Wow, Christmas went so fast and the New Year is already well established. Paul, David & I had a quiet Christmas, just the three of us. We were all exhausted by the time we finished the working year, and while I managed to send a few Christmas cards, the Christmas pudding was only just made before Christmas arrived! I say "pudding" but I actually mean puddings - I got a little carried away with the fruit preparation and we ended up with four - a small one in a cloth for Christmas day and three in basins. We have now eaten two of them - we have two small basin puddings in reserve for later in the year.
We went to see the Sydney Haselhurst cousins at the traditional Haselhurst Christmas Eve get together - David had a wonderful time. Particularly getting in the cupboard under the stairs and getting bounced down the stairs with cousin Patrick!
On Christmas Day itself, we had the full deal this year - ham, turkey, cherries and pudding! Even Christmas Crackers. David of course wouldn't eat ham or turkey but loved the cherries, mangos, and all the other fruit. David had beans for Christmas lunch (calling out 'beans' when throwing the little piece of ham on the floor). We ate late, because opening presents and having breakfast shouldn't be rushed. David had so many presents that we staggered it a little - opening them in stages and keeping a few for the following days. Lots of books, a blue sit-on hippo, peekablocks and roll arounds, a wooden puzzle, animal jigsaws, a duplo zoo (which we gave him properly after he had been to the zoo - see below). He also received a soft foam fold out Spiderman sofa from Gran. Theoretically he also received his pine table and chairs for Christmas, but he has been enjoying them now for a few months - now stacked up with books. He and Katie also eat their morning tea at the table and chairs, when they are not squashing onto one chair together.
To be honest though, the favourite thing would have to be the computer mouse Paul gave David - he learnt to say 'mouse' really quickly (he calls out for it) and carries it around and pushes it on the carpet or floor like a car, or uses the wheel on it on the table or drapes it around his neck - you get the idea. It hasn't stopped him being obsessed with the computer and real mouse on the office desk though.
It was a cool, drizzly Christmas, with heavy rain the couple of days before. Unfortuately not enough to break the drought, but east of the Dividing Range actually got some good rain. Melbourne has had very hot weather off and on since Christmas and more and more bushfires. Everywhere is short (or desperately short) of water. You wouldn't know it here though - the rain and warm weather has made all the grass and weeds shoot up.
Paul and David had a quality Boxing Day together and I went into the sales in the City. I went early and by early afternoon, the City was practically heaving with people. I managed to get two pairs of trousers, after a lot of looking - so I did very well! In the intervening couple of weeks we have picked up a few things - and David has new clothes. He also has his first belt - just a simple webbing belt in blue. I may have already mentioned that he loves getting Paul's belt in the morning and carrying it around. He is quite excited about having his own!
I have made you wait for the most exciting news though - we all went to the Zoo on Friday 29 December. It was a coolish day again, with a lovely breeze off the harbour. We went in the morning for approximately four hours and it was wonderful. David saw all his favourites - the lions, tigers, giraffe, zebra, chimpanzees and the marvelous young elephants (eating and swimming in their pond). Because it was an overcast day, lots of animals were quite active - we saw five echidna walking around (more than I have ever seen before!) koalas awake, kangaroos hopping, tigers having a play around, lots of birds in the walk through aviaries and much much more. The intersting thing was how David recognised animals from the pictures in his books - he made "Raah!" noises at the lions and tigers (like every other child there) and squeeky monkey noises when he saw the chimps. He couldn't get over how big the animals were - he now has a sign (where he raises his arms as high as possible) for BIG which he uses for elephants and giraffes. I had forgotten just how big the lions and tigers actually are. Nothing seemed to scare him though. He was so tired that he fell asleep in the car before we had left the parking spot - and slept for four hours.
We didn't do anything for New Year's Eve as David didn't actually sleep that day - 15 minutes doesn't count. We finally got him to sleep at about 7.30pm and Paul and I were exhausted by that stage. Paul and I watched the partial fireworks from our balcony and had a toast to each other.
My mum Jan arrived for a visit on 3 January and David and I have been spending some time with Gran. David has been spending more time, because I went back to work on Monday 8 January. David, Erin and Jan have been to the Aquarium to see the fish. It sounds as though that was almost as good as the zoo - He touched a starfish and loved seeing all the sharks and turtles. Only one penguin though. David now says 'fish', "Turtle" and 'shark' really clearly - and 'star'for starfish. He has a photo of a shark in one of his books and he gets really excited when he looks for and finds the photo.
Despite the cool weather we have been swimming a couple of times and I am getting back into the swim of it for myself. David, Jan and I went to the pool so that she could see David in the water, and Jan also came along for David's swimming lesson last Saturday. The break seems to have done him good - his kicking is much improved. He seems to prefer the toddler/wading pool though, where he can stand as well as kick along. We spent extra time in the toddler pool after his lesson on Saturday because David wanted to, and perhaps he swallowed a bit of pool water, because he had a vomiting attack at tea time on Saturday night. He was miserable, and after the third or fourth vomit, got upset. He fell asleep exhausted eventually and was a lot better when he woke up an hour or so later. We got him to bed around 10.30pm. Lots of clothes, his and ours, to wash! David was lethargic on Sunday but just about back to normal on Monday. No other symptoms, so we are just taking it as an upset tummy.
Other new words are bucket, up, 'get down' (rather than just 'down'), buckle and he is saying 'Da' for David. He is also saying 'daddy' and mummy' rather than dada and mumma, so it is all changing all the time. That is probably enough for now. Photos another time!
