Christmas Cheer

Akemi had a great time this Christmas. We set up the Christmas tree this year with the train set going around it. We even went to get our picture with Santa.

As you can see, she was a very good girl and got a lot of presents from all kinds of different Santas (thanks everyone!).

This whole month I've been flopping around the house sick, so Silvina's been having to pick up the slack and Akemi has been patient with a very passive playmate. That makes two good girls in this house!

Silly Faces

Ok, I've be negligent in posting this month.

Here are some pictures of Akemi making silly faces. There is a Dora episode where they ask everyone to make a silly face and to do a silly dance. She's obliging them.

Lately she's taken to wearing the dragonfly glasses.

Jack and Me

Today was Akemi's first Halloween outing. If you didn't guess, she was dressed as a dragonfly. Here she is apologizing to Jack, who was still sore at getting shot in the head.

Silvina took her around to a few houses on the block and said that she said "Trick or Treat" and "Thank you" to each house. Apparently they were practising saying "Trick or Treat" at the daycare today but no one knew what they were talking about.

Here is Akemi before she started running in the halls and trying to peel her wings off.

Here are some action shots out in the field.

Getting Ready for Halloween

This year we're planning to take Akemi out for Halloween. We got the pumpkin and the materials to make her costume this weekend. This picture is just a teaser for you. Akemi cautioned me about giving away the surprise.

This weekend we also went to a wedding. Silvina's parents babysat for us and although they normally have fun with Akemi, this time their ordeal turned out to be something out of The Exorcist or at least Jack Jack Attack.

The details are sketchy, but apparently Akemi would burst into a human torch and portent about the Mummy Returns while spitting out fire and brimstone. A prelude to All Hallows Eve? No, probably just a new bug from the day care.

Autumn Leaves

We went to Algonquin Park for the Thanksgiving long weekend. The weather was perfect, but most of the leaves had already fallen.

Birthday Dinner

We had my folks and my brothers over for dinner yesterday to celebrate my mom's birthday. Akemi was a little under the weather from a bug she caught at the daycare, but was behaving well. Looks like my folks enjoyed themselves.

Hits and Misses

This evening Akemi was running around commando with her peepee chair in the living room. We were happily playing with her doll house when I noticed that she was suddenly silent and uninvolved. I looked over and noticed that she was doing her business. I put her in the peepee chair so that she could finish there, but the damage was already done.

Later in the bath, she got out and did peepee in the peepee chair.

Nina Big Girl

Every night Akemi sits on the peepee chair while I brush her teeth and Silvina sits on the big peepee chair. After that Silvina gives her a bath. Earlier in the week she was fussing about going in the bath and apparently last night she went peepee in the bath.

Tonight she was reluctant to go in the bath and wanted to sit in the peepee chair. And guess what? She went peepee in the peepee chair!

Silvina said that she thought Akemi was procrastinating so she gave her ten to either pee or go in the bath. After ten Akemi said "Again". Silvina gave her another ten after which time Akemi pointed to the pot. Voila, peepee in the peepee chair.

Air Show

We went to the Island last Monday to see the Air Show. If you recall, this is the second time in Akemi's life going to the Island. I doubt that she remembers the first and maybe she won't remember the second, but this time we had a thoroughly good time.

Here are some of Akemi's favorite activities: throwing rocks in the water, knocking down trees, and making mommy happy.

Dying Days of Summer

Beautiful morning. Today is the closing day for the wading pool so Akemi made the best of it. Here are some action photos.

This set has Silvina flinging Akemi in the air. Notice the action of Silvina's stylish hair cut in the second picture (She forced me to add this picture).


This set has Silvina using her stealth ki to spray water on Akemi.

Little Drummer Girl

Yesterday we went out for my brother's birthday and back to his house for desserts. After some putting practice she went down to the basement and started beating on the drums. Her hands were moving so fast we could hardly see them. The climax was when she started into Apocolypse in 9/8 from Supper's Ready. It gave me goose bumps.

Trip to Elora

For the Civic long weekend we went to Elora. We got this baby carrying knapsack for the hiking trail. Silvina wanted some exercise so she carried Akemi around like a military drill.

Akemi got to wade in a lake and throw rocks in the river. The weather was perfect and so was the weekend.

Splashless Park

Today ends my solo stint with Akemi. We both had a great time.

I took this picture yesterday at the Lakefront Park water area. We got there at 9am and the place was surrealistically empty. I looked at the sign and it said the water doesn't turn on until 10.

The park was in full Sun and even so early in the day the heat was punishing. We played in the playground sand for a while. The sand was beach white and felt like an exotic heat massage on my bare feet.

When the water came, it shot out from all different directions. I changed Akemi into her swim gear but she didn't want to get close to the sprays. She dabbled in the puddles a bit, but that was about it.

Trip to the Zoo

Fish at the zoo?
Fish at the zoo?
Yes it's true!
There are fish at the zoo!

Some are orange
And some are white
All of them swimming
To Akemi's delight.

Elephants too
Are at the zoo
But when one came close
Akemi said "Shoo"!

A very full day
For Akemi to play
At the zoo
In Fred Flintstone's house too.

Trip to Niagara

We just came back from a mid-week trip to Niagara. We thought see would get a kick out of the falls because lately she's been wanting in with the water. The butterfly conservatory had a much more colourful reception.

Most of the time though we stayed at Niagara-on-the-lake. Here she is enjoying the finer things Niagara has to offer.

Vacation Time

On Monday we all enjoyed the first day of our vacation. We strolled around the park and the beach near by. Akemi has taken to making funny faces lately.

Baby's growing up

On Sunday we finally got around to changing Akemi's crib to a bed. She was trying to climb out of the crib so Silvina said we should change it. This is what her room looks like now.

Chilling Out

Tonight Akemi was chilling out with me while Silvina went to kendo practice.

Terrific Twos!

Akemi turned two today and she celebrated it in grand style. She woke up shortly after 6 this morning. Sunday mornings are daddy-daughter days. I usually look forward to starting the day with her, but this morning I was not ready to wake up. Silvina had to practically throw me out of bed to get her.

When I went in her room she was in good humor and in no hurry to get out. Good for me. I sat in the slider and savored every moment I could rest my eyes. Eventually we went downstairs to play.

We all went to the park at about 10:30 for a birthday picnic party. It was a beautiful day for a picnic. She played in the playground, and event went into the wading pool. Both sides of the family were there to celebrate with her. Usually she naps shortly after noon, but today she kept going well after 1:00! These are some pictures that my brother took.

All in all she had a very fun filled day meeting everyone and playing around. A very good day for a very good girl.

Full Canada Day

Akemi woke up with the Sun today (everyday actually...) eager to celebrate Canada Day. We went to the park in the morning with the dew still fresh on the grass. The playground was waiting for its first playmate of the day and I was preparing my first mate of the day. Once the sand breads were baked and broken, the swings were swung, the geese were greeted, and the thermos was empty, it was time to say bye bye to the park and return home for lunch.

We all flopped for a couple of hours after lunch and coincidentally woke up all at the same time. There was some do at Port Credit so we went to take a look. Akemi tried to enlist with the volunteer firefighters but she wasn't tall enough.

At around 5pm we went over to a local pool to try it out. Akemi was showing off her fashionable swimsuit and for the first 15 minutes she cried non-stop to get attention. After that she started to enjoy the water.

Before bedtime she reflected on the day and expressed herself on her doodlepad. Generally a happy Canada Day with some hair raising adventures. Not too shabby.

Watch Dora Please

Sunday is my day to wake up at some ridiculous time with Akemi and look after her. Usually I do a bunch of things with her that does not involve the tv. She was very good this morning and we were doing stuff when she saw the Dora DVD on the table. That triggered her brainwashing and she started asking for Dora.

We also have a Dora doll and a Dora ball, so I got those and started to play with them with her. Then she said "Watch Dora". Hmmm. She often says two word things like "bear cookie" and "big car", and she also says things like "run run run" or "jump", but I hadn't heard her say something with a verb and an object.

So, I was tempted to let her watch Dora, but I wanted more. I said "Watch Dora please". And then she said "Watch Dora please". Well, that was good enough for me. I ended up doing a bunch of chores around the house while she was glued to the tv.

Street Racer!

Akemi has already taken to street racing and all we can do is watch. There was a small carnival down the street so we went to take a look. She kept jumping into the cars so we ended up pumping streams of tickets into the ride.

Silvina also got her into the ferris wheel, but it paled in comparison to the cars.

Hearding Geese

Here is Akemi trying to fit in with her feathered friends.

The Duck Hunter

This morning we went to the park and there were Canada Geese all over the place. I think because there are about the same size as Akemi, she thought they might be siblings. She had a good time trying to fit in. I'll see if I can post a video on this.

A Day at the Park

Last Sunday morning we went to the park to walk around. I was planning to train her how to pull out the dandelions in our lawn when out of the blue she plucked the idea right out of my head! Now I just have to show her how to get the roots out.

Shapely Squiggles

I see a big "M", an "a", a "d", a big "J", an "I", and even an "h".

Ok, maybe I'm reading too much into this, but there are definitely discrete shapes and textures.

You should see what she can do with the magnetic doodle pad!