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.