Stop Leo, you're moving too fast!

My little energy- boy is out of control these days. Today he managed to pull himself up to a standing position on the side of Clara's bed! So, that means he's learned how to crawl and stand over the span of four days. All these new abilities mean Leo's brain is on overdrive. He can barely settle down to go to sleep despite being obviously exhausted. As soon as he finds himself on his back, he flips over and starts crawling anywhere. Its as if he can't turn the switch off. I've resorted to an old favorite method for getting him to sleep; strapping him into the stroller and rocking him back and forth in the middle of the living room. This was Clara's preferred method for dozing off when she was an infant, I'm still amazed we haven't created any grooves in the floor.

Yesterday we spent the day at the beach at Parc Jean Drapeau with our group from the Carrefour. Karen already blogged the experience so go check it out. I did steal this picture though...


Unfortunately, after we got back from the beach and after our much needed family nap Clara woke up with a fever. She's been feverish all day and feeling really lethargic so we're hanging out at home. Poor girl, it is hot outside and her body is acting like a furnace on full blast.

Leo went to the doctor today for a check up and a vaccination. As expected our chunky monkey is just that - chunky with a capital C. He weighs 24 pounds and he is not even 9 months old yet! That is over 2 pounds heavier than Clara at 9 months and I thought she was a good sized kid. The Doctor just said "he's a poster child for breastfeeding" which was nice to hear. Leo didn't particularly notice or care about the needle jabbing into his thigh (may have something to do with the large amount of flesh there is to work with), he was busy smiling at Clara. She can make him smile at just about any time of day - I love their fascination with each other.

I think I mentioned it already but Leo has thoroughly gotten into this crawling thing. It is so weird to see him leave a room or make his way down the hallway all on his own steam. Clara is less impressed with his new found skill, especially when he sets his sights on a toy she is playing with. Yes, we had our first brother-sister spat today over the duplo train pieces. Clara just couldn't get it thought her head that she had to move far away from Leo, not just a foot away if she wanted him to stop destroying her train. I'm sure she'll learn quickly though.

Leo hanging out with the boys at Anissa's 2nd birthday party luau today. We had lots of fun playing and eating and playing some more.

Leo's first time in the wading pool... he loved splashing the water and even got himself onto all fours and CRAWLED!! It was the first time he's crawled for more than just one step, I guess the buoyancy of the water helped him along. Since then he's been crawling more and more on dry land too. He only seems to get moving if he's really motivated by something, usually a toy Clara has discarded.

It is a little known fact that Clara can touch her nose with her tongue. I'm sure she will develop this talent into great party trick as an adolescent, in fact she's already starting to realise she's special. How many times a day does she insist "you try mama, you try"? I try, I stick my toungue out and up and it goes no farther than my bottom lip. She laughs at me, says "no, you can't do it" and promptly shows me how easy it is for her! What a girl. By the way, I think this talent is genetic and it just skipped a generation since my Mom could also deftly touch her tongue to her nose.

Yesterday was spent hanging out with the little kids and today we hung out with the big kids (and few little ones too).

Here is Leo and his buddies Cohen and Max.


...and a pic with big sis keeping an eye on things.


Today we went to Parc Lafontaine and played in the wading pool for the first time this Summer. It was great - reminded me of being pregnant there last year. Meredith came along too with Eamon AND Liam who is just 3 weeks old! She is a super mom for sure :)



Despite several skinned knees and various scrapes, Clara and Chloe can still love each other - or perhaps they are consoling one another?


Towel Ghosts

Ann Marie is coming home! I just told Clara that Auntie Ann Marie was coming to visit on Friday from far away. She was relatively excited but then went on to insist that A.M. would be flying in on a helicopter! Why does she think this? Who knows.

Busy, busy day here. Two park outings and some craft time at home in between. Clara is in the process of building a rocket ship out of a big diaper box. So far we have covered it with ripped up wrapping paper, I'm not sure what she think comes next. This is her project so we'll see where she leads us tomorrow.

Leo refused to nap at home today. I ended up putting him in the stroller and walking around at 4pm out of sheer frustration, a full hour and half after he started showing signs of fatigue. Clara was fine with it though, it meant she got to play in the sprinklers at Parc Drolet.

Playing in Verdun with Jenne and Cohen


Taking the metro home at the end of the day.

HAPPY FATHERS DAY


Papa and Clara Beverley at 1 day old.


Papa and Leo Paul at 2 hours old.

We had lots of fun visiting Papa T and Cathy in Bromont today. Clara had a blast swimming, maybe she'll be a dolphin like her aunt Rachel. Leo was a bit hesitant, but seemed to enjoy hanging out with Cathy making small splashes.

I just sat down to download some pics from the camera and turned around to see what Leo was up to - well that's not entirely true, I was really turning around to see how long I had until he'd backed himself into a corner AGAIN and needed my help to get out. Anyway, that is besides the point. To my surprise my little musical genius is lying on his belly griping the baton for the xylophone and stretching as far as he can to reach the, you guessed it, xylophone! Yes, I know the two go together and are supposed to be used in conjunction in order to create sound, but the fact that my baby knows this boggles my mind. I helped him out a little and sat him up with the xylophone in front of him and he happily started banging it with the baton, how cool is that??? I shouldn't be surprised, this is the baby who when Marc turned on a Mozart CD the other night started bouncing up and down on his butt while swinging his arms in delight! He appreciates the good stuff.

Today was day two of babysitting Pierre, he's the child of one of Marc's co workers who's daycare is on strike. We had a great day, played at the park, did a puzzle, read books, etc. Of course the highlight of the day was probably the pillow fight! Karen, Chloe and Zachary joined us at the park and then came home for lunch too, it felt kinda like a daycare here for a few moments.

Here is a quieter moment at the zoo.

Leo the imp.


Clara playing ing her "tent". Notice, she's even got her flashlight...she loves that thing!

This may be the funniest picture I've captured of Leo to date. Does it not look like he's got the shortest legs in the universe?? He gets in this position from time to time and is so proud of himself. He shows his pride by breathing hard and fast through his nose, so much so that I often wonder if he will hyperventilate. Maybe he's just a yogi in training.

It is HOT. Like, skin melting off your body into a puddle HOT. We're doing remarkably well though, thanks to our pregnancy-purchased portable air conditioning unit. Last year at the beginning of the Summer Marc took pity on my pregnant self and bought us this fancy portable unit that works in the front room. So, with a system of fans and two air conditioning units our whole apartment is cool and dehumidified.

Since Friday Leo has been expanding his vocabulary. Every day he's produced a new "word" it started with Blah, moved onto Abah, and now he is saying Alah. What do these words mean? They all seem to represent some version of "I'm excited", "feed me faster", and "look at me". Of course, Marc and I are both coaching him to say Papa and Mama respectively, stay tuned to see who wins!

A little excerpt of a conversation between Marc and Clara yesterday afternoon:
Clara is rubbing her eyes, it is about 4pm
Marc: are you feeling tired Clara?
Clara: No, no Papa, I'm rubbing my eyes because there is something in them, I'm not tired, there's something in my eyes.
Clara looks away quickly.
Marc: Oh really? Do you want me to look at your eyes?
Clara: No, no thank you Papa. I'm NOT tired.
Marc smirks, Clara starts to yawn.

Its hot again but my game plan for the day is working out so far. We were at the park this morning before 9am, Clara and Leo both got wet in the sprinklers and had a long swinging session. Then it was home for Leo's nap and Clara's early lunch (she's been up since before 7am again!). While Leo was getting his lunch Clara was having an intense play session with her Fischer Price Little People. Everything was placed with great detail so of course I had to capture the moment. Notice the large cloth diaper acting as a blanket for a teeny-tiny bed??


I decided to impose a nap on Clara B, who has not been getting as many hours of sleep as she requires now that Leo has become an early riser. Out we went for a walk along Mount Royal. I got to check out the sidewalk sale and hopefully I'll be able to get back this weekend to buy a few things, it was too complicated to try things on with the double stroller. As expected, Clara slept and Leo smiled at strangers. Now we are home again and it is Leo's turn to nap while Clara gets back to her Little People.

We spent the day at home... cleaning. It was better than you may think. I got some things accomplished and Clara got serious about imaginative play. All in all we had a fine day. Poor Leo suffered though, he is teething again and this time he's pretty much inconsolable. Chewing on his toys, his fingers and even my arm we only short term comforts. In the end Tempra was his friend and he was able to enjoy a nice long pain-free nap.

I read something today in a back issue of Mothering Magazine that struck me. I want to remember this idea so I'm sharing it with you all. It is by Peggy O'Mara the editor of Mothering and mother to 3 grown children. She said "Nature means for us to be led by the baby, which is why the baby is irresistible". This is so true, I find myself comparing Clara and Leo regularly only to realize again and again how different they really are, specifically how different their needs are even at the same age. It is comforting for me to know that by following each child's cues and needs I am doing what nature intended for that particular child.

Clara and Leo were playing in the crib after Leo's morning nap. Marc captured these pics of Clara brushing Leo's hair.

A random pic of Clara and her "baby brother" Leo. They are so smitten with each other, it is too cute!

Our day in pictures


Baba Ganoush for lunch


Clara drawing one of her specialties... a sun.


Leo got some paper, and yes he tried to eat it!


Nap time.


After watching Marc play beach volleyball we all enjoyed a stop at the ice cream store. All Leo got was Papa's straw, but he seemed to like it plenty!

Everyone take note... sun stroke SUCKS!!!

You might think one of the kids had sun stroke yesterday after playing in the hot sun for several hours but no, it was I, the one NOT wearing a hat that got sick. This weekend I will be buying a sun hat for myself, maybe two. I never, ever want to repeat yesterday afternoon and evening again.

I can add one silly story in all this though. While I was hanging over the toilet the first time Clara positioned herself leaning over my shoulder saying "what about me, what about me??" The second time, Leo was sitting on the floor beside me and every time I looked over to check on him there he was grinning right at me! I swear he was saying something like "Great spit up mom, I like to get people but if you like the toilet that's cool"

Ok, enough potty talk. I'll try to refrain from puke posts from now on... they are popping up altogether too often!

Clara's current favorite...

Book - Mudpuddle
Song - Spiderman theme
TV Show - Poko
Breakfast - cereal with milk and raisins
Fruit - pears
Drink - Pepsi (bad parents!)
Stuffed animal - Rudy the dog
Pyjamas - Shrek jammies
Outfit - jeans and T-shirt
Memory - "puking the the bowl"
Word - there are so many possibilities... maybe "dessert" which is procounced yuy-yut
Phrase - "I don't think so"
Colour - We think it is red but she won't commit.
Toy - her caterpillar necklace

Leo's current favorite...

Book - any edible one is just fine
Song - In the Jungle... the lion sleeps tonight.
TV Show - he still accepts to sit with his back to the TV, so no fav. yet.
Breakfast - milk and apple sauce
Fruit - frozen applesauce cubes in the baby safe feeder.
Drink - that's obvious right?? MILK
Stuffed animal - Big Yellow the doll
Pyjamas - the ones Mommy can put on fast
Outfit - same as above.
Memory - Last time he ate!
Word - We're still waiting.
Phrase - rrrrrrrr ?
Colour - since be doesn't get a choice, I'll say green.
Toy - Winnie the Pooh puzzle and any of his chewy blocks.