Counting fail

Locked in a battle of hide 'n seek with his mom, Emmett puts his own personal spin on 1, 2, skip-a-few, 99, 100.

Things that go bump in the night II

Emmett skims Biscuit Finds a Friend while demonstrating a key camping/emergency preparedness skill.  Technique is near-perfect, just need to work on the tension on the headlamp strap.

Things that go bump in the night

Early one Saturday morning Emmett's dad awakes and quickly discovers the origin of strange noises emanating from the kitchen.  He is subsequently forced to re-organize the fridge and move the beer to the back of the top shelf.

School photo success

After last year's epic failure, Emmett throws down a purchase-worthy portrait* on picture day.
 

Group shot?  Not so much.

 

* If anyone can share with Emmett's dad how to get his PC and iPhone to cooperate (and save you turning your head sideways), that'd be great.

Antibiotic resistant parrot

Thanks to a recent bacterial infection of the ear and eye, Emmett channels his inner pharmacist and (with a little help) utters his most impressive words yet.  Cool party trick, just in time for the holiday season.

Hallowe'en

Last year, Curious George and the man with the yellow hat ventured out on a warm October's night for a night of trick or treating. This year, a dragon and the Paper Bag Princess braved the cold, snowy conditions while the Cat in the Hat shelled out. Records were set...a grand total of 11 kids came to the door, smashing the record of six last year.

 

"A beautiful princess named Elizabeth was going to marry a handsome prince named Ronald. But a dragon came and burnt up her castle, burnt up her clothes and carried off Prince Ronald.

Elizabeth put on a paper bag that wasn't burnt and followed the dragon to his cave." (Robert Munsch)

The princess wore the paper bag to work, where she placed first in the office costume contest, and was awarded a $50.00 gift certificate. Not a bad Hallowe'en haul for a costume that she put together five minutes before work, and cost her 40 cents.

I'm watching you, Cat. Hands off.

 

Happy Hallowe'en!

 

Cranial trauma, our misunderstood friend

Not entirely wedded to existing Hallowe'en costume plans, Emmett's parents give serious thought to exploiting an unfortunate daycare mishap and creating the most realistic Frankenstein costume ever.  Maybe without the cyanoacrylate adhesive.  And the frozen cyanoconfectionary.

International fugitive manhunt II

Emmett proves that, with some careful coaching from his dad, it is possible for a three year-old to part with convention and not smile for the camera... in this case, for Passport Photo 2.0.

By contrast, the only adult intervention required for Emmett's passport photo 1.0 was a firm hand to assure the little gaffer didn't fall over.

The emergence of Mad Max

It used to be that he smiled pretty for the camera.  Now, in a classic case of zygomatical overexertion, when asked to say 'cheese' Smiley Emmett scrunches his face and becomes Mad Max.  Just in time for picture day at daycare.  Great.

 

Emmett at 36 months

Apple launches the bigger, lighter iPhone5. Gas prices spike across Canada. U.S. warships are dispatched to Libya after a deadly attack on the consulate. Hurricane Leslie cleanup kicks into high gear in Newfoundland. Bill Cosby shares his sweater love online. And Emmett turns three.

It was so much easier getting this shot when he was little...

  

...and so it is time to start measuring his height on the wall. 

 

 All 3' 3'' of him. (yes, he takes after his parents. NBA contract, here we come)

He marked his third birthday by spending the day with his Auntie Clare, first at the zoo, and then over to Rocky's Burger Bus for lunch. His favourite dinner (taco pie) and Lightning McQueen ice cream cake rounded out the day, followed by presents.

Happy 3rd Birthday little one.

 ("Mommy, I not little one! I a BIG boy!)

Birthday bowling

Take five kids under the age of five.
Throw them into bowling shoes.
Give them a bowling ball.
You've got Emmett's third birthday party. Also known as Chaos.

 The birthday boy (in his Batman costume, circa 1978) rolls the first ball

 Ramps and guardrails for the gutters ensure the little people hit at least one pin. 

 Shoes. As small as size 5.

But the highlight of the day was discovering Lightning McQueen on his DQ ice cream cake. He was so excited he couldn't blow out all his candles in one breath.

Shoe Shopping

Camping in K-country

Gluttons for punishment, Emmett's parents decide to pack up their two year old for two nights in the mountains in a tent. Memories of his first camping trip in Waterton still haunted them, but they were determined to expose Emmett to all that life in the wilderness has to offer - not showering for two days, hiking, peeing in an outhouse, sleeping on the ground, building a fire, throwing rocks in the lake, and more. It was a delightfully successful trip, and ever since, Emmett has been asking when StranMcCann will be camping again...

Getting ready for s'mores

 

Not a surprise - Emmett devoured his first s'more, and asked for more.

The little people keeping warm on a frosty August morning while waiting for pancakes

It took all of seven minutes...

...for Emmett to pass out on the way home.

Here's the scoop

Emmett's dad sources out a local 100 year-old convenience store complete with ice cream counter, and Emmett sources out his first-ever ice cream cone.  Much to his dad's dismay, apparently the days of the $1.00 kiddie cone are long gone.

 

Bronze is the new gold

As a tribute to Team Canada and its impressive heap of bronze medals at the London Olympics, Emmett competes in the Playground Triathlon (climbing-sliding-rockthrowing) and generates a bronze medal of his own...

Bunny!

Building on his prior experience of keeping the squirrel population in check, Emmettilius stranmccannii turns his predatory attention to Lepus townsendii.  When unable to make a kill, E. stranmccannii settles for hazing the living crap out of one particular specimen.

Way hey and away we go

Sprinkler-soaked drug deal in the backyard

Nothing helps celebrate Life Without Diapers like a generous hit of crack.

We gotta get outta this place

At the Stampede, 4 midway coupons gets you a ride on a helicopter.

For an extra 10 coupons, you can sit with your mom on the full-sized version.

Add 2 more coupons, and they let you point a 7mm GPMG at an unsuspecting tourist.