This Little Clan Mac

Today was a fun day at the college. A bouncy castle had been erected too. Much to Ewen's delight! Face painting had also been arranged amongst other activities. This was one that many of the kids took great advantage of, coming away looking like butterflies, clowns, Spiderman, and tigers to name but a few. Ewen refused, point blank, to have his face painted. As the afternoon passed, his reluctance wained. However, he couldn't decide what he wanted to be. At one point, he was going to be a car. In the end he became a tiger. Watch this space for photos!!!

The braai came and went and the boys ate what they would. Dessert was an ice-cream / ice-lollie. We realised this when Ewen appeared requesting we remove the wrapper off the ice-lollie. Aware that Iain didn't have one, Ewen encouraged him to follow him in search of the students who were distributing ice-creams. Likewise, we encouraged Iain from a distance, though he stood with thumb in mouth and hand on ear--tired. Ewen found one of the students and brought the ice-lollie to me. Iain took one lick and didn't go any further. Not surprising really--it was quite sour. My snicker's ice-cream was fair game though. He must have eaten a good third it.

Posted by Keith at 08:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After supper tonight the boys both disappeared upstairs without any prompting from myself at all. I simply started washing the dishes and realised all was quiet downstairs. There was the odd noise as the buttons on various toys were depressed. It's quite comforting to know the boys are getting on so well.

A little while later I heard Iain moaning so went to investigate. I found Iain tugging away at Ewen who was standing on a potty stool looking out the window, like in the photo above the calendar. After some discussion with Ewen about being an example to Iain, Ewen climbed off the stool and returned it to the bathroom. Iain almost went balistic and picked it up only to bring it back to the window. After he had struggled with the stool a little while, I placed it upright away from the steps so he could stand on it. He was pleased that he could look at the window and yell, "bye, bye!" Or, a close rendition of that.

While he was calling out the open window I began to prepare the bath. Meanwhile, Iain had climbed off the stool and had pulled one the nappy bucket's away from the window. I ordered Iain to stop playing with it, and return it. The question was, "Where was the lid?" I searched both our rooms, and the bathroom so looked downstairs. Having not found it, I returned upstairs to find Iain again standing on one of the stools, and Ewen having collected the second and standing on that one.

A wild thought! Was the lid outside? I looked out the window and there below on the grass was the bucket lid. I asked Ewen if he had put it there, and his response, "Why is it down there, Daddy?" That led me to believe Iain had posted it out the window. I collected it, and placed it back on the bucket.

I returned downstairs quickly to start recording Doctor Who! There were a couple of crash sounds and then loud wailing as Iain came down the stairs head first. I leapt to pick him up and cuddle him!! Poor little munchkin. He cried for the better part of three minutes. Then sat on the step next to Ewen, and smiled. Chuffed, really, that he was next to his brother.

After his fall, I noticed a stool was downstairs, along with the lid to the bucket. I can only assume he had taken the lid off and was trying to climb on the stool to throw it out the window. As I say, this is an assumption. Nevertheless, he was subsequently happy enough to fight against having his bottom cleaned, and to spash about in the bath as if nothing significant had transpired.

Posted by Keith at 06:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This evening during supper, Ewen was eating a little reluctantly. We had already struck a deal that he eat some of his food to get the Apple Juice he wanted. And I had reduced the amount of pasta he needed to eat.

With his apple juice finished, and was around three quarters of his pasta gone he asked for some water. I suggested he should eat a little more, but that I would be gracious and give him the water. The next thing I knew he had placed his right hand in the cup, and exclaimed, quietly, "Ooh! That's nice and cool!"

He made another response to that comment, "Do you want to go for a swim too?"

"No! Wait, I need to go first!" retorted the right hand again. And promptly dived into the cup again. The left hand dived in the water once the right hand had vacated the cup.

They both anounced, "Now we're both wet! We'll have to get dry."

And that was the end of Ewen's meal. He now anounced that he wanted to get down, and forego the yoghurt. It would have meant eating the remainder of his food, which did not hold any interest for him at this stage.

Posted by Keith at 06:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's Ewen's birthday today! And a happy boy he is. He came downstairs to find a stash of gifts waiting for him to tear the wrapping paper off.

Iain seemed a little bewildered about all the activity. Particularly since he wasn't allowed to touch any of the presents, let alone try remove the wrapping paper.

The day was quite warm to, so much so, that we put water in the hippo "sandbox" so the boys could splash about. They loved it. At some point, it was time for Ewen to have a sleep and Ewen decided he wanted to sleep on the picnic rug under the tree. He did just that, fell fast asleep, in the nude, on the picnic blanket.

Posted by Keith at 10:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I know Iain is growing more aware of himself and his surroundings by particular behaviours that he sometimes exhibits. Today was a case in point. Yoghurt, or Fromage Frais, is a little treat we often give the boys after their lunch, if they've eaten properly. Iain had finished his sandwich and had been pointing to the fridge. Not in the frantic manner, bordering on tantrum, he sometimes employs. I asked if he wanted a yoghurt, and he simply nodded.

It's remarkable that his brain is developing so much that he is able to comprehend my words.

Anyway. I placed the small yoghurt pot, lid intact, on his high chair table. Picking it up, he frowned, and promptly handed it back to me. The message, "Daddy, the cover is still so I'm not able to eat it. Please will you open it?"

With no hindrance, Iain polished the pot off in no time!

Posted by Keith at 01:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This morning I had both the boys downstairs in the lounge to try give Clare a little more rest. They had woken quite early and not likely to sleep further.

Downstairs, Iain was behind me. I crouched on my knees and then looked back through my legs towards Iain. Immediately, Iain fell to his knees and headed towards the gap in my legs. "A bridge!" exclaimed Ewen, and promptly followed Iain between my legs. They didn't stop there either. Nope, they continued around and around through the bridge each time. And I would have still been in the same position had it not been breakfast time, :-P.

Posted by Keith at 08:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Clearing the kitchen after breakfast a thought wafted through my mind, "the boys are quite quiet, wonder what they're up to." As I said, it wafted through. Clare disappeared upstairs to investigate why the boys had been so quiet for going on 15 minutes.

"Keith!! Come have a look!" instructed Clare.

I dashed upstairs to find both Ewen and Iain each chewing on a slice of stale bread. And a roll of pink toilet paper completely unravelled across the floor of the bathroom and the landing. My reaction—I ran to get the camera. The boys were very pleased with themselves. Iain following Ewen more than anything else.

Posted by Keith at 08:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pyjamas on, it was time to get ready for a call to mom to say, "Good night!" Clare was working late so wouldn't be home until after the boys were asleep.

But before we could do that Ewen determined that we had to fix the clock first. It is a take-apart and put-together clock with cogs and arms that are wound with a winding knob like an old watch. It was a 2003 Christmas toy from his grand parents in South Africa, which was only ever taken apart until very recently.

Ewen pulled the clock apart, and Iain came along to assist. This did not please Ewen as he tried to move the various cogs out of Iain's reach. Between Iain's visiting the pieces Ewen pointed out which cogs when where, to finish with the working clock.

Time to phone Clare. Ewen immediately explained, "We fixed the clock! Bye bye." Clare was a little confused until I cleared it up. Iain came to the and said, in his way, "allo!" And then mumbled a little more while listening to Clare. They were happy, and snuggled down into bed.

Posted by Keith at 10:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Of late Iain has been exhibiting a far greater degree of understanding of our words. Around meal times he is quite aware of the proceedings, like lunch today. Ewen had placed his roll on the table outside, in the garden, which Iain noticed and started to squeal in a demand for it. I called out that his roll was on his table. He promptly came inside, and walked directly to his chair and tried to climb up.

Another example is his behaviour when we try to place him a clean nappy after his bath. Today I asked him to come and lie down on the nappy, and he crawled rapidly to me, and aligned himself with his nappy. Remarkable!!

Ewen similarly holds his own fairly well in a normal conversation. At lunch time today, Clare asked him what he would like for his birthday. His response:

This is Apple Tree Farm.

Mrs Boot. She has two chilren, called Poppy and Sam, and a dog called Rusty.

It's from the Usborne Farmyard Tales series of books that he has recently taken an interest in reading. Clare and I weren't certain whether he meant he wanted a dog, but it was remarkable how he mentioned something that was not immediately in front of him.

This evening Clare was talking on the phone, and asked Ewen if he would like to talk to Granny. He ran through, and greeted her, "Hello Granny!" Was quiet for a moment or two, I assume listening a little to Granny, then announced, "I need to go, I'm playing Winnie the Poo. Goodbye!"

That was that and off he went returning to his Winnie the Poo Toddler computer game. He pops balloons and listens to the Poo characters play and sing songs. It's quite educational, and he now knows how to turn the computer on too. It's still hard to believe he is almost three years old. All too soon!!!

Posted by Keith at 08:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tonight, while Iain was bathing we had a good laugh. He had been placing rubber letters between the shower pipe and the wall, looking in my direction to confirm my interest. All of a sudden he lost his balance, and as young toddlers are want to be, they are quick to correct their imbalance. Iain did exactly that just as his bottom hit the water, so there was a large splash, some water escaping onto the floor.

I laughed, more in recognising that he had recovered and still causing a splash. My laugh also eased his shock, and I think reassured him that he was fine. He confirmed that too. He stood, then promptly and very methodically sat down trying to make another splash. My laughing just encouraged him to continue.

Posted by Keith at 09:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This a new blog using MovableType to do the blog administration rather than blogger. The blogger is great, but the entries in our blog are currently kept on the blogger site, rather than on my own website. And, of late, I've periodically struggled to update out blog using Blogger; must be competing with US net demands.

So. Why Movable Type and not one of the many other CMS systems, such as Drupal, Word Press, or even Mambo? Well, it's alot to do with my hosting package. Yes, I'm on the cheap, but I've not really had to much time to spend so why spend the dosh when I'm not making it work for me. My package doesn't include MySQL access, which discounts Drupal and Wordpress, and pretty much any other CMS solution barring Movable Type. Movable Type uses the Berkeley DB libraries, which are available on my hosting package. Mambo uses tables for layout and that is so past tense!

Another reason is Blogger essentially keeps the content of my Lands Beyond blog of the kids on the blogger servers. On the other hand, MovableType is installed on my domain host, and so likewise the content, templates, etc.

The site will hopefully see some changes as I discover more of what I am able to do with both this tool, and the whole HTML/CSS combination of stuff.

One of the next things to be developed is an up to date photo album. I'm thinking of making one with something along the lines of the Photo Gallery as found in Stu Nicoll's CSS Playground demonstration pages. He has a tutorial on how to do this at the Web Reference site.

Posted by Keith at 03:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)