Merit Award

Today Cooper received the "Merit Award" for his Kindy class. Two students who go "above and beyond" in some way receive the award at the Friday afternoon assembly. Coop was awarded for "a big improvement in his writing and really trying hard in class everyday."  His friend Ofelia got a merit award today as well which made it even more special. And, if that wasn't enough, Cooper's kindy class was awarded the "Uniform Cup" which honors the class that is dressed properly in uniform at the morning assemblies for the week.  Yes, a little  different, but an honor none-the-less.  )

Cooper and friend, Ofelia

Merit Award recipients

Coop and his kindy friends

Coop and the "Uniform Cup."

The cake (in school colors) I made to congratulate Coop on his award 

Merit Award

Today Cooper received the "Merit Award" for his Kindy class. Two students who go "above and beyond" in some way receive the award at the Friday afternoon assembly. Coop was awarded for "a big improvement in his writing and really trying hard in class everyday."  His friend Ofelia got a merit award today as well which made it even more special. And, if that wasn't enough, Cooper's kindy class was awarded the "Uniform Cup" which honors the class that is dressed properly in uniform at the morning assemblies for the week.  Yes, a little  different, but an honor none-the-less.  )

Cooper and friend, Ofelia

Merit Award recipients

Coop and his kindy friends

Coop and the "Uniform Cup."

The cake (in school colors) I made to congratulate Coop on his award 

Wednesday at the Park with Tucker

I have been so lucky to have a lot more time alone with Tucker since Coop started school. He is a funny and stubborn and happy kid.  I am pretty sure he misses Cooper when he is at school, but he is also revelling in all the undivided attention he is getting.

We were at the playground where we go after school. It was just Tuck and I and he wanted to swing.  After a few moments, he pointed to the empty swing next to him and said, "Pooper (we have moved on from Buper)...swing..friend...best in world."  Oh, how sweet. 

He loves swinging now. He did not until recently. He laughs and laughs as he swings. His favorite is to be pushed by his feet from the front. He says, "More push high 5!" 

He is a talker just like Cooper.  He talks and talks! And just within the last 3 weeks his vocabulary has grown immensely.  He is talking in sentences now- mostly 3-5 words in each sentence. And now I know what has been going on in his mind the past two years. He has heard and seen everything and is just now telling us all about it.

 We were in the lift just today and someone got in a few floors after us. Tucker looked right at them, pointed to his boots and said, "Like boots?" Then without waiting for an answer, he said, "Tucker." That is the first time he has said his name outside of the family and he only just started saying his name last week. When you ask him how old he is, he says, "Two. Tucker." As if he is anticipating the next question- "What is your name."

Today we were making lunch and he said, "Mom. Friend. Best in world."  Then I scolded him and he ran to his room crying saying, "Mama mean." Guess I can't always win huh?

We were takling about adults and and kids. I went through the litany- who is an adult? "Is Cooper an adult? No. Is mama an adult. Yes. Then I asked him if Fleur (his sitter who manages Starbucks) is an adult? He said, "No. In charge. Coffee."

Wednesday at the Park with Tucker

I have been so lucky to have a lot more time alone with Tucker since Coop started school. He is a funny and stubborn and happy kid.  I am pretty sure he misses Cooper when he is at school, but he is also revelling in all the undivided attention he is getting.

We were at the playground where we go after school. It was just Tuck and I and he wanted to swing.  After a few moments, he pointed to the empty swing next to him and said, "Pooper (we have moved on from Buper)...swing..friend...best in world."  Oh, how sweet. 

He loves swinging now. He did not until recently. He laughs and laughs as he swings. His favorite is to be pushed by his feet from the front. He says, "More push high 5!" 

He is a talker just like Cooper.  He talks and talks! And just within the last 3 weeks his vocabulary has grown immensely.  He is talking in sentences now- mostly 3-5 words in each sentence. And now I know what has been going on in his mind the past two years. He has heard and seen everything and is just now telling us all about it.

 We were in the lift just today and someone got in a few floors after us. Tucker looked right at them, pointed to his boots and said, "Like boots?" Then without waiting for an answer, he said, "Tucker." That is the first time he has said his name outside of the family and he only just started saying his name last week. When you ask him how old he is, he says, "Two. Tucker." As if he is anticipating the next question- "What is your name."

Today we were making lunch and he said, "Mom. Friend. Best in world."  Then I scolded him and he ran to his room crying saying, "Mama mean." Guess I can't always win huh?

We were takling about adults and and kids. I went through the litany- who is an adult? "Is Cooper an adult? No. Is mama an adult. Yes. Then I asked him if Fleur (his sitter who manages Starbucks) is an adult? He said, "No. In charge. Coffee."

Bits and Pieces

I have been so busy lately- doing what I don't know- that I barely have had a chance to sit down and work on my blog. At the same time, there hasn't been anything dramatic going on either.  Just bits and pieces of life that I have brought together here to share.

Tucker and I took a taxi ride the other day. He has been in a taxi many, many times, but this was really the first time it was just he and I. Usually Coop is with us and I spend most of the ride keeping them from hurting each other or keeping Coop from talking the taxi drivers ear off!  Tucker calls taxis, "taxtax." For the longest time, he simple did the sign for taxi which is a finger snap. They are both pretty cute. Anyway, he loved it and he took it so seriously. He sat down in his seat and held onto the door the whole way.  If I wasn't holding on he would turn to me and say, "Tight, tight Mama" until I did as he was doing.  What a simple pleasure for him and a huge highlight for the week.

We still visit Hyde Park although not as much as we used to since Coop is in school.  Tucker and I walk through the park every morning after dropping Cooper at school.  We have been so lucky because every morning there has been a flock of cockatoos feeding in the park. We always stop to watch them before heading on our way to wherever we are going.  

The last time we were at the park with Cooper, the boys created a game of "Seed Pod Bowling." Cooper collected about 8 large seed pods, set them up and used our ball to bowl. It was so creative and fun. I just love the way he thinks.

The dogs went to the park with us the other day. On the way home, Tucker got ejected from his stroller and the Pugs got a ride. We got a lot of smiles and comments on the way home. They loved it. Manzie was like a the queen on parade. If she could have waved, she would have.

Coop finally relented and gave Tucker his old backpack. It is too small for him and for all the things he needs to carry back and forth to school everyday.  Tucker was so happy. He wore it to drop Coop off everyday for a bout a week.  Gotta love the whole outfit- the backpack, boots and sunnies. Quite stylin' isn't he?

Cooper has never wanted to wear his Halloween costumes.  I was going through some of the boys' clothes to give away and came across his last Halloween costume-- a UPS driver or PBS driver as he calls it.  He saw it and immediately put it on and would not take it off for two days. He slept in it one night and wanted to wear it to school.  He has grown quite a bit since he got, but still looks pretty darn cute in it.

The boys are very into playing police man these days. I found an old hat and put a cardboard badge on it for them to use. Here is a picture of Cooper wearing the hat.

St Patrick's Day was a two weekends ago.  We decided to go to the parade to see what it was like. Truly it is nothing like it is in the States. Actually, it was pretty lame especially if you compare it to the Chinese New Year parade. It was very low key, lots of green, lots of athletes and lots of kids dressed for Irish Dancing.  There was even a potato in the parade! I think that was my favorite. Here are a few pictures from the day.

Coop loves this old bus

Irish Wolfhounds

Irish Dancers

Potato guy

It really seems like the best times we have are after the parades or festivals are over. We were walking back home and came across two police officers  on horseback. The officers were very friendly and let the boys pet their horses. 

 I think this has to be my favorite kid thing of the last month!  We spend a lot of time walking through the city and the boys have seen their fair of what happens daily in a big city. They see homeless people asking for money and street musicians playing for coins all time time. I didn't realize just how much they were taking in especially Tucker. The other day, Tuck took out Coop's guitar and the box it came in and set it up in the living room while I was in the other room with Cooper.  He came into the room, handed me some plastic coins and said. "Mama go walk."  So, I took the coin and followed him.  He picked the guitar back up and directed me to put the coin in the case.  It was amazing! He was pretending to be a street musician. I am working on a plan- maybe I can get him and Coop out there on the streets to make a few bucks for the family. :)

 Cooper set up a cozy corner in his room with all his big pillows. It took no more than 30 minutes before Manzie found it and made herself at home. 

Cooper celebrated Harmony Day at school last week. I am still not 100% sure what it is, but he was very excited because he got to wear a sports outfit of his choosing (he wore his cousin's football jersey).  When the children arrived at school, there was a performance by some of the students in the school doing dances from other countries and some karate demonstrations. Some children also did the lion dance. I did not get to see the whole performance, but Cooper said it was really interesting and he was very excited about his "Harmony Day" sticker he brought home.

Bits and Pieces

I have been so busy lately- doing what I don't know- that I barely have had a chance to sit down and work on my blog. At the same time, there hasn't been anything dramatic going on either.  Just bits and pieces of life that I have brought together here to share.

Tucker and I took a taxi ride the other day. He has been in a taxi many, many times, but this was really the first time it was just he and I. Usually Coop is with us and I spend most of the ride keeping them from hurting each other or keeping Coop from talking the taxi drivers ear off!  Tucker calls taxis, "taxtax." For the longest time, he simple did the sign for taxi which is a finger snap. They are both pretty cute. Anyway, he loved it and he took it so seriously. He sat down in his seat and held onto the door the whole way.  If I wasn't holding on he would turn to me and say, "Tight, tight Mama" until I did as he was doing.  What a simple pleasure for him and a huge highlight for the week.

We still visit Hyde Park although not as much as we used to since Coop is in school.  Tucker and I walk through the park every morning after dropping Cooper at school.  We have been so lucky because every morning there has been a flock of cockatoos feeding in the park. We always stop to watch them before heading on our way to wherever we are going.  

The last time we were at the park with Cooper, the boys created a game of "Seed Pod Bowling." Cooper collected about 8 large seed pods, set them up and used our ball to bowl. It was so creative and fun. I just love the way he thinks.

The dogs went to the park with us the other day. On the way home, Tucker got ejected from his stroller and the Pugs got a ride. We got a lot of smiles and comments on the way home. They loved it. Manzie was like a the queen on parade. If she could have waved, she would have.

Coop finally relented and gave Tucker his old backpack. It is too small for him and for all the things he needs to carry back and forth to school everyday.  Tucker was so happy. He wore it to drop Coop off everyday for a bout a week.  Gotta love the whole outfit- the backpack, boots and sunnies. Quite stylin' isn't he?

Cooper has never wanted to wear his Halloween costumes.  I was going through some of the boys' clothes to give away and came across his last Halloween costume-- a UPS driver or PBS driver as he calls it.  He saw it and immediately put it on and would not take it off for two days. He slept in it one night and wanted to wear it to school.  He has grown quite a bit since he got, but still looks pretty darn cute in it.

The boys are very into playing police man these days. I found an old hat and put a cardboard badge on it for them to use. Here is a picture of Cooper wearing the hat.

St Patrick's Day was a two weekends ago.  We decided to go to the parade to see what it was like. Truly it is nothing like it is in the States. Actually, it was pretty lame especially if you compare it to the Chinese New Year parade. It was very low key, lots of green, lots of athletes and lots of kids dressed for Irish Dancing.  There was even a potato in the parade! I think that was my favorite. Here are a few pictures from the day.

Coop loves this old bus

Irish Wolfhounds

Irish Dancers

Potato guy

It really seems like the best times we have are after the parades or festivals are over. We were walking back home and came across two police officers  on horseback. The officers were very friendly and let the boys pet their horses. 

 I think this has to be my favorite kid thing of the last month!  We spend a lot of time walking through the city and the boys have seen their fair of what happens daily in a big city. They see homeless people asking for money and street musicians playing for coins all time time. I didn't realize just how much they were taking in especially Tucker. The other day, Tuck took out Coop's guitar and the box it came in and set it up in the living room while I was in the other room with Cooper.  He came into the room, handed me some plastic coins and said. "Mama go walk."  So, I took the coin and followed him.  He picked the guitar back up and directed me to put the coin in the case.  It was amazing! He was pretending to be a street musician. I am working on a plan- maybe I can get him and Coop out there on the streets to make a few bucks for the family. :)

 Cooper set up a cozy corner in his room with all his big pillows. It took no more than 30 minutes before Manzie found it and made herself at home. 

Cooper celebrated Harmony Day at school last week. I am still not 100% sure what it is, but he was very excited because he got to wear a sports outfit of his choosing (he wore his cousin's football jersey).  When the children arrived at school, there was a performance by some of the students in the school doing dances from other countries and some karate demonstrations. Some children also did the lion dance. I did not get to see the whole performance, but Cooper said it was really interesting and he was very excited about his "Harmony Day" sticker he brought home.