In any case, everything else has been going fine. Max wraps up his swim classes this weekend and then he gets right back in the pool for another session...except this time Leo will be along for the ride, attempting to parlay his newfound independence on the ice rink into a parentless swim class. If memory serves, Max didn't take to the idea of being in the pool without a parent until about week 4 so my expectations are low. The skating is coming along. Leo can move gingerquickly for short distances while Max has started to shuffle backwards. Occasionally Max can glide a bit - once he figures that skill out, he'll be sailing. Henry is starting to talk to us. He has a few words that we recognize: truck, yeah, dada, mama, Max, dance, thanks, boots, dog, duck, more. Dear Max, note how your first word, "NO", is absent from this list. He is also able to sign more, light, hat and food. One of my favourite new developments is his ability to nod. So cute!
Anyway, on to the title of this post. At the end of December, we all drove to Guelph to be at the boys' Auntie Krysta's wedding to Uncle Stephen. The road trips down and back went extremely well - lots of snoozing, reading, playing, fighting and watching Bubble Guppies on the iPad. One stop each way in Kingston for nibbles was all it took so we were pretty proud of the boys. At the hotel, we got to hang out with Nana, Aunties Karen, Jan and Laramie, Uncle James, West, and a bunch of awesome family friends we hadn't seen in a while. There was a great dinner at East Side Marios, some shopping at Chapters and H&M, a big play date at a Cosmic Adventures-type place and , of course, the wedding.
The big event got underway at a golf club at 7 p.m. on New Year's Eve and the kids were dressed to the nines. Initially, when we told Leo that he'd be dressing up, he said he wanted to go as Batman. So instead we had to spin their dressing up as going to the wedding as Bruce Wayne. The ceremony was brief and beautiful and the kids were really into it - especially Max. Both boys hit the punch hard at the reception and then had their first cocktails: one Shirley Temple apiece. Afterwards, the kids sat fairly patiently through the speeches and then got to bust a few moves with the family. Max's night was made when he got to lose control to a few of his favourite songs: "Gangnam Style", "Moves Like Jagger" and "Dynamite". Just before 11:00, Henry finally crashed so we stepped out to take the boys back to the hotel where Uncle James would keep an eye on them. Max was the last to check out at about 11:30 so he almost got to see his first New Year. Holly and I went back to ring in the New Year with balloons, party favours, paper lanterns (almost a forest fire) and more dancing until the wee hours. The morning after, we were treated to a sumptuous brunch at Krysta's Aunt Pat and Uncle Doug's place. A great way to end a fantastic weekend!
Here are some pictures from the night.
