Baby or Toddler...

Is Connor officially a toddler, now that he "toddles" or can I still get away with calling him my "baby"?

Well, he's still cuddly, still can be rocked to sleep, still babbles in nonsense syllables that we're only starting to comprehend, still wears diapers, still finds crawling a pretty quick way to get around, still puts everything in his mouth, and is only 13 months old (almost)?

On the other hand... he's walking, he can say a few words that actually make sense in context, feeds himself finger foods (can't stand that mushy crap) and has gone from two naps a day to one.

Baby - or Toddler? That, I guess is the question. Technically, he's my baby until May and then he'll be my middle child... but what's the magic age where he moves from one stage of life into the next? With Alex, it's easier... he's a preschooler, by virtue of being in preschool, I suppose. With Connor, I can't decide. I guess I'm just reluctant to start calling him a toddler, because babyhood is so fleeting... I want to savor every last second of it... but he's quickly turning in to one.

Here's our little "walker"... a wee bit tipsy, but totally sober, I assure you! ;)

Alex's world view...

I gave Alex a camera for Christmas, a $20 digital camera for kids. He's been fascinated with mine and I've let him use it several times with very careful instructions to wear it around his neck. So, rather than cringe every time he asks to take photos, I got him his own. I now understand why it only costs $20, but for that price you certainly can't beat the fun he has with it.

Here's how Alex sees his life, albeit a bit blurrier... (maybe I should have his eyes checked again) ;)

My Mama! Well, part of her... the part growing our new baby...

My Grandma

Our neighbours' house. I can see it from our front door. My friends Ella, Emily and Erin used to live there. We haven't met the neighbours that live there now, but I'd like too.

This is my baby brother... I think Grandma actually took this photo, it's kind of in focus!

Aah, but I definitely took this one of Uncle Eric!

This is the floor of my bedroom

This is my bedroom door... Connor doesn't quite share it with me yet, but he's going to soon so Mama and Daddy put his name on the door too.

My brother again... this one I did take!

This is my kitchen.

This is me looking into my camera as I take a photo!

Watch for my work on magazine stands... someday my keen eye for photography is going to make me famous! :)

My New Year's 1-year old!

Happy 2008, everyone! New Year's is bittersweet for us... it means that our little Connor is now 1 year old! He's still very much our baby, and yet now that he's walking a bit, eating almost everything that we do, and trying out his use of the English language we can almost - but not quite - classify him as a toddler.


Here his is opening his birthday present from Grandma and Grandpa M.
...and checking out his birthday present from his big brother, who was only too happy to help him open it!
Alright, now he has the hang of it!
Connor was kind of perplexed by the candle in the middle of the cake and didn't know what to do with it... ... but he totally has the hang of what to do with the cake! (Birthday cake, by the way, makes for an excellent New Year's Day dessert... I'm looking forward to this new tradition!)

Happy Birthday, Connor, we looking forward to sharing all of your new experiences in your second year of life!