bubblechibbas and tamakonk

Elliot loves to dance. Here's an extended clip of him dancing (sorry, no sound). I think it must be fun for him to move on the padded tiles we assembled on the floor of the kids room.

Aiden has recently been inventing titles for things that don't have a specific names. The round foam tiles in the video above are now called "Bubblechibbas". A miniature version of Bow Wow we bought for Elliot is now called "Tamakonk". It reminds me of the names I gave my pet rocks as a child: "Flora Dora" and "Adapateta".

Last week was a little rough with both of them house-bound with Hand Foot & Mouth disease (HMFD). Aside from a little lack of apetite, both came through it pretty well. We're grateful that there were no complications, as HMFD can be extremely serious.

rockstar potential...

...he has it.

elliot's trademark smile

playground time

Some photos of the boys having a ball in the playground at the foot of our block.

These photos were taken at night, around 8pm - a little tactic to get them tired so they sleep a little earlier! Aiden had previously gone to bed at 11pm the night before, but he slept at 10pm after the playground sessions.

Grandpa Ian and I had a hard time keeping up with them!

Elliot was delighted climbing EVERYWHERE and he knows no fear, partly because there's always someone there to catch him.

The photo of Elliot on the ladder is just the beginning of his mountaineering skills - he managed to make his way up on his own. I did have my hands around his torso to make sure he didn't fall, but he managed to climbed all the way up on his own.

Aiden worked up a sweat going on the slides but he also had a little pretend play where he set up shop under the slide and sold Grandpa some Philips DVD players.

Before long, Grandpa and I called it a night, even though the boys were still up for more climbing action. The adults were wiped!

speak easy (more tod than mob)

Elliot was very focused this morning. Usually when he wakes and no one is around, he'll let out a loud shout/cry (sans tears - it's the "hey, where's everybody?? come get me!" cry)

But this morning after he woke, he didn't cry at all. Instead, he walked out of the bedroom to look for me, grabbed my hand and led me back into the bedroom.

He walked to bedside table, still pulling my hand, pointed at his empty milk bottle (from the night before) and declared, "Du du!" (Elliot's approximation of the malay word for milk).

More words that he's saying that I've yet to blog:

1. Anuh-tha
"Another" - used when he see more than 1 of something, like anuh-tha cat.

2. E-I-E-Ooooooh
Ok, fine, this isn't a real word, but I thought it was cute that he sings along at that part in "Old MacDonald had a farm..."

3. Mum-mum
Generic word for "food" used across Singapore.

4. Teed / Teesh
"Teeth", used daily, when we brush our teeth in the morning. To be fair, it's more chewing the toothbrush, than actual brushing.

5. Gamma

Grandma!

6. Tho
"Toe", which he says with glee when his socks and shoes are removed.

7. Bow wow
The 5th member of our family.

8. Car!
It's always announced like it's a surprise, like "hey, presto!"

9. Doooor
Synonym for the main door/gate at home.

10. Light
He loves looking up at lights and pointing them out. Sometimes he leans back so much while pointing he actually falls backwards (but there's always someone there to catch him, which explains why he keeps doing it).

aiden sings rainbow connection - with back-up

In the background playing is the Dixie Chicks' cover of Rainbow Connection - Aiden sings along, with an adoring Elliot singing back-up.

aiden practising for singapore's national day

I'm posting this more for Andy, since he's away.
Thought you might like to see some video of Aiden.

Aiden has been spelling "Singapore" - I'm guessing it's because National Day is coming up and it's part of his segment in school. At the end, he says "whoaa, SINGAPORE" with a lot of gusto.

andy is away

It's Day 2 of Andy having gone back to NZ.

Thankfully, Aiden & Elliot are still managing ok. I am, however, disappointed that the boys & I didn't go to NZ too, but after learning that the trip from Singapore to Invercargill took over 30hours, it was probably for the best for us and the boys that we didn't go.

Aiden has been mentioning occassionally that "Daddy is in New Zeeeeeealand" but doesn't seem too upset (yet). I think it's because I'm very matter-of-fact when I tell him that Andy's away, so the calm attitude is reassuring for him.

Elliot is still a little to young to know what's going on, but definitely know's Andy's voice - I put Andy on the phone earlier today and Elliot announced "Daddy...Daddy...Daddeeeeee!"

To distract the boys from noticing the usual Saturday routine was different i.e. without Andy, Grandpa Ian and I took the boys swimming. And we met Kim & Kate after that for lunch and a leisurely stroll along the quay to the Esplanade.

Some shots of today (it's a little dark, because it's an indoor swimming pool in what resembles the Batcave):

"this is a lead break!"

How many 2-year-olds (almost 3) can identify a lead break?

Thanks to Andy, Aiden is really good at pointing out lead breaks in songs.

Here's a photo of him on his bed - he's holding one of his favourite CDs "Mary Had a Little Amp", a fun compilation of pop/rock versions of childhood songs.

we love things that go vrooom

Aiden and Elliot going for a drive on those kiddy rides. They were pretty good sharing the wheel.

Elliot has been pretty good manoeuvering Aiden’s tricycle. In fact, Elliot has been getting a lot more use out of Aiden’s trike and - despite needing to go on his tippy toes - is now a pro at mounting and dismounting the trike.

the naylor boys having fun

Nope, not Aiden and Elliot, but Andy & Paul - caught head-bouncing balloons at Kate's birthday party. It's clear from the photo which kids were having more fun.

And below - a photo of Aiden vicariously lapping up Kate's birthday cake.

big smiles

Elliot always has a ready smile and is easily tickled by funny noises, funny faces, and sometimes, rather innocuous inanimate objects, like lights and fans.

Here he is, all smiley and giggly when I whipped out the camera.

He's starting to say a few words, and doesn't have as wide a vocabulary as Aiden when he was 15mths old, but his pointing and saying "There!" or "Daddy!" has been pretty effective. We speculate that "Daddy" is a good synonym for a toy/object of interest (when coupled with pointing).

Some words Elliot has been saying:

1. There! (accompanied by pointing)

2. Daddee! (accompanied by pointing with the value-add of a very interested Daddy)

3. Buh-tuh (button)

4. CD (thanks to Aiden)

5. No (that sounds rather like "noh", i.e. the French "non")

6. Du-du (supposed to be "Su-su", Malay for "milk").

7. Mao (this is for cat, and most animals)

8. Uck (duck)

9. Tar! (star)

10. Nose (he loves poking our noses and announcing "Nose")

full-day session for Aiden

Aiden's begun full-day sessions at his playschool Little Village on the Grange.

The principal has been texting Mae occassional updates as we've been a little concerned that he may not be ready for full-day. He started full-day last Thursday and has settled in fine.

Here's one of the smses from the principal:
Aiden learnt about the human body at Science today. He told me so. However, his teachers told me he resonated the entire low ceilinged lab with non-stop vociferous Mandarin renditions of "Head and shoulders, knees and toes"...:) He is now stuffing his face with pancakes..."