Dead End

A few blogs or so ago, I said that I didn't care if I ever found the Vauxhall Children's Centre, but my strong words lost their position when Chaplin asked me to find real children to play with. The weather looked really nice from up on the 8th floor so I said yes, but let me have a look at my map first - no more walking in circles for this place!

We set out with the sun in our face that quickly turned to wind and rain in our face. The rain lasted about 30 seconds before it turned into big fat flakes of snow! I did have a fleeting thought of just turning around and heading home, but how could I do that I hadn't made one wrong turn yet. We only needed to find Blenheim Street... turn left here.

turn right on Titchfield Street, stop to play in the park first.

play lasted about 3 mintues... too snowy and wet.
over to Titchfield Street ... but it was a dead end.
I wished I could call up google map and ask them how to get through this dead end, they didn't seem to find it a problem on their route suggestion. I think I was going to cry when a man stopped and asked "you lost dear?" I snapped out of it, and said YES! He gave me clear directions and Chaplin and I said in unison "thank you kind man".

Can you read that sign? Well if not, you can guess what it says.
And notice the sun is back out?

We checked in and were shown to the mommy and child drop in room.
It was okay, but the children were too young for Chap to play with. Most kids his age are in pre-school, not at drop ins. We might go back again, I feel triumphant at finally finding the place.

I took this picture on our way home.
Row of small townhouses, I think the Vauxhall area is poor?
But I've been noticing outside Liverpool One area, there are lots of run down building, even ones that were bombed during the blitz that haven't been restored.

The burnt outer shell of St Luke's Church, located in the city centre, which was destroyed by an incendiary bomb on 5 May, 1941 during the blitz.
We saw this Church, and it is just a shell. It's one thing to see it on my blog, but to stand in the court yard in person is another. I believe Troy has been inside it, and can understand the feeling of sadness at seeing the truth. It's not often we see the truth, it's usually cleaned up.

You won't be disappointed

Today the sun finally came out and Chaplin and I decided that it would be a good day to take an adventure beyond the colourful gates and into China Town. We had visions of this adventure being busy, loud, with the opportunity to see sights unexpected. But honestly, the most exciting part of this adventure had already happened! Just finding this entrance (with Grandma Fran) was by accident on our way to the Everyman Theatre and that had brought about cheers from Chaplin. But today, no cheers... once we got past the entrance there were no authentic markets or colourful streamers, nothing but a few cheap restaurants. Perhaps because Adam and I have been to San Francisco's China Town, it was easy to be let down?

It took about 30 seconds to stroll out of China Town and into a small grassy park with a fenced in playground.This is the first playground we have come across so finally Chaplin did cheer, and the adventure was not a let down after all!

scooter... not really!

The sun had disappeared behind a blanket of gray clouds and small rain drops began to fall. We both decided it was time to head home.

A bit of lambanana from this week:

my new favorite: Caged Tiger lambanana.

pretty colours lambanana.

Sushi has moved to Sunday

I asked Adam what he wanted to do on his day off, he said go to the Yellow Submarine. So that is just what we did.

Boy oh Boy Chaplin was so excited to show his daddy all the fun things to do and insisted he join in. No backing out daddy!


Adults are allowed on this ride, and I will admit that both Adam and I took our turns on it and had smiles on our faces! Maybe because the dismount isn't onto a gravel pad, but a nice soft mat!


Making fish lips...

Still making fish lips.

How come Adam always finds a shark to stick Chaplin's head into?
Maui, France, here!

enjoying very very good coffee and a milkshake.


In Vancouver we had Sushi Friday as well as Chocolate Milk Friday.
But with Adam working Friday nights we haven't had the chance to eat dinner together. So on Sunday night Adam asked Chaplin "do you want sushi for dinner tonight?" Of course Chaplin would say yes, sushi happens to be his favorite meal. I think Sushi Sunday rolls of the tongue nicely. Our first new routine has been established.

Four Years Old

Chaplin turned 4 on January 15, 2010 - here's a slice of life over the past year.

Has vivid imagination:

Chaplin has an imaginary brother Mantone, and a sister Peachy.

Negotiates solutions to conflicts:

Chaplin will ask me to do something and end by saying : “Yes or no, and don’t say no”

Asks a lot of questions, including ones on birth:

Driving to the grocery store on a sunny afternoon;

Chaplin “Mommy where did I come from?”

Lori: “My belly”

there was a long pause as he looked out the car window

Chaplin: “maybe I got into your belly on a beam of sunshine.”

Correctly names colours: Chaplin took an art class at ArtsUmbrella

He discovered his favorite colour is dark blue, and that he doesn’t like his hands dirty.

Chaplin: "After we paint we need to add the details. What are details?"

We really like Chaplin’s drawings, he will tell you what he has drawn and point out the details! His teacher told me that his art is full of stories.

Has mastered some basic rules of grammar

Chaplin to Adam : “Can you and I play later, after you get home from work?”

Adam: “That was very good grammar Chaplin.”

Chaplin: “What do grammar mean?”

Adam cut up an apple for Chaplin and put lemon juice on it.

Chaplin: “how crazy, this apple tastes like levons. hmmm... strange, an apple-levon”

He calls them levons.

More motor control, physically active:

Chaplin started swim lessons at AquaVentures.

Chaplin “I like to sing in the pool. And I like my teacher who tells me to blow bubbles. Do you think that’s cute?”

He invited his swim teacher over for a sleep-over! He learned that he only has sleep-overs at family and Nordby’s house.

Enjoys new adventures:

We went to the South of France for a month this summer.

At the end of a day on the beach, I was packing up;

Chaplin “Where are we going”

Lori: “Home”

Chaplin:“Our French home or our Vancouver home?” i wish...

I'm sure that in the past four years he has been on more than 50 airplane rides.

I was putting Chaplin to bed and asking him to get a story book to read;

Chaplin “Nana can come read to me.”
Lori: “no honey, she’s too far away.”

Chaplin “that’s okay she can go to the airport and we’ll pick her up.”

Because we travel often, Chaplin has eaten in many restaurants.

Chaplin : "OH look mom this lunch comes with an egg."

This was a lunch I had made for him… not from a restaurant!

Understands, mostly, the difference between fantasy and reality.

Chaplin: "I know why Santa only comes at night when we are all asleep. He’s shy."

What does our four year old want to do for his Birthday?

Chaplin: "have a DINOSAUR DISCO DANCE PARTY! all my friends and neighbours can come"

Lucky for Chaplin his Grandma Fran came down for the weekend and we entertained Chaplin in style!

• Stuffed a Dalmatian at "build a bear" and dressed it in Liverpool Football Uniform.

• Watched his first live theatre "The Snow Queen"

• Rode the Liverpool One Wheel

• Went to the movies and sat through the whole show - almost!

• Decorated his own piece of birthday cake, and ate it.

thank you: Nana and Papa for the story, Walthams for the letter and sethoscope, Grandpa and Grandma Boyd for the shirt and video camera and thank you friends for all the birthday wishes, Chaplin really enjoyed me reading them to him.. over and over!

I asked him what his favorite part was and he said "having fun with you, daddy and grandma fran"

I miss Chaplin as a baby, but when I look at him now holding a pen and writing his own name I can't imagine him being anything but who he is at this very moment. Your big hugs and kisses, the way you ask me "Do you love me to the moon and back". You are gentle and kind and care about your friends feelings, the pure happiness you have when daddy walks in the door. We love you Chaplin Adam Boyd, thank you for coming into the world and making our lives so full of laughter and enjoyment.

In the land of submarines

I consulted a different web map today and plotted out our route to The Yellow Submarine, a play gym for kids. A challenging walk of about 35 mintues, half of which was on slush covered sidewalks and we arrived at our destination in the said time! Not one wrong turn! I think I was happier than Chaplin when we walked in the front doors.



With Chaplin in sight, I sat down at our table to eat lunch and check my phone. I had one message, I thought it was from Fran saying she was on the train to liverpool! She not's supposed to be here until tomorrow! what does this mean! I panic and stuff my lunch down my throat and tell Chaplin we need to get boots on and go home... of course this is shocking to him, he was in the middle of sliding down a 15 foot slide! We leave the building in record speed, and are making good time when someone stopped and asked me how to get to The Yellow Submarine. I answer without stopping, but a few minutes later I have to smile! Me...the visitor to this city just gave someone directions! We slow down again!
hey wait... what is this!

The decal on the side of this FORD car made me laugh!

We make it home in under 20 mintues! I am red in the face and out of breath! good I had a chocolate muffin for breakfast. In the quiet condo I check my message again, and SILLY ME, I didn't hear it right, Fran isn't on the train, but she will be tomorrow.

We spent the rest of the afternoon making decorations for Chaplin's Birthday party,
he wants to have a Dinosaur Disco Dance Party. no kidding.


Tonight I took a little video of him talking about his birthday. He has been counting down sleeps for about a week now, 6 more, 5 more, 4 more, 3 more, 2 more... AND FINALLY one more.
He says in the video "Katie will be 3 and I will be four. Will I be as big as Tavis?"
Pretty sweet.

Taxi Driver Trivia

We went out looking for Vauxhall Child Centre, which according to Google Maps was an easy 14 minute walk. The route took us through Liverpools commercial district. The buildings are distinctly old, and so detailed. I noticed a Bank even had a door name plate: "ballroom". Care for a dance after your deposit?

I couldn't help but stop to look at this building at the end of the street.

Look past the purple balloon! Yes end of the street... see it now?

We got up closer to the building and both Chaplin and I were checking it out when a man approached me. "Looking for a taxi are yous?"

"no I just want to know what this build is?" - Side note: Adam has told me that taxi drivers in Liverpool are very infomative about their city, and I was about to experience this in full effect.

"Town Hall, built in ... year and rebuilt in 1754..." but I didn't understand much of what he said in that thick scouse accent. My blank look didn't stop him, he kept talking as he hopped into his taxi and pulled away.

I guess if a Bank can have a Ballroom, than Liverpool Town Hall can have rooms titled : The Dinning Room. The Hall of Remembrance. I for one would like to take a meeting in the Hall of Remembrance.

A few wrong turns, no big deal; I resorted to the map purchased yesterday, and we were back on track but still looking for looking for Pall Mall street when we came across the SUPERLAMBANANA (super lamb banana)

As much as this sounds like a name Chap would have given the sculpture, it's not.

There are hundreds of smaller lamb bananas all over the city. But this is the big one, and we had gone looking for it last Sunday. The photo doesn't show it, but Chaplin was pretty pleased that he was the one to find it today. I am sure I will talk about Lamb Banana again, how could i not, it's so goofy. This city also has penguin sculptures everywhere... again goofy!

Okay google map was wrong! We have been out for over an hour walking around looking for the Vauxhall Child Centre. Resort to map again. Walk around in a circle - takes another half hour and Chaplin asks to go home because he's cold. It's colder than yesterday because it's very windy. I don't know how Chaplin didn't loose that balloon.

I gave up looking for the centre! and as of this moment I really don't care if I ever find it!

We went to the wonderful Walker Arts Gallary where they have an arts and activities room for children under 7. Chaplin LOVED it and thought this is where we were heading the whole time! He told me i just need to look at my map and not make wrong turns next time. Good advise.

Adventure Walk Monday!

I've had one of those days where what you want to do, what you set out to do - doesn't happen!

I really wanted Chaplin to have play-time with kids today.
1) I decided to take him to the mom and tot swim drop in at the Aqua centre, but we missed the drop in time.
2) So I decided to take him to the child care centre - but that was too far to walk without a proper map.
3) Next decision was to walk to the Yellow Submarine. It is about a 30 min. walk from our place. We headed out and before too long hit side-walks that were not passable due to the lingering ice and snow.

I asked Chaplin if we could go on a big 'adventure walk' instead. He said" that's an idea mommy. Now can we go to a restaurant please."

We left the streets of Liverpool One and headed out on our walk.

What a great idea, I thought some of the streets were just stunning really. We walked up Bond Street and poped into a three story book store - to eat at their cafe and buy a city map!

We left Bond Street and headed over to see if St. Georges Hall was open.
4) Unfortunately it wasn't, but just walking around it was incredibly rewarding. It's a giant masterpiece of an impressive size.

5) We tried to walk over to Walker Art Gallery, but it was too icy on too steep of an incline to push the stroller up.... So we were off to the World Museum. Was it open? YES! We missed the Planetarium shows, so we'll have to go back soon.

Here is my monkey showing the other monkeys how to "put feet up"

Walking like an Egyptian

Stand still

This is not your spot little boy!

However many failed attempts we had today, we had enough positive moments to make up for it.
Oh and did you know it was raining off and on all day? I bet it will being snowing again soon.

Daddy's Day Off

ALBERT DOCK
We had a quick look around this area, and took in a few free attractions.

The wind comes right in off the water and it got pretty cold pretty fast.

SO what do you do when you are cold?
We go to BUGS WORLD - of course!

We got to meet Toby, a Rain forest Stick Bug,

Trevor, the rather large, wolf Snail.
I did ask if they were edible? YES, but Trevor is not on the menu.

Chaplin the long winged butterfly.

I thought it was pretty silly giving the bugs such usual human names, and thought that the stick bug should have been called Mr. Legs, and the snail called Gastropod.
(butterfly boy can keep his name)

We had such a great day with Adam, we can't wait for next Sunday!

Vinyl Loop

Adam is not the only sound artist in the Boyd family!

INTRODUCING : MASTER CHAPLIN BOYD

mixing his first vinyl with Janek Schaefer.

VINYLHACKING:

Our new sound artist selected his record:

THE JOHNNY CASH SHOW

and looped the song : I'm Gonna Try To Be That Way.

Then Master Chaplin decorated and coloured a record sleeve for his new record...okay so maybe there is another graphic artist in the family too!

Before we left Chaplin went to thank Janek for teaching him to spin the record, he said "thank you that was really cool" and "I am going to show my daddy this CD when I get home."

This all happened in the BLUECOAT (art centre).

The building opened in 1700, and is Liverpool's oldest building in the downtown area, and the oldest art centre in the UK. It even has a secret garden off the back of it that I am sure would be splendid in the summer. We will be going back regularly to experience the Liverpool art scene.