves up. And Quincy too. I'm not sure how many times these last two weeks he has said, "Mama cazy" or "Stef cazy." His performer side definitely emerged during her visit. He now wants us to think he's funny too and tries to get us to laugh.

It's also been really nice to have her around to talk to during the days. She is a great listener.

And for so long I have wanted to share Wellington in the summer with my family. I've often thought how nice it'd be to picnic on the beach with them and my wish came true several times.

Of course, the connection she made with Quincy is invaluable to us.

Once again she is leaving a hole in our household. And I have to get back to reality. But getting back to a routine won't be all bad. I love my normal, everyday life. I will have to remind myself of that over the next couple days.

And I will surely have to comfort Q tomorrow morning as he goes hunting for her. I already know what will happen. While changing his nappy he will begin talking about Stef. As we walk upstairs to the kitchen he will repeat several times, "Stef see 'm". As he notices my reaction he will get a little more desperate each time. When he doesn't see her in the kitchen he will repeat "Stef see 'm" as he collapses in tears. I know this because it has happened before. Wish me luck!

To see a slideshow of all the pictures from Stef's visit, click here.

she's here!

Quincy wasted no time to give Stef a big long cuddle.

And despite the stone face, he's thrilled to have his cousin here.

Once home he gave her the tour of all the important stuff in the house, and as expected, I am now chopped liver.

Right now all's quiet around the house, apart from the cicadas and the occasional cough from down the hall. Everyone's napping, including Jeremy who came home sick from work.

stef toming

One more sleep and we can't wait. When I ask Q who is coming tomorrow, he replies, "Stef toming. Airpane. Yiberry. Taygoun." I once mentioned the things we would do while Stef is here and the truly important things stuck. The library & the playground. The priorities of a 21-month-old.

Today was the most perfect weather day imaginable. We hope Wellington keeps it coming while she is here...

Regardless, we will surely have a howling good time.

traffic

Traffic. It gives most people a headache. But this kid loves making "traffic".

Duplo

Sometimes you just need the perfect piece.

a new week. a new month. a new season.

Starting autumn with...

1. hot weather & blue skies,
2. a runny nose,
3. new shoes,
4. a trip to the library,
   
5. a stop at the playground,
   
6. and preparations for Stefanie's arrival!

a mad hatter birthday party

I have yet to touch a photo from Quincy's first birthday, however I made a couple layouts from a very fun birthday party we went to a couple of weeks ago.

This is our big boy on his way to his best mates' house...

Agewise, Quincy is sandwiched between the two girls (and actually in the top photo as well). Lucky boy! He loves them both.

And he really loved their new Radio Flyer!