Going home after school.

Poring over a Qixels pattern. Is that a light blue or a medium blue?

I put the camera on a tripod in the living room. I was sort of hoping for some group portraits, but the kids were not in the mood for anything like that.

Adrian has learned to read fluently. Today we went to the library to pick up some books. We have plenty of children’s books at home, but no “easy reading”.

Now he cannot put them down, and he’s already finished three of the five books. Which is why we don’t have such books at home: they’re good for one read, which takes about 15 minutes, and that’s it.

The best thing Adrian got for Christmas was a Skylanders game. For “second Christmas”, when we celebrate with the extended family, about two weeks after actual Christmas, he got a bunch of extra figures. The figures quickly became his favourite toy. Almost all other toys lie neglected and forgotten – including Legos.

Adrian and I wrapped Christmas gifts for his cousins. Mostly I wrapped, while he taped and wrote labels. “Look, I made a lowercase R!”

Adrian getting a haircut.

More skating.

Adrian got my brother (who’s here to celebrate New Year’s Eve with us) to join him in playing Skylanders. They haven’t found any common interests in the past, so I was pleased to see them having fun together.

The Skylanders shelf has moved from design stage to building stage. Eric did the sawing; Adrian is doing the assembly.