April

Random videos! - April, 2009
When you save up posting for a whole month it can get tricky to recall when during the month the videos were taken (they don't get date-stamped like photos). But here you can see Kaden working with all his siblings - training Ali and coaching Milo through some tummy-time.

One, two, three, four, FIVE...weeks, that is! - April 28, 2009
More alert, more smiles, more fun with Milo!

To Close for Comfort - April 27, 2009
Well...I was trying to capture Milo's double chin (it is particularly impressive when he is lying back in your arms)...but my close-up took on a more fish-eye perspective!

Random Happenings - April 26, 2009
Why is it that when babes are sleeping they flip the bird? Is that supposed a natural relaxed position for a hand?!?

Kaden continues to enjoy helping Nanna. Today was snapping asparagus...he apparently needs to refine his technique to snap a little closer to the bottom though ;] The last shot is of Kaden with a pretty impressive tower (symmetrical to boot) that he built all by himself.

Another sleepy day for our sleepy-beepy (a name coined by me...his "awake name" awaka-boopa was coined by Kaden). Even when we tried to wake him up he just keep on snoozing..."your tickles won't work on me, Nanna"!

Ali just wants in on the action. If you stand still for even a minute she's right there beside you (and occasionally behind you so you have to be careful). Here she 'traps' Nanna in the kitchen. Too cute.

We picked up some fancy new shoes for Kaden to wear at playschool - watch them (and him) go!
Interestingly enough...since we don't watch TV with our little man, Kaden got to pick his shoes based on
my description...race car (Lightening McQueen, from Cars) or little boy (Diego) or robot (Bumble Bee, from Transformers).
He picked the little boy!

Plentiful Parks - April 25, 2009
We have a great park a few hundred feet from the house, but Daddy discovered another one not too far away while he was out with Ali. So we decided to check it out. It was a fun park; however it was not a clean park on this particular day. We made the best of it by playing on the "twisty slides", but after our snack break we head back home to go back to the ol' trusty park. Kaden is becoming an expert climber. Not only is he mastering stairs, but now he's quite adept at ladders as well (under the watchful eye of a near-by parent). He also has become the master of the straw! I picked up some new thermoses, which after some convincing that he couldn't tip the bottle up like a sippy cup, he caught on and "sucked up the stwaw" happily! The day ended with a thunder storm - another first for Kaden. He and Daddy watched out the window to see the lightening and listen for the thunder.

New park + new slide = good ol' fashion fun!

Kaden has become quite the singer. He no longer just speaks the song, but he tried to carry a tune and he can even keep the beat.
Of course, it's hard to capture our little songster on camera, but you get the idea!

Kaden loves stickers. What I think is particularly amusing is how he places them. He has become a sticker stacker! He often clumps like-colours together, but otherwise he can be seen stacking similar stickers! Hilarious!

Too Cute - April 22, 2009
First a little snuggle time with our Mr. Milo.

It's tough to wake up sometimes!

Not the best picture, but a good story. Kaden has been introduced to "the timer". He's such an eager helper, but sometimes the salad is not ready for spinning! So...Nanna turned on the magic of the timer. When it goes "beep" then Kaden can participate in whatever helper-bee activity is on the menu. He gets the concept of waiting for the timer, but not as much about going about his own business until he hears the ding (he's better now). For the first few timed events he sat on the floor between the hardwood and the tile and watched expectantly. Too bad sometimes the timer had 15+ minutes to go! Needless to say, by the time I pulled the camera out to capture our little clock watcher, he had schooched himself back onto Nanna's feet! Now we've introduced the "ticker" from the fridge. He just likes to spin the dial, hear the tick and listen for the bell to ring for no purposeful outcome other than he can do it himself (and the timer is magnetic so he can take it from the fridge and put it on his easel too)!

Such BIG boys! - April 21, 2009
Wow - both my boys are growing so quickly. Milo is four weeks old today...where did the month go? At his one month check-up he clocked in at 10lbs 15oz. He's showing off more of his great smile and generally settling into life nicely. Kaden as well is growing into such a little man. He has become a great helper for Nanna (which has been great for me when my hands are tied up with Milo)...of course we will do our best to continue when we are back on our own too! Here he helps make the marinade for tonight's chicken.

Snore...Fore...Roar! - April 19, 2009
We got our camera back this weekend after leaving it at Auntie Debbie's last weekend (we used Craig's SLR in the interim)...so today we took pictures with a vengeance! And we've got videos again too! Our day started with a birthday party for our good friend Katie - she turned one - hooray! A good time was had by all. Kaden always loves to go to see his friends and loves to play with their toys as well...the riding bulldozer is a big hit! Can't you just see him lounging back while operating heavy machinery...I'm not sure what his next move was all about! He enjoyed pizza and cake and while the birthday girl was opening her gifts, Kaden modeled the ribbon! Our littlest monkey arrived to the party asleep and stayed that way throughout - from the car seat to the sling to both Daddy and Nanna's shoulders. He continued to snooze all the way home only opening his eyes to snack mid-afternoon. Auntie Martha and Uncle Cliff were in town for the weekend as well so they popped by to meet the newest Calvert...who proceeded to snooze on both their shoulders! Kaden was treated to a golf set for his birthday. The boys checked it out in the house and gave it the full treatment in the backyard later in the day. Milo took in a few extra winks in his bouncy chair (with his new pet goat - how could we resist that purchase, eh?!?) and even caught a few more zzzzs with Dad. However, after a very sleepy day for Milo he was less than impressed when he eventually woke up!

I'm not sure if it's a real word/verb or not...but once the clubs were swinging Kaden kept saying "Kaden golfed"!
Thanks Auntie Martha and Auntie Cliff (Kaden's words...not mine)!

We know better than to leave the camera within toddler reach...although his self-portraits are something to see!

Choo Choo! - April 18, 2009
Today's theme was trains...right down to the picture on Kaden's shirt (not planned, I assure you). After a game of "fetch" with Nanna and Baby-Dog (the name given to the little stuffed daschund by Kaden...the bigger one is appropriately named Dog), Kaden played with a train that belonged to Daddy as a kid. It is terribly sad as the mechanism is shot...you can wind it up, but it moves ever so slowly and the song chugs out at about half the pace it should (and not at all on key). None the less, Kaden loves to ask for it from his bookshelf upstairs to bring it down to play. Later in the day we surprised Kaden with his birthday present (better late than never) - his very own train table! It's not the "official" Thomas table, but it will fit the playing board and it would double as an excellent catch-all table as the kids grow. Totally un-train related, we ventured out to the park with Milo in the Bjorn for the first time. It was love at first wearing...our little snuggle-bug will happily sleep the day away in there!

Test-driving... - April 17, 2009
Today we gave our new double stroller a test-drive. The car seat adapter is a bit odd in that Milo seems to be suspended out in space, however once they are both in their seats it will make travel-for-two much easier. Milo also gave his mohawk a test-drive...as well as his aquarium swing...I tried to capture the activity in our living room with the last picture. Three kids all doing there own thing...together!

Where's Milo? - April 16, 2009
Surprisingly, today's showcase of pictures is of Kaden and Ali...nothing for the little nugget. Kaden experimented some more with his play doh and Ali got some attention and exercise in the backyard.

Well...we did catch Milo on video being loved by his big brother.
Kaden is a big fan of trying to give Milo kisses (too bad he often leads with his forehead instead of his lips)!
He also likes to help us with diaper changes handing over the diapers, wipes and cream as needed.
       

Three Weeks and Counting - April 14, 2009
Yup, Milo has reached the three week milestone already. As you can see, he continues to like napping in his bouncy chair. He's a pretty good sleeper at night, which is great. However, during the day naps are starting to get harder to coax for any length of time...although he does love to snooze while snuggling on anyone's shoulder! I think some of his troubles are because he's still a bit of a gassy-jack. Once he does drift off, he will often wake himself up with gas pains. Poor little bear. He can sleep through the noise of a toddler though, which is impressive. It doesn't help that he seems to be on about a 2-hour cycle (Kaden loves the "milk machine" name we have given Milo) so by the time he's eaten, pooped, burped and been awake (happy or otherwise) it only leaves about 30 minutes for sleeping anyway! This too shall pass...I hope ;] Other 'accomplishments' thus far? He's starting to smile...I still think 75% of the smiles are gas-induced, but they're certainly cute!

Here Milo enjoys some quiet-alert time.

While Milo was napping Kaden and I took to the easel for a little sticker-action. He's getting quite adept at taking the tiny stickers off the paper himself, just check out that look of concentration and focus! The close up is meant to show you Kaden's hair...apparently Craig had a cow-lick that Gran couldn't fight either! Another new "toy" for Kaden is his highchair. Not only does he continue to enjoy clicking the straps together, but he has figured out how to unfasten the straps from the back as well to feed them back and forth through the chair back. What fun!

Hoppy Easter! - April 12, 2009
Nanna and Poppa were back with us for the Easter weekend. I'm not sure how much Kaden really knows about the Easter Bunny (other than the crafts and colouring he did at playschool and home), but he certainly was old enough to understand and enjoy an Easter egg hunt! We hid eggs around the house filled with stickers, goldfish crackers, fruit bites...and yes, some chocolate. He got to try his first Hershey Kiss thanks to Nanna..."yummy" was all he could say with a big smile on his face! He got some great gifts and helped to open Milo's as well - who spent most of the festivities sleeping! We of course had to take the requisite "bunny ear" photos and then spent some time playing with the new toys and books...although I'm sure Milo would argue that tummy-time isn't play-time! We finished the day with a great dinner at Auntie Debbie's house with the extended Ross family (where we managed not to take any pictures, but managed to leave our camera behind!).

It takes a keen, disciplined eye to find all those eggs...or maybe
just some helpful hints!

Now for the front yard! - April 11, 2009
With the backyard looking good the boys move to the front to clear the leaves and random winter droppings. Kaden mostly likes walking up and down the hill! He just looks the part with the rake ;]

Rolling down hill is always fun too!

After a good days work in the yard, Kaden takes his helping skills inside to the kitchen!

Me and my babe - April 9, 2009
Some pics of Mommy and Milo...

Two weeks old already! - April 7, 2009
It's hard to imagine life without Milo, and although 2 weeks isn't that long in the grand scheme of things, it's hard for us to believe he has already been out and about for that long! Complicated, I know.

Kaden got a "K" mug for his birthday from some friends. He asks for it in the morning when we are drinking coffee out of our mugs - wants to be part of the crowd. Some sippy cups fit inside which is always fun, and others he just balances on top to drink.

Not able to participate in story time quite yet, at least Milo can listen. Perhaps he doesn't like this one?!

And some random cuteness...

A good day to stay in... - April 6, 2009
Well...inside the Ontario Science Centre that is! We woke up to find snow falling to the ground...and sticking! So we bundled up the kiddies and spent the morning at the OSC. Kaden played with some exhibits that we didn't find last time (thanks for the tip about the bubbles, Mia). He had fun with the water activities and then gravitated back towards switches (lights go on and off) and buttons (balloon rises and falls) - of course. He found a display car, hopped in, and declared that he was driving to Gran and Grandee's. Finally, we hit the grocery store. A big hit. Not only could he buy his very own bottle of ketchup, but he got to scan it in himself. Pure joy. Milo spent the morning enjoying a good snooze. The day wrapped with some family time at the house. And a little more snow.

Here's our little man in action.
Lights go on...groceries go beep.
       

Lots going on - April 5, 2009
The sun is starting to shine and our neighbours are starting to put our yard to shame! The garbage collection calendar shows that yard waste is now on the menu so Kaden and Daddy hit Canadian Tire to buy our family's first rakes! After some fun in the sun (albeit cool) Milo takes another shot at tummy-time and checks out the aquarium swing for the first time. Later that day Gran came over to meet her newest grandson. Poor Gran and Grandee came down with an awful bug right as Milo arrived on the scene so this is the first time Gran was able to come over...Grandee is still on the mend. Gran's magic touch put Milo to sleep for the entire time she was here plus some! After a pretty sleepy day, we woke him with his first bath at home. He was less than impressed. Ali was curious about all the commotion! Since that time though Mi