13 | 52

"A portrait of Atticus, once a week, every week, in 2013."

A slightly unconventional portrait this week, but Atticus' love of trains and his rail road track continues. Every morning, before even the sun has started to rise, he barely opens his eyes, clambers out of bed half asleep, runs to the baby gate leading down the stairs and starts demanding "downstairs, downstairs, play trains, play trains"

passport photo fail

We're trying to squeeze in an overseas holiday before Atticus turns two, which brings forth the need for a passport...and more importantly a passport photo! The requirement is for a photo of the child looking straight at the camera, shoulders square and no smiling!!! Easier said than done Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade! All of our photo sessions have so far resulted in crazy faces and hysterical laughter.

12 | 52

"A portrait of Atticus, once a week, every week, in 2013."

We have a game we play called "put your hands up!"

It started off with "if you're a monster, put your hands up!" Atti would quickly throw up his arms with the wildest grin on his face. It has then evolved into "if you're a cutie/monkey/insert anything else you like here....put your hands up!"

Lately, Atti has been instigating the game himself. When we're in a group, sitting around a dinner table, he looks over at everyone cheekily and then throws his hands up. We all have to follow suit. 

A day late this week, but as always joining in with Che and Fidel and the wonderful 52 community.

11 | 52

"A portrait of Atticus, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Sitting on the counter at Ted's Camera store while mama play around with some lenses, on the pen phone. Calling Alec. "Hello? Alec?" 

His little chubby hand on the cord kills me ... and those lips!

At the Aquarium

Last Tuesday was a day of firsts: first train ride and first trip to the Aquarium. He loved the train ride but not as I expected. Not with exhillirated excitement but more of a quiet curiosity.
He loved the Aquarium but not as I expected. He spent the whole morning running up and down the ramps, through the tunnels and around the displays. He would come up to the glass for a split second to actually look at a fish and off he went running again. Needless to say he concked out way before his naptime as soon as he was strapped back into the pram...just how mummy likes it:)

10 | 52

"A portrait of Atticus, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Over the last couple of months Atticus' obsession with trains (amongst all other vehicles) has been a constant. We always stop and watch a passing train, we point and yell "toot toot", waving goodbye as it leaves. I have been waiting for the right time to actually take him for his first train ride and last week, a special trip into the city to visit the Aquarium provided the perfect opportunity. I expected him to burst with excitement as we got on the train, but he calmly looked around as if this was nothing new, more interested in all the other people than the actual experience. 

Joining in with Jodi and the wonderful 52 community. My favourite portrait from last week was this moment perfectly captured.

City Snippets

A solo trip into the city last week, and a couple of snaps later...

9 | 52

"A portrait of Atticus, once a week, every week, in 2013."

As a friday afternoon treat this week, we headed down to the local ice cream shop. Atticus devoured "our" french vanilla bean cup and afterwards ran around on a sugar high, smearing the chalk all over on the menu board and marvelling at the residue left all over his clothes and hands. 

I've caught myself out complaining of how dirty he seems to be all the time lately. Always playing in the dirt, fingernails black, picking up lids and cigarette butts in the street, sticky with food...I don't know if it's a "toddler thing", or a "boy thing" or just simply an "Atticus thing" but I must admit I have been slipping with the whole cleanliness thing and just letting him run around as is. Getting dirty is part of the fun of being a kid. Right?