Takin the Train

Arlo and his Mommy took a trip to Lindsay last week. It was his first trip by train, and he enjoyed it overall. (though being away from Daddy was a bummer)

What a weekend

Arlo headed off to Montreal on Saturday with his mom and dad. His folks go every Thanksgiving to celebrate Jenny's birthday, and this was Arlo's first trip to Montreal. He looked pretty excited on the trip there.
Arlo really got into wandeing the streets of Westmount. He also checked out Old Montreal, Chinatown, and did some shopping on St Catherine.

On Sunday Arlo made another trip to the Lansdown farmer's market.

He was really excited to go for his first ever wagon ride. If only he got that excited about going for rides in the car.

After going for a nice long walk on holiday Monday with his folks Arlo relaxed on the patio around the corner from home. He sure looks like he is eyeing that pint of Stella with a thirsty look!

Arlo Celebrates Mom's Birthday

Yesterday was Jenny's birthday, so Arlo and his daddy arranged it so he would sleep in and dad could cook her an early breakfast. Later on she went shopping in Wellington Village, dropped by to see Ray at school, and hung out with Arlo. The three of them took a trip to the market for dinner at the Royal Thai (where Arlo drew a lot of looks with his cute smiles), and a walk in the market. This weekend they are all heading off for Arlo's first trip to Montreal. Hopefully there will be some shopping, sightseeing, and good eating to keep the celebration of Jenny's 33rd going on.

Jenny insisted that Ray not buy anything for her this year, but she didn't say anything about him making something for her. He and Arlo 'collaborated' on this one of a kind painting that was done in secret (at school and late nights after Jenny was in bed). It is called 'Arlo Warhol' because it was inspired by the famous Warhol paintings.

Family Time in Mont Tremblant

This weekend, our friends - the Goodman's - invited us to spend the night at their fabulous cottage in Tremblant. It was the perfect time of year to visit. The leaves on the trees were vibrant yellows, oranges, reds and browns. On Saturday, we headed to the village with a plan to hike up the mountain. It was a long way up, and we chose a really steep path, but the views from the top, made the hard work well worth it all.

The Goodman's

Momma and Daddy thought it would be cute to photograph me with the gigantic gourds. I think they just make me look even smaller than I really am. But it sure was fun to look at them!

Reading and Relaxing

The other day, I spent some time relaxing and reading one of my favourite books. Momma and Daddy love reading and tell me what a great passtime it is, so I thought I would give it a try too. They were right - it really is fun!

At first, I looked at the bright colourful bugs on all the pages. Momma read the words on the pages, and I learned some rhymes about each of the different bugs.

After awhile, I learned that I could crinkle my book. It makes a wonderful crackly noise when I squish it with my fingers.

Finally, I decided to try to eat my book. It was delicious! Now that I can hold my books myself, reading is one of my new favourite passtimes!

Sitting Up and Playing

This is my first time sitting in my bumbo chair. Thanks to my Aunt Sharon and Lovey for getting it for me. It's really cool! Actually, I have a hard time sitting up in it, but I've been practicing a lot lately and I'm getting much better. In the pictures at the top, I'm very interested in the toy that attaches to the tray, but I can't figure out how to reach out to make it move. Momma had to help me out a lot that day. Now, I can hold myself up much better and I'm able to reach out and make it spin sometimes.

My bumbo chair also has really cool placemats. I keep trying to pick up the seeds on the watermelon placemat, but somehow, I keep missing. Momma puts my toys on the tray and I can usually get them into my hands, and then my mouth (I put all of my toys in my mouth!).

Arlo at the Fair

Two Fridays ago Jenny suggested that she and Arlo and I take a trip to the Richmond Fair. The idea was to take in the smash up derby that was being held that night. I had mentioned just this summer that I had never been to one, and Jenny decided it was time to take her boys to their first 'derby'. Richmond is a really.....rural kind of place. The kind of place where a Friday night at the fair is 'the' place to be for everyone from eight to eighty. The type of place where you would expect to find designated 'non smoking' areas. We walked the midway, and Arlo's eyes bugged out at the lights on rides like the Scrambler, and the Tilt a Whirl. The three of us walked over to take in a lumberjack demonstration, and wouldn't you know it, but they pulled Jenny out of the crowd to participate in a bucksaw challenge. Arlo giggled away watching her work the big saw, and after the contest one of the guys carved an Arlo sized chair our of a log. Of course we sat him down on it (despite the million woodchips that ended up on his back and legs) and he became a hit with everyone around making comments about how cute he looked.

At the derby we ended up packed in like sardines (or, to use my new saying 'like country folk at a smash up derby'), but Arlo loved every bit of it. The sounds of the cars didn't faze him at all, but man he had some dirty boogers after a night of exhaust and dirt getting kicked up all over the place. We called it quits after five rounds or so, and Arlo finished the night all smiles on the ride home in the car until he dropped off to sleep. He must have been worn out because we carried him right in, and put him to bed without waking up at all. Can't wait for next year!

Under the Weather

Arlo is suffering through his very first cold. With daddy back at school around all those germs, and he and mom dropping in to visit from time to time, it was inevitable that he would come into contact with something sooner or later. We were over for dinner with Rory, Kathy, and Iris last night when he started feeling poorly. In his usual cheerful style he was all smiles and giggles for Iris, and he had some good moments, but by dinner it was apparent that he was just not himself, and couldn't settle. We headed home early, and after a bath put him right to bed, but he was pretty full of mucus, and woke more often than normal through the night, and when he woke, it was in tears and bubbles. Today was a tough one for him, but he is off to bed now, and with a couple of days of rest he should be back to normal. It might just be a bit harder on his mom and dad as we are not used to hearing him cry, or to seeing tears running down his face like they did all day today. Like his Great Grandma Kalynuk would say though, "better days are coming." Hopefully he'll bounce back quickly.

Hanging out with his friend Iris was the highlight of Arlo's weekend. He started to feel under the weather a little later Saturday night and had to call it an early night.

Because the boy can't blow his nose properly, mom tried out a nasal aspirator. Like the trooper he truly is (he never squirms for q-tip cleaning of the ears or nose, or wet cloth wipes of the face) this thing didn't phase him a bit. He even lent a hand in squeezing it.

Man is he focused! Perhaps there was a bit too much suction?

Farmer's Market Fun

This past Sunday Arlo, Jenny and Ray spent the morning with Scott, Tiiu, Hayden and Daisy, wandering around the Farmer's market at Lansdown.
Arlo was dressed for a cool morning, and buckled into his cool stroller. The day warmed up and he dropped the hat and sweater later on for a wander through Wellington Village and lunch on a patio, but he was happy to have his woolies on when he headed out. Good thing his Mama takes such good care of him.

Arlo had to get out of the stroller for a stretch at the market...

...because he just had to get a closer look at the goods. Here his buddy Hayden is explaining how to pick the perfect squash.

Photo Shoot

What a killer smile.
Hairball!

Hey Mama

Oh the drama!

Who are you looking at?

Getting your picture taken is hard work!

Family

Cuddling up with Great Grandma Brown

Great Aunt Sharon gets a close up look.

Early Morning Shocker

Heading back to school has been tough for Arlo's daddy. Being away from him all day, after of a summer of hanging out all the time is a bit of a struggle. Luckily Jenny and Arlo have made a couple of trips in to Churchill to visit Ray and the class each week. The kids love the visits, and they make the days go by much more easily for Ray. To keep connected Jenny and Ray picked up a pair of Blackberry cel phones last week, and Ray wanted to use the camera to take a pic of Arlo sleeping before he left for school one day. Instead of disturbing his sleep with the flash, Jenny said she would take one once he woke up, and send it along. Perhaps it was still a bit too early for the flash when she took this one. Yikes!!

Deep Thoughts from Arlo

Arlo had lots to talk about today.

Wedding Fun

The happy couple, Rachael and Mark, taking time out to hang with Arlo.

Groovin on the dance floor with Grandma

Whoopin it up on the floor with Mama and Auntie Kim

Cousin Dale (second Cousin?) back from out west to stand up for his brother, and to meet his newest cousin...Arlo of course. What a smooth looking pair of dudes!

Probably the cutest couple at the wedding.

Gee I hope she saves some kisses for Daddy.

So, this Wooden Sticks golf club place is supposed to be posh, but the caddies won't carry my diaper bag. What gives? At least mom's still smiling.

Mom and one of her dates for the wedding...the other is behind the camera.