Playing Outside

Max has always loved to play outside, and well, who doesn't really?

Now that the dust storms all appear to be over we have again been spending a bit of time outside, either going for walks or just playing in the backyard.

the dust storm ... taken around 1pm last Wednesday

Some of his favourite outside activities include riding his bike, playing in the sandpit, throwing and catching balls (he also loves when we throw them on the roof) and generally running around like crazy.

One thing he has started to do recently is to get an empty flower pot, put it on his head and call it a 'fire hat' and ride his bike around. I guess he is pretending to be a fireman? It looks pretty cute anyway ...

I have no idea where he got the idea for this but it keeps him quite happy, even though it is a bit dirty.

The other thing he has been enjoying lately is picking and eating from our strawberry plants. This season he is much better at realising that you can only eat the red ones, and have to leave the green ones on the plant to get bigger and turn red so you can eat them. The plants have grown a lot since last season as well, expanding into other pots and putting on much more fruit. Here's a sample of what we picked in about 5 minutes one afternoon.

However fast we pick them, Max seems to be able to eat them faster. He loves strawberries and simply can't get enough!

Voyage of the Dawn Treader

The new movie based on the books in CS Lewis' Narnia series, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, is being filmed currently. One of the main locations for filming is actually in Brisbane, over in Cleveland. The ship is very big and looks quite impressive, while being right beside a playground, so we thought we would go over for a family outing (a little while ago now) and get some photos.

It's a little hard to see since we weren't allowed past the fence, but you get some idea of what it looks like. The boat could also be lifted up and rocked to simulate being at sea, or swivelled around if they needed to change direction. Quite impressive!

We also saw some of the cast all dressed up in between scenes. Couldn't make out anyone famous, but then I don't think there are too many big names in the movie.

The rest of the afternoon was spent playing in the playground since Max tired of the 'dragon boat' fairly quickly since we could only watch it from a distance. We listened to the director shouting out things like '... aaand Action!' while we played which was a nice touch. Hopefully one day we will let him watch the movie and show him these photos and he will be more impressed with it then.

Big Boy Bed

Max has been growing up so fast lately, and with him becoming more independent with his toilet training we thought it was about time for him to move out of his cot and into a big-boy bed. We've raised the topic over the last few weeks by reading stories about other boys moving into their big boy beds and discussing some of his friends who also have them, and he has been very enthusiastic about the idea.

So this morning Max helped me to take his cot apart and stow it in the garage and to bring in and assemble a single bed frame that Grandpa very kindly brought up with him in the ute on one of his recent visits.

Once it was together he was a little unsure about the idea, but we managed to reassure him by placing his Diego pillow and all of his toys on the bed, as well as some of the cot blankets even though they don't quite fit. He was also reassured that everything else in his room is still more or less the same.

He was very keen to go to bed for his daytime nap today and started asking for it at about 11am (he normally goes down at about 1.30pm). We compromised on 12.30pm, when he very willingly got into his bed and enjoyed a story (finally I don't have to sit on the floor and read them anymore!) before going to sleep without any complaints at all.

I had to sneak in and get a photo of him sleeping, but didn't want to use the flash so apologies about the dimness.

Tonight Max was also excited about sleeping in his big-boy bed and once again went to sleep with no complaints at all (SUCH a good sleeper these days!).

Cam and I were just relaxing after dinner and discussing if we should invest in some bed rails to stop him falling out. My opinion was to wait and see if it happens and then do something about it if we need to. About half an hour later I heard a thump! and went to check on Max. He was fast asleep on the floor, still cuddling his teddy. This time we definitely had to get a photo with the flash even at the risk of waking him, but we needn't have worried. Neither the fall, nor the flash, nor me picking him up and putting him back into bed woke him in the slightest!

Daddy's Birthday!

Max gets so excited when it's someone's birthday. Birthdays are right up there on his list of favourite things ever. When we pray at night and ask him what to pray for, he usually gives the names of a few of his friends, plus the inevitable 'birthday' - whether that means he wants it to be his birthday again or just that he would get to be involved in someone else's, who knows.

This year he was able to help me plan for Daddy's birthday a bit, which is tricky because then I have to get him to a) realise that the birthday isn't right now and b) not then go and tell Daddy about the surprises we have been working on. But it all worked out quite well. Max helped me make a joint Father's Day and Birthday card by putting his hands and feet into some paint to make hand/foot prints, something of a yearly tradition. He also helped me make and decorate the birthday cake (chocolate and peanut butter cheesecake) which he had heaps of fun with. He often helps me bake and is very funny when he wants to taste test - he will pick up a bit of mixture/ingredients in his fingers and hold in front of his wide open mouth while he looks at me for approval. Mostly I say 'In the tin/bowl please Max!' and he is very obedient, and then most times I let him eat a bit when we get to the end. He loved sampling the peanut butter M&Ms when we decorated the top.

This year Daddy scored quite well with 2 presents from America. One was a Johnny Cupcakes t-shirt, which came in a cool box with other assorted goodies, and the other was the latest CD from the Dave Matthews Band, both of which he is a big fan. Max also enjoyed helping Daddy unwrap the presents.

We also had to get an obligatory photo of Cam wearing the birthday hat. He is also wearing his new birthday t-shirt (and looking very handsome!).

Visiting with Grandparents

Max always loves to see his grandparents, and gets really excited when I tell him either that we are going to visit them ('sleeping in car?!') or that they are coming to visit us ('Pa here now?!').

When we do the visiting we usually leave just before Max's bedtime, and tell him that tonight we are going somewhere special so he gets to sleep in the car. He must love this because every other night these days he asks me if he's sleeping in the car tonight.

Anyway, last visit to Nanny and Poppy's place was just Max and I, while Cam was on our church's Men's Retreat. We had a great time visiting them and did all of Max's favourite things while there, such as playing with the balls on the pool table downstairs, riding his car, going for early morning walks with Nanny and Poppy while I sleep in, and of course playing at the beach on the riverbank across from their house.

We even have a Wiggles DVD that we leave at their house which comes in handy when Max's energy outstrips ours. He loves to watch them play their guitars while playing along.

Recently Pa was in Brisbane and came over to our place for a visit, which Max was delighted with. We deliberately didn't tell him that Pa was coming because then getting him to wait patiently is impossible, so he got a nice surprise when Pa walked in the door. He was able to show off his new potty training skills very well, which is cute because he is so proud of himself. We also had fun making hills, tunnels and bridges in Max's new sandpit, running around outside, reading stories and catching up on some cuddles.

Belated Birthday Presents

Max scored very well for presents this year on his 2nd birthday, but as if that weren't enough, he got a couple of extra ones just after his actual birthday as well.

The first of these was actually a present for his first birthday that was a bit advanced for a one year old - a Thomas the Tank Engine train and rail set with a plane and runway in it as well. We thought he was about old enough to enjoy it properly now, and he loves it! Particularly he loves to push Thomas over the bridge, down the hill and watch him go around the corner, as well as to pretend to fly the plane around the room. Here's us assembling the track as a family activity ...

The other favourite (of both Max and his parents) is a laptop computer designed to help Max learn his numbers and letters as well as basic words. He loves to use it, especially when Mummy or Daddy is using their computer, and has already learnt a few extra letters as a result of using it. He already knew 'M' and 'X' fairly reliably, since they form most of his name and are easily recognisable, but has now added 'A', 'O', 'W' and 'K' to his repertoire. Listening to him say 'double-you' is very cute, and we're impressed with how quickly he is learning his alphabet.

Such a Big Boy these days! And Happy Father's Day

Yes I know it's been ages since we posted - sorry about that, if there's still anyone who reads this :)

Planning on posting a few updates in the next few days to catch up with some recent photos we've taken, but thought I'd start with the most recent news which is quite exciting - and also wanted to wish Cam a Happy Father's Day. Max had fun this year helping me make a card by using paint to make handprints and footprints, and also making a lolly necklace in the tradition of our church. He was also good at helping me make Eggs Benedict as a special breakfast.

Max has started toilet training! He's been wearing undies and using the potty for over a week now and is very good at doing his business when we get him to sit down on it, and is learning to tell us when he needs to go as well. Today on the way home from church he said 'wee in potty!' so we stopped on the side of the road to see if it was really urgent, but that was a bit too strange and he managed to hold on until we got home before using the potty, so well done Max!

I've made up a chart which we've got on the fridge, showing each time Max successfully uses the potty with a sticker beside it and it's now almost full. He also goes to daycare wearing undies and so far has always come home without accidents so we are very proud of him! :)

It's also really cute to see his expression when he knows he has done it right - he usually says something along the lines of 'I did wee!' and looks so surprised, excited and proud of himself. He then gets to flush the toilet himself and choose the colour of his sticker which is also exciting stuff.