We're Coming Home to Texas!!!

Happy Father's Day!!  It's not Father's Day here in Australia, it's sometime in October so I've been told.

Our family has been in Perth for 9 months now and we're headed back to Houston in a few days!!!  Not looking forward to the 30+ hour journey, 22 weeks pregnant and with a two year old, but very much looking forward to family, friends and yummy food.

Not much has happened in the last few weeks but Elliott was so healthy, happy and eating so well for the 3 or so weeks and so we knew it was a matter of time before he got sick.  Sure enough it's been a rough week with no nap at all this weekend.  Oddly enough, despite a few tantrums here are there, he was just as crazy as normal. 

What can I say?  He loves his Hot Wheels!  They each have a name and he knows exactly where they all are.  We may have to bring all of them to Texas with us for fear he starts to ask for the one we didn't bring.

Being goofy.

He loves to line up all his Hot Wheels in one place and then move them to another, back and forth.  Here he is placing them in the tv entertainment console.

And he takes them down.  Total concentration.

Hanging out with Daddy.

We went to Fremantle once again today to meet up with friends.  Since Elliott is the only one that naps once in the middle of the day, we can't ever stay for lunch with everyone. But all is well, Elliott was able to play in the park.  This blue spider tower structure at the park looks like sooooo much fun.  I would climb it, and once I tried to, but then Elliott immediately wanted to climb too.  He is entirely too small to climb it on his own but today, he was eyeing it so Matt helped him up.  I hope that by the time we leave Perth, he is able to climb up to the top on his own!

Elliott eyeing the tall structure.

He's so happy!

Holding on all by himself!!!

He's loving it!

Elliott went to town running around the park lawn chasing after the birds.  He actually did quite well!

Ferris wheel and Little Creatures Brewery in the background.

I'm coming to get you birdie!

So cute!!!!

Next installment will be of our Texas trip!  Can't wait to meet my new neice, celebrate Elliott's 2nd birthday with family and friends, formally welcome Lucy to our family at Kirk and Lucy's wedding reception and hang out in Galveston with the St. Thomas crew.  And of course, much much more, mostly including eating Tex Mex, Shipley's and sausage and biscuits (what a shame!  they don't have any of that here!!!!).

Perth Zoo

Fridays are trash days and Elliott knows this.  He says "Friday, garbage trucks coming."  Every Friday since we've been here, he is able to see them and gets all excited and every other Friday it is trash and recycle so two dump trucks pass through.  The way our house is configured on the block, the garbage trucks pass multiple times so it's really exciting for him. Plus the walls are paper thin so every larger vehicle that drives by, he exclaims "garbage truck!" 

This last Friday, Elliott lined up all his Hot Wheels to see the garbage truck drive by.  But poor thing, they didn't come around and we couldn't wait all day for it.  Thank goodness he was alright, I think I was more sad than he was.

Swim class was great this week and Elliott is doing better at "monkeying" along the wall.  Matt does not hold him at all and he uses his hands and feet to crawl the perimeter of the pool.

View of the swim class facility. 

Kicking and using the noodle.

Saying "hi" to Mom!

Elliott playing with his ramp.

Our family finally went to the Perth Zoo with our friends from Houston, Jen and Fairon.  We all had a great time, especially Elliott.

Pingu - French for penguin from a cartoon

 

Emu

Really steep elephant slide but Elliott was not scared.

Of course, kangaroos in the Australian Bushwalk section.

More 'roo shots.

Elliott discovered a rope that swings and had to be pried away. 

Cute photo of Dad and Elliott.

Someone spotted Mommy!

"HI!!!!"

Koala

Tiger

Too cute.

Orangutan

Check out their treehouse type apparatuses!  It certainly looks like the monkeys can jump out at any time and land on us.

We had a good weekend with our friends at the zoo, dinner afterwards and then they came over today to watch the Freemantle Dockers play (loose terribly) to the West Coast Eagles in the AFL footy match.  We are glad the whole family was not sick either.  Til next time....

Last Week with Grandpa Here

I'm very behind in my blog now but this post is from the last week Grandpa was here.  Believe it or not, this was pretty much all on the Easter Sunday, when we started out at Freo's awesome park.

The big ferris wheel between the park and Little Creatures Brewery.

Happy as can be!

3 Baldwin generations dressed in plaid.

Fun sand pit at Little Creatures Elliott played in while we could eat brunch.

Later that evening, we went to Floreat Beach for a snag on the grill (sausage/hot dog).  This was the first time in 6+ months that Elliott was genuiely excited about the sand and water at the beach.  It took nearly 3 months for him to be okay with sand and the last few weeks of swim class have helped too. 

Dad took Elliott down for one trip and as I went down to take pictures, they were on their way up.  Matt went to the grill and Elliott insisted on going back down to the water.  I just want to say that it is difficult to walk up and down hill on sand but the little guy made a total of 3 trips in just 2 hours.

Beautiful Floreat Beach behind Matt and Elliott.

"So excited that Mommy took me back to the water!"

On the last trip, we went to watch the sunset.

After each wave crashing, he would exclaim, "More water?!"

All smiles!

Wanting to go into the water.

On Monday after Easter, it was Matt's birthday and all of us were tired from 3 full days of activities so we took it easy and hung out at the house.  Grandpa showed Elliott how to "fix" the bikes by pumping air.  He liked to put it on his and our cheeks and pump.  It was so cute!  Couldn't get a great picture because of the angle, but you get the idea.

Elliott "fixing the bike."

We are teaching Elliott to put his Hot Wheels to sleep in the new case and he insisted on getting his pillow and blanket and sleeping too.

Cooking and sharing his tea.

Playing so much, you can see the sweat in his hair.

Peek-a-boo with the blanket!

Life of a 21.5 month old looking for cars and trucks outside the window.

After bath time is our family favorite and while Grandpa was here, Elliott was spoiled by having two people toss him around.