A week at the cabin with oma and opa, and Stephen and Kirsten (I've got no photos of them, because as soon as Steve...

A week at the cabin with oma and opa, and Stephen and Kirsten (I've got no photos of them, because as soon as Steve showed up, he took over with his SLR).

Yesterday, Nate was crouched down on the sidewalk staring intently at the space behind the bushes where he often...

Yesterday, Nate was crouched down on the sidewalk staring intently at the space behind the bushes where he often plays. He looked like he was deep in thought, when James sauntered up.
Nate, "James, you should go in first."
James obliges and squeezes between the bushes and our house to get into the shaded opening behind.
Nate, "Are there any mosquitoes in there?"
"No."
(pause)
"Do you see any little bugs flying around?"
"Yup!"
"Do they have little pointy things on them?"
"Yup!"
"Get out James! Those are mosquitoes!"

Day 10 Highlights: Seattle Mini Maker Faire

Day 10 Highlights: Seattle Mini Maker Faire
#smmf

Nate, holding his hand out with his palm outwards, "James, this means stop!!!"

Nate, holding his hand out with his palm outwards, "James, this means stop!!!"

James, running enthusiastically towards Nate (hand also outstretched) and yelling, "No, this mean high five!!!"

The leaves are finally fully out on our block. I was enjoying the moment, so I put together a quick photosphere.

The leaves are finally fully out on our block. I was enjoying the moment, so I put together a quick photosphere.

The neighbours have a trampoline, which is a huge hit.

The neighbours have a trampoline, which is a huge hit. Nate and James were jumping on it, and the neighbour kids were teaching them how to do "bum drops" (jumping as high as you can and landing on your bum). Naturally they thought this was hilarious. So much so that James has even taken to doing it on our hardwood floors. It hurts just watching him, but he thinks it's incredibly funny.

Nate was pulling out every excuse not to be in bed yesterday.

Nate was pulling out every excuse not to be in bed yesterday. First he needed a drink. Then he was acting on James' behalf ("James needs cuddles from Mum"). Then he needed to go to the bathroom.

After going to the bathroom he comes into our bedroom. I'm already internally groaning, what know?

"I'm going to close this door (points to our door) to keep things quiet so I can go to sleep." (Brilliant plan, Nate) "If you need to get out (demonstrates by grabbing the doorknob) you can you just turn this to open the door." (Thanks. Good to know we can leave our own room if we need to.)

Nate getting on his bike.

Nate getting on his bike. Gif courtesy of Google+'s new "Auto-Awesome" feature. Seriously, this animation was made  by AI.

Not sure why I didn't foresee the inevitable when we told James he was eating a "chicken drumstick".

Not sure why I didn't foresee the inevitable when we told James he was eating a "chicken drumstick". In the future they will be referred to as simply "chicken legs".

Mind bending performance by Miyoko SHIDA

Originally shared by Guy Kawasaki

Mind bending performance by Miyoko SHIDA 

I shake just watching this. She had me at the white feather.

http://youtu.be/dnDeo0yhIws

Hat tip Denis Labelle 

#HolyKaw  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnDeo0yhIws

Nate was idly staring out the sun room window, "Dad, when I grow up, I'm going to do things differently than you."

Nate was idly staring out the sun room window, "Dad, when I grow up, I'm going to do things differently than you."

"Oh, really?! What would you do different?"

"I'd give out treats for not listening."

(We recently introduced treats for Nate as rewards for good behaviour, to balance out the fact that James is going through about a box of Smarties a day due to his recent potty training progress. I'd never thought I'd be this type of parent, but I'm going to relish it when Nate has kids of his own.)

SwiftKey is an alternate keyboard on my phone.

SwiftKey is an alternate keyboard on my phone. I thought these user statistics were neat. Apparently Canadians use the longest words (at least using the flow feature).
http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/04/18/swiftkey-by-numbers-how-users-across-the-globe-use-the-mind-predicting-keyboard/?utm_source=feedly

This is a really cool artifact. Chris Hadfield 's coverage from the space station has been fantastic.

This is a really cool artifact. Chris Hadfield 's coverage from the space station has been fantastic.

Originally shared by Rare Earth

Berlin at night. Amazingly, I think the light bulbs still show the East/West division from orbit.

Our discovery at the school playground.

Our discovery at the school playground. 

James often acts as my butler in the morning.

James often acts as my butler in the morning. He watches me get ready and tries to predict the things I need and bring them to me, like deodorant or shaving cream.

Yesterday, he was waiting on Nate and turned the tap on for him as soon as Nate got off the toilet. Somewhat predictably, Nate was upset, "No, I don't need the water yet!" James turns off the water and proceeds to wait with his hands folded behind his back while Nate continues to dawdle. Nate, commenting to himself, "I don't need that step stool." James, thinks for a second and then runs over to remove the step stool from in front of the sink for Nate.

Nate did this "homework" exercise without being asked and made the assignment up himself.

Nate did this "homework" exercise without being asked and made the assignment up himself. He's really excited for Nursery School this fall, and he's really wanting to read and write.

This showed up in our mailbox the other day and made me smile.

This showed up in our mailbox the other day and made me smile. It's hand drawn with marker. They must have been quite industrious, because the address (which I've covered up with a piece of paper) is from almost a full block down our street, so they must have hand drawn quite a few of these before distributing them.

The business model is a little unclear. Are they just taking people's pets for free? Why should we bring "pajams"?

Wow.

Originally shared by Mike Elgan

Wow. Photographer takes pictures from the exact place as famous photos, then superimposes the historical details into the photos.

Photographer Seth Taras made a series of pictures for a History Channel ad campaign.

I've seen this kind of thing before, but never this well done.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2303250/The-poignant-images-combine-present-day-locations-momentous-historical-events-took-place-there.html

The other day James was trying to press the buttons on my watch, so I tell him, "No, don't press the buttons.

The other day James was trying to press the buttons on my watch, so I tell him, "No, don't press the buttons. Those buttons are only for daddy to press."

James then immediately grabs my hand and tries to press the buttons using my hand.

Not you too! (See oddly similar post from when Nate was around James' age.)
https://profiles.google.com/105658762607562611785/buzz/ZAv7HS51k8u

Nate was trying to tell me the name of his stuffed animal, but I was having trouble understanding him.

Nate was trying to tell me the name of his stuffed animal, but I was having trouble understanding him. After a bit of back and forth, he finally goes, "My not obeying name."
"Um, you mean, Nathaniel?"
"Yup, that's it."
We'll have to work harder on using his full name in positive situations...

Nate is really getting into drawing.

Nate is really getting into drawing. He free handed this dinosaur without any reference pictures in a couple of seconds to explain to Sara how he wanted his birthday cake to look like.

We had an empty photo frame, so I decided to put some of Nate's art in it, because I thought it looked cool.

We had an empty photo frame, so I decided to put some of Nate's art in it, because I thought it looked cool. When Nate saw it, he went, "Why didn't you put up my other painting too? They're meant to go together."

We have a policy for the boys, that if you want night snack and you haven't finished your first helping of supper,...

We have a policy for the boys, that if you want night snack and you haven't finished your first helping of supper, you need to finish it before you can have night snack.

Nate was in that situation last night, and was gingerly picking at his cold supper, but eating it without complaining, when he says to me in his sweetest angel voice, "Dad? (pause for effect) Can you please never ever make this meal again?"

Things you wish you wouldn't have to teach your children: No feeding your little brother your crusts under the table.

Just sitting in my front yard chilling on a lawn chair while Nate plays outside. #onlyincanada

Just sitting in my front yard chilling on a lawn chair while Nate plays outside. #onlyincanada

Yesterday:

Yesterday:
Nate, "James is a baby."
James upset, "No baby! ... Amimal!"
Me, "You're not a baby, you're an animal?"
James indignant, "Yup!"

A little late, and not sure if this link will work, but Thai couples running from a "floral boulder" a la Indiana...

A little late, and not sure if this link will work, but Thai couples running from a "floral boulder" a la Indiana Jones, but... you know... with flowers. If the link doesn't work, Photo 23 here: http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2013/02/valentines-day-2013/100459/#img23
http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/infocus/val021413/v23_RTR3DQ13.jpg

Excited to finally get my Pebble

Excited to finally get my Pebble

Lately Nate has been claiming to have similar symptoms to whoever happens to be feeling sick.

Lately Nate has been claiming to have similar symptoms to whoever happens to be feeling sick. I'm pretty sure he's making it up, but I don't really know for sure. Anyways, I thought I could address the issue in a non-accusatory fashion by telling him the morality tale of the boy who cried wolf.

"There once was a boy out in the fields, and he cried 'Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!' and everyone came running, but there was no wolf, and the boy just laughed, and said, 'Ha, ha! I tricked you!"

Nate is laughing and really enjoying this story, so I repeat the first part a couple of times for effect and then I get to the part where there really is a wolf, "...and nobody came, because they thought he was just tricking them again, and the wolf ate the boy up."

Nate is thrilled, he asks to hear the story again. So I indulge him. He's obviously really digging this story. I'm having a proud parenting moment. This is awesome. Finally I get tired of repeating the story.

"Nate, that's enough. I'm tired of telling the story."

"Dad, I think I see police car lights outside." 

I got to look.

Nate laughing, "Ha, ha, I tricked you!"

"No, Nate, that's not the point of the story. The point is that it's not good to trick people, because then they won't listen to you when you need them to."

Nate, genuinely disappointed, "Oh."

The 2013 Sony World Photography Awards - In Focus - The Atlantic

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2013/02/the-2013-sony-world-photography-awards/100454/

Just chilling...

Just chilling...

Watching Planet Earth with Nate:

Watching Planet Earth with Nate:

Narrator, "How the sea turtles return the many miles across this vast ocean to the exact spot where they were born, we have no idea."

Nate, "I'll think of some ideas for them!"

Nate and the Golden Ruler

Nate and the Golden Ruler

James has recently taken to doing "crafts". It's the first thing he wants to do after every meal. Usually, it goes something like this: James gets his paper, markers, stickers, and scissors from the craft desk, and proceeds to cut the paper into little pieces, once satisfied, he's requests help getting stickers off the sticker sheet and proceeds to cut the stickers into little pieces. Other times, he asks for play dough, requests that it be rolled flat .... and then cuts it into little pieces.

Anyways, he was preparing to do "crafts" again and had taken Nate's "Golden Ruler" (A Sunday School craft: A plastic ruler with gold glitter glued on) off the desk. Nate saw this, took offense, and grabbed the ruler out of James' hands. "James, this is mine." Then pointing at the sticker on the back. "See, it says, 'NATE', so this is mine. You can't have it."

"Actually, Nate, it says, 'Treat others the way you would like to be treated.' It's the Golden Rule..."

Yesterday in the car:

Yesterday in the car:
Nate, "I know more about most things than Mom and Dad."
Me, "No, Nate. Mom and Dad still know more about more things than you."
Nate, quite upset, "No! I know the most about everything!"
Me, "Well, what does two plus three equal?"
(silence)
Me, "...because Mom and Dad know the answer to that."
Nate, "...but, I, I, I, I, I just don't know how to say the last part."
Me, "Well can you say the starting part then?"
Nate, "Two plus three"

Nate while pointing out the items he likes best in the Lego catalog, "Are we having another Christmas?"

Nate while pointing out the items he likes best in the Lego catalog, "Are we having another Christmas?"

After finding out it was a year away, "It's really hard just looking at all these pictures, we should just buy them."

Nate, "Extinct means all the dinosaurs died from a really bad stink."

Me, after seeing Nate's room, "Oh my, Nate. What happened here. This is a complete mess. This isn't good."

Me, after seeing Nate's room, "Oh my, Nate. What happened here. This is a complete mess. This isn't good."

Nate, unfazed,"Oma will clean it up."

"No, Nate. That's not right."

Nate, still unperturbed, "I'll clean it up with her."

On another note, Nate has a game that he has played, much to Sara's chagrin, for over two years now. It involves taking every object he can find an putting it in a giant pile. The name always changes. At first it was "playing dump truck", after that was banned it was "playing recycling truck", after that was banned it was "packing to go camping", then it was "building a nest", "building a meerkat den", "packing the moving truck", but the latest is pretending to be the Grinch and gathering all the "whos" belongings. Not sure why Sara, thought it was a good idea to bring that book into our house, but she did.

Nate, "Bad guys don't save the day. Good guys don't sleep in the day."

Nate, "Bad guys don't save the day. Good guys don't sleep in the day."

I assume there's an applied correlation. Perhaps he believes "saving the day" equals "not wasting your day".

Heard bells from inside our house. Turns out they were sleigh bells.

Heard bells from inside our house. Turns out they were sleigh bells.

Future Efficiency Expert

Future Efficiency Expert

In the washroom yesterday:
Nate extremely proud, "Dad, I wiped my penis off!"
Me, "Great, Nate! Good stuff!"
Equally proud, "...and I didn't put the paper in the toilet!"
Starting to worry, "No, Nate. That's not good. Where did you put it?"
(Begin looking around the washroom.)
Nate, still proud, "I didn't put it anywhere! I just left it on!"

I always enjoying walking in to a room and discovering the set ups the children have left behind.

I always enjoying walking in to a room and discovering the set ups the children have left behind. It's a little like walking into their imagination.

This one feels like it could use caption contest. Something about the baby toys being weeded out of the pack...

Just put the Christmas tree up! (Watch James in the background)

Just put the Christmas tree up! (Watch James in the background)

Picnic in the back of our new minivan!!! (While transfering carseats in the showroom)

Picnic in the back of our new minivan!!! (While transfering carseats in the showroom)

Whenever I guess any of the new words James has learned he laughs like a super villain.

It rained last night and froze, so it was very slippery out.

It rained last night and froze, so it was very slippery out. We were driving to swimming lessons, and Sara was testing the roads by braking hard a couple of times to see if it was slippery. When we got out of the car, Nate wiped out on the ice.

Me, "On no, Nate. Did you slip?"

Nate, "No, I was just checking to see if it was slippery."

Nate, "It looks like there's blood on the floor."

Nate, "It looks like there's blood on the floor."

"No, that just marker, it's red, so it kind of looks like blood."

"It wasn't me. It must have been James, he's the naughtiest boy.."

Goofing around at the mall.

Goofing around at the mall.

Nate this morning, "When I was just a little baby in Mommy's stomach, I always hoped I would have a big Dad .

Nate this morning, "When I was just a little baby in Mommy's stomach, I always hoped I would have a big Dad ... and you're the biggest Dad ever."

In a similiar vein, A couple weekends ago, Nate had woken up early and I was going downstairs with him, so we wouldn't wake up Sara and James, and he stops halfway down the stairs and goes, "You're the best Dad ever!"
"Thanks, Nate. That's very sweet. That makes Dad very happy."
"... but sometimes you're the baddest Dad ever."
"Oh."
"... and sometimes you're a good and bad Dad."

James is rapidly learning new words.

James is rapidly learning new words. For example, he said, "cat", quite clearly just the other day. But for whatever reason he still refers to milk as "bop!" and popcorn as "bap-boo!!!" (the exclamation marks are a key part of the pronunciation). They're actually quite catchy, and I found myself using them sometimes.

Awwwww, yeah!

Awwwww, yeah!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iANRO3I30nM

Nate pretending to be a lion at the dinner table, "This is buffalo meat and we're drinking buffalo blood.

Nate pretending to be a lion at the dinner table, "This is buffalo meat and we're drinking buffalo blood." Referring to our curry and drinks. Later, while eating candy canes, "These are buffalo bones."

Nate, "Dad, let's play a game. You will be a knight, I'll be a dragon, and James will be the princess."

Nate, "Dad, did you just see smoke coming out of my head?"

Nate, "Dad, did you just see smoke coming out of my head?"

"No, why would there be smoke coming out of your head? "

" Cause I was just dreaming. "

" Oh, just like in story books, when someone is thinking of something you can see it in a cloud? "

" Yeah! "

The first big snow (halfway in).

The first big snow (halfway in).

Uncle Geoff comes to town.

Uncle Geoff comes to town.

James and the yogurt moustache.

James and the yogurt moustache.

Brothers being brothers

Brothers being brothers

Backwards day.

Backwards day.

Photos from last night.

Photos from last night. Their favourite part was handing out candy, but they didn't quite grasp the concept of even distribution, so they would just keep loading up the kind in front until I told them to give candy to the next kid.

For Sara Epp

For Sara Epp 
http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/back-from-yet-another-globetrotting-adventure-indiana-jones-checks-his-mail-and-discovers-that-his-bid-for-tenure-has-been-denied

Saw this when the boys and I were looking for another pretend axe for our "boys night" (Nate's term) in the play...

Saw this when the boys and I were looking for another pretend axe for our "boys night" (Nate's term) in the play room. Nate built it all by himself. Apparently he's planning to build an entire zoo. I thought it looked neat.

Family story time by the fire with popcorn and milk.

Family story time by the fire with popcorn and milk. (The caught in the headlights look is because I had to use flash)