our big excursion

To say that we've had wet weather for the last couple days is an understatement.

I've also had a cold, so Quincy and I have just been hangin' together at home. Normally we would both consider this a luxury; one that we enjoy at least a couple times a week. PJs all day. Non-stop play. No looking at the clock. No need to pack lunches and snacks. However, for some reason, the last two days this hasn't been the case. We've been a bit at each others' throats at times.

That's why our everyday, ordinary trip to the supermarket this morning was much-anticipated. A big excursion really.

Now what do you think is Q's favorite part of the grocery store? The bakery? No, he thankfully doesn't know that part exists. The deli, where all self-respecting Kiwi kids look forward to their free piece of luncheon? (Is it meat or what is it really?) No, he won't eat any lunch meat. How about the cookie/biscuit aisle? Surprisingly, no. The eggs? You're getting warmer. True, he does like getting a good look checking for broken ones, but that isn't it. The fruit and veg section? So close. He does love weighing everything and playing "here comes the sticker", but still no.

Hands down, his favorite part of the supermarket is the seafood section. He loves looking at, no carefully studying, the whole, intact-minus-the-eyes, fish.

He's into the crabs, the squid, and the salmon heads too. All of it.

But by far the most anticipated part of any trip to the grocery store are the mussels, which rest on a large tray that goes up and down keeping them moist while allowing you to scoop some out.

Today, thanks to many library books on the subject of NZ's rocky shores, which by the way make riveting bedtime reading, he informed me that they are indeed green-lipped mussels. In case you haven't noticed, the kid is mildly obsessed with sealife. Anyway, he says he wants to try them, i.e. he wants to scoop some out, so I promised him that Jeremy would take him to buy mussels on the weekend and together with Poppa, who will be visiting, the three boys can enjoy them.

Do I think he'll actually try them?

Not a chance.

Do I think he'll enjoy the process?

Absolutely.

notes: You may wonder if I was embarassed taking these photos in the grocery store. Most definitely yes! But I told myself who cares? And I tried my best to believe it and be quick and inconspicuous. Am I glad I bothered? Most definitely yes. Now I have a handful of ordinary photos that help me tell a story about a tiny snippet of life that I think is worth remembering, regardless of how mundane and quite possibly because it's so mundane.

You may notice from the first photo that despite all the rain, we were still caught unprepared. Five hours later and I'm still trying to get warm.

Once I wade through the mountain of bday pics, I hope to share some stories... Will it actually happen? Time will tell...

While writing this post, a pizza crust was silently taking over our kitchen, unbeknownst to me. Thankfully there were no injuries.

three-years-old

There's no denying it. No escaping it. It has happened. Our baby turned three today.

He's clever. He's sweeter than honey. He's strong-willed, and one day instead of driving me crazy, that trait will serve him very well. He's forgiving. He's sensitive. He's forever curious. He is highly sensorial. His memory and attention to detail amaze me on a daily basis. He's a wise one. He talks non-stop. He makes us and himself laugh regularly. His imagination is pretty cool. He's passionate. About so many things. He is a lover of animals and his knowledge of them is pretty astounding. He's a bookworm. He is into facts. He likes puzzles, tools, balls, and the sandpit. He loves creating art and making music. He likes trains, cars, and trucks. He loves Thomas, but has never seen the show. He loves Bob the Builder, but has never seen the show. He loves Cars, but not the movie because all the wrecking upsets him. He's not a fan of TV, actually. Unless it's an animal documentary, then it's a completely different story. He loves to go out. He loves people, but can often be found playing on his own. He's a very selective eater. He shares my appreciation of photos. He loves to talk about Cincinnati and his faraway family. His favorite colors are blue and yellow and his least favorite colors are red and green; those two pieces of information play a surprisingly big role in his daily life. His best friends are Mama, Papa, Berkley, and Kai. He has recently become a proficient pedaler. He is always ready to help me in the kitchen. He would do anything for chocolate. He feeds the dogs their dinner. He is into rhyming words. He always misses 14 and 15 when he counts to 20. He ends many sentences with "and stuff" or "if you want". He weighs 16kg (35.2lbs)and is 99.5cm (39.25in) tall.

He is one-of-a-kind and today we have the pleasure of celebrating him and all the magic that he has brought to our lives.