Conversations with Sam

First, I can't believe I can now converse with Sam.

Wasn't he a newborn like 5 seconds ago?

Second, I can't believe I'm having the conversations that I'm having with a 3 foot tall kid dressed head to toe like a cowboy.

Odd as it is, Here are 3 recent conversations:

#1

Lately I am convinced that I should be taking Sam to specialist as I have self diagnosed him with a learning disability because, try as I may, I can not teach him to count to three. All he will say, despite the fact that I bribe him with candy, is 2-3-2.

So, while putting laundry away and not paying much attention to Sam...he walks up and says....

"1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9"

I obviously freak out to which he responds....

"Candy???"

#2

Sam: (Screaming at the top of his lungs) Mom, Luke pooped!

Me: OK, thanks Sam.

Sam: Check Mom.

Me: (Checking) No, he's OK.

Sam: Oh, just a fart.

#3

Sam: "Mom, is my butt on?"

Me: "Yes" (I was trying to give this question as little attention as possible hoping he would never ask it again)

Sam, undeterred: "Is Luke's butt on? Is Daddy's butt on?" and he continued down the list.....

I'm looking forward to more intellectual conversations in the future.....

Here are a few recent pics from his father/son outing with Phil to Ocean Park

And for equality purposes a pic pf Luke....

Ocean Park

This morning we took the boys to Ocean Park.

Ocean Park is a huge amusement park here.

We spent the whole time there in the kids area.

I would best describe it as an amusement park + an aquarium + a panda exhibit.

Phil & Luke wrestled an alligator.....

We saw some cool animals

Went on a slow train ride....

Rode a horse

And Luke had his first taste of being too small for something....

They had an awesome playground with a fun rock wall...

Phil & Sam did a kids drop zone thing...

There is a ton of stuff we didn't to do...

swimming with dolphins, a cable car ride, a train ride, and much much more.....

Needless to say,

we'll be returning to Ocean Park very soon!

It's the journey, not the destination

Saturday AM in Hong Kong.

A little hazy.

The Plan:

Take the ferry across the water to Kow Loon, Hong Kong. (It's just on the other side of the harbour, directly across from Hong Kong Island where we live.)

Walk around

Return to HK Island

Go to open air markets

Return home for nap time.

A picture from the Ferry.

Amazing views.

Sam & Daddy on the Ferry to Kow Loon.

And it's a good thing that life's about the journey NOT the destination because about 45 seconds after we arrived in Kow Loon Luke had the largest diaper blowout I have ever seen.

His victims included:

His onesie, pants, socks, shoes.

My Pants.

Phil's Pants and shirt.

The Kow Loon Port Bench we changed him on.

Anyone that was on the dock at the same time we were.

SO...

Back on the ferry to Hong Kong Island!

We decided NOT to cut our losses and try out the open air market despite that fact that one member of the family was down a set of clothes.

(Perhaps not our finest parenting decision, but what the heck, We knew we wouldn't bump into anyone we know!)

The Wan Chai open air market. (Or a small part of it)

YUM!

At this shop you can pick your own chicken and they chop its head off right in front of you.

Makes you hungry, right??

Oh, and here is a fresh vegetable shop.

Maybe I missed something, but the appeal of fresh fruits & veggies is lost when you buy it from a place dirtier than a public restroom.

It's kind of like going to fancy restaurant, ordering a nice meal, and finding a hair it.

We survived the market, returned home, took long naps and had a family movie night.

We need to work on seating.

And in unrelated news,

Luke's hair is now long and curly.

Just another day at the beach

First- This is going to be a long post. So, unless you are a grandparent, you'll prob get bored and lose interest.

Sorry.

Sam wakes up early. Between 5 & 6am.

Everyday.

So this morning when it was 8 and he wasn't up yet, I went into his room to check on him.

This is what I found in his bed.

Nothing.

My first thought - Madeline McCain.

My second thought, take a deep breath and look again.

That's when I saw this.....

Sam, peacefully resting in his suitcase......

(it's full of clothes still as we are in temporary living and don't have drawers to unpack it into.....)

So, I may try to put him to sleep in there again tonight. If he sleeps in again I guess we won't have to buy him a bed at our new house.

Today we walked to the east side of the Repulse Bay Beach (the beach directly in front of our hotel) and found an huge outdoor Chinese Temple.

It was really cool.

( I didn't get very good pictures because the kids weren't cooperating. Once they saw sand and water they had no interest in sight seeing. Hopefully I will add better pics soon.)

There are large statues of the Hindu goddess of Mercy and the goddess of Sea. Its very kid friendly. There is a wishing well and a pier like structure called the bridge of longevity. It is said to add three days to your life if you walk across its tiles.

There is a big playground with stuff for kids of all ages.

Normal or not normal??

When we started to play on the beach today people started to take pictures of us.

I figure it has to be one of the following things:

1. The boys are really cute,

2. They don't get a whole lot blond headed kids around here OR

3. They mistook us for celebrities.....

Apparently Sam loves other people taking his picture. Just not me.

Either way....

it was a beautiful afternoon and we had a blast.

Brotherly fun on the beach....

He couldn't find a real horse so he had to improvise....

Sweetness....

Luke discovered that Sand tastes bad.....

yuck!!!!

Sam discovered he loves to play with WATER!!!!

Say "CHEESE!!!"

Here are my failed attempts to get the boys to look at the camera at the same time.......

We started to walk home and found daddy by the playground....with a fresh change of clothes!!!!

Here's Phil teaching Sam how to climb.

Good Idea or bad idea?

To be determined....

Fun on the sea-saw

Sam's latest attempt to kill Luke....

To end... a cute pic of Luke standing and drinking at the same time.....

He's quite the multitasker.....