Possibly the least frequently updated blog in the history of blogging.

Arlo turns two in a couple of weeks.  He's such a child now, not a baby.  Of course, the walking was the first big transition, but his language is so amazing to us.  He recognises so many colours and shapes, he's always pointing out things of different colours (and he knows that in certain areas, we see yellow buses, but in others we see white buses, or blue buses).  He can follow multi-part instructions - i.e. go and pick up that bag, empty it and bring it to me.  He has become the proverbial little pitcher - we are starting to watch what we say, as he will hear a random comment not directed at him and bring it into a related conversation, several days later.

His favourite activity is still gardening, and that's how we will spend the afternoon, once he wakes.  He trundles around with his red wheelbarrow and his yellow shovel, or his blue rake, and he very precisely imitates everything we do.  So when I get around to chopping the firewood I'll be careful to be out of sight.

We went south to the snow last week.  Well, a town in the general vicinity of the Snowies, anyway - it took hours to get to the snow, and we could only spend a short time outside with him before his face turned purple from the cold, but it was worth it.  We had such a fantastic time, and Arlo made two new friends in Mark's colleagues Damn [sic] and Pete, whose departure after dinners never failed to bring on desperate sobbing of "Later! Later! Damn and Pete! Later!  Tomorrow!".  He's still talking about them now.