The Kids and Kahlie

Last Wednesday, November 21 and a day before Allie arrived, Kahlie began paying special attention to Mama. Kahlie rarely left Mama’s side. In the middle of the night, I tried to take Kahlie to the basement and she dropped on her belly to the floor and wouldn’t move. Later we learned that Kahlie was agitated for the first couple of hours while she was at a friend’s house. Mama was in labour by that time. Clearly, Kahlie knew Allie was coming. She’s always demonstrated amazing intuition.

Another odd coincidence. A day before Allie was born, Thomas got new pajamas. They had the number 22 on them — partly because Thomas is a big fan of Vancouver Canucks’ forward Daniel Sedin. Thomas also got a package of hockey cards that day. In the package was the card for #22 Daniel Sedin. Allie arrived a day later, of course, on the 22nd.

I’m Holding the Baby Gently and Then I’m Not Saying Cheese

Originally uploaded by Thomas Miguel

Once upon a time, one day, the baby was at the hospital. And I got some new Dora cards. Then the baby came home. The baby was born(t)*. One day I was come to my house. The end.

(Check flickr for new pictures.)

*You know, bornt, the past tense of born.

Gazing

Originally uploaded by Thomas Miguel

Baby’s life progresses. Today was a big day, full of sleeping. Oh, and a bath. The picture set has been updated … new pictures first.

Pose 10

Originally uploaded by Thomas Miguel

Follow here for a 17 image study in ‘pose.’ What more can we say?

Fingers

Originally uploaded by Thomas Miguel

Our baby girl arrived today at 1:19p. She arrived without a name and we haven’t given her one yet! We will shortly.

Mom and daughter are doing great at Women’s Hospital. You can see more pictures here … and we’ll catch you up more thoroughly soon.

Tonight we made our own version of green chile stew in the crockpot. It is pretty mild so that Thomas could have some too. It would also be good with more green chile. Here is the recipe:

1 kg pork shoulder, cubed, trimmed of fat
3 mild Italian turkey sausages, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup sherry

Rub:
1 Tbsp. New Mexico red chile powder
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin

For the Crockpot:
1 x 15 oz can white hominy (posole), rinsed
1 x 14 oz can diced tomatoes with green chile, unsalted, drained
1 x 430 ml jar President’s Choice Mild Salsa Verde
1 x 4 oz package of frozen New Mexico green chile (hot), thawed

Serve with:
Uncle Ben’s brown rice
President’s Choice organic cornbread muffins (follow instructions on the box)
Chipotle Tabasco sauce
Sour Cream
Lime wedges *
Chopped cilantro *

To prepare:
- Cover the cubed pork with the rub
- Brown the pork, sausage and onion
- Add the hominy, tomatoes and green chile to the crockpot
- Top with browned meat
- Drain the fat from the pan and deglaze with the sherry (white wine would be good too, but all we had in the house was a bit of cooking sherry), add juices to the crockpot
- Top with salsa verde
- Cook on high for 6 hours, we stirred a couple of times but this isn’t necessary
- Stir to shred the pork before serving

Serve on a bed of rice with corn muffins on the side.

* We didn’t actually have lime or cilantro, but I would have had them on the side if I’d had them on hand.

I’m Making My Own Snow Angel

Originally uploaded by Thomas Miguel

Once upon a time, I was going on the gondola first, and then, I come out when I go at the top. I made my snow angel and then I slide and then I was one day I was at the Grouse Mountain. I squished the snow down. The End. Once upon a time, then I did be going in the car and then I saw so many cars on the road and then I went home. The End.

(Click here for more pictures of Thomas and the snow on Grouse).

Thomas has taken a keen interest in telling his own stories on the blog and adding captions to his pictures. He is very particular about making sure that we write things exactly as dictated, and his reading skills keep us honest about this. We find it interesting to see his recollection of the day, what he finds important to record and how he combines reality, interpretation and imagination. His captions on the photos reflect how he interprets his own expressions, more so than recording the events themselves. Storytelling is an activity that he really enjoys, as well as making up new lyrics to songs. Thomas regularly changes songs to be about donuts, which is funny because he isn’t really interested in eating them - he is very conscious of his sugar intake. He has learned to read labels in the grocery store and will tell us if something has too much sugar in it.

(And, we have revamped the website in anticipation of a larger ‘rebranding’ when the new family member arrives. Note that recent comments have been added to the sidebar. And, we have added a link to Thomas’s recent Flickr pictures. It is partway down on the left side under ‘Blogroll’.)

I’m being so silly

Originally uploaded by Thomas Miguel

Once upon a time, I was going fishing with my stick in the water and then Thomas jumped over the creek and then we went to the park and then I went swimming. I kicked my feet and then Courtney went down the stairs first. Then everyone went in the swimming pool with me and then everyone was going to the swimming pool and there was Sarah and there was Brianna and then there was Thomas and Gui. And then, what happened we went to Straw-bucks and then I played with the toys for a little bit and then I went home. The End.

More pictures of today on flickr.

Mama: Thomas, here’s the plan for tonight. We are going to Ty’s house at 6 o’clock. When it is 7 o’clock we are coming home.
Mr. Sneaky*: We’re coming home at 7:30?
Mama: 7 o’clock.
Mr. Sneaky: 7:05?
Mama: Thomas, 6:55!
Mr. Sneaky: 7 o’clock.

*Thomas’ alter-ego.

(Note: This is one of the very first instances I can think of where Thomas intentionally tried to be funny. He’s said jokes before … but he’s never really showed an understanding of the nuances of humour. Here we go!)