Two Monkeys: Nicholas & Joshua Read

Thursday July 10, 2014 - Our day with Nicholas ! Because Joshua wasn’t with us today, we decided to go bike riding with Nicholas.  We set out at about 10 a.m., going east on the Pleasant Park sidewalk.  Jean went ahead, then Nicholas, and then me.  Nicholas was a little slow, but very steady.  Jean got ahead a way, but I was just behind Nicholas, ringing my bell when I wanted him to go a bit faster.  He stopped me underneath an oak tree and told me he wanted to pick up the “dreidles” lying about.  He pocketed 4 acorns and we resumed riding. It took about 20 minutes to get to the bike path that leads to the allotments; Nicholas was more relaxed and zipped along the paved path to our garden.   The first thing we did was check the peas that he’d planted 2 weeks ago - growing nicely.  Then I attached the hose and Nicholas watered much of the garden.  Then he noticed me using the Japanese hand-hoe I bought 2 or 3 years ago at Lee Valley, cutting o...

Nicholas had a fantastic time at his first bluesfest. He danced and ate beaver tails with mama. He did complain that it was a bit hot. We had taken the bus down to the site. It was a fantastic day with mama.

Congratulations Nicholas on your graduation from Ganon Preschool! We had a wonderful celebration on Monday, June 9 to celebrate the graduation of the JK class. The kiddies performed for the parents a little skit - Nicky remembered his line, phew! Then it came time for their song and Nicky froze - he wasn't able to even crack a smile. Everyone sang and did the hand gestures, but Nicky held his poker face. We were all there to cheer him on - Cam, Joshy, Nana, Yeye, Uncle Duncan, Popo & Dorris. It has been an amazing 3 years for Nicholas at Ganon, the best decision we made for his schooling so far. The class this year was so balanced, and filled with kids that were so happy to be together. I think his best friends ended up being the girls!

Little Joshy has recently taken to singing to himself either Mr. Golden Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun….or Let it Go from Frozen. It is so fun listening to his little voice sing the song while he is doing his morning puzzles. Puzzles have also become his latest obsession - he put 3 together this morning. The puzzles are the first things he runs to in the morning and when he comes home. When he finishes, he is so giddy and happy with pleasure. It's the simple things I love about this kid.

Nicholas helped me to make some chocolate chip and blueberry scones. He was excited to watch them rise in the oven.

Nicholas shared with me his carefully packaged bath ball and sugar scrub! I feel like a princess with all these gifts from the boys.

Joshy was so happy when he saw me arrive today at his school. He looked so proud that I was there to enjoy my Mother's Day tea. It was a wonderful time- we sang songs, drank tea and had some nice desserts. He also presented me with a beautiful towel with his hand and foot prints. It made my day!

We enjoyed a morning walk along Dow's lake. We looked for ducks, but didn't see any. Maybe in a few weeks.

Nicholas proudly displays the hand made Forest that Nana helped him design with help from the Chirp book.

Nicholas made this art piece in school and Nana framed it for their wall. He is so proud.

Joshy and I took a walk in Hintonburg on Saturday and we couldn't resist stopping by Suzy Q for some delicious donuts. Of course, we couldn't stop at one so we bought a half dozen! 

It's been almost a year since I last added an entry. Nicholas has now started to ask me questions about himself when he was a wee one in my belly. I had to think long and hard to remember all those stories during my pregnancy. The one I told tonight involved swimming with the sharks. Cam and I took a vacation to the Bahamas when he was 13 weeks in the womb and we bravely took a trip out to the sea and swam face to face with the sharks. He had many question about that adventure tonight like - did you get bitten? Did you touch the sharks? Smartly, he also asked "Wasn't it dangerous?" Tonight made me think back to all the posts I wrote when I was pregnant and when he was one years old. It was so nice to reflect back then on all the new and exciting changes. I can now show him the blog and share the pics with all the changes of my belly Two and Four - that's the age that the boys are now at. Nicholas is in his final few months at Ganon Preschool in Kita Kachol w...

This morning Joshua and I helped Jean make bran muffins; my job was to grate 1.5 cups of carrots and 2 apples.  As I grated the apples he sat on my knee  and took 4 or 5 large bites out of the fruit at opportune moments.  When the muffins were ready we all had some.  In the living room a bit later we read some books: Arthur Goes to School, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Learn to Count with Noddy, and Curious George Goes to the Hospital.  Joshua was pleased with all 4; he particularly liked to poke his index finger into the holes where the caterpillar had eaten through the pages.  Then Jean got out the flash cards, and Joshua flashed through them.  He identified most of the shapes, but not the -gons.  As for the animals, the jaguar and the zebra he’s got down pat, but the yak is still a mystery to him. Just before noon I was standing in the breakfast room, about to put on my coat to go for Nicholas, when Joshua came in from the living room and put ...

This Tuesday Joshua was quiet when he arrived but he soon brightened up.  He ate a bowl of cereal before he and I tackled the Mary had a Little Lamb puzzle.  He enjoyed that and had some successes, but I helped quite a bit.  After that I opened the Nee-how game.  It gives you 6 outdoors scenes: a cabin, grass, trees, cartoon characters, etc.  Then there are 25 turn-over cards depicting: a flower, dinosaur, rainbow, caterpillar, etc.  The player turns over a card and then looks for the dinosaur or whatever.  Some of the items are very hard to spot, but Joshua did very well; some things he spotted immediately after turning over the card. He says the names: caterpillar, rainbow, dinosaur, etc.  He really enjoyed it, we’ll do it again I’m sure.  After that Jean put out some red and yellow paint and a brush and Joshua daubed them on paper on the easel; we’ll show you next time you’re over.   At 12:30  I picked up Nicholas; they were play...

Joshy enjoying his McDonald's outing with mom, Dorris and Marion.

Cam makes the boys pancakes every second day. Lucky boys, the pancakes have chocolate chips in them!

When Joshy's hair is a bit longer, he looks a little bit like Duncan when he was the same age.

Jean and I were just talking about our day - we really enjoyed the boys today!  We had gone shopping before we picked them up, so when we arrived home there were groceries as well as the boys' packs to bring inside.  Jean asked Nicholas to help us carry things, and he grabbed both his and Joshua's bags and also a shopping bag that weighed considerably.  He really had to struggle with the 3 bags, but he did it and got them all to the door. Inside and groceries put away, Jean fried bacon for the boys and hamburgers for me and herself.  Nicholas ate his 'bacon butty', and was eyeing Joshua's bacon. I told him that he shouldn't take his brother's bacon, but then Joshua offered it to Nicholas. Nicholas politely refused to accept it; they were both quite genteel. Jean put some strawberry yogurt into the blender along with some fresh strawberries, and then offered the liquified result to Nicholas.  He gobbled it up and was very pleased with it. Joshua went fo...

Feb 12 Jean has just asked me to tell you that Nicholas made valentines for Morah Jan and Morah Jess, and Cameron brought them home yesterday.  As there's no school on Friday they should go to school tomorrow! 2nd item: more wipes please. On Monday Jean noticed that there was a circle-time on at the Alta Vista Library, 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday.  Joshua and I went and attended and found it interesting.  There was a little girl there who asked her caregiver - Can I go and sit on the potty?  Afterwards I said to the lady - That's very impressive, but she said the little girl just likes to sit there!  Joshua didn't sing, but when the circle-lady invited some children to come up and put a card on the easel (queen of hearts & tarts, knave, king), I gave him a gentle push, and he did it. When we had walked into the children's area, Joshua had said "Maisie", and I saw that the Maisie Mouse pictures were on the wall.  Coming out of circle time, I went ...

Yesterday Jean made playdough before Joshua's arrival.  After Cam left for work the 3 of us went into the playroom to try the playdough.  Joshua was very taken with it; he especially liked having me roll it into balls.  Then we used our small rolling pin to flatten it. Jean gave him a box of Mr Men (flat) molds to press onto the playdough; he showed a particular liking for Mr Happy.  Playdough kept the 2 of us amused for 20-25 minutes, and then we turned to building a tower with duplo.  I tried to go straight up, but Joshua kept choosing the longest pieces he could find, so our 2x2 base had higher levels reaching out in all directions.  And we perched a few toy people on the upper levels.  Then Joshua spotted the marbleworks - but he didn't start on that right away!  First he disassembled the tower, piece by piece, and put it all away in the proper box (we had previously put the playdough away). I hadn't suggested this, it was his initiative....

Here are some recent pics of the boys just being silly! I came home to Cameron with these two monkeys The boys enjoyed Purim and got dressed up for the festival - Nicholas was an M&M and Joshy reluctantly became a ladybug! My little superhero Nicholas might end up being a tree hugger!