More Recent Pics

Max obtained control of Tim's I Pod.  He imitated Tim by putting the earpiece into his own ear. Eventually he decided to chew on the earpiece so Daddy had to take it away.

We seem to take pictures every time Max eats ice cream.  Why is that?  Is it the inevitable messiness of the affair?  Is it the funny expressions due to the coldness?  Is it his announcement "cold" after every bite?

Laurie, this picture is for you.  He finally grew into the Harley hat!

Max playing at the park.  Because we are in a drought-ridden area, I don't let him play with the water fountains.  Hence, he is obsessed with water fountains.  This one is one of the better ones because he doesn't have the strength to push the button to turn on the water.  Most of the fountains have a lever handle, my parkland nemesis.

Notice that I labeled that pic "Max playing in the park."  Max does not touch the playground equipment anymore.  He may go into the sandpit but only to walk around the perimeter on the rock walls.  Otherwise, we wander to the pond to watch the ducks, search for pine cones to throw into the pond, balance on the barriers between the park and the road, generally play around the edge of the park near the parked cars, and wander, wander, wander.  I watch enviously at the parents who sit around the perimeter of the playground conversing with each other.  I hope this wandering is the early sign of a great character trait that will emerge in Max's adulthood.  Wishful thinking?!

Malia and Emmanuel's Wedding

Okay.  I titled this entry: Malia and Emmanuel's Wedding.  It is a bit misleading since Tim and I forgot to bring our camera to the actual ceremony and reception so we'll have to rely on friends for pics from the event.  I'll post some when I receive them.

Nonetheless, there was a whole week of festivities leading up to the wedding and I remembered to bring the camera at those times.  Here are a few of those pics:

The MFEs (Tim's classmates at Oxford who also completed the Master of Financial Economics program) spent a night in Noosa.  They traveled to Brisbane from the UK, the USA and Greece.  Tim should have been in the shot but he was taking the picture.  This pic was taken just before we hiked a short way to a beach in Noosa National Park.

Max found some fun rock pools at the beach.

The bride and groom

There was a brunch the morning after the wedding.  Since Max did not attend the wedding, we decided to take him to the brunch.  He sat briefly to drink his babyccino (which, Catherine, to answer your question from awhile back, is just warm milk with lots of froth and bit of cocoa sprinkled on top) but was on the move the rest of the time.  We tried to get him to sit at the table to play with his trains (lasted less than a minute), but YinYan tried her level best to entertain him.  

Drinking his babyccino.  Eman said he looked like a little cricketer in his outfit (he's wearing khaki shorts on the bottom).

My New Haircut/Playing in the Back Garden

Max just got a haircut two days ago.  I couldn't believe how much older he suddenly looked!  I don't have a baby anymore (sniffle sniffle).  Anyway, he was playing in the back garden with his trains (vintage fisher price courtesy of his Daddy).  I particularly liked these pictures because they were candids (or at least Max didn't come rushing the camera when he noticed Mommy taking pictures).

He has such a serious look on his face.  I can't remember what he was saying but I think he was being "drama boy" for the camera.

Blue Thunder

Zoolander reference for those of you who have not seen the movie (or have not seen it more than a dozen times).

Ipswich Rail Museum

We took a trip to the Ipswich Rail Museum.  Max loves, with a capital L, trains.  He repeatedly said "toot toot" for the two hours that we were there.

When we arrived, there was a children's program in progress.  I think it started with reading some books and singing some songs but we came in the middle of play time.  The room had playmats (like the one pictured) and a huge wooden box full of trains and tracks.  Max was in heaven.  He could easily have stayed there the whole time.

The museum also had many old engines and carriages.  As you can see, we were able to climb inside a few of them.  Throughout the museum, there were little play areas for the kids.  For instance, the picture above was taken in the dining car so there was a little play kitchen and tables arranged outside the train.

Lots of knobs and levers

Pete & Kelly's Visit

We went to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary again when Pete and Kelly, friends from Chicago, visited us last month.

Max talking to the Kangaroo

Pete and Kelly posing for their koala photo

I have a really cute (short) video of Max "feeding" the larakeets but I can't seem to upload it to the blog.  Let me know if you want me to email it to you.  I also have a long video (1min 4 sec) of a wombat digging a hole (seemed interesting at the time) but you'll have to pay us a visit to see that one.  Tempting lure?