Bug = 2 years 1 month
Bub = 3 months 8 days

When you have Marmite on toast, and you dip it into your cup of water, the resulting concoction is apparently called “Marmite Juice”. And you drink it.

Bug = 2 years 1 month
Bub = 3 months 7 days

Oh dear. Bug tried putting a Duplo tower in his trike trailer today, but it fell out. He exclaimed something which I’m pretty certain was “For God’s sake!”

Sure, it’s not the WORST expression he could have picked up off us, but it’s still a bit of a wake-up call. I must train myself to feel satisfied by venting my frustration, disappointment, and rage with “Sugar!” and “Rats!”.

(Mmmm… Sugar rats!)

Earlier this month AS from Wellington came down for some good times, and amongst those times was a visit to the Portobello Aquarium by the three of us. I took an afternoon off work and we headed down the peninsula. Upon arrival at the aquarium, Bug was more interested in running over to a big plastic WWF Panda than the fish, but soon enough his interest was turned.

In the main foyer there is a large cylindrical tank that had various fish swimming around in it – Bug’s cries of “little one”, “BIIIG one” could be heard throughout the room. We then trotted down to the holding tanks where there were some skates flapping around in the water, and lots of starfish and anemones that could be prodded or poked by a suitably seeking finger.

Bug had a great time, as did the grown-ups, and this was followed by some quality time sitting beside the harbour outside the ice-cream shop. Bug watched with interest as AS and I tried to catch a seagull. The winner (if there can be such a thing – look out, it’s the SPCA!) was to owe the loser two pints of beer. All I can tell you is that a) seagulls are soft, and b) no exchange of pints was required.

A fun time was had by all, and Bug was pretty tired after the windy drive home.

Bug = 2 years 1 month
Bub = 3 months 1 day

Bug is really good at counting now. He can count to ten with no problems at all. (Well, he occasionally misses five, but I think he’s getting over that.) According to reports from Granny, he has also managed eleven and twelve over the past couple of days.

The problem he does have is with pointing. For example, if you ask him to count all the ducks on a page in his book, he points at a random one, says “One”, then points at another random one (or the same one), says “Two”, and so on until he reaches a number he’s happy with.

Bug = 2 years 1 month
Bub = 3 months 1 day

This evening when I started getting tea ready, Bug asked for the head of broccoli. I asked if he wanted some, and he said yes, so I gave it to him, and to my surprise he started nibbling on it.

I let him nibble for a while (and took some photos), and then – just to make conversation, as you do with toddlers – I said “Is that broccoli?”

“No”, said Bug. “Ice-cream!”