- Monkey Ooo Ooo Ooo Ooo
- Bird Caw Caw Caw
- Fish Blub Blub Blub
- Elephant BBBRRRRR
- Sheep BAA
- Lion ARRGGHH
- Cow ARRGGHH
- Horse ARRGGHH
- Any other quadruped ARRGGHH
One, Two, Three, Four
7 hours ago
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
animal noises
Fève does not yet call animals by their proper names, preferring to refer to them by the noises they make. Here is a small list of his animal noise repertoire:
Sunday, July 5, 2009
pulling a 180
Being a parent has taught me many things. So far, the most important lessons I have learned are how to be flexible, adaptable and open-minded.
These are traits that I thought I had before Fève was born. I have always been able to argue a point with complete conviction and then turn around and argue the complete opposite the next day with just as much conviction. I know there are no absolute truths, only points of view. And, regardless of how passionate my opinion may be on any certain thing, I know everything is relative. I am always open to other opinions and other perspectives. I know it is wise to face the world with an open heart and open mind. I know I don't know everything.
However, I had no idea that what I thought I knew would be so challenged just by having a kid.
Every parent I know has a list of things they said would never do as a parent but end up doing anyway. My list is growing. Right now it includes: letting Fève watch TV, giving Fève juice (in a plastic sippy cup, no less!), and feeding Fève sugary baked goods, amongst other things.
In the fall this list may include sending Fève to preschool.
Previously I thought no preschool or day care for Fève before age three, but that was before my son's personality really started to form. That was before I realized I was parenting a child who is an extreme extrovert.
Being happily non-extroverted myself, I had supposed that I would have a like-minded child. I can spend hours, days, weeks all by myself and be perfectly content. In fact, being around people too much, or too many people all at once, can totally throw me off balance, put me off my game, make me want to bury my head in the sand.
Not so my son. He comes alive around other people, especially other children. He seems to hate being alone. If we spend the entire day inside, just the two of us, he will be literally hanging off the door handle by the end of the day. I long ago realized that he prefers to be outside, he thrives on lots of human contact and he wants to be where the action is.
With his temperament and needs in mind, I am considering putting him in some sort of parent-participation-optional preschool in the fall. Hopefully, if I can find a suitable place, only a couple of days a week at first, with me there to monitor how he is doing. Not much different from the swimming lessons, music classes and play groups he has taken, except with a little more continuity, structure and routine than the hodge-podge of stuff he currently participates in.
I think this is something he would really enjoy. Although it was not my original plan to put him in any sort of preschool so early, in the spirit of keeping an open mind I will give it a try. I once vowed to keep him home for as long as possible, and I am still glad that I didn't have to put him in day care, but maybe I need to adapt my original plan, look at things from a different perspective. It is important to listen to my child, to respect and honour his needs and to admit that I am not always right.
These are traits that I thought I had before Fève was born. I have always been able to argue a point with complete conviction and then turn around and argue the complete opposite the next day with just as much conviction. I know there are no absolute truths, only points of view. And, regardless of how passionate my opinion may be on any certain thing, I know everything is relative. I am always open to other opinions and other perspectives. I know it is wise to face the world with an open heart and open mind. I know I don't know everything.
However, I had no idea that what I thought I knew would be so challenged just by having a kid.
Every parent I know has a list of things they said would never do as a parent but end up doing anyway. My list is growing. Right now it includes: letting Fève watch TV, giving Fève juice (in a plastic sippy cup, no less!), and feeding Fève sugary baked goods, amongst other things.
In the fall this list may include sending Fève to preschool.
Previously I thought no preschool or day care for Fève before age three, but that was before my son's personality really started to form. That was before I realized I was parenting a child who is an extreme extrovert.
Being happily non-extroverted myself, I had supposed that I would have a like-minded child. I can spend hours, days, weeks all by myself and be perfectly content. In fact, being around people too much, or too many people all at once, can totally throw me off balance, put me off my game, make me want to bury my head in the sand.
Not so my son. He comes alive around other people, especially other children. He seems to hate being alone. If we spend the entire day inside, just the two of us, he will be literally hanging off the door handle by the end of the day. I long ago realized that he prefers to be outside, he thrives on lots of human contact and he wants to be where the action is.
With his temperament and needs in mind, I am considering putting him in some sort of parent-participation-optional preschool in the fall. Hopefully, if I can find a suitable place, only a couple of days a week at first, with me there to monitor how he is doing. Not much different from the swimming lessons, music classes and play groups he has taken, except with a little more continuity, structure and routine than the hodge-podge of stuff he currently participates in.
I think this is something he would really enjoy. Although it was not my original plan to put him in any sort of preschool so early, in the spirit of keeping an open mind I will give it a try. I once vowed to keep him home for as long as possible, and I am still glad that I didn't have to put him in day care, but maybe I need to adapt my original plan, look at things from a different perspective. It is important to listen to my child, to respect and honour his needs and to admit that I am not always right.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
choo choo
Fève and I spend a lot of time on Granville Island. The Kid's Market is, of course, one of our favourite destinations while on the Island. As soon as we walk through the front doors, Fève starts running. Generally the first place he runs to is Knotty Toys. I like that store because of the large selection of wooden toys, Fève likes it because of Thomas.
Ever since he could pull himself up to standing, Fève has been playing with the huge Thomas the Tank Engine train table and train tracks at Knotty Toys. I was planning on buying him his first train set and Thomas engine for his second birthday, but it has become apparent over the last month or so that Fève does not want to wait until November for Thomas.
After literally dragging him kicking and screaming away from the train table more times than I can remember, I broke down last week and bought him his first train and wooden train tracks.
I cannot believe how attached he is to those trains. He would sleep with them if we let him.
One night last week as he was drifting off to sleep he started chanting, quietly and happily choo choo choo choo choo choo choooo choooooo...
I cannot believe how attached he is to those trains. He would sleep with them if we let him.
One night last week as he was drifting off to sleep he started chanting, quietly and happily choo choo choo choo choo choo choooo choooooo...
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Happy birthday to the best father in the world
Today is a special day. It is the first day of summer. It is Father's Day.
And it is Gâteau's birthday.
Happy birthday my darling. And happy Father's Day.
Je t'aime, je t'adore.
And it is Gâteau's birthday.
Happy birthday my darling. And happy Father's Day.
Je t'aime, je t'adore.
Friday, June 19, 2009
sailing
Today we took Fève sailing for the first time. But it won't be the last time; we've already secured future sailing lessons for the boy.
Captain Fève.
Exploring the cabin with daddy.
Mommy and Fève take the helm.
Captain Fève.
Exploring the cabin with daddy.
Mommy and Fève take the helm.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
things I would change if I ruled the world #3
I was at Car-Free Day on Denman this weekend when I came across a booth with info about the Zeitgeist Movement. I grabbed a pamphlet because I have been meaning to find out more about them. A couple years ago I heard about the movie that was available online only. I never bothered to download it, but did check out the website, which was quite small if I remember correctly. It seems they have gotten a bit bigger.
I am currently working on reading the Activist's Orientation Guide and Designing the Future.
A bunch of great designs for floating cities are found in those books. Cities floating on the ocean. Why didn't I think of that? It looks like the ocean is humankind's newest frontier.
If I ruled the world, I would build beautiful ocean cities for us to live on that were filled with organic gardens, gorgeous homes and all kinds of leisure activities. They would be almost fully self-contained, designed to produce as little waste as possible and would harness energy from the ocean and the air.
Know what makes me smile? I won't have to take over the world to make this happen, because someone is already designing these cities, and better social and economic systems right along with 'em. This is the kind of future our children and grandchildren could inherit, and that would be grand.
I am currently working on reading the Activist's Orientation Guide and Designing the Future.
A bunch of great designs for floating cities are found in those books. Cities floating on the ocean. Why didn't I think of that? It looks like the ocean is humankind's newest frontier.
If I ruled the world, I would build beautiful ocean cities for us to live on that were filled with organic gardens, gorgeous homes and all kinds of leisure activities. They would be almost fully self-contained, designed to produce as little waste as possible and would harness energy from the ocean and the air.
Know what makes me smile? I won't have to take over the world to make this happen, because someone is already designing these cities, and better social and economic systems right along with 'em. This is the kind of future our children and grandchildren could inherit, and that would be grand.
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