Took some quick photos of the boys having a lunch outside.

Took some quick photos of the boys having a lunch outside. Looking through them later, I thought it was funny how in most of the pictures they're both looking the same way or sharing the same expression.

Nate likes water.

Nate likes water.

On the weekend Nate "baptized" his stuffed horse with water... on our bed.

Later that day, as I was outside deep frying (homemade fish and chips), I began to notice him placing pails of water a couple feet away from me, as the collection silently amassed, I asked him what he was doing. "Getting water ready in case you catch on fire." Thanks, Nate.

James likes to eat.

James likes to eat.

On Friday James ate so much and with such ferocity that I had flashbacks of eating at my parents place with my teenage brother. It also prompted Sara to start an honest discussion about the best strategy to divide food equitably so that every member of the family could get enough food to eat. (There was an unspoken understanding that just making more food until James had enough to eat wasn't a viable option.) James is barely one.

On Saturday we caught James on multiple occasions trying to eat dirt from the potted plants. With a fork.

On Sunday James came and offered me his hand. I took it assuming he might want help walking. I was wrong. He began pulling me across the living room, and then the dining room, right up to his high chair. "Ah, you want to eat?" I begin rummaging around the kitchen. The next time I look back, James has procured some plastic food from somewhere and has placed it on a plastic plate at the base of his high chair, and is poking at it with a plastic fork. Okay. I get the picture!

James and the foam sword.

James and the foam sword.

I was helping out with Sunday School yesterday.

I was helping out with Sunday School yesterday. It was Palm Sunday, so lots of "Hosanna"s. We had just finished singing a song with it in it for the kids, and one of the girl's stops and goes, "But, seriously, who's Anna?"

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First Sargent Sundae run of the year (the Sunday before last).

First Sargent Sundae run of the year (the Sunday before last).

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James turns 1!

James turns 1!

Nate turns 3!

Nate turns 3!

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Very proud of my new 3 year old! He continues to amaze me.

Just found another plastic bb (courtesy of Geoff as stocking stuffers) from our first Christmas at our place (2008).

Just found another plastic bb (courtesy of Geoff as stocking stuffers) from our first Christmas at our place (2008). They were for toy guns and subsequently shot all over our place Christmas morning. The boys still randomly find them from time to time, but we're down to 2 to 3 per year now.

I was kicking around the soccer ball with Nate.

I was kicking around the soccer ball with Nate. He was running past me and I tried to pass the ball to him, but he didn't see it coming and tripped over the ball and went flying. Not skipping a beat, Nate gets up and informs me that's what soccer players do, and then requests me to kick the ball to him a couple times, at which point he purposefully falls over saying that's how you play soccer. I'm unclear on whether he's just that smooth at adapting to his own pitfalls, or if he's actually seen a professional soccer game.

Nate, "There was a bug in the bathroom, but it ran away, because I had such big muscles.

Nate, "There was a bug in the bathroom, but it ran away, because I had such big muscles... and I was so strong and healthy."

Sara's trying to get Nate properly dressed to go to the park, "Nate, you need to be fast, because it's getting late."

Sara's trying to get Nate properly dressed to go to the park, "Nate, you need to be fast, because it's getting late."

Nate runs away from Sara in his underwear and starts rapidly running in and out of the bedrooms yelling, "I'm being fast!"

...next time we'll be more specific.

Is very happy to be celebrating his little "pi" baby's first birthday.

Is very happy to be celebrating his little "pi" baby's first birthday. We gave him a little toy drum set (not sure what we were thinking). Nate was very keen to point out (repeatedly) that because the box it came in featured a picture with two boys on it, the drum set should therefore be shared.

Nate, "Dad can you take my picture?"

Nate, "Dad can you take my picture?"

Take picture.

"Nate, why are you grimacing?"

Take second picture.

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Spring Melt

Spring Melt

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This winter's snow fort a couple weeks ago. Complete with built in "kitchen". Now a puddle and a distant memory.

This winter's snow fort a couple weeks ago. Complete with built in "kitchen". Now a puddle and a distant memory.

Playing with Duplo.

Playing with Duplo.

This is a pretty sweet photo set.

This is a pretty sweet photo set.
http://www.retronaut.co/2012/02/skateboarding-new-york-1960s/

Nate, "My pink crayon broke"

Nate, "My pink crayon broke"
(a couple seconds later)
"Mum, this crayon needs to go to heaven."

Sara, "No Nate, crayons don't go to heaven."

Nate is not convinced.

I try to help, "Nate, crayons don't have a spirit."

Nate tries to argue that perhaps this particular crayon had a spirit..

6:00 My alarm goes off.

6:00 My alarm goes off.
6:01 Nate wakes up.
6:06 We both go downstairs. Nate sees the Valentine's Day stuff I have out for Sara and asks about it.
6:07 I explain Valentine's Day to Nate.
6:10 Nate announces he's tired of Valentine's Day.

This morning as I was crouched on the floor trying to get my boots on to go to work, James was happily climbing all...

This morning as I was crouched on the floor trying to get my boots on to go to work, James was happily climbing all over me. Nate, wanting some attention too, grabbed the boot I hadn't put on yet, and ran away with it laughing. I joked around with Nate briefly pretending to be upset and then asked him to bring the boot back, which he did promptly, tossing it to the floor at my feet and on it's side. James, who had been standing holding on to me the whole time jabbering happily, sees the boot, drops quickly down onto all fours, rights the boot so it's standing properly, looks at Nate and gives him a series of deep growls. I have my own body guard!

Last week:

Last week:
Me, "Sara, I love you."
Sara, "I love you, Jon."
Nate excitedly, "I love pizza!"

Last night, Nate wanted to drink from the tap in the bathroom.

Last night, Nate wanted to drink from the tap in the bathroom. He was already tucked in bed and had a full sippy cup, so Sara said no. When she came out of the room and explained the situation (he was quite devastated and still complaining). I let her know that I had promised to let him drink from the tap after he went on the potty, so I went back into his room and let him go get a drink. As we're walking to the tap, Nate says very solemnly, "I don't know why Mom is so mean to me." Oh the indiscernible and systematic injustice that poor child receives...

Taking advantage of the +5 degree weather in February.

Taking advantage of the +5 degree weather in February.

Nate gives himself a haircut.

Nate gives himself a haircut.

Nate drew a picture of himself (without any guidance), but (mistakenly?) made the hair really long. He wanted to give himself a haircut. So, I cut out the picture and let him cut "his" hair.

James makes a discovery.

James makes a discovery.

James has figured out how to use chairs on our hardwood floors as makeshift walkers for sometime now. (Nate at this same age discovered that with enough momentum they worked as battering rams to breach our makeshift barrier to the living room. Incidentally, we now have a proper barrier which is securely fixed to the walls.) James' latest discovery is that if he puts enough force behind it (to gain proper leverage his body needs to be at about a 45 degree angle to the floor) he can actually push Nate around when he's on the chair trying to do crafts or finish up his meal at the table. This brings him much joy. Nate still isn't quite sure what to make of it.

Nate the deal maker.

Nate the deal maker.

Yesterday, Nate wanted to take a book out of the church library and have a snack from the table set up for our pastor's retirement.
Sara, "No, Nate, it's very late, we don't have time to do both. You need to pick one. Which will it be?"
Without skipping a beat, "I'll pick out a snack, you pick out a book for me."
Sara and I both look at each other. Well that does make sense. (Sara was going to return a book to the library anyways.)

Nate the poison tester.

Nate the poison tester.

This morning I was having breakfast with Nate and just before I could reach for my regular morning orange juice, Nate goes, "I should taste that. Make sure it okay. It might taste bad."
Alright, I give the glass to Nate.
Nate takes a sip, "It tastes good. You can have it."
"Thanks, Nate."
I go to drink the juice.
Nate, "If it bad, I have to drink it all up."

Glad the neighbors weren't up early this morning.

Glad the neighbors weren't up early this morning. I went out to the car. It was covered with snow. So, as per normal, I went to start it while I brushed the snow off. Rather than fully get in the car, I step partially in, put my foot on the clutch, and turn the key in the ignition. Normally this work flawlessly, but normally Sara hasn't used the car the night before. She likes to leave the car in gear. So as soon as I lifted my foot off the clutch to step back out, the car began lurching forwards, fighting the parking brake, heading straight for our fence. I couldn't see because the windshield was covered with snow and I'm hanging halfway out of the car madly trying to find the clutch again. I thankfully managed to stop the car in time. We'll see how today goes.

Nate sometimes likes to pretend that James is his dog.

Nate sometimes likes to pretend that James is his dog. He calls him "Brutus" after our friends' big and rambunctious bull mastiff rottweiler cross. One of the things he likes to do is take him for "walks". Nate holds James' soother, and pretends it's a leash (we clip James' soother on with a ribbon so he doesn't lose it) and walks behind James while he crawls about the house. James loves it because his brother follows him around everywhere and babbles happily while leading Nate about the house.

Nate - "Brothers take care of brothers. "

Yesterday, Sara was admonishing Nate for taking something out of James' hand, and was trying to be very clear about...

Yesterday, Sara was admonishing Nate for taking something out of James' hand, and was trying to be very clear about it.
"Nate, we don't take things out of James' hands, ever, under any conditions. There is no reason why you should be taking something out of James' hand..."
Mid-lecture James clearly tries to hand something to Nate.
"...um, thank you, James, for finding the one exception to what I was just talking about."
Please be a coincidence. Please be a coincidence.

Nate sometimes asks me to do shadow puppets for him.

Nate sometimes asks me to do shadow puppets for him. He takes great joy in trying to confound me with his requests. Just now he asked me to do "light"...

Nate has taken to claiming that, "my 'x' is bigger than your 'x'.

Nate has taken to claiming that, "my 'x' is bigger than your 'x'. " For example that his boots are bigger than mine. Sara had to break it up with, "now honey, it's not the size that counts... " And just now Nate's puzzle versus mum's (his pieces are bigger).

Yesterday, as we were driving home, I was wondering if James had fallen asleep, so I asked Sara, "Is James still...

Yesterday, as we were driving home, I was wondering if James had fallen asleep, so I asked Sara, "Is James still with us?" Of course Nate pipes up from the back and goes, "Yes, James right here." So, I attempted to explain that what I really was asking was whether James was conscious of what was going on around him. Obviously I didn't do a good job explaining myself because the next thing Nate says in a very serious voice is, "We shouldn't put James on the street. He might get broke... and cheerios come out."

Thought this was neat.

Thought this was neat.

From Robbie Melvin:
http://blog.robbiemelvin.com/2011/12/my-grandmothers-piano/

Nate installed a Duplo tower in our upstairs bathroom at some point today.

Nate installed a Duplo tower in our upstairs bathroom at some point today. I thought nothing of it until this evening when he explained it. Apparently it was a "men's toilet for peeing standing up".

As the boys were eating cheerios this morning, I was reminded of how when Nate was the age Jame is now he used to...

As the boys were eating cheerios this morning, I was reminded of how when Nate was the age Jame is now he used to purposefully press on the cheerios with his index finger and make them go flying across the room like tiddlywinks. Thankfully James appears to have avoided learning that trick by virtue of the ferocity with which he attacks his food. Cheerios still get everywhere, but in more of a cookie monster crumble kind of way.

Most things Nate pretends to be, I can sort of understand the logic to.

Most things Nate pretends to be, I can sort of understand the logic to. Even, if he's pretending to be non-living thing, usually it's the moving sort that would fun to be, like a dump truck or excavator. On rarer occasions he might be something inanimate, like a bridge or a road, but at least those are sort of exciting, because moving things drive across them. I didn't have any answers though as to why, when I was getting him ready for bed the other day, he exclaimed, "I a pile of dirt!" Seriously?

Anyways, I went a long with it, claimed to be a front-end loader, and scooped him up with my arms, made beeping sounds as I backed out of the bathroom, and dumped him (literally) into his bed. This of course was met with great delight. As I tucked him in for bed, he added, "This is a dump truck (pointing at his bed), the blanket keeps the dirt from flying out."

Then, as he has done every subsequent night that he's pretended to be a pile of dirt, he insists that I pray for "this dirt" instead, whenever I get to the part in the prayer where I thank God for Nate.

Nate's pretending generally follows a standard rule.

Nate's pretending generally follows a standard rule. Picking a recent example, if he's pretending to be a baby pig, then Dad is the daddy pig, Mum is the mummy pig, and James is the "James pig". Lately however, it's gotten a little harder to keep track of, because he's been pretending that James is "Nate". So, James would then be the "Nate pig". (Sometimes it's just easier to go along with things rather than ask questions.) Yesterday, he took it a step further by trying to convince me that James (a.k.a "Nate") was supposed to do what I had just asked Nate to...

For advent we've been giving Nate characters and pieces of the Nativity story one day at a time, with the idea that...

For advent we've been giving Nate characters and pieces of the Nativity story one day at a time, with the idea that everything builds up and culminates for Christmas when he gets the baby Jesus figure and we can tell the complete story.

Except what we didn't count on, and I'm not sure why we didn't, it how irrepressible Nate is once he gets an idea in his head. He already knows baby Jesus is part of the story, so he's always finding creative ways to include him as part of the story with the available pieces he has. Yesterday, he took a crumpled piece of chocolate wrapper and announced happily, "This baby Jesus!" After putting him with Mary and Joseph and the donkey, he decided that wasn't good enough, he needed a manager too. No problem, the sort of prickly looking plant outside of the stable will do. "This a manager!", as he stuffs the candy wrapper down into the plant.

Yes please.

Yes please.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-7RlL3YtiQ

I installed the Google+ plugin for Chrome, it allows you to +1 any page, but it also shows you how many other people...

I installed the Google+ plugin for Chrome, it allows you to +1 any page, but it also shows you how many other people +1ed the page you were on.

58,000 people have +1ed the Google Plus homepage.

A timely article for the Christmas season. #1 and #5 are certainly huge hits with our kids.

A timely article for the Christmas season. #1 and #5 are certainly huge hits with our kids.
http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2011/01/the-5-best-toys-of-all-time/all/1

Fun facts for post Grey Cup.

Fun facts for post Grey Cup.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704281204575002852055561406.html