Going on a plane

We all went on a plane and went to a different place. It is very different from home. There are so many new things to learn.

My vocabulary is building

I am starting to learn to talk now.  Mummy and Daddy have been getting impatient with me. I often just cry and scream for things when I want them.  But I am learning to say words like "more" and "please". Mummy and Daddy really like it when I do this.

One of my favourite games is to pick up the phone and say hello. I use the home phone, Mummy or Daddy's mobile phone, the ipod, the tv remote, the dictaphone and sometimes even the handle on the window blinds for this game.

When we go outside I am always looking for my favourite animal, the "babbi".  The babbi can either be a birdy or a puppy. When I see them I say the word, but even when I don't see them I say it, because I am looking for them.

Mummy and Daddy like to play a game with me to teach me about the eyes, ears, mouth and nose. Most of the time I just say "no" for any of these. But sometimes I do say "eyes".

Another game I like to play is to point at windows and mirrors and say "indo".  In fact it is a really good way to learn new words, just by pointing at things and using a vowel, Mummy or Daddy will usally tell me what it is.

Here is a list of most of the words that I use. The first spelling is the word that it is supposed to be in advanced English. The second spelling is the phonetic spelling of how I really say it right now.

birdy or puppy    [ bʌˡbi:]  

I have been using this word for a little while now.

puppy   [ pʌpi ]  

I am now starting to learn to devoice my bilabial plosives (from a b to a p).

daddy   [ dædi ]  

Daddy is just so easy to say you know.

mama [ mʌmʌ ]  

I've had mama down pat for ages, I see no need to update it to the more contemporary "mummy".

shoes [ ʃʉs ]  

When big kids and adults say shoes, there is a z sound at the end. Not when I say it, it is a lot shorter and softer.

hello  [ ɛl̪̘ɔ ]  

It is really cute when I say hello. I stick my tongue out a long way and give it a good flap! I don't say the h at the start either.

indo  [ ɪndɔ ]  

Ws and rs are weally hard to say you know.

no(se) [ nɔ ]  

It's much easier to leave some sounds off at the end of words.

eyes [ ʌis ]  

I also don't say the z sound at the end of eyes.

hi  [ hʌi ]  

I do the hi so well, I'm a really outgoing kid. I still have to learn how to say it in Russian though, and privyet is a lot harder.

more [ mɔ ]  Mummy is so proud of me when I use this word to ask for something. And even though my Canadian relatives might think I have it wrong (no r) Daddy says I have already mastered this word.

please [ piz ]  You might think I am asking for peas, but I am just being polite. :)

My first haircut

Mummy thought my hair was getting too long. Daddy didn't mind, he thought my curls were cute. I liked to wrap my finger in my curls. But Mummy said I had to get my hair cut some time and so Daddy said ok.

Mummy put me in my high chair and sat me in front of the mirror. Abigail took lots of pictures of me getting my hair cut. She did a really good job don't you think?

I didn't stop moving the whole time even though the photos don't show that.

My Mummy did a good job and my Daddy says my curls will grow back.

No Fear!

Daddy noticed that I had already mastered the small slide and knew I was ready for bigger adventures. So he lifted me up to the top and let me go down the slide by myself. He knew I would be ready for it. It was heaps of fun! I kept running back for more. Then Daddy taught me to climb the ladder. I am always climbing things at home. My favourite thing is to stand on top of the kitchen table. This ladder was just the right challenge for me, as it was a little too hard to do by myself. What will I do when I master that?

Here goes!

 Whooah, this is cool!

I learnt a new word today, "up"!

Riding on the train

Mummy and Daddy took me and Abigail to Central Park. We took a ride on the little train there. I of course had a lot of fun. Before the train arrived I kept trying to run on to the tracks. When we were on the train I tried to climb out a couple times. I like to keep Mum and Dad entertained.

Daddy doesn't want to cut my curls off, cos he thinks they are so cute. Mummy thinks my hair is getting too long. Little boys in Canada have shorter hair than little boys in Australia.

Holidays in Kyrgyzstan (June 9th to 19th)

On the bus to Issyk Kul

Picnic lunch on the way.

I just love playing in water. Daddy says this is cleaner than the toilet.

My Daddy loves me.

More water to play with.

Daddy likes playing with the water too.

Is that how you do it Daddy?

This is how I play with water and with dirt too.

Mud is fun.

Check out the mountains in the background!

I love you too.

And all of you.

This is fun.

My Mummy loves me.

And I love her too.

Catching up on the news

Riding an aeroplane at the library.

Ooh I caught the goat. I'm bigger!

Abigail is driving the car.

I'm climbing on the play equipment.

Sitting in the forest.

In Spring time I had to wear a jacket to keep warm, but it's Summer now.