Saturday, August 27, 2011

Adventures in American Eating

Elyot loved getting to try new foods in the USA. Here he is trying a dill pickle...

...some SPAM (sort of)...

...Grandaddy's favourite ice cream, vanilla Bluebell...

...and even Grandaddy's awesome steaks (while Daddy enjoyed his fantastic Sazeracs)...

...and nearly every day he ate a an American-style biscuit! Here he is at Logoly State Park after a picnic breakfast featuring McDonald's sausage and biscuits and Spudnut donuts.


Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Elyot at 10 Months

While we were in the USA, Elyot turned 10 months old! He now likes to eat most adult-people foods, and he can stand while holding on, often with one hand. In the US he started pointing at things:


He also started to work on doing "fist-bumps" with NaMe, and Jackson is trying to teach him to "high-five":


In the US, Elyot also figured out how to go up the stairs. Here he is doing it for the first time:


Elyot can also say a few words:

When he’s very upset, he will cry “Mama” and sometimes he says “Dada” when Daddy is holding and playing with him. Sometimes he will say “Da duhn” for “Jackson.” “Cat-cat” is what he exclaims over and over again when he spots Piper. He also grins and says this when he sneezes, meaning “scat-cat.” After he’s finished drinking his milk with Mama, or when he's just woken up in his cot, he often looks up, smiles, and says “Bah” (meaning “boo”—what Mama often says to him to say hello). Sometimes he'll also say "deh," meaning "there, that's what I wanted." He points and calls out for his special dog --“doh”--and sometimes exclaims “Eh-yo!” when he’s doing something he’s proud of. We think this means either “Elyot!” or “Hello!” Sometimes he says “duck” and “quack” and he is trying to say “ladybug,” as his favourite book at the moment is 10 Little Ladybugs. This week, he loves to be carried around as he points to things he wants to see, saying "dat" ("that"). Elyot is obsessed with bananas; if he is hungry and sees one, he will chant, "nan na."

Elyot also loves to wave hello and goodbye. He gets thrilled about clapping his hands and drumming his hands patty-cake-style. He loves to point out lights and fans in any situation. It is the first thing he looks for in any new space. He likes to show Mama that the light in his Goodnight Moon book is the same as the lamp in his room.

Elyot has been spending Mondays, Thuesdays, and Wednesdays with Lili while Jackson goes to school and Mama works on her PhD and articles. This month they have started going to Story Time at the library and to Animal Days at Prahran Market. Elyot loves Ben, and can point him out when asked.


This month Elyot started going to Jackson’s old school, CC4K, for short days on Wednesdays. The first time he went he loved playing with all the new toys and new friends, and even stayed for his morning rest and snack. Today he is staying for lunch!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Pool Daze

More from our trip to America!



Elyot was very wary of the swimming pool at first, but eventually he really enjoyed being helped to swim around the pool and relaxing in his bee floaty.