Impromptu picnic

We headed out to our local forest for an celebration of sunshine, and a walk in the park.

Training the monkey within

We tried a holiday gymnastics class - Bronte absolutely loved it, and we are signing her up. The rings under the house have developed those ab muscles, as Bronte easily did all the lifts and holds. She also did her first set of monkey bars - racing across them. I know she will be too tall for Olympics, but a backflip was always on my list of "things I wish I could do" (along with being able to kick a soccer ball correctly).

Oldest / Youngest

Cato's only attention window from me is between the kids in bed and me in bed. Zach, on the other hand, is quite happy to pay "kitty" a whole lot of attention. The pats are getting softer - and the time together is getting longer.

Princess superheroes

They were princess superheroes - racing around the house with their hooded towels on. Incredibly cute. Note Zachary's magic suit - this fitted him at 4 months - it still fits him 14 months later - thanks NGXQ!

He didn't start the fire

Zach picks up every likely stick for the fire, wherever we might be. Tonight he got to help Dad start the fire for the first time.

First kiss

Zach has been blowing kisses for a while, but tonight he gave me his first real smooch. It did happen after he threw a book at my nose - but the resulting kiss was worth the swollen noggin.

Open for business

The Family Ross shop opened for business today. A general store, also a nice spot for a coffee and cake.

A mouth not big enough

When too much spaghetti is never enough.

Rolling with a roar

Making pizza dough in his lions jersey - that is definitely our boy. We put the jersey on him for the first time today - he loved it - kept pointing at the lion and going "rrooaarh!" (for good measure, the lions won as well)

Winter?

On a gorgeous winters day we revisited the beach park up near Shorncliffe. Several photos were taken - however, as the kids stripped down pretty quickly, most were not appropriate for public eyes. It is a great park - with a beach with rock pools, and an awesome playground.

The solo man - Zach likes to jump waves in his own space.

Bronte in jeans. Worthy of a photo.

Park play

On the ride down to the local park (Bronte's first), Bronte had her first proper bike stack. Fortunately, she had the presence of mind to steer away from the busy road. Zach pushed Bronte around in a whole new way before revisiting his time at the beach with a foot rinse.

Bonding with bikes

Bronte's bike required some Rogering to get the hand brake working. As per normal, where there is a bike, there is a Zach.

A trip on the bus

On Bronte's request we ventured onto the bus to southbank and for the second time in a row, the bus was non-pram friendly (i.e. a big pole in the door). At least the bus driver helped me get on this time. Unbeknownst to us the "out of the box" festival was on - a huge kids festival - so there were school kids EVERYWHERE. We visited the dinosaurs again before watching a dry-land water ski show. For the first time, Bronte was really into the show (rather than just watching at the very back). Time to embrace the festival scene. Triceratops by Bronte I like how you can see Zach's dimples in this one.

16 months - the whole next phase

Four new teeth (top and bottom molars) and a whole lot of attitude have just started to emerge. Looking back at Bronte's 16-month description, her and Zach are going along parallel paths. i.e. the tantrums have started, the bossiness, and the deliberate naughtiness - all wrapped up in a whole lot of charm. He can jump and run, and practices climbing over everything and swinging off it. He has a few words (spider, digger, ball, book, bubble and baby are some), but he is very into the sign language, repeatedly signing "more / milk / finished / down / up". He loves it when we understand him - though when a boy goes to the cupboard, gets a cup, goes and opens the fridge, tries to lift up the milk, does the sign for milk, and finishes off with a "uugh!" - it is really not that difficult to get what he wants. I get the feeling he is ruling the roost a school - he squirms his way into most action photos, particularly if they involve the sand pit.

Hitching a ride

Looking for a way out of this joint.

4.1

Despite a recent week of regressive behaviour, this month has generally seen a big jump in maturity levels - a bit of "yep, I am four now, I can't act like a baby three year old". She has mastered her new bike, including braking a turning, she can read basic sentences in her reading eggs (e.g. I am a cat), and she is now allowed to hang out on the top bunk - the "zach free" space. She still sneaks into our bed at about midnight each night, but she is getting away with it in the cold.

Cooking with the heart

Bronte received some awesome cooking implements for her birthday from her Aunties. We made some lemon shortbread with the heart and butterflies cutters - things definitely taste better when they are shapes like a heart (or butterfly).

In between drops

The Poon-Ryans joined us for the wet coast weekend. Although the skies were grey, we still had a great time, with glitter art, scootering and bikes, and four kids hitting the disco dance floor very hard.

Grey skies

Grey skies and a very quiet Noosa

Nanna and Z

Crusin'

After a weekend of rain we were desperate to get out of the house, so we headed for a city cat ride to Southbank. Zach did come - he just was not very impressed at the ferry situation (and hence the stop at Southbank rather than the intended New Farm). It was half an hour of power at Southbank, with a playground play, market trip, and the essential chocolate ice-cream before the city cat home again.

Super fast

With toes poking out of sandals, it was time for shoe shopping. After three hours of frustration, we found the perfect, super fast shoes at our local shop. Bronte has been running around the house and up and down the street since she put them on.