Crescent Beach

Yesterday, after I got home from work, we went to Crescent beach. It was a beautiful night. We ate fish and chips on the beach and Elliot played with the sand and the rocks (he liked to lick the rocks) and we dipped his feet in the water (and then cleaned them thoroughly as the water has carried many warnings this year).
It was such a nice time for all of us. Definitely one of our favourite places to visit.
I've also added a hundred pictures to Elliot's Yahoo Photo Album which you could probably find by clicking on the word Quack right now.

Fearful of the Future

As you can probably imagine taking one's first step is a big deal. I've been thinking a lot about this recently as Elliot is so very close to walking (or something very much like it). I think that the focus, most often, is on the physical step that takes place. The act of moving on your own, with only two limbs touching the ground, is liberating and opens up a whole new chapter in your life. That is why I have been considering lately how Elliot must be feeling about taking his first step. The emotional element of that advancement must be harrowing as well. Not only do you have the fear of falling face first into the ground (or whatever inanimate object might be ahead of you or behind you) but you may also have the realization that you are moving into a life more independent, which I imagine could be quite frightening as well. Elliot likes walking while holding on to mom or dad's hands, or holding himself up on their pant legs. Walking is solitary.
But I'm probably reading way too much into this. I generally over-analyze things.
We have been trying to be encouraging but not pushy when it comes to Elliot walking. At least as it is now we can almost keep up with him. Tough luck for us when he starts walking and running on his own.

Plenty of Pictures as Promised

Sorry no pictures

I'm throwing this together from work, so I can't post any new pictures right now, but I will soon. There are a couple of cool developments which I would love to share with you.

First of all, Elliot took a step on Sunday. We had Andrea's family over for a BBQ birthday bash for me (because I am getting old). While we were all in the living room Grandpa Verwoerd reached out to Elliot while he was holding on to his mom and standing up and Grandpa said "come to Grandpa". Elliot let go and solidly stepped away from his mother. How long he stood there has been debated. I think it was two or three seconds before Andrea grabbed him, Andrea says it was ten seconds. It may have been somewhere in between.

Second of all, while I was giving Elliot a bath on Monday, he was playing with his little race car. He loves cars and trucks right now, pushing them along the carpet and making them drive. On Monday, during his bath, he was making car noises like his dad does. He did the "vroom" while the car was going and then a "scrreeach" when it made sharp turns.

Third of all, he slept all night for two nights in a row (more importantly, he let his mother sleep for two whole nights).

Fourthly, for lunch today Andrea fed Elliot wheat for the first time and he ate it really well. This opens up a whole bunch of new food possibilities which we are excited about.

He is smiling a lot still, which you will see if I ever put up more pictures (which is what everyone is really here for).

Elliot the Elephant

I've got some great pictures of Elliot looking like an elephant. I hope you enjoy the one found here.
For my thirty first birthday, Elliot got me season one of the Muppets on DVD. We watched a couple of episodes today.
We've kept pretty busy the last few days, going out nearly every night. We visited with our friend Mark, going to the Olive Garden and watching a movie. We went to our friend Cindy and Derrick's where Elliot and I played with some little plastic hockey sticks. Elliot and his mother went on a few day trips, visiting friends and getting his Social Insurance Number done. We had lots of fun at the Cloverdale Blueberry Festival. Elliot is climbing the stairs faster than his dad can run up the stairs. We're trying to train him to sleep in his playpen so he can sleep when we visit Saskatoon in September.
We had a collection of cheap cork coasters which Elliot has found a great deal of pleasure in destroying. Many times over the last couple of weeks we have assumed that they are all found and destroyed and then we find him with another one, in pieces, in his mouth.
He is walking around our coffee table quite easily.
He is growing up way too fast. We can't keep up. But we'll keep trying.

Wiggling to the Wiggles

Andrea picked up a Wiggles music CD at the library on Saturday when we were visiting. Then she tried it on him and he started to dance. His way of dancing is to stand up against something and bounce in rythm. He is already a much better dancer that his dad, so he must be learning this stuff from his mom. He also sings. He was actually singing and dancing with no music in the background at one point in the weekend. He also quite often sings to himself when he is playing, or eating in his highchair or during bathtime. He seems to be a very musically interested kid so far.
We also borrowed a Builder Bob DVD from the library and Elliot wasn't really interested in that. The story may have been complicated. Also, Builder Bob isn't really very smart.
Last Thursday night Aunty Shelley came to visit for dinner and Elliot really enjoyed that. He really seems to enjoy visits from his Aunts and Uncles. He was smiling and playing and showing off way more than usual.
Yesterday was his friend Chloe's baptism at church. It was a wonderful service and a great lunch afterwards as friends and family gathered to celebrate. Elliot was also happy to see Joshua, Annika and many other familiar faces.

Elliot enters America, barely

On Sunday, July 31st, we took our son across the border for the very first time. He was down there for about six hours and wasn't shot at or conscripted, which is the exact opposite of what his father predicted would happen. We went and visited his Grandparent's vacation trailer at "The Glen" and visited with them as well as his mother's cousins and their son Tyler. It was a lot of fun. We might even go back one day.

Also, when I was over in the US I built a spanish church out of lego.