Maxwell learns baby sign language

Baby Sign from Daniel Too on Vimeo.

Maxwell has just started to figure out how to do some baby sign language himself (we've been doing it to him for months, and now he has the dexterity to do it properly). It's very exciting - now we can have signs for everything and can communicate so much better!

Preston builds a Lego Millenium Falcon

Lego Millennium Falcon from Daniel Too on Vimeo.

Pictures at last - Preston 3 years 11 months, Maxwell 8½ months

Maxwell is 9 months!

On Tuesday Maxwell will be 9 months old! Wow! And, as usual, my apologies for not updating this blog in ages - this time it has been much too long though. However, you should keep an eye on Dan's Flickr album for more frequent updates.

Maxwell has been crawling properly since about 7½ months (since around 6 months, he could crawl backwards only which was very frustrating for him), and now he is a super speedy crawling professional, and he loves chasing Preston around the place. He can pull himself up against furniture to stand up, although is not at the creeping stage just yet, but give it a few more days and he'll figure it out.

We've been taking both boys to swimming classes - Maxwell is very good about swimming - he neither dislikes it nor likes it particularly, but he doesn't cry, even when he goes under the water. Preston is enjoying his swimming class - finally we have found something that suits his personality (ie, not a team sport!) and he even listens some of the time, so that's a bonus! Soccer did not work out at all so we quite that after 2 terms of extremely bad behaviour, and now he also goes to Playball which is a great ball handling skills program, but he's not that interested in following instructions...

Instead Preston loves video games and lego. In the last few weeks, we've noticed his skill level has increased dramatically, and he can play games like Super Mario Bros on the Wii and Lego Batman on the DS and all sort of online games, and he was playing the drums on Rock Band and actually hitting the notes - and these games keep him occupied for a while. This weekend, Preston and Dan have been playing co-op games together, so that's really awesome! He is learning so much from playing games, and the skills he figures out are amazing, especially considering they are not designed for 3 year olds. He is right into lego as well, and he astounds us with his ability to follow the instructions to build things.

Maybe I'll have to give him all his instructions via pictorial charts. That might actually work.

I'll have to find some photos to post. We even had a photo shoot last weekend. The boys are growing up fast. Preston will be 4 next month, wow! Actually, now that I think about all the things he can do, that's not so unbelievable. And he is Maxwell's idol, so Maxwell is so lucky to grow up learning all the things that Preston is teaching him. They are so cute when they play together!

Holiday at Grandad and Nana Karon's

We went to stay at Grandad and Nana Karon's for the weekend while Dan was in Australia. Here are some cute pictures of the boys.

Preston went on his first ever fishing expedition and caught lots of fish! We fished from a wharf into the new canal at Marsden Point and it was so much fun, especially for proud Grandad.

Who can fit the biggest bit in their mouth?

Grandad reads bed time stories

Boys playing together on the iPod

Mr Mischief 7 months old

Maxwell is nearly 7 months old

Oops - haven't found time to update the blog in ages. I will try to add some photos tomorrow.

Maxwell is just developing so fast at the moment. He will be 7 months old this week, and has grown out of the 'baby' phase, and into the pre-toddler phase. He's picked up the concept of baby sign language really well, and responds to various signs that we've taught him, and can sign for himself a few things - 'milk' 'more' 'puss puss' and 'rusk'. It's just amazing watching communication.

Preston and Maxwell are the best of friends and love playing together. Their favourite thing at the moment is making each other laugh, and Maxwell ends up in fits of giggles at Preston's silliness which of course spurs him on to be sillier and laugh even more. Watching them play together is my absolute favourite thing in the world - it really is a dream come true to have two super cute little boys who love each other and play so well. Long may it last!

They love each other so much that in fact they are sharing a room! We bought Preston a new bed (his next stage of growing up) and intended to turn our spare room into Maxwell's room, but in the process of bed construction Preston excitedly asked if Maxwell was going to share his room - so we thought it was a great idea too! It is working out perfectly - Maxwell only wakes about once at night, and Preston is a heavy sleeper so isn't bothered at all. And in the morning they play and chat which is very cute.

Maxwell is eating solids now and loves his food. We've started with an array of vegetables and minimal fruit so that his tastebuds get set up nicely and so far it is working well - he hasn't rejected anything yet. I think we are ready to move on to more advanced foods like dairy, grains and some types of meat.

He has been crawling backwards for nearly a month now, and hopefully soon he will figure out going forwards as it frustrates him a lot.

The boys are busy with activities - Preston has been going to an accelerate preschool class one day a week which has been interesting, and kindy three afternoons a week which he loves and has finally made some friends, and soccer which he does not like (yay, last session this week - the teacher breathed a sigh of relief when we said we were not re-enrolling), and we've just started preschool swimming which is really good - although Preston doesn't necessarily follow the instructions properly, he actually enjoys it and participates pretty well, and next term he starts a preschool sporty program (something to replace soccer). Preston is completely addicted to computer games (all kinds) and knows how to find and play games on the computer, internet, iphone, ipod, nintendo, xbox...... he is amazingly skilled at a lot of games he plays. Maxwell loves to watch, so he'll get wise to it all too.

And next term Maxwell starts his baby swimming class! Fun!

Preston's behaviour has also improved a lot, and consequently so has my sanity. He loves his 'girls' who come to look after him after school and the nanny we have one day a week has worked out really well. Having some extra help has really made a difference. (plus he's taught them all how to play his computer games!)

I'll try to post pictures later.

Maxwell photos 5ish months

Preston helping Grandad