A Newfoundland New Year!

We still haven't gotten to finish the Newfoundland portion of our cross-Canada trip. However, this New Year's Eve, Xander and I pretended.

PaPa was working night shift and I had no plans for the evening so I offered to have a sleep over with Xander so his parents can host a party for some friends.

I prepared for the evening by buying new glow-in-the-dark PJ's for X, I picked up some new books for 99cents from Value Village (we've read and reread all his books so many times, I was ready for a change, even though Xander still loves them) I got some fun flavours of ice cream as well as sprinkles and mini cones.

Xander arrived about 5 o'clock when PaPa was heading off to work. The first game Granny established the rules for was that we were having a Newfoundland New Years. This meant that 5PM Pacific is 9:30 NFLD time - two and a half hours till ringing in the new year.

We played "puppies". This is where Xander is the only one in the world who is able to convince me to get down on my hands and knees and crawl through the house making panting and barking noises. From puppies the game revolved into Hide'n Seek. For being not quite 22 months, he amazes me at his skills. Of course I can see where he goes to hide but I find it quite clever that he actually hides. And he chooses different hiding spots each time. And they are hiding spots - he doesn't just cover his face and think that he's disappeared.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love this kid? And how much he fascinates me. And how advanced he seems for his age.

Hiding spots:



Crawling into the bathroom cabinet. (He found this spot entirely on his own. He has never been in there before.)



He is so freaking cute.




Here's a good spot in the new linen closet!

 His red sock was a dead giveaway as he crawled under the bed.

I didn't get pictures of him hiding under the piano, in the back boot closet, in the towel basket or behind the bedroom door. I dunno, maybe I'm just easily amused, but I find it amazing that he plays like this at 22 months.

After Hide 'n Seek it was time to have some supper. I post pictures as evidence for mommy that I fed him some real food before the ice cream fest.

Not particularly thrilled with having to eat real food before the ice cream.

Time to clean up as 7:30 was looming closer:

He loves helping and cleaning and organizing.

Time for quiet time - digitally enhanced.

Knows his way around the iPhone better than most baby boomers.

He loves the new stylus B&K got me for Christmas. It makes colouring feel like you are colouring.

Prov 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. 

We've learned the truth of this verse over the years of parenting our children. I take it far more seriously as a grandparent. From morals, to chores, to habits, to manners to education and beyond.... 

Brushy brushy and washy washy before bed.

The poor kid will be graduating high school and Granny will still be insisting he slather up with Johnson's Baby Lotion. I love that smell!

A little bit of reading before bed; increases the love of books and encourages sweet dreams.

And by 8PM, 2010 had come to a close for Xander, child extraordinaire, whom I love beyond description.



Sweet dreams young man. Granny and PaPa eagerly anticipate watching you grow and develop in 2011.