28 July 2011

While we while away an hour on the shady grass

Eating cheese-and-tomato sandwiches and talking to locals,

Tai does his usual trick, and falls asleep for lunchtime,

While Miro photographs him slumbering.

Later, he rides on Daddy's back up the mountain

And goes wildly happy in the volcanic mud at the Kauai beach,

Squealing and running through the cheeky whitewash,

And face frozen in wide-eyed terror

When Mummy takes him for a cleansing swim after.

27 July 2011

Daddy's birthday in Hawaii !

26 July 2011

All day on the plane...

Switching between iPads, books, snacks

And desperate measures :)

25 July 2011

Porridge time in the mornings

Is Tai's happiest time.

24 July 2011

Hair wet and cockatoo-ed from wandering on the rainy porch

Matai watches old-style Disney videos

And learns not to touch the fire...

23 July 2011

Fast asleep at the Farmer's Market

While Miro jives to xylophones

And the smells of soap and fresh herbs tint the air.

22 July 2011

The boys find peace

In digging through rocks

On the black volcanic sand

On the beach at Homer.

21 July 2011

Playing with the showoffy sealion

After being amazed by birds and seduced by starfish.

20 July 2011

Falling accidentally head-first in the river

Has unexpected advantages, such as ~

Whipping off all one's clothes and frolicking in the icy waters with Daddy's hand for company;

Jumping excitedly with resulting dirty feet all over Mummy's white skirt

And then peeing gleefully on her, for good measure!

19 July 2011

Matai the "Dog Whisperer"

Can't help himself whenever he sees a pooch

And begins warbling to it in his own special dog language

And patting it gently and generally loving it.

Miro took this photo of his little brother

While we were having a picnic dinner.

18 July 2011

Mummy and Daddy are So Tired of chasing the boys

(Especially on the car ferry!)

That we take them to the park to run wild

On a fresh Seward afternoon.

Ten minutes of peace!

17 July 2011

The pure thrill of seeing so many animals -

Porpoise leaping beside the boat,

Bachelor seals putting on an acrobatic show,

Otters bobbing belly-skywards with their babies -

Makes Matai want nothing more but to stay there watching, forever.

16 July 2011

Making pebble towers so carefully...

And uh-oh face when they tumble!

15 July 2011

Unhappy to be sharing huggles-for-warmth with Big Brother on the glacier

But graciously - if not grudgingly - accepting hat and hugs from Daddy.

14 July 2011

Matai Puddleduck

Has never met one he doesn't like

(Or could resist!)

13 July 2011

Tai's little grumpy face

Makes ever the appearance

But doesn't seem to be linked

To how grumpy he really is!

12 July 2011

Skipping stones

(Or rather, plunking them)

In the deep rushing river

At Liberty Falls.

11 July 2011

Matai walking independently through the Alaskan forest

While Mummy searches nervously for bears,

And Daddy and Miro play with sticks and have races.

And Tai's favourite place

Where he instantly puts his little hand

Whenever he asks to be picked up and carried.

10 July 2011

Cute sleepy face and big eyes on waking up in the car...

Miro being "the bouncer" and bringing Tai back on one of his habitual escapes...

And Daddy trying to enforce

The "no running around restaurants after dinner" rule,

Newly created.

9 July 2011

The delight of chasing marmots,

Watching howling sled dogs,

(A little bit scared)

And patiently practicing using a fork.

8 July 2011

On a lazy day relaxing in the garden

Matai falls asleep mid-wHinge

Snoring against Mummy's leg on the bed

Clutching Ka-chow in his little fist.

7 July 2011

Matai is starting to fight back with his big brother,

And today, when Miro grabs him round the neck

He bites him on the arm. Tears ensue.

Miro needs a lot of coddling,

While despite admonishment, Tai goes about quietly happy with himself.

6 July 2011

A brilliantly sunny day in Alaska ~

We picnic by Otto Lake, blowing dandelions and wading;

Run up country roads (avoiding the tractors and trucks!)

And learn to play putt putt...

Where Tai believes the sole purpose of the game is to grab and hold as many balls as he can !

5 July 2011

Tai and Miro go exploring

In the Into The Wild bus.

4 July 2011

Matai's cheeky naughty laugh

As he continually sneaks into the giant inflated rhinoceros area

And Daddy is forced to rescue him.

3 July 2011

Cupcake face

At the duckpond

2 July 2011

Matai adores Dave and Michelle's puppies

And spends the whole day just sitting with them,

Talking to them, and laying his head beside them when they rest.

Later, he devours 5 cakepops in a row,

And lulled by sun, slumbers in Mummy's arms.

1 July 2011

Matai loves Disneyland, dancing all through It's A Small World,

His little body rocking side to side, and eyes lit up in wonder.

He also loves the rides, especially the trains.

Here is Tai and Mummy on the carousel.

30 June 2011

Celebrating 4th July weekend

With Dave and Michelle in Orange.

29 June 2011

Our last steamy day in Shanghai...

Between showers and goldfish, we find a scrappy kitten

Seeking shelter beneath Tai's pram.

28 June 2011

Delighted with Daddy's house creation in the park...

And hating Miro pushing him in the pram!

27 June 2011

The Humble Administrator's Garden

Despite its beauty, is far from peaceful,

As crowd upon crowd descend upon the boys

For photographs, hugs and crackers!