Beautiful colours this autumn...

The colours around the neighbourhood have been quite stunning this autumn. Like the changes in the leaves, we've been able to see lots of changes in Malcolm. You can tell how much Malcolm has grown simply by what he can say and do. This time last year we managed to take some lovely fall pictures, but this year he's so much more animated and verbal about what he sees. He can skip, jump, hop, and even sprint now. In fact, he was even able to help Roger rake the leaves in front of the house. They managed to fill up big garbage bin full of them. It was quite interesting to watch as he pulled leaves back and forth across the lawn and sidewalk. After all that, he'd scoop them up with both hands and then even pull the heavy bin down the walk. We can only imagine what he'll be able to do next year.

Baby sister in there?

So, Roger and Tracey have been preparing Malcolm as best they can for the new arrival, but we're not quite sure how he's going to take it all. Funniest thing is that he wants his baby sister to talk as soon as she arrives, even though every one has tried to tell him that she won't be able to talk right away. In fact, they've even warned him that she may cry a lot. There are some legitimate concerns about all the disruption things will cause, especially in the sleep department. Roger and Tracey are most afraid of either of the kids waking each-other up whether it be at nap time or during the middle of the night. I know everyone gets through it, but it is hard to picture right now. We have our paws and fingers crossed.

Also, on behalf of the family we would like to thank Ms. Turner in Red Deer, Alberta for the beautiful hand-knit socks she sent, aren't they adorable? It was great to see our uncle Lane as well. Hopefully, he'll make it back to Vancouver again soon and maybe with an improved tennis game (cause what he brought just wasn't up to snuff here on the Westcoast).

Pumpkin patch...

Off to the Pumpkin Patch they went. It's becoming a yearly tradition. Roger and Tracey thought it would be best to take advantage of the dry weather and head out to Richmond to pick out some pumpkins with Malcolm. From the sounds of it he wasn't as compliant with the pictures this year, but here's the best one of the day. Now it will be up to Roger to start carving.

Operation Big Boy Bed

It's a done deal, Tracey and Roger came up with the plan to tell Malcolm that the crib was broken because he was too big; lucky for us he bought it. The crib is now dismantled and in the garage attic space.

I guess things could have been better, but the bottom line is that we got through it without too much pain. He did wake up a couple of times, (at one point he wanted to sleep somewhere else) Roger had to tell him that there was no where else to sleep and that his Big Boy Bed was the best place. He woke up one more time around 3am and thankfully went back without too much resistance. The next couple of nights are going to be an adjustment, but we're all hopeful that he'll begin to accept it more easily. His old bedroom will only be a distant memory.

Autumn 2009

Like the leaves, things are a changing. We can now officially say that we'll be having a baby next month, wowee! In terms of having everything ready, there's still some work to do. Malcolm still isn't sleeping in his big boy bed and that transition will have to happen pretty soon if we're going to have the baby's room ready in time. Roger and Tracey said that they're going to tackle the issue this coming weekend, they've aptly named it "Operation Big-Boy Bed". I'm sure there will be some crying, screaming, and resistance, but we're all hoping for the best. The whole family has been hit by head colds, but everyone (including Malcolm) seem to be on the mend. This time around Roger was the last one to get it, but the symptoms are quickly subsiding. There is some substantial worry about H1N1, especially with regard to Tracey's condition. The family has been recommended to get the vaccine, we're not even sure that it will arrive in time.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Happy Birthday Grandma. We love you.

Light painting...

With Roger's newest purchase, he's been experimenting with some light painting. What do you think? Lately he's been on Ebay looking for deals on photography equipment. He managed to find a Gitzo knockoff for less than $250. With his new tripod he hopes to be in more photos.

iBert arrived today...

Malcolm's bike seat arrived, here's a picture from tonight. He really liked it, too bad there wasn't a dog version ;(

Apple Swan, Mr. Malcolm?

Roger and Tracey were always very hopeful that Malcolm would be a good eater. As a baby he had quite an appetite, but his preferences as a toddler have been less than desirable. In fact, they often call him "Mr. Picky Pants". Like many kids his age he'll eat everything that is less than healthy for him if given half the chance. Things like ice cream, chips, cookies, and juice never seem to meet satiation; and the typical vegetables and meats are met with disgust and disdain. These days even the fruits he used to eat so eagerly have been met with some resistance. As you can see in the picture (Apple swan above) Roger had to turn up the fun factor to try and get Malcolm to again eat some of the things that were the norm. We all know that this can be a phase of growing up, it's just sad to think that we'll have to wait till he's much older to enjoy some of the delicious opportunities he's passed by till now.

Happy as two little ducks...

Happy Anniversary to Roger and Tracey! It's been exactly 4 years since that fateful day at Robson Manor. I really don't know two happier people, they are quite a rare pair. Not many married couples can live and work together day in and day out. In fact, it's quite amazing how much time they actually spend together. I'm not sure exactly what the secret is, but they manage to make it work so seamlessly. I can tell you first hand that they very rarely argue, there may be the odd disagreement, but honestly folks life just moves swimmingly along. Perhaps it's Tracey's parents that have set such a fine example, for they will be celebrating their 57th this year. Anyway, from the bottom of my heart I would like to wish them a Happy Anniversary!

Growing up...

As more time passes we get to reflect upon the experiences and relationships we had along the way. Like everything, things change, evolve, and grow. Over the past few years I've seen so many things transform. We've moved, welcomed new members to our household (soon another will arrive) and even seen relationships build and eventually breakdown. The constant in our lives has been our close family bond. I'd like to say first hand that our family is very close, we spend a lot of time together. Moreover, we've had the pleasure of sharing our lives with Tracey's parents directly. It's been such a rich experience having the chance to live together under one roof. Malcolm may not realize it now, but he's had an experience that not many children get to have in their lifetime. I'm surely grateful that Grandma and Papa live just a floor away. Too often we get caught up in the moment and forget how lucky we are to have such opportunities. I love my family and look forward all the new adventures ahead.

Waiting in anticipation.

Malcolm has always enjoyed anything to do with trains, we're not sure if it's a little boy thing or something special that has sparked within him. Usually every weekend we head to the Burnaby Central Railway for a ride on what he calls the "outside choo-choos". This past weekend Roger and Tracey decided to take him to ride the new Canada Line all the way to the airport. Here's a picture of Malcolm waiting in anticipation. The new skytrain was quite roomy from the sounds of things. Malcolm particularly enjoyed riding through the long tunnel and then across the bridge over the Fraser River. Who would have thought that riding public transit would be so fun.

Pure moments

We all love being able to capture a pure moment and moments like this are no exception. It's especially hard with Malcolm cause he's very aware of his Daddy taking his picture or video. This one lasted a few seconds, but was still precious.

A terrible two episode has reared its ugly head again. Malcolm has now started to engage in full screaming tantrums. Luckily, he has never had an episode in public, but his behaviour at home is another story. Tracey and Roger hope that it has more to do with the teething than anything, but only time will tell. Three out of four molars have now come in with the last one still waiting to break through.

When he's in that altered state of mind it's difficult to reason with him, no matter what choice is offered every suggestion is met with extreme anger and downright screaming. So, despite his morning behaviour and oppositional mood Roger and Tracey decided they'd follow-through with the original plan and still take him to the PNE. Although Malcolm had fun on some of the rides, he didn't really show much enthusiasm for much else. Some-days, Tracey and Roger ask themselves whether it's really worth it to put so much effort into thinking of fun things to do. Here are some pictures from the PNE, you can see he did finally crack a smile on the slide. Whoa, isn't the summer going by quickly?

Still a two-year old...

Despite how many of the pictures look on the blog, Malcolm can be quite a handful. He sometimes exhibits some oppositional behaviour that results in some frustration both by child and adult alike. Don't get me wrong most of the time he's a fun-loving, happy, and joyful little two year old, but as the title says: he's still a two-year old. His vocabulary is growing by the minute and everyday he says things that continue to keep everyone is stitches. Though, we've also found with this expanding vocabulary he's found a way to use it to display his own stubbornness quite clearly.

Now we're all trying to get him used to two pretty drastic changes that are about to occur... transition to the big boy bed/room and the arrival of his baby sister (yes, we found out on Monday, see picture below). We'll see how everything turns out. We're all hoping for the best.

A special shout-out to Hastings Little League representing Canada in the Little League World Series this year. A valiant effort in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. They pulled out a stunning comeback today against the European team from Germany. What a ride it was.

Here are some recent pictures of Malcolm:

"Yeah baby!" Malcolm's favorite playground, Central Park in Burnaby.
"Hee, hee..."
"Strike a pose..."
Shopping spree at the Carter's Outlet in Marysville, WA (Seattle Premium Outlets). As Malcolm says: "They're all for my baby sister."

Busy, busy...

The sleep situation is definitely improving, but it still takes some effort to get Malcolm to sleep. The wind-down routine takes more than an hour to complete. Again, we're all hoping that this is a temporary phase. Grandma and Papa have been responsible for putting Malcolm down for a nap during the week and luckily he's been pretty compliant. ]He's napping for at least 2 hours during the week and in the morning he has been getting up at around 6am, much better than the 5am wake-ups the past few weeks. We're all sleep deprived, but maybe it's good practice. Roger and Tracey are scheduled to go see this doctor this morning, hopefully they'll find out whether we're painting the room blue or pink.

Oh in other news, I will be appearing in the Havanese calendar 2010. Please click this link to order your copy: link I think I'm on the July page representing Canada. Check it out if you have a chance. All the proceeds will be donated to the Havanese Club of America (HCA).

To enjoy the summer we've been planning different outings around town. Today Roger, Tracey and Malcolm went to the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Cates Park. Here are some pictures from the past week. They are still planning a few other trips around town.


Title: "Unbridled Joy"

Title: "Weeee!"

Title: "Relaxin"

Title: "Me and Mommy"

Title: "Me and Papa"

Title: "Let's go to Grandpa Harry's to get an ice cream!"

Days start early lately...

So for some reason Malcolm is still on the 5am wake-up schedule. The craziest thing is that it doesn't even matter what time he goes to sleep. Roger and Tracey have put him down at 7:30, 8:30 and 9pm without any significant change. Oh and that's the other issue they've been having, Malcolm is fighting being left alone in his room. He calls back numerous times a night before he actually settles down to sleep. It's quite a ritual everyone is put through. He asks either Mommy or Daddy to sit in the chair in his room, then on the footstool, and then to stand inside the doorway, then finally outside the door. That pattern sustained some success for a while, but recently he just asks to go through the whole ritual numerous times a night. Last night the whole put down routine went on for almost an hour. The saddest thing is that his disruptive sleep pattern effects everyone in the house including me. Malcolm is still visibly tired, but is too stubborn to go back to sleep. As always we're all hoping it's all just a temporary phase. Oh, if you're curious "Operation Big Boy Bed" has been put on hold for the time being.
Hopefully we'll be able to transition him around the Labour Day long weekend.

This is a picture of my sleep deprived face, sad huh? No just kidding. Roger bought a new Flash for his camera and was testing out some off-camera stuff.

On Guard

DSC_2136 - 2009-08-01 at 17-21-12, originally uploaded by obiwanhavanese.
Roger, Tracey and Malcolm finally had a chance to go to the Moody Park Pool this evening. It's been quite a disappointment the last few days because their attempts have been thwarted by some closures. It's quite a nice facility, I've seen it on my walks many times. Here's a picture of Malcolm sporting his PFD watching the waves.

Rocky Point Park

DSC_1998 - 2009-07-26 at 11-09-03, originally uploaded by obiwanhavanese.
Malcolm is still waking up extremely early these days, the latest we got to wake up was 6:45am on Friday, we can officially call that sleeping in. This morning he was up at 5:45am, he called "Daddy", and asked to have his hands washed (don't ask me why?) So after the hand washing he was pretty much up and raring to go. His naps and bedtimes are still quite challenging and these days he's quite a bear when he wakes up from his naps. It's only me, Grandma and Papa here to calm him down most days. From what we've read it's quite common, it's just too bad that he's so upset. His opposition and defiance are quite tiring to deal with sometimes, but we're all hoping it's a phase that will pass soon. His second molars are coming in now, so maybe that has something to do with it as well.

Here's Malcolm and Camila on the teeter totter.
Malcolm and one of his favorite cousins Nicole.

Sunset

DSC_1873 - 2009-07-23 at 21-14-18, originally uploaded by obiwanhavanese.

What a beautiful sunset it was tonight. Here's a shot from our deck.