Life with Rowan

A Father's Day Well Spent

2010-06-20T20:59:00.004-04:00

The day started with a boat ride and some "fishing" in the morning.

And was concluded with the launch of a rocket. Need I say more?

Could a boy BE more impressed by his father?

Happy father's day Richard/Daddy. We adore you!

On this day we remember.

2010-06-15T22:42:00.003-04:00

Today was the first anniversary of my mother's passing. We think of her every day but today we memorialise once more the strength, courage, grace and love that she embodied and with which she transformed the tragic event of her death into a truly graceful exit from this life and a brave and faithful entry into that which beckoned her from beyond. May she rest in peace.

Strawberry Picking

2010-06-09T21:12:00.005-04:00

It's strawberry season and we went strawberry picking on a farm nearby with some of our friends. We could pick as many as we wanted but we settled on filling one small basket. Rowan was great at spotting them even those that were a few rows over. At first I did most of the picking but when he realised how easy it was he started picking them too and loved it.

Now here is a sight you don't really see on farms these days - people in the fields - working the land. What a sight and what a nice feeling to take part in it.

There were also some goats. One of them actually ate the grass we grabbed for it outside the fence. The other one was a little more picky since it has been munching on the berries from a mulberry tree which was too high for the other goat to reach. We decided to give the smaller one some strawberries. I think it liked it.

The adults also joined in on the fun at the play structure. Yes, even I slid down the huge drain pipe of a slide.

What a fun day. We will definitely have to do it again some time.

A Mountain of Work/Fun

2010-06-07T16:18:00.003-04:00

We have taken on a huge project again and Rowan could not be more happy. Somehow seeing his father slaving away, laying brick by brick, hour after hour, doesn't bother him one little bit. In fact he loves being able to help out and then of course there is all that raw material that usually ends up in one big lump somewhere in our back yard. This one is made up of small stones ranging from fine to the that size that can only be described as just right to collect and throw.

Exploring this mountain took on many different forms:

At the first stage of exploration willing hands, some good boots, a shovel and wheelbarrow came in very handy.

The bike was then brought in to load up the cargo for more energy efficient transport.

Then he had to test the 1 x 3 wheel capabilities of the trike. Needless to say it didn't make it to the top of the mountain. The crash tests were done several times though just to make sure that they really were as fun as he had imagined them to be.

The last crash brought Rowan's attention to his shadow and he spent a couple of minutes admiring his build cast so masterfully onto the mountain rising in front of him. Suddenly his shadowy friend had more of a presence than ever before.

Soon the adventure called again and off he went. He seems to be quite a careful explorer though. Here you see him throwing the pebbles to the top of the mound and watching them tumble down.

I guess he figured the risk was low and made it up the mound himself.

"Yay!" at the top. "I did it!"

So we spent the rest of the morning running up and down and up and down and... well, you get the idea.

The mound has slowly been shrinking over the last few weeks and I am happy to say that soon our outdoor eating area will be firmly established and ready to host many many years of fun family togetherness.

Getting Ready for School is Not a Laughing Matter Anymore

2010-05-18T12:33:00.004-04:00

Rowan loves school. He always gets excited at the mention of it but some mornings he has trouble with the idea of leaving the comfort of his home. This is what happened yesterday.

When he woke up in the morning I reminded him that it was a school day. He smiled that wide-eyed kind of smile and talked about his back pack. Somehow the idea of a back pack makes him very happy. So we came downstairs and had some breakfast. He asked to watch one of his DVDs and settled way too comfortably into his chair.

Later on I walked up to him and gave him the usual "Ten minutes 'till school!" He pretty much ignored me and so I went back after five minutes. This time he cried: "No!" I walked away and when I came back after another five minutes he had constructed a kind of a barricade between me and him with the clever use of two chairs and when he spotted a tiny gap he ran for his box of sanitary wipes and plugged up the hole. I looked at this construction of his. He looked at me and when he saw that I was considering the situation he said: "It's closed!" Meaning I am here behind this great big door and I can't get out. Better yet, Mom, you can't get to me.

I laughed and called Richard over. He laughed. Rowan laughed. And so Rowan left for school with all of us laughing our way to the door.

Playing Outside in the Rain

2010-05-17T21:03:00.002-04:00

Earth Day 2010

2010-04-22T22:13:00.004-04:00

Today is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.

It seems to me like the kind of day that needs to be celebrated. It's Mother Earth we are talking about here. Our home planet that houses us and sustains us. It is a part of us as much as we are a part of it. There should be festivals, parades and nature hikes - families spending their time together in communion with this beautiful creation.

Yet there was little mention of this very special day today. No fuss was made. We just carried on regardless.

We, as a family, didn't make much of a fuss either, but spent quite a bit of time outside today, which is where we happened upon this amazing discovery in our garden. The cycle of life and the beauty and complexity of this world that we live in could not be more evident...

Our Little Baseball Player

2010-04-22T21:59:00.011-04:00

Easter Fun

2010-04-04T20:48:00.003-04:00

Catching Up Part 4

2010-03-21T21:52:00.004-04:00

We spent our weekend building a cold frame...

... planting seeds...

... getting dirty...

... tracking wild animals...

... and spotting the first blooms of the season.

Catching Up Part 3

2010-03-21T21:35:00.003-04:00

Proof that we have in fact been very busy.

Working hard... (everything takes longer when Rowan, ever so kindly, insists on helping.)

... and having fun. Spring is in the air folks!

Catching Up Part 2

2010-03-21T21:21:00.002-04:00

Candle light dinners... who has the time for them these days? Well, that's what I thought until a very good friend of mine pointed out the fact that every single night can in fact be a candle light dinner night. Duh!

So, about two weeks ago we started having dinner by candle light every night. Rowan has enjoyed it immensely but I think that Richard and I have enjoyed it even more. You see, Rowan was always the kind of kid that would eat on the go and more often than not we have resorted to allowing him to eat while watching television just so that he would stay put and finish his meal. But now, we have him right there next to us at the dinner table eating his meal without any fuss.

The best thing about it, of course, is the interaction, conversation and play that happens at the table. While enjoying a healthy meal, we feel relaxed and connected - to our food, the ambiance and each other.

Catching Up Part 1

2010-03-20T12:31:00.003-04:00

So, it has been a while since the last post. That is because we have been pretty busy getting things organized around the house along with doctor's appointments and dental check-ups etc. etc. Now I have to try and fill you in on all that has been happening and have to decided to do it in small doses and chronological order will not be the priority.

Yesterday was a pretty big day here in the Jones household, because for the very first time, EVER, Rowan started counting all by himself. As we were getting ready for bed, reading our books, he counted the stars in his alien book. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine and ten. Richard heard this counting over the baby monitor and when he realised what his boy had just accomplished, he ran into the room and congratulated him in that manly shaking of the hand kind of way. We were all very very proud indeed.

Rowan's Birthday

2010-03-11T20:46:00.003-05:00

Rowan's birthday was on the 5th of March. It turned out to be a lovely day especially since it started out with cake for breakfast and phone calls and emails from our relatives and friends from all over the globe.

Our American family were coming over for dinner in the evening and Olivia decided to come help out during the day. Rowan and Olivia played all sorts of games. The photo below was a game of tiny-teddy-hide-and-go-seek. Rowan really enjoyed finding the bear and I must say he is pretty good at it too. He took equal pleasure in hiding the bear for Olivia to find. It kept them busy for a record amount of time.

When Dad came home in the evening he brought a big box wrapped in colourful balloon paper. Rowan's eyes lit up and he tore the paper off as quick as he could.

But then he had to wait for Dad to put his new work bench together and watched him do exactly that every step of the way. He loved it!

After hammering away at the work bench for a while people started arriving for dinner. One of his favourite friends, Trey, made sure that Rowan was entertained all night long. The two of them ran around chasing each other. Every now and again Rowan ensured that a grown up or two joined in on the fun.

The evening turned out to be a great success except for a few small mishaps - one of which involved the birthday cake which Richard and I made the night before. You see without thinking we switched on our oven to warm our food and didn't realise that the plastic covered cake was still in the there. It melted and two of our guests were sent to buy a suitable cake to form the base of Rowan's castle cake. They were able to find two smaller cakes that we could put next to each other. It worked quite well because now the castle had a moat where it didn't have one before. Thanks Missy and Tricia! You saved the day!

We all had a great day and would like to thank you all for sending your love and good wishes on Rowan's birthday. Birthdays are fun but they are even better when you get to share them with the ones you love.

Two very proud parents and their now three year old boy. We love you Rowan.

It's Party Time!

2010-03-04T23:18:00.006-05:00

Preparing for tomorrow when Rowan will be turning THREE years old.

Rowan went to bed with the smell of chocolate cake drifting through our home and a promise that he can have some for breakfast. I bet that tonight he will be dreaming of two things: one will be about the question we have been asking him over the last couple of days (Rowan, how old will you be tomorrow?) and secondly that delicious chocolate cake he so begrudgingly left behind.

A Montessori Day

2010-03-03T21:23:00.003-05:00

It was a very special day today
'Cause Mom and Dad came out to play
With Rowan and all his friends at school
And this was contrary to the rule.

The boy was happy and proud as could be
To show them his work: one, two and three.
They sang a song and counted the days
and soon they were privy to Montessori ways.

They had fun - Oh boy did they have fun!
But before they knew it an hour and a half was done.
The parting was sad but they had to go
To leave the young boy to continue to grow.

Rocket Science is no Joke

2010-03-02T16:18:00.004-05:00

Rowan watched his Dad build a rocket from some blocks just the other day and then decided to try it for himself. I am just wondering if he also acquired the very special concentration technique from Richard during that one session or if sticking his tongue out is something he inherited genetically.

Great! We have a rocket! But can it be taller? Hmm... Let's try.

I am sure I can make this work. I'll just keep trying.

Nope! I guess the impossible truly is impossible.

Shivering

2010-02-27T19:57:00.006-05:00

When you have established a routine within the household parenting can sometimes be rather monotonous save for those unexpected and wonderful moments where you get to see the world in a whole new way through the eyes of your child.

This past Friday we did the same thing we do almost every week. We went to the visitor center at the lake to visit with our friends the turtles and the fish. It was a cold day. I would venture to say that it was probably one of the coldest days that we have experienced this winter because the howling wind added some extra bite to the already frigid air. The car was nice and warm though so when I opened Rowan's door the cold air caught him by surprise and he gave a little shiver in acknowledgement. So we made sure that we wrapped up warmly - a nice thick jacket and hoody and we were set. Now this is where the "aah!" moment comes in: As Rowan got out of the car he looked up at the towering tree with it's very naked winter branches quivering in the wind and said with concern and amazement: "Wow! The tree's COLD!"

Lucky Packet Surprise

2010-02-23T21:11:00.004-05:00

When I was very young I used to accompany my Dad to the grocery store in the evenings a couple of times a week. I might as well confess right now, in case you didn't already know this about me, that I was a very spoilt little girl. Every time I went to the shop with my Dad I got some or other toy to take home with me. My absolute favourite was what we used to call a "Lucky Packet." I loved it because the packet concealed what was on the inside. Most of the time it would be a really silly little plastic toy but the best thing about it was the anticipation of finding out what the "lucky" surprise was. Why am I telling you this now? Well, because since Rowan has been going to school I have rediscovered this idea of the lucky packet. It's Rowan's school bag! Every day when he comes home, we get to open his bag and see what's inside. Sometimes there is art work; paper cuttings; stamp work and sometimes there is nothing at all.

Today was one of those "Jumbo Lucky Packet" days because I found something very unusual in his bag and when Rowan saw how excited I was, his face just beamed with pride. As it turns out they had a special science day at school where they learnt about our solar system. He also got to make his very own Moon Sand. Again the contents might not have been all that fantastic but the surprise of it all and the look on Rowan's face made this one of the best lucky dips ever.

The Lyrics to Mr. Sun

2010-02-18T17:12:00.001-05:00

Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
Mister Golden Sun,
Please shine down on me

Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
Mister Golden Sun,
Hiding behind a tree...

These little children
Are asking you
To please come out
So we can play with you

Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
Mister Golden Sun,
Please shine down on me!

Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
Mister Golden Sun,
Please shine down on me

Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
Mister Golden Sun,
Hiding behind a tree...

These little children
Are asking you
To please come out
So we can play with you

Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
Mister Golden Sun,
Please shine down on...
Please shine down on...
Please shine down on me!

Mr. Sun.

2010-02-17T20:46:00.002-05:00

We were so very happy this morning when we realised that the bad weather was taking a break and letting us out on the roads again. Rowan eagerly geared up with his back pack and a warm jacket and went merrily on his way to school.

On the way back from school we listened to some children's music. One of the songs captured my attention and put me in the spirit for spring. "Mr. Sun, Sun. Mr. golden Sun. Please shine down on me..."

"Please, please, please Mr. Sun!" I begged as I cast my eyes to the sky filled with grey clouds and much to my surprise saw a tiny patch of blue. So I am hopeful that soon we will see our happy sunny skies again. Please.

Life Skills

2010-02-16T19:19:00.003-05:00

As our snow days have been piling up one on top of another, so too have our household chores so today we decided to tackle a few from our very long list.

I enlisted Rowan to help clean all the little wooden ornaments that Richard has been making over the years. They are normally on display in our living room and we almost never get the chance to really appreciate the workmanship up close. Rowan loves containers of any kind and these have such interesting and varied shapes and sizes that it kept him busy for a very long time.

Some of them had pebbles and some had shells. Rowan made sure that he saved some time for play in between the cleaning.

The ornaments and bowls in the white area are still waiting to be cleaned. The ones on the carpet are shined and ready to go. It took Rowan only about 1 minute to clean them. He would pick one up, wave the wet rag over it and put it down on the rug. Just like I showed him...

After a while of playing on the rug he felt inspired to clean his kitchen and promptly went to fetch a wet sponge.

He also managed to practice some dusting. I think we can say that today was a very productive day. Rowan practiced some essential life skills and I finally managed to clean off about a month's worth of dust. It feels good.

The Pleasures of Winter

2010-02-15T22:27:00.005-05:00

We spent President's Day playing around the house because we had an amazing amount of snow coming down all around us. Everywhere we looked was white. All the lines that normally mark the ground were blurred and undetectable. The entire landscape transformed. I think the snow will still be here for a long time to come and we will have many opportunities to explore and play as we did this weekend. Here are some photos of our walk in the woods on Sunday.

The above photograph shows the lake in winter - the same lake that we enjoy boating on.

The guys, forever tormenting me, moving closer and closer to the frozen water.

Happy Thursday Morning

2010-02-11T08:07:00.003-05:00

I am sitting at the computer in our bedroom. Rowan has just awoken and I can hear him singing through the baby monitor: "A cat. U-huh! A house. U-huh! No no no no no. Mama. Daddy. Toast!"

Loving it!

If our day starts out lkle this I think it is going to be a good one.

Rowan has been asking to go shopping for the last 3 days now. It seems that the snow has mostly stopped and that we might actually be able to drive around and that is exactly what we are going to be doing.

Have a great day everyone! I know we will!

Play Room: Organised!

2010-02-10T23:36:00.003-05:00

Over the weekend I took on a rather big project. Rowan's play room has steadily been filling to capacity. Too many toys and activities in one place can be overwhelming for children with the end result being that they play for only a very short minute or two with each toy. They end up drifting through the room moving from object to object without really engaging in any real kind of play. Well, that seems to be the case with Rowan. Perhaps other kids are different.

So I set out to remedy the situation by emptying the entire room and organizing all the toys by categories such as puzzles, shapes and colour recognition activities, word play, exploration, cars and trucks, tools etc. I then acquired 5 large storage tubs and divided the toys equally where each tub contains at least one toy or activity from each of the categories. The idea is to use the content of one tub per week in the playroom. After a week the tub will be exchanged with the next one. In this way Rowan will discover his toys anew every 5 weeks. The Montessori school uses containers and trays for the display of each activity. This gives each item it's own space and thus allows for more focused play or work. It also helps with the collection of objects after play.

Today was our first day of trying it out and I will admit that Rowan did get a little frustrated after a while, mumbling something about school. I guess it was set up a little too much like school. As the day progressed, however, I witnessed him engaging more and more with the few activities that he did like, such as lacing a shoe lace through a cardboard cut-out of a butterfly.

The same activities will be available to him tomorrow. Only time will tell whether this plan of mine will work. I really hope that it does.

A Perfect Snow Day

2010-02-09T22:25:00.004-05:00

It started snowing at around midnight last night and didn't stop until late this afternoon. Rowan and I spent the entire day at home while poor Richard had to brave the slippery roads to work.

Here are some photos of Rowan on the sled that Richard managed to put together with a used sign board and rope.

Rowan's World of Words

2010-02-08T20:26:00.002-05:00

As Rowan's ability to communicate verbally steadily improves we find ourselves in a constant state of anticipation waiting for what he has to say next. Most of the time we are delighted by the sweet sounds coming from his mouth and at other times we think it might be best he didn't voice his opinion at all for instance when you are trying to buy the organic eggs and he insists at the top of his voice that we get the blue carton of eggs.

This morning as Richard and Rowan got near the school Rowan started asking: "School! Where are you? School!" - literally talking to the school. I find this to be adorable because it is Rowan's attempt at being silly or funny. If only you could see the expression on his face when he does this. Kind of hard to explain. Sorry about that.

Now that he is speaking a little more clearly we get to see how his mind works. Now we understand what he likes, dislikes and those things that he finds funny and why he thinks they are funny.

So, this afternoon as we arrived home and he saw the tracks that were made in the snow the day before by a makeshift sled he jumped for joy, laughed and excitedly shouted: "Daddy! Daddy! Snow!" The joy he felt in remembrance of the fun he had with his Dad on the sled was palpable and heart warming.

We also now know of an imaginary friend that Rowan seemed to have acquired. His name is "Dog" and he is a dog. He is a dog that likes to hide under the bed and run around corners. Apparently he gets into quite some mischief too because every now and again I will hear Rowan saying: "No! Dog! Go! Go!"

I am sure there are plenty more cute examples to tell you about but I recognize the fact that only Richard and I find all this to be super fun and fascinating. I am just happy to have the opportunity to share these joys of ours with you.

2010-02-06T23:56:00.005-05:00

Cold and Snowy Day

2010-02-05T21:12:00.002-05:00

Today we experienced the start of what people are calling a Winter storm. It was snowing quite a bit but not enough to call it a storm of any kind. So, I am not really sure whether it is actually still going to get worse. It does make me wonder when our friends are running around in the cold to collect and stack wood on their porch so that it would be at hand when they really need it. Then I think well, we have heating in the house and suddenly it dawns on me that a Winter storm could easily cause the electricity to fail and then we would be in a world of trouble. Now I am worried. I am going to check the weather forecast now and will leave you with this adorable photograph of Rowan watching his train going around and around the track.

Yup! He's a Montessori Kid

2010-02-04T23:11:00.000-05:00

2010-02-03T22:57:00.001-05:00

It has been quite a while since Rowan has attended school for 3 days in a row. I must say I really missed the little guy and we are looking forward to having some fun over the next 4 days. We'll keep you posted.

Oh Sh...

2010-02-02T20:19:00.003-05:00

"Oh sh!" he says as the slippery bag falls from his busy little hands to the floor. As I cringe with the realisation that I might be responsible for the prolific use of this new exclamation, I can't help but giggle for the poor little kid, innocent as can be, has no idea that his shortened version of what most people consider to be a nasty old word, does not hide the fact that someone in this household has been saying things they shouldn't have been saying.

That someone is me because when I am stressed out and things go wrong I tend to loose it. I will add this though: the reason he only says sh and not the entire four letter word is because I usually catch myself in the middle of saying it and thus I stop at sh. So there you have it.

We thought a good remedy for this situation would be to get Rowan to say something else when things don't go his way. So the other day Winnie the Pooh gave us an adorable example of how to express yourself in the face of disappointment or frustration: "Oh bother!"

Great! It is the perfect word and Richard and I have been using it every time Rowan says "Oh sh!" So tonight we finally got him to repeat it when he spilled a whole cup of cold water over his lap and onto the floor. "Oh bother!" we said. "Oh bugger!" he said. Progress? Umm... no... probably not.

Dr. Rowan PhD is on the Case.

2010-02-01T21:15:00.003-05:00

So, it's been a while since the last post and that is because I didn't think you would have been very interested in hearing all the details of the two week long sick period that we have been going through. I will say this, we are glad it is over and done with because it seemed like this relay race of ours was never going to end. Every time one of us passed the baton we returned to our starting positions for another leg all the while cheering the other members of team Jones on to finish strong. Phew! We did it! It's over and at the end of it all we walk away with a much bigger appreciation for good health and antibiotics. And in the spirit of keeping healthy we thought we would start training Rowan to be a clever and good little scientist so that one day perhaps he will find a way to eradicate all these nasty little viruses.

We found this really great science kit at a second hand store the other day. We only payed $5 for it and Rowan absolutely loves it. I am also quite amazed at how quickly he came to understand the idea behind using a microscope. He played with it for over an hour today, looking at all sorts of different fibres, animal hair and the wings of some or other bug. I am looking forward to seeing what this science play will eventually lead to. We will keep you posted.

Hanging in there!

2010-01-26T22:43:00.005-05:00

Our poor little guy is sick again...

... but he is still hanging in there!

Winter Remedy

2010-01-22T20:27:00.006-05:00

Take one dreary, cold and grey Ohio day and add some yellow, purple, blue, red, green and orange and you have yourself one very good reason to smile.

"I go pee!!!"

2010-01-21T23:06:00.002-05:00

I guess I can be assured that the potty training is going well when my two year old jumps up from the lovely warm water of the bath tub, where he was happily at play, insisting that he uses the potty immediately. For a second, just a second I considered saying: "Oh don't worry Rowan, you don't have to..." thinking that it would take a little too long for us to dry him and reach the potty. Once again he proved me wrong as he patiently waited for his potty seat to arrive. Excellent my boy!

My Joy in Colour

2010-01-20T21:23:00.003-05:00

For a while now we have not given Rowan any line drawings to colour in, mainly because he seemed to get frustrated with the activity and preferred doing more creative work. Over the last couple of months we have noticed some significant changes in his approach to his drawings and paintings but today I found myself astonished at how much his drawing skills have developed.

The picture below shows very deliberate lines, drawn very carefully so as not to touch each other. You'll see the green lines in the center of the page representing a spiral. I took so much delight in watching him do this - the care that he took with each line was something to behold. Another aspect worth mentioning is his use of colour. He now enjoys using all the colours in the palette before him. I think this is a direct consequence of the fact that he now knows that each colour has a name.

Having seen the amount of control he exercised while drawing the above drawing, Richard thought it a good idea to see how he would do at colouring in a line drawing. Again I was so very impressed. Well, impressed doesn't really do justice to the feeling of pure and utter joy that I felt watching him create the picture below. And, no Anke and Jaime, it is not just because he managed to keep most of the colouring in between the lines, but because I have been waiting for him, in fact dreaming about the day that he would show that much interest in some kind of creative or crafty activity. And now we can look forward to many many more drawing sessions, Rowan and I, side by side, happily drawing for hours on end. OK, I may be getting a little bit ahead of myself, but now that one dream has been realised I have to replace it with another.

Yay! :) Well done Rowy!

Home

2010-01-15T22:17:00.002-05:00

While we were in South Africa Rowan learnt the meaning of the word home.

Our first week there was very busy, the sun was hot and then there was the change in time zones to deal with. We found ourselves driving a lot and meeting different people in different locations every single day. It was a bit much for our little guy at times and we frequently had to remind him as he was sitting in the back of the car that we would soon be home with Granny and Granddad. And that is how he came to know his grandparent's house as home.

He started associating swimming, blowing bubbles and chasing cats with home. Home was the place where his two adoring grandparents would welcome him with great big smiles and big hugs. He always brightened up when we reassured him that we were on our way home.

Now, since we have been back we have been trying to teach him that our little green house, the place we keep returning to all the time, is also his home. I think after about a month or so he caught on. I have noticed however, that every time we talk to Granny on the phone, he starts to mumble things about home and sometimes when we talk about home, he starts talking about getting in the car and going on the plane.

The great thing about this which dawned on me today, is that he is one very fortunate kid to have more than one place to call home.

Fun and Learning at the Visitor Center

2010-01-14T21:16:00.002-05:00

We decided to go back to one of our favourite spots again today. The visitor center at the lake has always been a great place for us to be entertained in a calm peaceful and informative setting. The displays are designed in a way that makes it easy for kids of all ages to be able to learn through interaction. Rowan is steadily becoming more aware of everything they have to offer. He enjoys pushing the buttons, listening to and then repeating the names of the animals in the photographs on the huge screen above him. Here he is, next to Olivia, looking at all the different creatures that have made this particular lake their habitat.

These turtles leaped from their rocky platforms and made a huge splash just as we walked into the room. They are very active and fun to watch.

Colouring activities playfully nestled within this hideout. What fun! I am so happy that I get to relive my childhood through Rowan. There are so many amazing places for kids these days and we are very thankful for them. As for this great spot, just around the corner from us... I am sure we will be back time and time again.

Staying Active and Entertained

2010-01-13T21:35:00.005-05:00

One of my very best ideas ever! We have removed most of the furniture from our guest bedroom and transformed it into our movement room. This is where we play, exercise and dance. It is a room that contains music, movement and good spirits.

Rowan responds very well to the classical music from the Little Einsteins. He seems to be moved by it and when the tempo or mood of the music changes, he changes his style of dancing/movement too.

We also have a sofa with cushions that Rowan is allowed to utilise in any way that he sees fit. The room is safe for all sorts of play. The photographs show Rowan getting ready for jumping. A favourite activity of course. There are balls of all shapes and sizes too. What more can we ask for during the long and cold winter months? Well... maybe some friends to share it with. You are all welcome!

For Gran.

2010-01-12T21:00:00.002-05:00

That's what he said!

2010-01-11T19:09:00.001-05:00

The new year is less than two weeks old and already I have broken a promise to you. Yes, I missed two days of blogging. The first time was because I was out having fun with a friend during the time I normally would have written a post. The next day was Sunday and after a very nice and relaxed weekend I didn't feel like writing. So sorry folks.

Rowan went back to school again today and seemed to have enjoyed it. I am never really sure though since he is now in the habit of saying yes to every question I ask him when I pick him up from school. "Hi my boy! Did you have fun at school today?" "Yes!" he says with half a smile. "Did you get to play outside today?" "Yes." "That must have been cold. Did you wear your gloves?" "Yes." "Did you do any painting or drawing?" "Yes." As it turns out they didn't actually play outside and he didn't do any drawing.

So what exactly do I make of that? Does he not understand what I am asking him? Does he not know the difference between yes or no? Perhaps he has noticed that the word, yes has much better results than no when directed at your mother. He could also just be tired and feel like he should at least say something to please his Mom wether or not it actually relates to the question. Or could it be possible that he has learnt from his Dad that the only way to keep Mom happy is to say yes and agree with everything she says? My guess is that he is too busy settling into the comfort of his carseat with his goldfish crackers in one hand and a bottle of water in the other thinking to himself: "Ah! Now if only I could have some peace and quite around here. Yes (out loud). That would be great. Yes (out loud again). Let's go home. Yes (out loud again). I can't wait to play with my trucks." And all the while Mom is smiling feeling confident that the boy has had a lovely day of playing, drawing and painting because that's what he said.

Still Snowing... Still Sick...

2010-01-08T20:21:00.004-05:00

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But at least it's Friday! Have a happy weekend everybody!

Beautiful Winter's Day

2010-01-07T18:13:00.002-05:00

We woke this morning to find the ground covered with snow. The snow was steadily falling and the forecast predicted snow all day long. Sigh... I thought immediately after "Ooh, how pretty!" because I wasn't really looking forward to finding things for us to do inside all day long. But we didn't have much of a choice because Rowan was still coughing quite a bit. So we ended up doing some drawing and painting. We played with Rowan's cars and watched a couple of shows on DVD. Before we knew it, it was nap time and by the time Rowan woke up again the ground outside was covered in about a foot of snow and the snow was still coming down. The house was quiet and the two of us were in the living room slowly making our way toward the windows and soon we found ourselves sitting on the chair next to the window staring out at the snow being blown around by the wind. For just a minute or two we enjoyed the peace and quiet Winter had brought us. With my son on my lap there was nowhere else I would rather be.

A Special Day

2010-01-06T19:52:00.003-05:00

Today is January 6th. It is an important day. Today is the day that we traditionally remove our Christmas decorations and today would also have been my mother's 59th birthday.

I wasn't really looking forward to this day because I was afraid of how I might feel about my Mom not being here to celebrate her birthday with us but as it turned out instead of spending a lot of time thinking about her and getting sad, I ended up spending almost the entire day communicating in some form or another with all the other special ladies in my life. All of a sudden I received call after call and message after message. What strikes me most about this is that none of them even knew that I needed some emotional support today yet there they were.

Poor little Rowan, still feeling under the weather, didn't get much out of it though. I was so busy talking with everyone that he had to find ways to keep himself entertained. So for that, my little guy, I am really very sorry.

Well, we are getting ready to take our decorations down and as we do this I will be reflecting on all the blessing we received over the last year most of which came in the form of the beautiful people we share our lives with. Thank you.

Snow Day

2010-01-05T20:26:00.002-05:00

Today was Rowan's very first snow day which meant that he got to stay home from school. I imagine a lot of the kids that had the day off, got to go outside to play in the snow but alas our little guy is feeling sick again. He has been coughing quite a bit and has been pale and tired all day long. It seems to be getting better but if things don't clear up by tomorrow we will be paying another visit to the pediatrician. We'll keep you posted.

First Day Back at School

2010-01-04T20:26:00.003-05:00

When asked: "Are you excited about school today?" Rowan, without hesitation smiled and said: "Yeah!" We were very relieved to hear this since it has been over a month since the last time he attended school.

So off we went in the freezing cold. We had to pack his snowsuit and boots so that he could join his friends outside on the playground. The drop-off went very well.

At the end of the day he seemed quite content and when we got home we were surprised to find his backpack filled with gifts. It seems that some of his classmates had given him all sorts of treats over the holiday period while we were in South Africa. An invitation to a birthday party, a candy cane and hot chocolate and some Holiday cards not to mention the Milka chocolate slab! Rowan was so happy when he saw the chocolate and we had to let him enjoy a piece. He was in heaven!

There were also some other goodies in his backpack and it made me feel very glad. There were several paintings, drawings and paper cuttings which means that Rowan has finally started enjoying some of the more creative activities at school.

We are looking forward to see what the rest of the school year has to offer and will keep you posted.

By the way. The school is having an open house soon if any of you are interested just let me know.

Is it a Kitchen or a Workbench?

2010-01-03T20:43:00.004-05:00

This Mom and in this case even the Dad thought it a good idea to get Rowan a little play kitchen. He has shown much interest and likes to make all sorts of dishes for Richard and I to try out. Mostly we get to munch on some yummy cakes or cakee as he calls it. He also likes to pretend to wash his hands. I thought the kitchen would be a great learning tool. You know, he would learn about arranging glasses neatly on a shelf and hang his pots on the hooks that were so thoughtfully provided. He did all that and then it seems he got bored because soon the sink was taken out of the counter top leaving a gaping hole that you can throw stuff into and there were hundreds of little toy cars and tools in the microwave. I guess it was to be expected. It is still fun though and he loves it.

Rowan's idea of being industrious in the kitchen.

Untitled

2010-01-02T21:21:00.004-05:00

This evening we thought we would take our potty training to our number one store. (Ha ha!) We have been couped up at home all day (doing really well at the potty training) and really needed to get out. So we grabbed our coats, gloves and courage as we headed to IKEA.

As we arrived I explained to Rowan that we had to use the potty before we get to play with all the toys and he gladly followed. I was amazed to find that he was still completely dry even after we got stuck in traffic for a very long time and to cut a long and boring story short I will just say that he did it! I was elated!

As we walked through the aisles I was all smiles, not because of all the items on sale but because I felt such joy in the fact that we had achieved such success so quickly after starting potty training. I also couldn't help but think of my good friend Lynn because she wrote a blog about finding the joy and spirit of Christmas at Walmart in her post entitled Spirit of Christmas on Sale at Walmart. So I was very tempted to name this post Joy on Sale at IKEA but just didn't have the guts to do it even though I had even more good reasons to do so.

You see, not only did Rowan successfully use the potty, he also for some or other reason chose IKEA as the place to blurt out his very first clearly articulated sentence as we were passing through the cafeteria. "I want a juice." he said with every little sound vocalised perfectly. Not only that! Later on, after months of calling water, juice, he decided to say water! In an American accent too! How's that for progress? As we were sitting at a table overlooking the escalators he waved at the people saying: "Hi people!" - another word he has never used before! And then, as we were getting ready to leave and he noticed all the dessert was gone he very casually uttered the following: "Cake is gone. Bugger!" Richard and I looked at each other in disbelief and when Rowan repeated it we burst out laughing! What fun!

Well, there you have it. Another great day. This year is off to a very good start.

Day 1 of 2010

2010-01-01T21:43:00.005-05:00

Before I get into the main portion of today's post I feel like I need to recommit myself to posting a piece every day of the year. You see, the last portion of this year has been very challenging for many reasons and at times it was hard for me to find the time, energy and inclination to take a moment in front of the computer and try to report on our day. So, I apologise to all of you that have been checking in day after day only to be faced with the other day's entry. I am back now. Willing and able to share those special and sometimes even the seemingly ordinary and perhaps boring moments of our life. I will try my best to be creative, diligent, positive, entertaining and insightful and for those days when eloquence, optimism, coherency and drive escapes me I ask that you... well... maybe just send some good wishes our way. So, here we go!

Day 1 of 2010 proves this family's willingness and dedication to get things done. Yes! On the first long weekend of this year we chose to commit ourselves to one of the most feared responsibilities of being parents: we chose to teach Rowan the fine art of using the potty once and for all.

I will start by admitting that Richard and I know very little about the process of teaching a small child to use the potty save for the bits and pieces of information we gathered from the world wide web. We really just went into this process hoping and trusting that we would figure it out as we go along. So the official report on this day is as follows.

We tried our very best to stay positive and optimistic. As far as patience goes I would have to give Rowan most of the credit. That boy handled the constant nagging pressure coming from us very well indeed. Statistically we had 3 hits and 4 misses which means that we had a success rate of approximately 42%. Well, that statistic is for the more scientific minded of you. Now for those of you who like to be a little more hopeful and think outside of the box I will submit the following assessment: every time there was a miss, Rowan had the opportunity to refine his senses and hone his skill. Therefor the misses were not misses at all and thus we really had a 100% success rate!

Pretty great for the first day of the year, wouldn't you say? Well done Rowan!

I have to laugh as I review this post before posting it because I didn't realise that hits and misses could be taken to mean something entirely different when it comes to a boy using a potty :) So just to clarify, what I mean by hits and misses is really whether or not he was successful at making it to the potty in time. It's funny.

December 2009

2009-12-31T21:32:00.007-05:00

The month of December has been really good to us. On December 4th we left on a plane for South Africa. This was very exciting for Rowan as he loves planes! Richard and I were happy that we would be able to spend some time with our friends and family again. We also had some big events to look forward to. There was an early family Christmas get together, a memorial service for my Mom as well as Rowan's aunt
Jennifer and his now uncle Walter's wedding.

As we arrived in Johannesburg on the 5th, we were greeted at the airport by a throng of people that were very happy to see us. Few things match the feeling of being greeted with love and joy by those you love and appreciate most in life. The meet and greet at the airport was very short but oh so much appreciated by us. As we left
the airport and headed towards Benoni where Richard's parents live we were welcomed by one of those beautiful highveld thunderstorms and a rainbow visible in the night sky. It was quite special.

Rowan's Gran prepared one of our favourite South African dishes called Boboti. It was delicious and we were happy to be home and amongst family again. Needless to say we were very tired that night and went to bed quite early.

The following day was set aside for a lovely Christmas get together with my side of the family. It was also Rowan's Oupa's 60th birthday so we really had something to celebrate. Again the food was out of this world! Rowan and Richard spent a lot of time swimming in the pool. It was very nice to catch up with all the members of this rather large part of our family.

The memorial service for my Mom was very touching and sincere. We gathered together with my sister, her fiance, three of my mom's sisters, two of my cousins and my grandmother. It was really meaningful for us to all finally be able to stand together in remembrance of my mother and the life that she shared with all of us. Her ashes were placed in the wall of remembrance at the Methodist Church in Alberton.

The next couple of days were spent visiting with friends and family. We were busy every single day but were sure to make time for plenty of sunshine and swimming. I look back fondly on the mornings and afternoons spent in Granny's garden blowing bubbles, chasing cats, twirling around and around and swooping through the air like
aeroplanes.

Before we knew it, the week was over and we were heading off to the Drakensberg mountain range in KwaZulu Natal. We were very excited to be visiting the place that Richard and his family always visited on their vacations many years ago. Richard and I have also had a couple of opportunities to stay there so I guess it is safe to say that The Caverns Berg Resort feels like home to us. This time my sister,
Yolande and her fiance Alex joined us. Even though it rained for the two days that we were staying there we still had a great time. Rowan also enjoyed spending some quality time with his aunt and seemed to be completely smitten with Alex.

The next stop on our journey was the destination for the wedding. We drove for an hour and a half through the mountains winding through the valleys, crossing rivers and passing many traditional zulu settlements and other rural villages. There were cattle everywhere! What a wonderful treat to see such happy cows simply wandering around the grassland at the foothills of the magnificent mountain range. The air
was fresh, the sky blue and the sun as hot as could be. Rowan slept most of the way and when we arrived at Didima Lodge he was ready to have some fun. And boy did he have fun!

Right outside our chalet was a rock garden of sort. Rowan spotted his first gecko and that was the beginning of a weekend long search for
geckos. He turned over every rock he could find and climbed on and in between every boulder he came across. We attempted a hike or two but Rowan thought walking up a hill along a very boring path cutting through the grass in the hot sun was a silly idea. So we walked back down and the two boys went for a swim while I helped out with the wedding preparations.

The wedding rehearsal was held in the late afternoon. This was Rowan's test to see if he would in fact be happy to carry the rings down the aisle. He didn't like the idea too much and we decided that he would walk with Richard down the aisle from where the would go directly to their seats while one of the groom's men held the rings. This way Rowan could still be a part of the ceremony and show off his super
funky and slightly over the top outfit.

Rowan also made two new friends. Steph and Abi were the prettiest two flower (bubble) girls he has ever seen. Abi quite liked Rowan too and the two of them played together quite a few times.

The wedding was great. I think it could quite possibly have been one of the happiest weddings I have ever attended. Jennifer was bursting with joy and looked beautiful in her purple wedding dress. I don't think I have ever seen Walter as elated either. The children claimed the dance floor even before the dancing started and kept us and
themselves entertained for hours. The food was good and the atmosphere perfect. Wait until you see the beautiful landscape that surrounded this wonderful event. We had a lovely couple of days in the Drakensberg and we didn't want to leave.

Back in Johannesburg we said our last goodbyes to friends and family and prepared to get back on a plane. And just like that our two week South African vacation was over.

A fluffy, white blanket of snow welcomed us back home and soon we were filled with Christmas spirit. We decorated our tree, pulled out those dancing and singing snowmen and even bought a couple with lights to decorate our back yard. The stockings were stuffed and gifts wrapped while listening to some special holiday music. We cooked a great big meal and spent our Christmas morning together as a family. In the afternoon we joined our very good friends for some desert and gift
exchange. It was a very happy and blessed Christmas indeed.

The week between Christmas and this new year's eve was rather cold, wet and snowy so we ended up spending a lot of time indoors. Rowan played with all his new toys and musical instruments, he learnt to draw circles, made some progress with his potty training and learnt to identify the colours of objects. It was a productive week indeed. As for me... I spent some of my time reflecting on the past year - the
triumphs, the tragedies and those very special ordinary days that came to be 2009. I look back and I am humbled by life and it's complexities. I am thankful for all the people that have in some way or another shared their lives with us and I am glad that we were able to share some bits and pieces of our lives with all of you through
this blog.

May you all have a wonderful and blessed 2010 filled with love, joy and peace. With love from Richard, Elaine and Rowan.

A Family of Happy Snappers

2009-11-29T20:50:00.004-05:00

I remember the very first photograph I ever took. We were on the beach in the middle of summer. My Dad had his camera and was shooting away. My Mom was pregnant with my sister and NOT enjoying the heat. I guess I must have been around 8 or 9 years old at the time. I remember it all so well. I asked my father if he would let me take a photograph and much to my surprise he allowed me to do so. Just one though. They used expensive film in those days. I was so excited! I can remember the feeling of the heavy steel body of the Minolta in my hands. I can remember bringing my first photograph into focus by turning the dial ever so gently. When that shutter released, I felt very proud of myself. That was most probably the start of my love for photography.

Now jump ahead a couple (or so) of decades into the future where we now have digital cameras of all shapes and sizes - even ones for small, clumsy hands like the one we acquired for Rowan. We have been wanting to get one for him for a long time now but just never found one that was well designed yet inexpensive enough for him to use. He has always shown great interest in my camera and the photos I take and one day this summer I allowed him to take some snap shots with mine. He loved it and we were excited to be able to see the world from his perspective.

So this weekend he got his first camera and was allowed and encouraged to take as many pictures as he wanted. He spent a lot of time roaming around the house - looking for things to photograph. As I watched him I wondered what his thought process was in deciding what to photograph and what to move past. It soon became quite clear that he was taking photos of his favourite things. Here you go. Have a look. His favourite trucks.

His favourite people.

His beloved kitty.

Another truck on his favourite drum.

His train.

This bear was actually brought over to the living room for a special photo shoot. Yip, he was posing the bear with Mom and then...

... with his good friend, O.

Well, that's all for Rowan's photos for now. We will be sure to get him to take some of our vacation.

I did some digging and found this photograph of my Mom on the beach. I am pretty sure it is the one I took on that happy day. I might be wrong though, and if I am, just let me believe it was this one, OK? It makes for a nice story :)

The Power of Communication

2009-11-23T19:45:00.004-05:00

At some point during the weekend Rowan realised the power that a well spoken word can hold. So, now he has decided to communicate his will and wishes a little more clearly to us.

Yes, it is encouraging, but let me explain why I also find it rather troubling.

In the past when things didn't go his way, he would whine a little and we would either help to make things better or try to comfort him. Now he knows that that tiny little word no, when spoken with a raised voice and that certain kind of tone will catch your parents by surprise and knock them off kilter just enough for you to get away with whatever you want. Add to NO! a bit of STOP! and GO MOM! and you've got yourself a well stocked arsenal of words that will make your Mom cringe every single time she hears it.

I am now reminded of a post I added a little while ago - the one where I said I would try not to say no all the time... I should have stuck with it, you know? Because I am afraid I am going to get back what I have been putting into our interactions and am NOT looking forward to it.

Daddy's Boy.

2009-11-22T20:49:00.003-05:00

Over the last week or so Rowan has been asking for his Dad a little more than usual. When I greet him in the morning he usually says: "Hi Mom. Where's Daddy?" and sometimes all he says is: "Where's Daddy?" As much as I adore the fact that he loves his Dad so very much I will admit that sometimes, just sometimes, it makes me feel a little less loved. But hey, don't get me wrong here - I pretty much melt whenever he says Mom.

Most mornings I have to explain to him that Dad's gone to work and he gets very sad - lips pouting and everything. Sometimes we end up calling Richard at work so that Rowan can cheer up. So, I am quite sure that Rowan really looks forward to the weekends where he can wake up in the morning and be greeted by his Dad in person.

This weekend was one of those weekends where Rowan didn't leave Richard's side (being Dad's little helper) and even when Richard managed to slip away for a second Rowan wandered around the house calling for him.

Well, tomorrow is Monday again and I just know that Rowan is going to wake up and be disappointed. Luckily it usually only lasts as long as it takes us to walk down the stairs.

Play Date with J

2009-11-20T21:44:00.002-05:00

Hi to all. It has been a while since my last post and I think I should explain why. You see, I think we have finally reached that point where there isn't always something interesting to tell you about and I find that I really need there to be something special to share in order for me to be inspired to start typing this late at night. So I guess what I am trying to say is that from now on, I will only be posting new pieces when there actually is something to talk about or perhaps I will share some photos instead of a lengthy story. I do hope that you will still keep checking in every now and again.

Something special did happen today. Rowan had a play date with his friend, J, from school. We went over to their house where he got to play and I got to chat for over two hours. I was so pleased to see the two boys get along so well. They still haven't reached the point where they are actually playing with each other, but they do seem to enjoy eachother's company.

J shares a huge play area with his big brother and little sister in the basement of their house. It was wonderful. The entire area was completely kid friendly and filled with toys and activities. In fact as we came down the stairs and turned the corner to have an entire wall of toys revealed to us Rowan excitedly shouted "Whoooo!" as he folded in half sticking his head out and opening his eyes as wide as possible to take in the splendor of it all.

The entire time that we were there I didn't have to say no to him once. He was well behaved and content so I was able to relax and enjoy some real conversation with another adult which made me feel happy and content and so the two of us started our day and it seems the mood continued right through to the evening.

We had fun today. Rowan went to bed laughing and I am sure that when I lay my head on my pillow tonight the glimpses of a day well lived will put a smile on my face too.

The Entertainer.

2009-11-16T21:22:00.009-05:00

Drumming! Drumming, drumming and more drumming! I know, it sounds like I might be a little annoyed by the idea of drumming, but you know what? I am thrilled. Rowan absolutely loves to drum and he is a real entertainer too.

We have several hand drums lying around our living room. Rowan decided to take to them using the drumsticks he received with a different band set and now he LOVES playing the drums. He plays with varying rhythm, moves effortlessly from one drum to the next and stops and waits for applause from his adoring fans.

I have always enjoyed the earthy sounds emanating from hand drums and when they are being delivered by our little boy with that special sparkle in his eyes the loud banging turns into the most beautiful sound in the world.

Tune in and enjoy:

Afternoon Walk by the Lake

2009-11-14T17:08:00.007-05:00

Our First Friday Night Bon-fire

2009-11-13T20:43:00.002-05:00

This was a first for Rowan and boy was he amazed by what he saw. "Wow! Wow! It's high! Wow! It's hot." etc. was the running commentary that Rowan gave as he watched the flames reaching for the starry sky. We placed three chairs in a semi-circle beside the fire so that we could feel it's warm glow and watch as the large pieces of wood crumble bit by bit. As I sat there staring at it I had brief and precious remembrances of fireside moments from my past as well as some very dreamy and happy glimpses of future camping trips and Friday night bonfires with my two boys. Have a great weekend everybody!

Sunny 16

2009-11-12T22:29:00.004-05:00

Another lovely late autumn day. It was our friend, Olivia's 16th birthday today and we enjoyed spending the day with her. Rowan has really become quite attached to her over the last few weeks and this evening after dinner with her family Rowan cried when she had to leave his side.

I was thinking back to the first time I met Olivia. She was a mere 10 years old. My! How time flies! Congratulations on your 16th birthday Olivia! Thanks for 6 years of fun and friendship.

School Photos Are In

2009-11-11T22:52:00.002-05:00

We received Rowan's class photographs today! I was so excited to see how they turned out because I was wondering how Rowan liked the idea of posing for a formal photograph. These people are professionals at taking photos of kids, I thought to myself. I am sure he enjoyed it.

As it turns out, he didn't. I still love the pictures though. I am just sorry that our little guy had to go through so much suffering. Sorry Rowan and thanks for humoring your very proud parents.

All Better!

2009-11-10T23:51:00.003-05:00

It's amazing what antibiotics can do! Rowan is feeling so much better already and we are very relieved.

He has been very good at taking his medicine eventhough I had to bribe him with a lollipop the first time this morning. In the past he has also been kind of scared of having his temperature checked but a few weeks ago we got him to really like doing it and now he wants to have it checked all the time. So today, I had to check his temperature quite a few times and for a change I could smile and say: "All better!" and Rowan would jump up and yelp: "Yay!"

Small Hands

2009-11-09T21:28:00.003-05:00

Rowan has been growing at a tremendous rate. At 2 years and 8 months he weighs 38 pounds and wears clothes and shoes suited to a 4 year old. But today as I cradled his warm hands in mine, trying to comfort him, I realized just how small his tiny hands were in comparison to mine.

You see, somewhere along the line I have come to think of him as a big kid again. So as we were sitting in the doctors waiting room, Rowan on my lap feeling nervous and scared, my almost 3 year old boy suddenly transformed into my little baby again.

When a child is sick it takes a toll on an entire household. You worry, even when you know that the fever will break and the ear infection will clear up. Eventually he will eat properly and drive you crazy with energetic toddler antics. In the meantime you are caught between desperately wanting your little person to get healthy and, at the opposite end of that sentiment, wanting to be able to cuddle on the couch for just a little while longer.

Sunny November Day.

2009-11-06T20:47:00.002-05:00

Wow! What a beautiful day we had today!

It was warm and sunny. Even the wind respected our yearning to spend time outdoors before Winter really sets in. I look back on today's events and smile. We enjoyed some hot tea on the porch of a beautifully quaint house , painted some colourful artworks, dug in the mud, inspected a green house filled with vegetables and enjoyed some lunch thanks to the hospitality of our friends way down the valley.

Even with Rowan's refusal to enjoy lunch with us and the foul behaviour of a particularly grumpy rooster, this day was something to behold.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Thursday Fun

2009-11-05T22:38:00.002-05:00

Once a week our dear friend comes to visit with us during the day. Today I witnessed something really special. You see, it took Rowan a while to warm up to the idea of sharing the attention he would normally get from me with Olivia, but I think he has come to realise that he in fact gets even more attention when she is around. He follows Olivia around all day and every time she comes over to chat with me he runs up, grabs her by the hand and drags her to the play room. She is always eager to play with him too. What fun! I think we have found our new babysitter! What do you say O? Are you up for the job?

Guess who's on TV!

2009-11-04T22:47:00.004-05:00

One of Rowan's favourite shows to watch on television is Curious George. When he sits down to see what that curious monkey gets up to he is usually quite calm and attentive. Except when Mr. Auger, the plumber enters the scene.

Mr. Auger is the guy in the middle in the picture below.

Now you might wonder why Rowan would get excited by the arrival of the plumber... Well, when Mr. Auger walks into the building to fix the leaks in the basement, Rowan jumps up on the couch and shouts at the top of his voice: "It's Daddy! It's Daddy!" with that special kind of sparkle in his eyes that he reserves for Richard only. So there you have it. Apparently Mr. Auger looks just like Rowan's Dad. Richard wasn't too thrilled with the idea and to make him feel better about it, I told him that Rowan referred to Ms. Piggy as Mom! Did he actually say that? If he did, I will never admit it. I will also never admit that it is a sweet little white lie that I told to make my hubby feel better. We'll just leave it at that, shall we?

Mr. Fixit-All

2009-11-03T21:37:00.004-05:00

When Rowan gets home from school in the afternoon, he heads straight for the playroom. I think it's his happy place - a place where he can enjoy the quiet away from everyone - after a morning filled with classroom interaction what could be better?

Today, I watched him running back and forth from the play room to the utility drawer in the kitchen fetching spanners and screwdrivers. He had a very determined look on his face and I just had to see what he was up to. He was working on his truck. I tried not to interrupt him because he seemed very serious about his job. Later on he went around the house with the screwdriver trying to loosen every screw he could find. It is actually quite amazing how many screws there actually are in a house.

After running around being Mr. Fixit-All, he was quite tired - even more than I realised because when I came around the corner this is what I found. I think he was trying to tell me something.

And off we went for a well deserved afternoon nap. Sweet dreams my boy!

Skipping Back to School

2009-11-02T20:31:00.003-05:00

After an entire week of being at home with boring old Mom, Rowan was happy and eager to go back to school today. When I mentioned school to him this morning, he grabbed his coat and his back pack and was ready to head for the car when I reminded him that he was still wearing his pajamas and that he didn't have any shoes on. After the cutest little grin and a bit of a snort, he skipped towards his trucks and continued playing.

I was so happy to see him feeling energetic and in an overall positive mood again. It really brightens my day when he is enjoying life - not just because it makes my job as a parent easier (because let's face it - it really does help a lot) but also because it inspires me to add a bit of a skip to my step and not to take things too seriously.

1.5 P

2009-10-31T23:40:00.003-04:00

I know I told you all that I will be taking a break from this blogging thing over the weekends, but sometimes something really interesting or funny might happen that I might want to share with you and as I told Richard a few seconds ago: "I make the rules so that I can break them" so if I want to write a post on a Saturday night at 11:42 pm I can.

So something really funny happened this morning. After a fairly rough night of coughing and drinking gallons of water, Rowan got out of bed and came looking for me in our room. I noticed his sleep sack/sleeping bag (which he was still in) was dragging a little more than usual but thought nothing more of it. We made our way down stairs and it was time for Rowan to get dressed. I unzipped the sleep sack and much to my surprise Rowan wasn't wearing a diaper! How weird I thought until I looked down only to find that his drenched diaper had dropped to his ankles! I couldn't help but laugh. I mean what kind of parents would allow their child's diaper to get so wet that it actually falls down!? Anyway, it was so heavy that I did something even more weird... I weighed it - 1.5 pounds!

Let's Call Dad!

2009-10-30T22:12:00.002-04:00

After a whole week of being couped up at home we were running out of things to do and decided to call Richard at the office. When Rowan took the phone from me, he very sweetly said: "Hi Daddy." and when Richard spoke back at him he said with a surprised tone in his voice: "It's Daddy!" The two of them spoke for a little while and when it was time to go Rowan said: "Bye-bye Daddy!" and handed me the phone. This was probably the first real conversation that Rowan had on the phone and I knew that Richard must have been feeling very happy and proud at the other end of the line and as it turned out it made his day.

The reason for the mysterious non-eating kid.

2009-10-29T23:23:00.000-04:00

So it has come to pass that Rowan has contracted the dreaded Croup! That was probably why he didn't want to eat anything earlier this week, 'cos he was getting sick.
You see, we really don't know much about this parenting thing. We're just learning as we go along. Just like every other parental unit since the first cavebaby was delivered by the first cave-stork to the first caveman and cavewoman. Boy, now those guys must have been confused when the little squirt started barking like a seal.
Although, of course, I am speaking for myself. Elaine insists that she does know lots about being the good Mommy. Actually I would agree with her, and not just 'cos of that big heavy frying pan in her hand.
In the meantime Rowan is being a really tough little kid, he is able to handle the horrible coughs and splutters without much fuss. Sometimes he gets very frustrated with it all but he hardly ever calls for us at night. (However, this is written before we go to bed so I hope I don't have to eat these words tomorrow.)
Today Elaine had to keep the little bundle of crouped-up (Ha-ha) energy calm, and that must have been quite a task. She's a great Mom.

We Need Your Input Please

2009-10-27T20:08:00.002-04:00

Rowan has always been very picky when it comes to food, but over the past year he has become even more so. We started this year with a fairly decent list of foods that Rowan likes to eat, but I am afraid that the list is getting shorter by the day. Seriously. We are down to yogurt, cheese, hot dogs (he eats them cold) and or corn chips for dinner and that is just not going to keep us healthy and strong now is it?

The biggest problem we are having is that he refuses to try anything new. I am sure he must be very bored with his limited selection of foods. I can understand that. I just wish we could get him to try some of the food that Richard and I eat at dinner time. I am sure that once he has tasted it he would like it.

Do any of you have some ideas for us?

Can I Have One?

2009-10-26T19:32:00.003-04:00

Up on the very top shelf of our pantry dwells a container filled with sweet fruit jellies. The packages are brightly coloured and made of "Real fruit." (That's what it says at least.) As you can well imagine, it is something that people and especially toddlers should really have limited access to.

As you know, we have been trying to get Rowan to talk a little more clearly, and since he has to ask for these yummy treats way up there, I thought of teaching him to say an entire sentence. So when he gestures with his hands in the direction of the jellies I ask him to tell me what he wants. The first time we did this I asked him to repeat my words so I said: "Can I have one?" His first response to that went along the lines of "Gobaboba." When asked to repeat something he tries to get it over and done with and basically says whatever sounds happen to be produced by his mouth at the time. At least he puts effort into getting the rhythm of the sentence right. I appreciate his effort and usually keep pushing for some better word forming by saying one word and having him repeat it. As soon as he gets the word right we move onto the next one. Sometimes even after the third try he is still really battling with the sounds and then I let him off the hook for trying so hard.

"Can I have one" is a sentence we have been practicing for a while now and it still cracks me up every time and here is why:
Elaine: Rowan, say can.
Rowan: Can.
Elaine: I.
Rowan: Eye (as he closes his eyes tightly.)
Elaine: Have
Rowan: Soh
Elaine: No. Hhaavve.
Rowan: Ssoh.
Elaine: No. HHHHAAAAVVVE.
Rowan: Hah.
Elaine: OK. Now say, one.
Rowan: Two.
Elaine: No. One.
Rowan: Two.
Elaine: No. One.
Rowan: Ohm.
Elaine: OK. That's good enough for today. Here you go. Now say: Can I have a bowl?
Rowan: Bowl.
I find it amusing because Rowan always starts to count at "two." In fact when he counts it is always "two, two, two!" in place of "One, two, three." But who knows? Maybe he really means to say that he wants two of those delicious packets of sweets. Sometimes when I try to get him to say "want" he also says "two" and Richard and I can't help but giggle just a little bit.

Going through this learning experience with Rowan is lots of fun. Hard work, but fun when you pay attention. The other night when I came walking up to him and his Dad he cheerfully yelled out: "It's the bomb! Mom! Mom!" Sometimes a little slip like that can be flattering. What Mama wouldn't love to be referred to as the bomb every now and again?

2009-10-25T21:26:00.002-04:00

When we pulled into the parking lot of the National Air Force Museum all Rowan could do with his excitement was to keep repeating: "Wane! Wane! Wane!" (Plane! Plane! Plane!) as we drove past the planes on exhibit outside the huge hangers. Richard and I couldn't help but wonder what he was going to do once he got inside because the building was absolutely filled with planes. We walked into the first show room bracing ourselves for Rowan's excited burst of joy. Instead he was rather calm and quite interested in looking at the amazing flying machines before him. There were a couple of "wanes" coming from him but not for too long. I guess even he realised he might get tired of saying it by the time he reached the end of this museum. Rowan and Richard walked around while I got to practice taking photographs with my new camera.

The rest of our weekend was spent like all our other weekends - keeping busy with our chores around the house, taking a break every now again for some coffee and milk and cookies. Granddad, guess who will be making you coffee the next time you come to visit? That's right! Rowan has become quite the barista. He loves making "cup" (coffee) for us.

And when you see a thumbs up you know your brew is ready for drinking.

The Conductor

2009-10-22T20:54:00.002-04:00

Although Rowan spent a large amount of time hopping in and out of buses and trains today, it is actually the conducting of music that is the topic of this post.

After a morning of fun spent amongst a wooden train, bus, tractor, rocket, ship and lots of farm animals we retreated to our playroom with our friend, Olivia, to make some music.

At first we all just chose an instrument and played it in whichever way we pleased. After a while of making the biggest noise possible I decided to introduce a little game. In the midst of our rhythm making I suddenly said "Stop!" and everyone froze in place - silence. Then we started up again. Rowan thought this was great and we repeated this play a few times.

It wasn't long before Rowan took the lead and started telling Olivia and I when to stop playing by lifting his drumsticks/maracas/batons to vertical positions signalling us to stop playing. Then he would start beating the drum again and we could join in. At one point however, just after the stop signal, he shook the maraca in his right hand and I started shaking the shakers I was holding and when he stopped I stopped. He then tried it with his left hand while looking at Olivia and she started up with her instruments. And that was the start of a possible career in conducting for Rowan. He was doing a fantastic job. He even stopped and chose new instruments for us. He conducted the play for a very long time - starting and stopping Olivia and I at separate intervals. I was so impressed by the initiative he took and the fact that he felt so comfortable in leading us through this fun activity.

Please excuse me if it seems like I am bragging. I really don't mean to sound boastful. I just wanted to share my astonishment with all of you.

Oh Yes. Kids Notice Everything.

2009-10-21T22:44:00.003-04:00

When Richard arrived home this evening I was rushing around trying to get everything ready before I had to leave for my pottery studio session. Richard came in, put his bag down on the table, greeted us and asked about our day. You know, the usual.

It turns out that we forgot about something very important and our little guy was the only one that really noticed. He went up to Richard, grabbed him by the hand and pulled him over to where I was standing. "Mom!" he said. For just a split second I wasn't sure what he was trying to do, but I very soon realised that Richard and I forgot to hug each other when he was pushing Richard closer to me. So we hugged and Rowan was happy. And of course we pulled him closer too for a big family hug.

Rhythm and Dance

2009-10-20T19:41:00.002-04:00

Since my last meeting with Rowan's teachers I have been concerned about how he might be behaving in class, so today I decided to go see for myself. I arrived half an hour earlier than usual and was met with the enchanting sound of children clapping and singing along to some songs about harvest time.

Rowan was sitting in the circle with his legs neatly crossed. When the teacher passed around the tub filled with percussion instruments he very politely waited his turn and chose the wood block and mallet. He then placed them in front of him until all the other kids received their instruments. The music started, they all stood up and started walking in a circle beating to the rhythm of the music. They stomped their feet, jumped and skipped to the beat. Soon I was tapping my feet too and smiling from ear to ear.

Seeing Rowan enjoying music in a group setting was so pleasing to me. He has indeed come a long way from the little kid that wanted to run away when faced with such a situation. He is benefiting so much from going to school and I am so glad that we decided to give it a try. He is becoming more independent by the day and he is happy about that.

A Colourful Start To Our Week

2009-10-19T20:55:00.003-04:00

Oh wow! What a beautiful autumn day we had today! The air was cool but the sun was shining and the blue sky complimented the orange, red, yellow and brown of the changing trees wonderfully.

Grateful for one more opportunity to enjoy this mild weather we decided to take the boat out on the lake just before sunset. It was so peaceful out there and it turned what could easily have been just another ordinary Monday into a very special day indeed.

We had a great time.

Here Rowan was gazing at the sunset. It was very impressive.

After our colourful boat ride it was time for Rowan to show us some of the work that he did at school today. The red butterfly was created through a special arts program that came to his school. I assume the teachers painted the black body of the butterfly and got the kids to do the wings. Rowan is always proud of the work he did at school and loves to share it with us. I love it too and think we will be splashing a lot more colour throughout the coming Winter.

Mom

2009-10-18T20:31:00.003-04:00

We were very busy again this weekend with lots of small projects that needed to be done around the house and as the weekend was drawing to a close I was worried that I wouldn't have much to write about until something very special happened around 5 p.m.

As you know, Rowan has always had some special names for me. I have been called every name except "mommy" or "mom". But today, oh today, all that changed and he made me the happiest mom ever! I was busy in the studio when Rowan came running up to me shouting: "Mom! Mom!" I was delighted. At last! I gave him a very happy and appreciative smile and hug as I said: "You did it! You said mom! Yay!" (my eyes filling with happy tears). He seemed quite surprised by my reaction and I really can't blame him. He also must have liked it quite a bit because he said it a few more times during the course of the evening.

Later on he wanted some crackers and said: "Mom, ge'm (get them)" and I jumped right to it. Let me tell you, for the time being, every time he asks for something and includes the word, mom in his request he is most likely going to get what he wants because this mom's heart melts when she hears her name coming from his sweet little voice.

General Announcement

2009-10-16T21:07:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone,

At the outset of this blog it was my intention to write something every day and it worked for me for a long time now. I have since decided that I will be taking a break over the weekends. A break will actually be good for all of us. I will feel refreshed and excited about writing after the weekend and you will hopefully get some better quality writing and observations from my side.

Hope you are not too disappointed.

Have a great weekend!

2009-10-15T21:33:00.002-04:00

This evening I attended a parent's Montessori education evening where the teachers defined their classroom methods and demonstrated some of the works that the children are currently being exposed to.

The event turned out to be very informative and this was not because I learnt anything new about the Montessori method as such, but because I learnt some very interesting things about our son's classroom behaviour.

The teacher was explaining to us how some of the activities are done and her one example was pouring water from a pitcher into a cup and then back again. Now most of the Montessori activities are done on trays for the obvious reason that when the water, beads or rice is spilled it won't go everywhere. She explained how when the children make a mess, they have to clean it up. She then added how SOME kids really enjoy the cleaning up part of this activity and that THIS kid actually immediately and deliberately pours his water from the pitcher directly into the tray just so that he can run back and forth with a sponge in order to clean up the mess. One of the other mothers hesitated and then said that she thinks it must be her son, but I knew that this kid was in fact our kid. So I bravely owned up to being the Mom of the kid that takes the shortcuts because I actually witnessed him doing the exact same thing two days ago at home. The teachers just kind of smiled and raised their eyebrows indicating that this was in fact the case. They also added that it was okay and that they let him do it because it is obviously something that he is interested in. So I felt okay too.

But then they told the story of how they now only have two globes instead of three and when they mentioned the fact that one of the globes had been dropped by a certain someone, one of the teachers flashed a look at me that made me want to disappear on the spot. I mean I know what Rowan does when he thinks something is a ball. He throws it! Tomatoes and apples have been tossed around the kitchen so why not a big round shiny representation of our lovely mother earth.

So by now I have been convinced that Rowan keeps his teachers on their toes and really didn't expect there to be another issue, but I was wrong. In a Montessori classroom they try to encourage the exploration of all the senses. All except for sound they said because sometimes it gets a little too loud when other children need to be concentrating on their own work. So sound and music work is restricted to certain times. But there is one little boy that can turn just about any object into a drum. When I saw those two teachers look at each other with a camaraderie that can only come from facing challenging situations together, I just new it was our little guy that they were referring to again. Sigh! He does love his drumming though. He even says "drumming" a few times a day and makes us follow him around the house, each banging our own drums. He must wonder why all the kids in the class don't get up and follow him around too.

All in all it was a good evening and I have confidence that he will continue challenging the way things are "supposed" to be done and you know what? I am actually fine with that. Creativity is very useful in life. Way to go Rowan!

2009-10-14T23:44:00.002-04:00

Thanks to my dear friend, Lynn's comment on yesterdays post, Rowan and I ended up having a very peaceful day filled with yeses. Here is some of what she wrote: "The more the yeses, the fewer the nos,the better the day goes!Have a lovely 'yes' day tomorrow!" And so we did.

Somehow that little poem stuck with me and I managed to go through the entire days without saying no to Rowan and you know what? He only tried to test me once today and when he realised that I wasn't going to say: "No! Uh-uh!" he stopped. It takes some quick thinking to come up with something appropriate to say every time but it was not nearly as hard as I thought it would be.

So Lynn, thanks for the encouragement. We are going to try to keep it up.

2009-10-13T21:01:00.002-04:00

There are many knowledgeable people that are of the opinion that saying 'no' to a child too often will not only become an ineffective deterrent but also will encourage the child to start using the word more often. So I have been trying not to say 'no' all the time but you know, it really is hard when for instance he is backing into the coffee table where a hot mug of coffee is just waiting to be spilled or perhaps when he runs out into the parking lot. Then there was the time when he nearly grabbed hold of a very hot stove top. Now I know that saying 'no' in these instances is perfectly acceptable, the problem comes in when near disasters happen too often and saying 'no' becomes a habit. So I guess what I am trying to say is that I say 'no' way too often and am beginning to sound like a broken record (or maybe a scratched CD.) Rowan proved that to me this evening.

This evening I happened upon a little boy perched on his table in our kitchen. It would not have occurred to me that he was doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing if it wasn't for the "No! Uh-uh! No! Uh-uh! No! Uh-uh!" coming from him in an almost taunting manner. I could not believe my ears! This almost three year old little boy was deliberately doing something he knew I wouldn't like to get my attention and then when I didn't notice it at first he began with the taunt. I am flabbergasted! At such a young age! What are we going to do when this kind of behaviour is no longer cute? Deep breath... Sigh!

2009-10-12T20:53:00.002-04:00

Rowan has shown a lot of improvement in his speech lately. "Help" has turned into "help me" and "Go to train" has been lengthened to "I want to go to the train." My favourite right now is actually just a simple but significant improvement of one very small word. Up until now Rowan has been saying "yeah" to indicate an affirmative but since yesterday he has been attempting to say "yes." The cute thing about it is the way that he says it. He starts with "yeah" and after a pause of less than a second, adds a very slurry "s" at the end. As he says it you can see he is consciously thinking about this new add-on and he feels very happy with himself when I smile at him and say "Yes my boy. Yes."

2009-10-11T21:48:00.002-04:00

Sunny autumn days are for spending time outdoors, attending your favourite fall festival, getting lost in the spectrum of colours above and below, gathering the last yield from your summer vegetable garden and preparing yourself and your environment for the cold winter to come.

This weekend we stepped out under the sunny skies of Ohio.

The Yellow Springs Street Fair offers one of the most colourful events you will ever experience this side of the US: beautifully rich handcrafted goods brought to you by colourful individuals happy to share their passion for good quality products produced in socially and environmentally responsible ways. Every visit to this street fair leaves us feeling warm and fuzzy inside.

At home it was time to walk around the yard, picking up the summer toys and putting them away in storage. We also tended to our garden and started to reorganise the garage in the hope that we can eventually fit two cars, a ride-on lawnmower, and a boat together with all the garden implements, bikes, wood and tools in it. Richard has a plan and as long as Rowan allows him to put things away once and for all, I think we might be able to do it before winter comes.

We also had some tomato plants to tend to. It is really hard to spot them while they are all still green which makes it extra fun when you finally find them. "There it is!" Rowan shouts excitedly as he points and grabs at the unripened tomatoes. Now we just need to figure out what to do with them. Fried green tomatoes comes to mind or perhaps a green tomato chutney will be nice too.

As we walk around our garden the cool air reminds us of colder days to come and encourages us to reflect on all the warm and wonderful times we got to spend together in our garden and even though winter offers a warmth and coziness of it's own, we cannot help but feel a little bit sad about all the time that has passed within the blink of an eye.

The tree we planted for my mother at the time of her passing has undergone a tremendous transformation. It has been almost four months since we rooted it in that very special place and over the last two weeks we have seen it slowly change colour from green to orange and finally a deep scarlet red. Being witness to the change of the seasons is quite incredible. It is as if the passage of time is being painted right in front of you. Time passes. Life moves on. You heal. You love and you laugh.

2009-10-08T23:35:00.002-04:00

When I made these clay pebbles at pottery class everyone asked what they were for. I didn't really know at the time. All I knew was that I liked them. Rowan likes them too and it seems they are perfect little objects for sorting. I am sure we are still going to find many other uses for them.

2009-10-07T21:08:00.003-04:00

At the beginning of this week, we made a very important decision. We decided to remove the DVD player from the back of the car. This means that Rowan now has to rely on the scenery outside and the conversations inside the car for entertainment as we drive about.

I am so glad we did this and wonder why we didn't do it sooner because now he talks a lot more about what he sees around him. I still don't always understand what he says but am glad to hear the excitement in his tone as he points at this and that. He also asks, "What's that?" quite often.

When we go on fairly long drives he gets a little tired of looking outside and listening to his parents babbling on and on and does something very clever to draw all the attention to himself and thus gets us to finally keep quiet. What does he do? He sings.

This afternoon he was singing something to the effect of "gibberish, gibberish, shoe! gibberish, gibberish, daddy!" Always ending a line with an intelligible word. Most of the song is calm and melodic. This evening however, the calm "gibberish, gibberish, daddy!" suddenly lead into a headbanging "Car! Car! Car! Car!" as he rocked his head from side to side bashing it against the sides of the car seat head rest. Something inside must have stirred and we looked on somewhat entertained but mostly mystified and a little bit shocked by this almost 3 year old rocking out in our car. Rock on Rowan!

2009-10-06T21:51:00.002-04:00

Have you ever noticed just how many round objects we are surrounded by in our daily lives? You mean you haven't given it much thought lately? Well, it seems that Rowan has.

A few weeks ago Rowan started looking for clocks - round faced clocks in particular. Everywhere we went he would find a clock and tell us about it by pointing and saying "gock." Driving through the streets downtown, he would search the tops of buildings to see if he could spot a clock. While dining with Richard in one of the local restaurants he was looking around and amazingly spotted a clock hanging on the wall in the kitchen. His story books also have an amazing number of clocks in them.

Then as time passed he moved on from the circular clock to the spherical ball. Now when we drive around he spots balls everywhere. This morning on the way to school, he pointed out the window towards the sky and said "ball!" At first I couldn't understand what he was seeing because the sky was covered in clouds and when you don't acknowledge that you see the same thing he is seeing, he keeps repeating the word. "Ball!. Ball!!. Ball!!!" - each one getting louder and higher in pitch. Then I saw it. There it was. The biggest ball I have ever seen, resting on six tall legs - the water tower! Less than a minute later we were driving past a very rectangular building and again he got excited about the ball. I had to look carefully and finally spotted the spherical lamp shades on top of the light posts. We even saw a hot air balloon.

Just imagine if we could get our hands on an atomic force microscope that will allow Rowan to see the spheres present in the tiniest of molecules or perhaps a view through the Hubble telescope revealing billions and billions of sparkly balls floating about. I think I know what his reaction might be. Yup, all this boy would say to that is: "Look! Ball!" And he would be perfectly accurate in his observations.

2009-10-05T22:22:00.003-04:00

Over the weekend Rowan showed a renewed interest in bugs. On Saturday he spotted a bug on the window and called me over. It was quite a big bug so we were able to see it's legs, eyes and mouth. I pointed them out to Rowan and he watched the bug move around for quite a while.

Ever since, he has been calling me over to look at every little bug he finds. So now when I hear "Buggy!" in an excited high pitch screech, I know what to expect and always hope that it would again just be a bug of the harmless variety. Luckily, the bugs that drew his attention this afternoon were just some very cute ladybugs that hitched a ride from the nursery to our front yard along with the rest of the trees we bought.

Shortly after inspecting the ladybugs, two planes flew by and when Rowan saw them he felt inspired to run across the lawn, arms stretched out shouting: "Flying!" as he turned one way and then the other swooping his wings through the cool evening air.

Later on our neighbours popped by for a visit. Rowan was quite happy when he saw them walking across the road and went out to meet them. Here they are having some fun in the sand box.

All in all we had a good day. We are loving the weather and are trying to make the best out of every little bit of mild weather we have left. Winter is fast approaching and although we are looking forward to the cozy warmth of our home during the long Winter months we would still like for autumn to stick around for just a little while longer.

2009-10-04T23:20:00.002-04:00

After another very busy day of working in the garden and doing some household chores, we are all exhausted and a little sun burnt. So for today's post all we would like to do is to wish you all a very good week.

2009-10-03T20:42:00.004-04:00

Our entire day revolved around the acquisition of some new shrubs and trees for our garden from a nearby nursery that was having an auction.

This was our very first auction. We didn't know much about auctions and thought that it would probably be a quick process and so we went there as a family. At first Rowan was quite happy running around playing with the rockies (his new favourite word) and exploring the nursery. So all was fine until the auctioneer started with his rambling over a loud speaker. Rowan was quite disturbed by this and from then on wanted to be somewhere else. So he and Richard came home and trusted me to make the most of our money and I think I did quite well.

We ended up getting three large trees, an elm, a pear tree and a lilac tree. We also bought several shrubs, bushes and grasses. We payed on average about 1/3 of the regular price. For now I am convinced that this is the only way to go when it comes to buying plants for a large area.

When we got home it was time to plant some of what have bought. Rowan helped wherever he could. As we were busy in our front yard, Rowan also took the time to wave happily at every car that drove past.

This afternoon of planting proved once again just how good it makes children feel when you include them in your day to day activities. They like to help out and it fills them with pride and self esteem knowing that they too are contributing in some way and that you see them as equal members in the family.

2009-10-02T19:47:00.002-04:00

Ever since Rowan received his toy trucks in the mail, he expects every cardboard box that comes through our door to have a car in it.

As Richard walked through the door today carrying two sealed boxes, Rowan's eyes got really big and sparkly. "Bocky! (box) Car! Car!" he said excitedly not knowing that these two boxes were actually for me. The exact same thing also happened yesterday. Luckily, he doesn't seem too disappointed when he realises it isn't what he was expecting.

As for the two trucks he received a while ago... well they have been put away for a little while, since they were the only things he would play with and when he got bored of them he would stick small pieces of chalk into any and every hole he could find claiming they were hiding. So we thought a little break would be good. Just imagine how happy he is going to be when we bring them out again. Perhaps this weekend will be a good time to do just that.

2009-10-01T23:19:00.003-04:00

Tonight we attended our very first school picnic at Rowan's school. We got to meet other parents and their families.

One of Rowan's classmates, a very sweet and well-behaved little boy, has been keeping his Mom up to date on Rowan's progress at school. She said she was so relieved to hear from her little boy that Rowan was settling in well at school and not crying anymore. I laughed when I heard this, because this was the same little boy that, when Rowan was crying in the class, would very casually cover his ears with his hands and wait for Rowan to stop crying. He didn't say a word to Rowan. He just calmly sat there and waited for the noise to stop. I think he knew what Rowan felt like at that point in time because a half and hour earlier, Rowan and this little friend of his were the only ones standing at the edge of the playground crying non-stop for over twenty minutes. And tonight, after a whole month of school these two boys were running around as if they owned the place and two pairs of parents were very glad to see it.

2009-09-30T22:01:00.003-04:00

This morning, just after waking up, Rowan was lying on our bed waiting to get changed. Richard was in the bathroom and apparently Rowan did not realise this. When Rowan heard the shuffling of feet coming from behind the closed door, he gasped and said: "Who's coming? Ssh!" So we kept quiet and the anticipation was building. "Ssh!" he said once more as his body started wriggling around with excitement and as Richard opened the door Rowan shouted: "My Baby!"

Now we understand where Rowan's obsession with babies for the last week or so was coming from. He kept pointing out the babies everywhere we went. I thought he just really liked being able to say the word and therefor used it every time he had the opportunity, but then the other night while Richard and Rowan were playing, Rowan kept saying "my baby" and we just couldn't understand it because there weren't any babies in sight. It turns out that I am the instigator of this new name that Rowan has chosen for his Dad since I have been calling both of them "my babies" when I want to show my affection for them. What a nice way to start the day.

Here is a cute photo of Rowan and his "baby" being silly.

This afternoon we were very lucky to have some sunshine again and decided to spend some time outside.

When the sun is very low one's shadow gets very long. Rowan had some fun running around and jumping with his shadowy friend.

Just a happy kid enjoying the cool fresh air.

2009-09-29T20:18:00.004-04:00

Since Rowan started going to school I have been planning several different activities for us to do in the afternoons when he gets home. I have been gathering materials here and there. Sometimes items that are meant to be tossed in the recycling bin get rediscovered and re-imagined. You will be amazed at just how many different uses one object can have when you put your mind to it.

When Rowan walked in this afternoon he started going through the drawer that has all my play/work materials in it. He found three hand-made wooden bowls and inspected them for a while. Now I know how things go with toddlers. It seems the first use they find for an object is usually the only use they will find for it for a long time. So before these bowls turned into really cute little hats or perhaps stacking objects I decided to show him what I intended for them.

They are sorting bowls. The idea is to gather many objects over time, natural and human-made, to be sorted into the bowls by various criteria. Today we sorted some glazed clay rocks by colour.

It might seem like such a simple task, but Rowan really gets a kick out of being able to complete it. Just look at the concentration on his face.

His favourite part however is pouring them back into collecting bowl. He then thought that it was time to do some pouring from one bowl to the next. I asked him to do some sorting one more time and he did. After that he could pour as much as he wanted.

When the sorting activity was all tidied away Rowan found the cardboard tubes that I have been saving, so once again I seized the moment to help him make a rhythm shaker using tubes, dried beans and painter's tape.

I am so glad that we have reached the point where he and I can work together on projects and tasks. There are so many wonderful projects and activities that we can do and I am very excited about them.

2009-09-28T20:32:00.002-04:00

Okay, so I think we have finally figured out why Rowan has taken so long and is still taking so long to learn to speak. It is purely because he is lazy to use words.

The only times he ever uses actual words is to name something he finds particularly exciting, such as cars, planes and trains or when he is forced to ask for something before we give it to him. Grunting and other interesting sounds have gotten him very far up until now, but no more little man. From now on, when you want something you will have to tell us. One word also will not do. Nope, little guy, we will be getting at least two or three words from you.

Everyone we have ever spoken to has always said that it is just because he is a boy and boys take longer to develop their speech. Not in this case though, because when I think back to when he was about 9 months old and maybe even earlier he was already saying "What's this?", "What's that?" and "water." It is only now that I have realised that he just doesn't like using words as his main form of expression.

I am sharing this with all of you not because I want to put Rowan down in any way, but to show you just how blind we as parents can be. I should always have been making him ask for what he wanted. Instead I just jumped at every little grunt and hand gesture. Hopefully we haven't messed up too badly. I think he will be alright though because over the last two weeks he has come quite far. I am no longer "Nyonny" to him. He now calls me "Mobby" or "Mummum."

We will be doing a lot more practicing over the next couple of months. The poor little man is going to get so frustrated with us, but I think he will feel proud of himself in the end.

2009-09-27T22:14:00.004-04:00

The sun decided to make itself seen and felt late this afternoon after it has been hiding from us for over a week now. So we decided to take Rowan to his favourite play ground and enjoyed some fresh air.

We got Dad to join in the fun too! Here Rowan seems to be doing an impression of the sun hiding and revealing itself.

Rowan has learnt that running around and around the play structures is also lots of fun. I think they do it at school. Now I understand why he is always perspiring when I pick him up from school. It takes him quite long to cool down.

Well, everyone, we hope you have a blessed week. Thanks for checking in on us.

2009-09-26T21:14:00.002-04:00

Okay, so I can't let another day slip away without a post of some sort. The thing is that sometimes there is just not that much to talk about especially on a day like today where I didn't get to spend very much time with the guys.

I stayed home today in the hope that with some rest I will be able to get rid of the flu a little quicker. Richard and Rowan went off in the morning to spend some time in and amongst the trains at EnterTrainment Junction since the rainy weather washed away all possibilities of enjoying the annual apple festival. As always Rowan was very happy being able to see the trains and had a great time. I appreciated the effort that they made to give me some peace and quiet around here but I will say that because I wasn't really keeping myself busy, I started to miss them. So when they arrived back and Rowan excitedly said: "Hi!" when he saw me, I felt much better.

In the evening we had to drive quite a distance so that we could buy some homeopathic flu remedies. Our poor little guy was not too happy about being stuck in the back of the car again. He did however manage to enjoy some of the scenery on the way to our destination. As usual the sight of construction vehicles was something to behold. He also pointed something else out for the first time. As we were driving along a particularly boring road Rowan gasped and pointed up at the sky and actually said: "Look! Sky!" He couldn't keep his eyes off the clouds that were now, after a weeks worth of grey cover, parting and revealing the brilliant light of the sun. "Wow!" he said as the darker clouds moved across the sky and gave us some hope of a sunny Sunday to enjoy to the fullest.

I'll let you know how it turned out. I promise.

2009-09-24T23:28:00.002-04:00

Unfortunately I do not have much to blog about today since Rowan was feeling a little under the weather and we spent most of the day at home doing things you have already heard about a couple of times. Hopefully tomorrow will be a little bit more exciting. The poor little guy really does not like being sick.

2009-09-23T20:46:00.002-04:00

Every morning when we arrive at Rowan's school, we pull the car up to the front door and one of the teachers comes out to greet us and walk with him into the class room. There is one particular teacher that Rowan seems to have become attached to. No, actually, this boy is completely smitten with her. She has long brown hair and speaks with an English accent. I like her too and it is very comforting to know that she will be his preschool teacher next year.

So, when Miss T comes walking through the doors, Rowan's eyes get really big and he starts waving saying "Hey! Hey!" with the biggest smile ever! The other day he even started giggling with excitement. So when I help him down from his car seat, he immediately takes her hand and can't say goodbye to me quickly enough. I don't mind. Really!

On occasion, Miss T is busy helping some other children to the door when we pull up and I can see the disappointment on his face when Miss ? comes towards us. Can it be that our little boy is already experiencing his very first crush? Hmm... I wonder.

2009-09-22T20:57:00.004-04:00

The Montessori Method of teaching relies heavily on what is called a work period. During this time the children are given the opportunity to engage in any activity of their choosing without interruption. In this way the child learns to concentrate on one thing at a time, thereby allowing more intense exploration of the subject. All the while the child learns about the world and everything in it and more importantly develops independence and self-control, the ability to make decisions and an eagerness to work hard.

In other words, when we as parents refrain from constantly interrupting our children's work with trying to teach them everything we know and by constantly praising them for every little thing they do, we actually are giving them the opportunity to develop and grow in a much more productive and healthy way. This is something I had to learn through experience. Before Montessori, I was one of those mothers that would praise him for everything he does. In fact I am still that mother and it is quite hard to break the habit of saying: "Well done Rowan!"

So today I tried my very best and succeeded. I let Rowan go about his work and I am amazed with how much he concentrated on every little task. He spent an entire hour playing at the kitchen sink just pouring water from one container to the other and trying out many different types and combinations. He even knew to wipe up when he made a mess.

Below are pictures of Rowan putting pegs around the walls of a bowl. It is a very simple task yet there is so much to learn from it. At one stage Rowan had all the pegs on one side of the square based dish and the weight made it tip over. When he moved some of the pegs to the other side it didn't. So just to check he tried moving them all to one side again and again it tipped over. At this point he got frustrated and just packed it all away. I can't wait to see how he tackles this specific activity tomorrow.

So having seen how well he goes about his work when I am not interrupting him, I am going to try even harder not to open my mouth every time a thought pops into my mind. I think I will save them for the end of the day when I can express them through the blog and for that special moment in the evening when I tell him calmly and without too much excitement just how proud I am of him for all the good and hard work he has done throughout the day. Yes, I think I can do it.