Fall Festivities

Hi Everyone! I do hope you've all been well. I'm embarrassed to say that it has officially been a month since my last communication, but we're still up and running at least. Some of the highlights of this last 30 day period are sure fun to recall.

I am very much enjoying my baby brother - and he smiles at me every time I get right up close to him - he's like an angel (they're so innocent when they're young). I go swimming every Tuesday with my dad now, and have started a new soccer on Saturdays (last week I scored a super goal). My Dad and I have been spending more time together which keeps me busy (part of the reason for the wait between posts).

Speaking of my brother, he has got his own little gig over at OliverBoy.com - if you feel like subscribing, there is a box on the right hand side of his page. He's bigger into the photographic journey, but he's still learning about the audience.

I CAN RIDE A BIKE!! And, I have a new BABY BROTHER!

I got a 2 wheel, sans training wheels, racing bike from my new baby brother - and I can ride it all by myself!! Which leads me to my second piece of news... my baby brother arrived! All 9lbs 7oz, 22+ inches of him (a little lighter, and shorter than I was but nobody's counting).

He was born on Friday morning (my parents were gone all night - probably preparing). The picture above was taken today, and the picture below was taken about 5 minutes after he joined us. Everyone is so excited! Mum and Dad looked tired when I went to see them Friday afternoon, but other than that, they were healthy and happy.

And, he brought me a new 2 wheel bike! I'm not sure how, but I haven't had time to ask or care. On Sunday, my Grandpa and Dad took me out to give it a spin, and after a few tries it was just like riding a bike! No problem.

In terms of my little brother, there will no doubt be more information very soon, and rest assured I have already looked into domain names for him.

So we're in to 'any day now' territory as I'm told. Any day now, and I'm going to be a big brother and meet my new baby brother. It's kind of exciting, but also, I recently had my face painted which, needless to say, is immediately exciting. One thing I'm looking forward to is all the hip hop talk we'll be able to throw around (sup brother?) - I sure hope he likes hip hop talk. Also, I'll get to teach him stuff and get him to do stuff for me - it's going to be pretty cool.

People have asked me... 'hey Dublin, will your little brother have a blog of his own like you?' I always tell them that I'm a pretty special breed and it would be unfair to have the same expectations for other babies as people do for me. Truth is, I'm not sure - but if he does, I might read a bit of it.

Sons of SBs

A couple of weekends ago, I went on a short road trip with my parents. We didn't go too far, but we left Friday morning, popped across the border, and arrived in Seattle with a non-hotel reservation (pretty easy to get actually). Luckily, wonderful Slade, Kristen and Liam invited us to stay with them for the day and night in their wonderful place in wonderful West Seattle.

Weather was beautiful and Liam and I spent a fair amount of time sharing things, riding on shoulders, and talking about what it's like to be the son of an SB.

No-I-Know-Dat!

So far, Summer has been an island beach tour - any more of this and I'm going to start to think I own the beach. We were in Qualicum for 5 days with lots of family which was great. Every day Emma, Devan and I would go to ConeZone for ice cream, and every night we'd have a beach fire and roast marshmallows. I learnt loads of stuff from Devan (nudge nudge, wink wink).

Recently, my vocab has been increasing, as has my retention. My new common phrase is a snap 'No, I know that!' Certain people tend to repeat things to me as though I didn't hear them the first time. I've also gotten quicker to correct people, which in a way is my gift to society - I think I'll keep it up.

We sure got a good weekend of weather - about time too, the final weekend of July. On Saturday we went to Kits pool for the first time if you can believe it (we live just up the hill), and then carried on to the Whitecaps game with 27,542 other people. Today I played soccer with my Dad (chips, volleys and flicks), I got my haircut, we walked to 4th for dinner and then I almost got eaten by a dog. All in all an exciting weekend.

Parksville Paddle

Hope everyone is having a lovely, lazy summer. We went to Parksville (Vancouver Island) last week, which was loads of fun. Late night partying, musical beds, waterparks, it had all the ingredients.

My Nanna and Grandpa brought their 5^th Wheel (poorly named with 4 wheels) which made for a more comfortable excursion than last year’s “Cold Camping Hornby”, and we were right on the water. I peacefully sat and watched older boys do tricks on BMXs at the skate park for long periods of time… I think I’m starting to learn the real concept of ‘Cool’.

My Dad tried paddle surfing a couple of times, and at one point we took to the water together (don’t be alarmed at the lack of life jackets, the water is about 2 feet deep for about a mile).

Parksville certainly got my vote, and I’m sure we’ll be back. Coming up… Qualicum!

Classic Summer Weekend

Although it seems like an eternity ago, I hope you all had a good weekend. Was it me, or was it a particularly busy one? On Saturday I had soccer practice, which was lovely, followed by a delicious ham & cheese croissant at a local coffee parlour. Then later that afternoon I accompanied some fellows to 'the track' for the first time - we behaved like Gentlemen. Turns out I was pretty good at picking winners: for the first race I picked the Green horse - his name turned out to be Unquiet, and wouldn't you know it, he came in first!

For the second race I picked the Green one (considering he did so well in the first race, and it's my current favourite colour), and he came in second! At this point, Dad was doing a lot of signalling and visiting the ticket counter for other people... and this was when my Green horse picks were no longer doing quite so well - things became more quiet if you will.

Sunday was a new day, and after some wonderful Fish & Chips on Granville Island, we rode bikes to Greek Days! There were so many people, and so many smells. I learned the art of 'people watching' and also that it's not always a great idea to say everything you're thinking, in a loud, unmissable voice.

Related

Earlier this month, I finally met my new cousin for the first time. Sabine and I got along famously... we talked about what it's like to be related (pretty cool), I showed her how I can do a table stand, we discussed that there are two more cousins on the way in September, I showed her how I ride my bike, and eat food with a fork, and run really fast, and jump high, and colour, and put my shoes on, and carry things with one hand.

Then we thought it would be hilarious to do impersonations of our parents. And....... nailed it! Sabine and her parents stayed with us for four days and it was sad to see them go, but we decided we're going to keep in touch, and visit whenever we can squeeze it in to our busy schedules.

Speaking of schedules, I finally got my own GP last week. As part of the application process, I had to have my measurements taken. I am officially 3, I'm a very fast runner, I don't like to acknowledge 's's at the beginning of words that start with 's', and I weigh 45 lbs (don't judge me) and am 3 1/2 feet tall.

Gettin' Schooled...

Much has happened since my last entry. My birthday party was a blast: bouncy castle, sandbox, friends and unbridled excitement. Thanks to everyone who made it! Needless to say, I crashed earlier than usual that evening - it was like a crime scene.

Of course with a new age comes new experiences, and yesterday was my first day of Montessori Pre-School! (I was going to take my briefcase, but went with my new frog backpack instead - turned out to be a good call.)

We set out for the long journey kitty corner from our house just before 0900 hours. It's so great over there. So much to do, really nice people and great activities. I started the day with a little Science just to let the locals know.

As we're talking about learning, I asked my Dad what asshole meant the other day. We were driving back from soccer practice and Dad complimented another driver by saying nice work asshole. I didn't get a straight answer but I think it must have been the man's name, or maybe it means good guy or something. We didn't dwell on it anyway.

I'M THREE!!

I stayed up as late as I could tonight to tell you the big news and be the first one to sing Happy Birthday to myself. (Although, as I told Daddy 3 days ago, it's frowned upon and you should really be quiet when other people sing it to you.)

So... I'm turning THREE in a few hours!! May 10th! I can't wait. Just for fun, I took a stroll down memory lane and enjoyed some moments from my past. This was my first DubJam back in late 2009. And then, interestingly enough, this is what I was up to exactly 1/2 my lifetime ago. And lastly, in the interests of Mother's Day, I remember my first Mother's Day like it was yesterday.

(For those who are curious about this photo, my parents left me with my Grandpa, Nanna and Grandma for a week recently... they let me do all sorts of things!)

Whitecaps!

So I'm trying to take in as much of the world as I can before I hit 3 (I know, I know, 3 is the new 2). Recently, I went to a Whitecaps game with my Dad and some friends, and had a terrific time. We started warming up about an hour before kickoff when we all met at Handbag Lake near the stadium. Vince brought me a Whitecaps drum, so I gave that a spin during some quiet meditation.

The crowd at the game (21,000 strong) was very loud, and it was difficult to know exactly when to get louder and stand up (or when to yell 'White' and when to yell 'Caps'). During the second half I started to learn that you can blend in getting loud when you want and staying quiet when you want. It was a beautiful day and I can't remember who won, but I definitely know who to cheer for.

Whatever...

Well, we're back in the swing of things in Vancouver. The weather's been expectedly unpredictable, we've been hitting our usual lunch spots with familiar friends, and we're getting closer to this year's Federal Election.

In other news, this Saturday is annual Record Store Day so think about buying a recording from a store, it's less than a month until my 3rd Birthday, and I haven't worn a diaper now in over a month! That's right, I'm diaper and soother free, baby! Big boy stuff.

As a last bit of news for you, but certainly no less important, I tried out my first 'Whatever' last Sunday. My parents had quite the reaction - so I plan on dropping a few more around town.

Indiana Visit

We had a great time in Indiana! Right off the bat we got picked up in a Limousine by a guy named Jerry (stage name probably). We drove all the way to Bloomington where we were dropped off at our new temporary home - a delightful Bed & Breakfast (there was a bathroom aswell).

Then we went to see Granddad play the piano with a trio before dinner. It was nice and loud, and there were drums. This was the first time I'd seen Granddad play - he was pretty good for a guy who just started.

A couple of days later I was invited to walk the prestigious campus of Indiana University. It was huge - and I walked it all. They were nice enough to give me the run of the place for a couple of hours and I could tell I was getting smarter, more quickly than normal.

On my walk, I discovered a tree that grew shoes! I know right? Madness. You have to see it to believe it. We examined and discussed that tree for a lengthy period of time as you can imagine.

The next day, my Dad and I did a few duets on the old ivories. As you know, I don't like to blow my own horn, but we got pretty good. This piano was also loud. I'm starting to like pianos.

On the last day, I retired for the evening on my claimed bed, organized these photos, researched some new jazz songs for Granddad and watched an episode of Curious George. It was a pretty quick trip, but we had a great time!

Travel Bug...

I recently left to do a little traveling with my family, and we kicked it off in style. This is a picture of me and my Dad in the cockpit of the plane we all took to Phoenix. (Sorry about the photo quality, the pilot may be good at flying, but he was pretty rubbish at picture taking.)

Mum and I went to the great state of Arizona to visit Grandpa and Nanna who were there for a couple of weeks, while Dad went to a conference in Austin. We had such fun in Phoenix. I can't post those photos right now (security), but as a teaser I'll mention our time involved a Suns game, baseball games, slow trains, great zoos, sky diving, camel rides and popcorn. It also had some impromptu fountain dancing where I took off all my clothes to hit the water. I haven't felt that young in months.

We met up with Dad again, this time in the great state of Indiana where we are visiting Grandad and Judith. The weather's been awesome here - perfect for running at the 93rd percentile for speed and form. I watched Grandad's trio play when we arrived which was wonderful. More pictures to follow...

Doing it...

I'll be honest, I like good food. I like Greek yogurt (including the calories), cereal in whole milk, oranges, and any variety of delicious popsicles. And it stands, that to enjoy the rewards (food), sometimes you have to do the work (shop).

Now, I'm not a certified philosopher, but I'll tell you, I'm starting to find that sometimes the work is the reward. Take grocery shopping - in some ways that's the chore, but I have to say, I often enjoy the chore. What's not to like? People, colours, food, action... Or if I could be so bold, how about peeing? Sure, I get a delicious candy (that's actually a vitamin - my parents think they're so clever), if I pee in the toilet - but I like peeing in the toilet. Again, what's not to like?

I digress... I just wanted to remind us that sometimes we forget to take pleasure in the day to day things. Sometimes they're the best part of my day.

The Gym

Once a week I go to gymnastics with some next door neighbour friends - or what our gang refers to as The Gym. We make it a regular Monday morning routine - it really starts our week off right before getting bogged down with the day to day.

This sort of training helps me run faster, jump higher, and encourages new dance moves that I'd previously not even thought of.

I've also been doing soccer camp since November, and I'm seeing some serious improvement (I know, right?). I'll try and get some photos, but cameras are frowned upon as they distract the athletes.

We recently had a family flu which was no fun at all, and caused the three of us to point responsibility-fingers at each other (which gets ugly). But it sure made me appreciate my health once I was all better. Health! "That's what I'm talking about!"

Sidenote: Please forgive me if you see doubles of posts sometimes - I've been having some technical difficulties and apparently I don't control the Internet (which is more than a little annoying).

Stripes

I hope everyone is enjoying their January. Even if you're finding it a little cold, or wet, I say embrace it. It's going to be spring before you know it and then summer, and then you won't be able to wear that coat you love, or the cool boots you just got, or the jacket with the hood. And while we're on fashion, I'm here to tell you stripes are still in. If you're wondering how I know... "I just know these things." Stripes are so in, that although we got back months ago, I'm actually still acting a little French (eating croissants with a touch of misunderstood attitude).

We were even a little embarrassed at the last SFU game we went to - I had to roll my eyes when mum took her sweater off. Some wiseguy asked if we were related.

Speaking of relations, I recently got word that I have a new cousin! Helloooo Sabine! And well done Dave and Gin. We look forward to meeting you soon. (We'll probably be matching.)

Happy New Year!

What a great holiday season! It seemed to go on forever. Christmas morning was a little overwhelming... I've never had so much to do in such a short period of time. We took a couple of story breaks which helped me realign and reboot.

I got some wonderful toys, and clothes, and cooking equipment, and empty boxes (which are still terrific fun). Sometimes you might not get everything you'd hoped for, "but you can still be happy."

I went up to Grouse Mountain to skate and play in the snow with Erin, Dexter, and Mum and Dad. I learned a number of things about snow, most importantly Facewashes are fun to give but not to get.

It was nice to get back into the swing of things again. After the break I have new inspirations for my artwork. Speaking of which, I got a fantastic new chair for my art station from my Great Grandma and Uncle Bruce. I've found comfort and style are pretty important when being awesome.

'The Big Day' Eve

Well, it's certainly a festive time of year. I kind of remember past Christmases, but I feel much more prepared for this one. I'm ready. It's go time. Let's do this. (Cue any track by 2Unlimited.)

I went to a Christmas party with my Dad last week, loads of adults (yawn), but I met a super cool girl named Charlotte. She taught me how to do jumping jacks, and she made up a cool song called 'two and a half'. It was pretty awesome!

Hopefully I'll see you over the Holidays, but if I don't, have the best Christmas ever! Goodness knows you deserve it.

BBall, Man time and Birthdays...

Days keep passing and I keep growing - sure physically, but I would suggest there are greater changes happening emotionally, mentally and maybe ideologically? Few of these things can I get through with such limited space, but again... the highlights. It was my mum's birthday a couple of weeks back, and I was front and centre - partly because the camera's kind to me, but also because it was my 2.5 year birthday not too long ago.

Last Saturday we went to a basketball game at SFU with some friends. Mum and I went to sit on what's called 'the floor', even though we still had to sit in seats. We had a wonderful time, and the home team won!

In the photo above, that man in the red suit isn't Santa Claus, but the new coach of SFU (that, or Santa Claus is moonlighting). Apparently we've got an 'in' with him, which got everybody fancy seats, food and drink. I'm hoping next time, he might sub me in.

My mum just got back from a work trip to Salt Lake City. She was gone for 4 days. In that time there was much learning happening - I tried to be gentle, and I think my Dad really picked up a few good lessons. He can be pretty stubborn but we connected and worked well as a team. Having said that... Mum's Back!