and just like that

six weeks goes by!  Wow.  

We've had a few things going on - some houseguests, an illness on my part, and a little family vacation/holiday to Broome.  

The following photos are just a little flavour of our lives of late.  

Given Augie's obsession with ducks (which, mind you, is waning) we decided taking him to the Claisebrook Carnivale and Duck Derby was a sure bet for some entertainment.  Billed as the 'biggest rubber duck race in town', the event is held as a fundraiser for Rotary International.  

Augie really liked the ponies (but we didn't go for a ride)

And wasn't as fond of the Rainbow Tractor Train (which we decided to ride)

he did, however, LOVE the balloons he got from the good folks over at the Rainbow Tractor Train

he also enjoyed bottle feeding a goat

but the thing he seemed to enjoy the second most (after the blue rubber duck he acquired) was the cuban band

Immediately after the Duck Derby, we dropped in to see Jasper, who had just gotten a very cool teepee.  So we helped him test drive it then stuck around for some chores, dinner and a bath.

Jess and Jasper

Augie just loves cuddling Jasper and here he's actually hugging Augie back - usually he's just trying to get away because Augie's love is a bit, well, full-on

laughs with Jess in the teepee

bit of a scuffle over who gets to play with Jasper's Ikea Toddle Truck

here he looks like such a little boy!  where has our baby gone???

Jasper playing peek-a-boo 

getting some chook feed

feeding the chooks (one of Augie's favorite things to do at Jasper's house)

backyard fun with Dad

dinner by Dads

bath by Dads

We've started going to the PCYC toddler gym a couple of mornings a week and Augie seems to really enjoy all the climbing around.  The trampoline he can take or leave depending on his mood, but the obstacle course mats always get a few good runs.

climbing!

a little love for Jasper while on the obstacle course

Some weekend mornings we just love getting out of the house for brekky.  We seem to run the same traps, though, so a while back we decided to go potluck and try a new place.  It was a raging success - they had a lovely back courtyard area where Augie could run wild while we actually enjoyed our breakfast.

Augie's first babycino - not a fan

a nice bench/ledge to skirt along - Augie is a fan

toast while skirting along the ledge - huge fan!

We went to the Bayswater River Festival.  The rain was coming in fits and starts so for a spell half the festival took refuge under this tent.  We thought Augie would be frightened of this big black swan but, as you can see, he didn't even bat an eyelid and wanted to play with the thing.

Augie does not play quietly.  Or slow down.  Ever.

Some cheekiness with spaghetti bolognese smeared all over our face

This photo was taken on a day when he had not one but two nasty falls at daycare.  His face obviously looks worse than it felt!

still loving the barf pan hat

Also loving mirrors.  Or, rather, sparring with that wild creature in the mirror.  I always laugh when he does it because he reminds me of a magpie fighting itself in a car mirror. 

a nice sunset caught while walking home from our nightly duck-feeding, playground adventure

Here's a bit of video from the playground session we had just before this delightful sunset.  In this video, Augie is just 16 months old but insists on giving the 'baby' slide a miss in favour of the curly slide and then, when persuaded by Dad, the other big slide.  

Bodhi maintaining a healthy level of stoicism despite the state of her life these days

Bodhi seconds before she was, yet again, 'moved along in a hurry'

Through Mick's work we have access to a free pass (4 adults) to the Perth Zoo.  Recently Jess and I decided to take Jasper and Augie since they're learning so many animal names and sounds.  Yeah, they were mildly entertained by elephants, giraffes and orang-utans but the biggest laughs came from finding every puddle they could and splashing away in it.