A B Canada

Aunty Heather in Canada sent me lots of books. I am learning to read well now because I can recognise lots of letters. So an ABC book is perfect for me at the moment, especially if it is about Canada or Australia. Thank you to everyone who gave me such beautiful presents. I will send you more pictures soon.

Would you like to play with me?

It is Christmas this week. Mommy made me a book all about Christmas and about Jesus and about the wise kings and their presents. Mommy and Daddy gave me Duplo for Christmas. It's lots of fun, especially when Daddy plays with me, because he was a lego champion when he was a little boy.

Excursion

Yesterday we went on the bus for a trip. Do you think I look like a Canadian football player. Daddy says that my shoulders look really big and that I should try our for the team.



Hee, hee, this is fun.



Aren't I cute?



Here I am with Mommy and Daddy.

Christmas tree

Wow, a Christmas tree. It's so pretty! I had so much fun putting the pretty balls on the tree. The decorations I made from the egg cartons are on the tree too. Our place looks really nice now and I am getting excited about Christmas. It's called Christmas because that is when Jesus was born. I am learning about that too.

Christmas decorations

Christmas is coming soon. Mommy and I made some decorations to hang up around the room. Daddy is still going to buy a tree. He saw some the other day when we were on the way home. Here I am painting a picture of a little drummer boy.

Weddings are fun

Weddings are fun. On Sunday we had a wedding. I think the lady in the white dress was really pretty. Her name is Maria. I want to wear a dress like her, because she looks really pretty. My dress is pretty too, but not as pretty as hers.

Here I am practising walking down the aisle. I need lots of practise so I can get it just right. I think that if my aunty or uncle in Canada want, I could be all pretty and walk down the aisle if they have a wedding. My Daddy thinks I will be perfect for this role between the ages of 2-4. That would be lots of fun.

What's new?

Long time no see? Well I have now lived in Russia longer than I have lived in Australia or Canada, but not longer than I lived in Canalia. I think that is four countries I have lived in. Is that right Daddy? I have a new sled now. I reckon it's a blast. I grew out of my first snow suit already. So Mommy and Daddy thought instead of buying another one, they would ask friends if we could borrow one. So now Daddy has finally got to dress me in blue. Mommy is very humble about it all. Humble? What does that mean Daddy? Mommy and Daddy call me a marshmallow in my new suit. I don't know what a marshmallow is either. Gosh, I have so much to learn!

Anyong

This is Aunty Sarah.


Anyong. That's hello in Korean. That's what I said when Aunty Sara came to our place one day. Aunty Sara speaks Korean to me and I speak Korean back. So I am learning English, Russian, Korean, Tuvan and Spanish.
Aunty Sarah came and played with me this afternoon while Mommy and Daddy went and saw a movie. Aunty Sarah gave me some seaweed soup, it's yummmmmmmy! When she left I wouldn't stop eating it. Daddy says I am getting a good ejikashun.

My new hair do

Hello, I'd like to do a little modelling for you today. My hair is growing longer now. You could say that I should get it cut, but then I would be like everyone else and I am different. The Russian little girls get their hair cut really short like boys all the time, but Mommy and Daddy don't think that is very pretty. Mommy has found a smart way to keep my hair out of my eyes, she uses hair clips- in Canada they are called "barrets."
What do you think of the braid in my hair? My Daddy says I am really pretty with my hair like this and I think so too.
I love you.

Recipe

If you want to make a yummy cake then you have to put in:

1) My left over porridge that I did not finish for breakfast.

2) Eggs and milk.

3) Cocoa.

4) Flour.

5) And then it is my job to put in the vanilla. It's really important to not put the paper in too. Am I doing a good job? I can show you how some time if you like.

Playschool

On Wednesday an envelope arrived in the letter box. It had a video from my grandparents in Canada. I watched it straight away. They were picking apples. Grandma read me a book and then did some crafts for me to watch. It was a bit like the tv show "play school" in Australia. I like watching this "play school." I would also like to watch people singing songs and teaching me about Australia or Canada. I need to learn about these countries and my families there so that I will know what I am doing when I go there.
I would like to meet my uncles and aunties and cousins too and see what they are doing.
Daddy put the two videos on a DVD and also a slide show of my relatives. I can watch the slide show with the "Bananas in Pyjamas" song.
I love you and love watching your videos and photos. Thank you!

Caterpillar

My grandma sent me a video from Canada. She was making lots of crafts. Grandma cut up an egg carton and made a caterpillar out of it. She did this because she found a caterpillar in the apple tree when she was picking apples. So I thought it would be a good idea if I made a caterpillar too. It took a lot of concentration, so you will have to excuse me for not looking at the camera while I was making the caterpillar.

Baby Misha

Daddy is holding baby Misha. He is David and Anna's little brother. I thought he was cute, but actually kinda boring. Did you know David has lots of books?

Making Cookies

Hi. I've told you before about how much I like to cook. Here I am making butterfly cookies with Mommy. I did all the decorating, with raisins. I put lots of raisins on some and not as many on others.

I'm a happy little Vegemite

"We're happy little vegemites as bright as bright can be
We all enjoy our vegemite for breakfast lunch and tea
Our mummy says we're growing stronger every single week
Because we love our vegemite, we all enjoy our vegemite
It put's a rose in every cheek"

Daddy was eating Vegemite for breakfast this morning. I was eating porridge. I gave up the porridge and exchanged it for vegemite. I absolutely love vegemite, sometimes I even just lick it off the bread. When I eat it I get all excited and slap the table. When I saw Daddy eating it I got all excited and wanted some.

Daddy says I have to tell all the Canadians that I am not lying or telling this story under "duress" (I have no idea what duress means though). If you are Canadian and don't understand why I like it, then you will just have to believe it is in my blood! Anyway, you don't know what you are missing.

Mmmm. Love that vegemite. As there are two mouths to feed, any vegemite packages would be a real treat in the mail.

My cute face

I thought you might be missing my cute face. So here's an update. I love you. - Abigail. Did you know that my name in Russian is Avigeya?

Miss Dress-Up

Here's me playing dress up. I am wearing Mommy's T-shirt. I told her that I wanted to play dress up by dragging all of my clothes out of my room and into Mommy's room. Things like this are alot easier now that I can walk. I've also got the phone almost figured out so call me anytime!

Shiny and slippery

It snowed again on Sunday. I just had to go for a walk. I have only been walking by myself for two weeks now and already I am learning to walk on the ice. Mommy and Daddy say they will teach me to "skate" soon.

A Good Reason

Today I found a good reason for walking. We went and visited our friends Anna and David (and their parents Hector and Lena) and I decided that it was more fun to go walking around and playing with them than sit with Mom and Dad in the living room. Here you can see me holding David's hand for a bit. I hope Levi doesn't get too jealous. But its ok, they are all my friends.
P.S. Its cold outside but usually really hot inside, so sometimes I wear my shorts and T-shirt under my snowsuit.

I'm improving

I am getting better at walking all the time. In the last few days I have decided to walk with out any help more often. We went to a different museum and I practiced a lot there because they had nice long halls.
Then last night I was practicing a lot in the living room at home. Even when I stood on a toy I kept walking. Although I did fall over a couple times. I wanted to cry, but Daddy told me to just get up. He was a little but mean. But then he gave me a hug.

My language skills are improving too. When Mommy and Daddy speak to me they always talk one way. Some people speak like Mommy and Daddy and some people speak differently. Sometimes Mommy and Daddy speak differently with other people. But I want to talk most of all like Mommy and Daddy do because they are my favourite people.
Last night I handed a book to Daddy and said "read it to me." Daddy says my annunciation needs a little work still but he was still very excited to hear me speak a full sentence.

See the animals!

We went to a museum on Saturday. There were lots of dead animals. I was really scared. Buy Mommy and Daddy told me they were just like big toys, then I was happy.
See the little animals, aren't they cute? Aren't I cute in my winter clothes

Snow is falling

I'm all snug, in my back pack. I am wearing tights under my jeans and I have a nice thick coat on and a toque. I think I remember snow from when I lived in Canada. Today it was really wet and landed on my face. I found it quite intriguing.

Uncle Noah

This is Noah, he is the pastor at our church. I am showing him the calendar with pictures on every page. I think he likes me.

I'm a walking carnivore

Mommy and Daddy took me to a Birch forest today. The autumn leaves were really pretty. I walked for half an hour. I can walk by myself now, but I choose to hold on to Mommy's hand nearly all the time. I don't like being very far away from her at the moment. I have never walked for a long time by myself, but I do walk between the couches at home now. So I'm not quite running around yet. One day I'll probably let go of Mommy or Daddy's hand and just keep walking.

After my big exercise we found some lunch. We had Shashlik. I love it. I love it because it is meat. Meat is my favourite food. I like it more than anything. If you look inside my mouth you can see a piece of meat.

Book Worm

I love books. When I get up in the morning I want to read books. After breakfast I want to read books. When I am playing I want to read books. When Mommy is dressing me I want to read books.



Daddy says that Mommy is a book worm, and that she was always reading books when she was younger. I think I like books because I take after her.



Do I have to resort to reading the newspaper, or would you please send me some more books? :)

Daddy

This is me playing on the floor with Daddy.

Where's the ball?

Yesterday we visited Matt and Daniel. Daniel threw lots of balls in the air all at once and didn't drop any of them. It was really exciting. He told me it is called juggling. He could juggle five at the same time. When I am older I want to learn how to juggle.

Cooking

My Mommy learned to cook when she was a little girl like me. She was cooking for the family by the time she was 8. I am a good cook just like Mommy.

Who do I look like?

Who do you think I look like? My Daddy says that in this picture I look a little like my Grandma Whitbread. Who do I look like to you?