A Progress Report

We're leaving Ankara today (in about an hour ... so much left to do and here I am blogging???) for the Black Sea town of Rize.  Just for a couple of weeks to get our fill of the powerful elixir of Mother Nature's beauty.

So I thought I'd give you a progress report of our renovations to date.

This is how the area looked before everything...

Sunroom, Storage Shed, Extension of Balcony

Vege garden and log path

Still a lot to do, but we're getting there...

2 and 1/2

You're 2 and 1/2.  A big boy now!

You are

so clever
so able
so dextrous
so agile

so intelligent

so aware

so understanding

so inquisitive

so imaginative 

so gentle

so careful

so loveable

such a quick learner

such a great imitator

such a comedian

You can

Use a hammer, screwdriver, drill and knife properly and by yourself.

Pour drinks and carry full cups without spilling any.

Sing (my favourite is "How I Dinkle Dars")

Draw and paint (although you don't really like painting and prefer to draw on the walls or lounge chair than on paper.... But you always tell me when you do so and watch as I clean it up afterwards)

Count up to 5 things (in English and Turkish)

Put your shoes on by yourself.
Get your own way with merely a twinkle of your eye!

You love

Using tools - drilling holes, hammering nails into wood, screwing things back together.
Tractors!

Your Dede, and cry every morning when he leaves for work, then squeal and jump up and down in excitement when he comes home.

Your "mummy-mama"! (nursing)

To be read to.

Reading, especially toy catalogues.

Animals, and you are always so gentle with them.

To make up new words for songs (eg. "mashed banana" instead of "mashed potato") and to act out your new words (mashing the imaginary banana in your hands and wiping said banana on your pants.)
Helping to cook dinner, especially peeling and chopping.

Helping with the housework, especially when it involves water.

Washing windows (sometimes with a broom dipped in a mud puddle...)

Playing with water - in the shower, in the pool, at the beach, in puddles, falling from the sky.
Making mud pies, especially cherry flavoured.
Digging.

Going for walks around the neighbourhood.

Music.

Having friends over to play with, especially older boys.

Kisses, cuddles and snuggles, especially from mummy.

You don't like

To dance ... but love ordering mummy to dance around you.

Loud noises, like lawnmowers or jackhammers and need to be in mummy's arms when you hear them.

Going to bed at night.

The guy who sprays the weeds next door, and you cry with a fear I can feel radiate through your little body whenever you see him with the spray-pack on his back.

Touching worms.

Clowns.

You love to eat

Everything we offer but only a little bit at a time.

Sweets! Any kind of sweets!

Porridge.

Muhklama (a traditional Black Sea dish of melted aged cheese).
Plain homemade yoghurt
Fresh fruit straight from the tree.

Fresh veges straight from the garden.

Kefir.

Carob in the pod.

Natural licorice sticks (the actual herb).

Olives.
Pickles.

You don't like to eat

Egg yolk.

You

Invite anyone and everyone over to your house to play with your toys.

Love meeting new people and always remember their names.

Tell everyone your full name (first name, middle name, last name) when they ask.

Always take your time on the toilet and insist on mummy being with you the entire time while you chatter chatter chatter chatter without stop.

Sometimes get very angry and frustrated when an adult won't give you what you need or want or stops you from doing something you're doing, but you are very quickly and easily consoled with simply a cuddle and some words of explanation and understanding.

Kaya, we are absolutely, unquestionably, head-over-heels, punch-in-the-guts, ecstatically, painfully, breathlessly in love with you.