check-up

clean bill of health and development for John

age	WEIGHT			HEIGHT
mos	lb,oz	%ile		in	%ile
0*	7,13	60**
2 d	7,10			20.25	80
8 d	8,6	75
1	11,4	80		22.75	94
2	13,10	80		23.7	80

Photos from John's Christening

I wasn't terribly impressed with how my photos turned out. And some that I wanted (John with my brother and with my Aunt Jean) didn't even occur. Ah well, I did get a bunch that were useable, though I had to work on the lighting for a number of them and even then ... 'nuff said. I'll try harder at Christmas.

Honorable Mention for family portrait. Naomi is doing her turtle pose like she does when she's terrified. There must be some strange man nearby. Adam has removed the tie, the tie of which he had been so proud because he had picked out a new one that was just like Daddy's. His shirt is also untucked. Will it be gym attire once he's a teenager?


Everybody else in this shot just looked silly. So I cropped them out. So there! John is pointing out the jewellery that Auntie Joan was kind enough to lend me. I forgot to bring any other than my wedding band. I like to wear jewellery of sentimental value for special occasions, so my Aunt's jewellery, including earrings that were my grandmother's fit the bill nicely.

One of the best shots on the "roll." nicely done, Ian Hobbs.

John slept through the entire ceremony. despite the heat. despite the water. y'know the water.

My family is so cute!

Another Uncle Ian!

The second of two Honorable Mentions for family portrait. Dion's smirking and ill-positioned. Naomi's not smiling. John's not either (and he had just learned that week!) though we'd excuse him for sleeping. And there's camera jitter. Sadly two honorable mentions is all we'd get. No first prize is awarded.

attempt at large group portraiture. not bad.

2 paternal grandparents? check! 3 grandchildren? - d'oh!

My dad is smiling because that crying baby? - - - not his problem! The joy of being a grandparent. Sometimes I think it's a shame one can't usually skip over parenthood, straight to grandparenthood. But then, I guess that robs you of the joy of seeing your children get their comeuppance.

John is just a model for the gown. I've started composing a post in my mind just for the gown. For when I get around to it. uh oh.

Great Auntie Joan got lots of quality time with John over the extended long weekend.

twofer: Colin and John

Because life needs more parties.

One random day, Adam asked if we could make a cake. And why not? So we made a two layer golden cake. from scratch while Naomi napped. And we wrote Harvey* + Happy Anniversary on the cake. Because, according to Adam, it was Harvey's birthday. And because, according to me, it was my and Dion's 11th anniversary. Once the cake was made, we got out the decorating icing, which is stored with the other party supplies, so before we knew it, we had a party on our hands. With streamers, balloons, party hats, and party plates. Life does need more parties.



*Harvey is a fictional engine and a friend of Thomas.

style

Adam's in Junior Kindergarten!

No kidding! Junior Kindergarten. And by all reports, it's going well. It just so happens that his outfit seems so carefully planned, what with the navy and grey checked shoes tying together the sweater and cords. In fact, he chose it the way he almost always does - by grabbing the item at the top of the pile in the dresser. And that sweater, with the too-short sleeves, needed rolling of the sleeves when I bought it for his birthday. We measured him this week and he's grown two inches since MAY.

Adam and change ... not so much, doesn't usually go over so well. He's been nervous about school for months, much more concerned about school than John's arrival, so we've been trying not to make too big a deal of it. But luckily, this has been a rather small adjustment and he's managed just fine. And, as always, the anticipation was the worst part. Reports coming back from Adam and the teacher (via the daycare staff) have all been positive. Mind you, Adam's reports are brief, which isn't surprising; routinely, I can barely pull out of him what they ate for lunch at daycare. One day he reported that he played in the bin centre and in the dramatic play centre. I also got the names of a few students. C'est tout. I suppose he won't even tell me the names of his teachers once he's in high school.

It's not a big adjustment because our school has only half-day kindergarten and because, before and after school, he's still at the same daycare he's been since he started last year. Moreover, there are several (5?) children from his daycare in his kindergarten class. The daycare staff walk all the kids from the daycare to the school after lunch and walk them back to the daycare after school.

His first day was Wednesday but, since they stagger the start dates, he got to join those whose first day was Tuesday on the to-and-from-school walk, which is a nice transition exercise. Becky was kind enough to come by on Wednesday to watch Naomi and John so that I could join Adam on his first tour of his classroom. I joined the class on the walk over and Adam was so reluctant to go that I was half-dragging him for about the first 5 minutes of the walk. He eventually resigned himself to the inevitable and played along. I had a fleeting moment of butterflies in my stomach; so, I can only imagine how nervous he was. And yet, Adam didn't even seem very tense when we, Elias, and Elias's mom got our tour, while the others played outside. He did ask me to take him home when I was leaving but he quickly accepted that I was not going to. So, he asked that I be waiting at daycare for him when they got back, to which I did agree. Everybody, including Adam, was very no-nonsense about everything, which was perfect. All-in-all a good start to the year! Plus, when Dion got home from work, he had a present for Adam, which was well-received.

technical details: Adam is in a mixed JK/SK afternoon class of 17ish students at our TDSB home school. We're keeping an open mind about French Immersion, which doesn't start until SK and applications aren't until January, because FI is at a different and farther school, I only ever hear good things about our school, and, y'know, Adam and change ... not so much.