Sorry we've been so slow with the updates... but its been really hot and sitting at the computer's a bit unbearable. Instead we hide in the foyer which stays really cool, or hide out on the back porch sipping mojitos and frappacino's. That's the life!

The heat's a challenge for Kiki though... she's not used to it and she can get really grumpy. When it gets really bad, I bring her to the car and turn on the A/C. You should see her smile when the first blast of cool air hits her!

What's new with Kiera this week: she can now sit up on her own, without any help. She's starting to eat Cheerios! She seems to really like those. She definitely recognizes what food she's being fed, ie. she'll eat the avocado happily, and turn her nose up at chicken and rice. Pears, mango's and apples are big hits with her as well.

Ann told me that she'll wean Kiki off breast milk pretty soon... I don't know if I'm ready for that. She's growing up! So fast!

Here's a few more pix of Kiki with Kit... they're getting to be really good playmates. As I said before, he seems to know to be extra gentle and delicate around her, but we know enough to never leave them alone, even for a moment. Still, it seems to be more the dog who's in danger - I think he's lost another set of whiskers this week...

We always worried if Kit would play nice with Kiera, but we now know that its Kiera that we need to keep an eye on. With a single grab-and-tug, she has removed whiskers and more tail and ear hair than any dog should expect... yet he remains gentle and careful around her.

Ann only gets upset if he licks Kiki's face, but what's a little honest love from a dog? Lots of people in this world have a lot less than that.

Mom likes to call Kiera our little tomboy - I have no objection, tomboys are cool. Maybe she can play video games and geek out with her Dad when she's older! I'd get to try all the multiplayer games out there... after she finishes her homework, of course.

However, Ann stands in the way of that master plan.

"No geekiness for her!" she says sternly. "No Playstation, no XBox, no online gaming..."

Alas, she knows not the forces of destiny... mouahaha hahahaha! MOUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Well, another year, another birthday, and my sister still gets away with the baby-in-the-family act. How does that work?!

Anyways, here's our best birthday wishes to the best sister any brother could ever hope for. Wish you were closer... someday, maybe soon? :)

Lots of love from all of us here at home... XXX OOO

A rite of passage that I have been dreading all this time is....

THE SIPPY CUP.

Kids I know drop them, spill their contents, spray them by the litres and for some reason the liquid is always sticky or stinky ... and it always spills on something that's hard to clean!

Of course now that Kiki's old enough to start trying them, sippy cups are the most interesting thing I can think of. But I've laid down the law: until she masters her Sip Fu, no juices or sticky concoctions allowed! And keep those wetwipes handy!

I'm not sure when it really started happening, but Kiki's started grabbing at anything and everything she can lay her hands on. I think she had started a few weeks ago, but these days she's going for the stuff we don't want her to grab - TV remotes, DVDs, PS2 controller, Ann's hair, Kit's whiskers...

She's especially fascinated with her toes. Look back and you'll see that she's usually got one hand on them, sometimes even two.

"Why is she so interested in them?" Ann asked.

We got our answer when she was sitting in the high chair one day, when she managed to grab her foot ... and plopped it straightaway into her mouth!

That's my girl! :)

We had Dad and Mom over for dinner on Monday, and I grilled up a platter of rib-eye and prime rib steak. Dad must have put away a good two or three plates (and a mountain of mashed spuds) when he looked up and said, "You know... I don't really like beef!"

That's Dad for you!

Quirks and eccentricities (ahem) aside, he's an amazing influence and presence in our lives. He always seems to know what the right thing is to do, and he's not afraid to do it. I get so much satisfaction watching him dote on Kiki, its incredible to know that he doted on me the same way when I was a baby.

Thanks Dad, I love you too.

It seemed only fitting that we got a Jolly Jumper for Kiera. She's always bouncing up and down on our lap, and always kicking her feet when she's excited, so we thought it would be a natural fit. And we were right!

Now, no day is complete with a few minutes in ye olde Jolly Jumper.