First school holidays

Well, where to start? David has finished his first term at school. We had our first three way conference with his teacher (they don't do reports any more, DAvid presents to me on how the term went, what went well and what needs some more practice - my translation). His teacher is lovely. Jen is there for four days and Rebecca is there on Friday - Job share and it seems to be working OK. I haven't really spoken to Rebecca yet. The advantage should be that there are two minds and ideas for the class.

David is reading, writing and learning french. He has settled in well to school and OOSH, and is making friends. He has been for playdates at Alejandro's house and Tom's house and Alejandro has had a play date at our house.
During this we have also been doing swimming lessons. David is still in frogs class, but he has grown a lot in confidence this term, and in my estimation he can now be classed as swimming. Not well, or with proper form, but he can swim! I am not sure how well he is going in class, and we are switching to a slightly later class on Saturday afternoon at 2.30pm not 2.00pm. so he will have a different teacher. We will see how he goes - otherwise I may consider changing swim school because he seems to do much better in playing around and practicing with me after class. He made wonderful progress last year with two different teachers, but hasn't seem to improve much this term.

We also did an introductory term of seven sessions of tennis. Good fun. I think that David liked it, but he didn't fall in love with it. Next term is soccer on a Sunday, and the following term is basketball. The current intention is to do them, as they are short terms and a good "taste" of the new sport. I think David may enjoy basketball.
OOSH is also doing soccer next term on Tuesday or Wednesday, so hopefully David will also try it there.

For the first school holidays we are doing a mixture of Vacation care (3 days) annual leave for me (3 days) and Paul will also take care of David for 3 days. Together with the public holidays for Easter and ANZAC Day, and my ordinary non-working days, that should take care of it all. We have been doing a lot, even with Paul away for work. We have been to the Australian Museum, visited the cousins, had a playdate with Tom, had Katie here for a playdate, been to Wild Wheels day at OOSH, and tomorrow is Disco Day at OOSH. We were going to the Observatory today with Alejandro for a lego/Astronaut day, but David has been sick. We stayed at home (with a quick dash out this afternoon to get batteries for an Omnitrix). He is a lot better tonight so I think Disco Day is still on.

The plan is to get to the Zoo again this month (before the Zoo tickets expire) perhaps go to another museum (Powerhouse?) and maybe the Family Show at Fox Studios or the Hoopla festival at Darling Harbour. Lots to do.

The current hot toys are beyblades, all kinds of Lego (including Bionicles, Hero Factory, Agents, Takehashi/Exoforce and others he likes or wants such as Ninjago, Atlantis or Star Wars). Ben 10 is still very very hot, including wanting another Omnitrix - to add to the (now) 3 different ones that he has. Figures are still pretty interesting, with Harry Potter and Ben 10 the favourites. Buzz Lightyear and Toy Story are still great or awesome, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are also very cool.

We went to a fete at one of the local schools and went early so we got lots of cool stuff at the toy stall. David took all the money from his moneybox and got some Lego, two beyblades, some assorted Ninja Turtle and Daredevil stuff. All with $14! As we left he also saw some Ben 10 bags, and because he didn't have any money left, Paul bought one of the bags - David finally got it today - Paul said OK over the Skype. It had another Omnitrix in it, and it seems to work pretty well with new batteries in it. It makes fantastic sounds, including the powering down sound from the first series of Ben 10. I am getting pretty good at fixing stuff, gluing or popping things back together, and changing batteries. Also good at working out Lego. I have just ordered some missing parts from overseas on Bricklink, so hopefully that will complete some of the second hand Lego Bionicle sets that we have. I get really excited by some of the bigger secondhand sets on the internet, but I am not sure whether David is as excited as me. It is hard when it is just a photo, and you have to organise purchase and postage, and wait. It is not like just buying it in a shop and getting home and building it!

We have moved on with the books though. He wants the more grown up stuff read to him, like Zac Powers and Harry Potter. He wants new stuff and is getting too old for all the picture books that I have accumulated. My idea was that he would be able to learn to read them himself, but I am not sure how well that will work. He doesn't want to give them away though. I have been trying to read him The Muddle-headed Wombat, but he says he doesn't like it. He does seem interested when I read it, but it is a struggle, probably because there is not enough magic, spying or aliens etc in it. He still loves the Spiderman comics though - two years and counting. I wanted to go through our existing books to add to the Premier's Reading Challenge, but he really doesn't want me to read any of the books on the K-2 list that are in our bookshelf or on the list!
Photos to come later - I have taken lots, but I don't get onto the computer much. By the time David gets to sleep after approx 30 or 40 minutes being read to, I am too tired to sign on.
Well, Paul will be back soon. David & I miss him - David especially when he was sick today. Paul has told David that he has bought some Lego in New York, and David really really really wants Daddy to get home now!
We have been talking on the Skype (or the ooh ooh ah ah as we like to call it, because the first time we set it up and trialled in inside the house, there was lots of interference from both devices being too close). David loves seeing himself on the video call - he waves and watches himself rather than Paul.
That's all for now.

End of an era

Well David has his last week at Daycare next week, before he starts school. He finishes on Tuesday 25th January, before Australia Day. I will have a few days holiday with him before he starts, and we can do some fun things together. After nearly three years at Greenwood, he is graduating. He is ready for school and I think he is looking forward to it. We will walk to school in the mornings, or perhaps use the scooter. I will be working, so we have organised Out of School Hours (OOSH) for four afternoons a week. It looks great, with lots of activities and really well organised. Hopefully it is all good!

We have the school uniform organised (although I think I will buy some more shirts to make it easier to get through the week - they are pale blue, so I think that they will need washing after each day). We have organised good lunch boxes and containers (a great bottle and some containers from Auntie Gaye & Uncle David at Christmas too). David has been thinking about healthy lunch options at Daycare - we just hope that he eats them.

It has not been a good summer, with lots of rainy days, but compared with everywhere else we are really fortunate - no floods, no fires (yet) and no locusts or dengue/Ross River fever.

This is a picture of David wearing his uniform to daycare in Transition Week. Pictures of David in School Uniform at school to follow!

Hello again.

After a looooong hiatus, here we are again. A new year.
Quick recap on 2010 - We sold and sorted out mum's house. Then we got the building work on the strata body organised - the builders started on 15 May and finished on 15 November 2010. It was supposed to take 6-8 weeks and it took six months. Because of the very strong La Nina effect it was an amazingly wet winter - even when it wasn't heavy rain, it just rained on an awful lot of days. Because of the outside work, there were weeks when nothing happened. We were out of our bedroom and in the office for about 5 months- thank goodness. We would have probably expired in our bedroom, as the glass windows and doors were moved in (with the top open to the elements) for more than 6 weeks. This was to allow for the work on the balcony, and the new hob. The new windows were supposed to take two weeks, but in building, nothing ever seems to go to plan. However, it is finally finished, and we are so happy with the job - particularly as it doesn't leak anymore. Our neighbours finally got their place on the market straight after the work finished and sold in the first week. They settled before Christmas and are now on a fantastic caravan odyssey around Australia.
We (I) decided that we couldn't organise a sale and relocation as well as the building work before school started in February, so we are here for a couple more years. However, that is going to be fun now, and we are getting some other things sorted out. So, as well as the new bathroom, we have new kitchen floor, the window tinting guy is finally coming next week, and then we re-organise the office, and new carpet, and then we will be done and able to enjoy it all.
David goes to school in February - won't that be fun? We have got his uniform and we just have to get his new school bag, and some labels for all his stuff.
A tough year - Paul and I have both been working hard. Hopefully it will start to pay dividends in 2011. I am back to four days a week - but we will reassess in 2011 and see how things are progressing.
My brother came over for a visit before Christmas, just before my birthday - good to see him. Of course it was wet - but not too wet while he was here - he whispered the rain, and sent it away for a few days. They need him in Queensland at the moment, to stop the rain and the floods.
We had Christmas in Melbourne with Paul's family, and Paul's mum was in good health and good spirits - we had a lovely Christmas. The weather was really cold and windy, 18C before Christmas and the same on Boxing Day. But we got out and about - we went to see the newly restored Polly Woodside and Nanna came too, with jumpers and scarfs. Lots of fun for David and his cousins.
Anyway, that is enough for now - perhaps some photos soon.

Couple more photos

The Ben 10 Dress up and Omnitrix that David got for his birthday - taken on his birthday complete with 4 Badge off the Spider-man birthday card that Nanna sent to him.

It was a super hero birthday - he also got a fabulous Iron Man toy from Uncle Steve.

Anthony gave David a Darth Vader dress-up for a birthday present - see photo! It has a sword, rather than a light saber.

We also like Pirates - we have been getting books about Pirates from the library. This dress up combines the Spider-man and Pirates theme, with telescope and old fashioned pistol.

David & Dad

A couple more photos, taken on the day of David's birthday party. Maybe he isn't as big as we think he is! The Ben 10 Dress up that he wore.

Spiderman dress up

This is a quick catch up. These are some photos taken in August & early September, before his birthday. They are in the Black Spiderman dressup that we gave David before his birthday. Dad gave it to him, to make up for being away for a whole week.

We do like Black Spider-man. When we had dress up day at Daycare in October (I think) that is what he wore - it was for Lumia's birthday - and Wonderwoman came along. David and Jesse were both Black Spider-man. I don't think that red and blue Spider-man rated a mention.

Also, David with his face painted from a fun day at the Supa Centre - again, Spider-man triumphs.

Christmas - Eventually I will put some photos up

Hello all. Well, Christmas is approaching like a freight-train laden with iron ore. (Pretty good metaphor, huh?)

We have just got back from a quick trip to Melbourne and my office Christmas party. David had a fun filled time at Nanna's house. We are getting into a routine with the Melbourne trips. David said that he likes his bed and his room at Nanna's house. He also likes his bed at our house.

Last night we wrote the letter to Father Christmas. We need to post it soon. At one of the shopping centres, they promise that if you post the letter to Santa/Father Christmas by 16 December, you will get a response. It must be from a letter writing elf - I told David that Santa wouldn't get time to write back to everyone.

David spoke to the Shopping Centre Father Christmas, and shook his hand. He didn't want to sit on his knee - which is fine by me.

The letter was delayed as David kept changing his mind on what to ask Santa to bring him for Christmas. We have now settled on one thing, but I convinced David to include a few more things that he likes in the letter, to give Santa a few ideas. The main choice was a Spider-man web shooter (a common favourite throughout the year) but with dress-ups and Transformers as other choices. Because the web shooter is not available in stores (it is an old toy) he is hoping that one of the elves can make it specially for him.

David wants to leave something out for Father Christmas as a present - his idea, after we read some books. He thinks that a first-aid kit would be a really good idea, with band aids and bandages. This would be good if he hurts himself. We will have to work on that.

We put the Christmas tree and decorations up early, because of the trip away. David helped lots. As in previous years, we have the decorations on the stairs as well as the tree. This year I put up low voltage lights on the tree. They aren't as bright as regular lights, but they do glow and they are safer.

The tree has a white theme this year. David put on some little crocheted animals (I bought them years ago in Singapore, at the zoo I think) so we have a menagerie in the tree.

What's new?

Well, David & I are back from a quick trip to Melbourne, staying with Nanna. We flew down, mainly to see Paul, who was away on an extended business trip, which followed into his golf trip. We flew down on Wednesday night, I worked Thursday in the Melbourne office, we spent Friday with Paul and the family and we flew home on Saturday afternoon. Paul went to see the Australian Masters on Saturday (including Tiger Woods and Geoff Ogilvie) as motivation for the golf trip. He drove back to Sydney, getting home late on Thursday night.

Since then Cousin Lizzie has had her baby, so there are now four boy cousins (including David). Cousin Jennifer is expecting another baby boy next March, so Nanna is proudly telling everyone that there will be five boys under five years of age.

Nanna is having a few problems with her leg, but hanging in there! David enjoyed his day with Nanna and Auntie Gaye, while I was at work, and catching up with the family. David squashed and cut his finger in one of the sliding wardrobe doors - lots of blood and crying. It was fairly traumatic for mum & Dad, but David was much better after a night's sleep. We bandaged it (better than a bandaid, it protected it from bumps and sand and stayed on) for five days, and then he wanted it off. After a day at the pool on Saturday, it has been remarkably better, and hardly worht talking about now. He did enjoy showing people the bandage.

We will be down in Melbourne again for Christmas, so we are planning to write to Father Christmas. It is important that he knows where to leave David's presents.



After Melbourne and South Australia's heatwave, it has been Sydney's turn. Friday was very hot - over 40C before a thunderstorm. We went out to a playground (of course) and survived. We didn't get to the pool as planned, because of the lightning. Saturday was cooler. We all went to the doctor for injections - David had his four year old shots and we had swine fly shots. We did go to the pool in the afternoon, because I had promised. David loved swimming with his noodle - he seems to be immediately more independent. I hope that I can get him in for swimming lessons early next year, because he suddenly looks really ready for real swimming.



Sunday was dreadfully hot - 42C and still 35C in David's room at 10.00pm before the southerly bluster blew through after midnight.



Despite the heat, and because it wasn't too bad in the morning, we went in to the Museum in the city. There is a special Eygpt exhibition on, complete with mummies and coffins and sarcophagi - Really exciting and greatly enjoyed. This builds on the mummy book that we have, the King Tut documentary that we saw on TV, the DVD from the library on Ancient Egypt and of course mummies in Caspar's Scare School, Night at the Museum and The Mummy.



We also went to the newish Dinosaur exhibition - really good - and the old favourite from last visit, the skeleton room. It was lovely and cool in the Museum and lots of exhibitions that kids can touch. David got a special treat - mummy gloves. Black gloves to fit an adult, which look like they have bones and bandages on them. He loves them.



At daycare they are all getting ready for the end of the year. Lots of pre-schoolers are off to primary school next year. David thinks that he should be going to - he wants to go to the same school as Jesse. I am not sure if he believes me that he will be at pre-school again next year, but I am trying to impress on him that he will be one of the big boys next year. It also means that he will have to be grown up and gentle with the other kids, especially the babies in the nursery. We have been having issues for the second half of the year with the boys in pre-school learing how to play together, but not too roughly. It can all change from happiness and light to crying in the blink of an eye, especially when they are tired, late in the day. David gives a good as he gets - some days he comes home with scratches and bruises, other days he has hitor pushed someone else. In particular he has a love/hate relationship with Jesse. One day he loves Jesse and he is his best friend. Then there may be a week where he hates Jesse. A real roller coaster.

There is also a bit of politics/relationships creeping in - one day they are best friends, the next day (or only an hour later) they are not friends ("Jesse says he is not going to be my friend today". "I told Isabelle that she wasn't my friend, because Rafaela is my friend today."). It can change back again after what seems to me as an adult as a completely arbitrary wait.

This week, after daycare, I was told that "You don't know anything!" I was completely mystified, but not particularly bothered. By the time we went to bed David did admit that I knew something about a few things (including cut fingers). I found out that Marcus had been saying that today - so he was trying it out at home. I suspect that he was trying it out because marcus had got a big reaction from someone (David or others) at Daycare. Last night David announced that he wasn't doing kisses anymore, that he hated kisses. He still wanted a kiss goodnight, though. A couple of months ago it was "You're not my mother anymore!" "You're sacked!" Sometimes it took as long as 15 minutes to be reinstated - "You can be my mother again!" Well, my view is that if we work on it now, hopefully there are techniques that work even at primary and secondary school.

The Daycare concert will be on Friday 19 December this year, and we should actually make it along. I understand that there has been a lot of practising of songs (like "We wish you a merry Christmas). Hopefully it will go well, and we get some good snaps.

Birthday party

We held David's fourth birthday at the Lilyfield Community Centre, near the house. It was on Sunday 11 October 2009, after his birthday and the long weekend. The Centre has a large hall with plished boards, and outside play areas. There is a grassed area under a big gum tree, a small playground with slide & climbing castle and other climbing area (with artificial grass underfoot) and a sand pit (see photo of the popular sandpit). It also has a kitchen, slightly raised stage area and toilets. Included were trestle tables, padded mats and use of the facilities. Tt is fully fenced. We knew it well from Playgroup and using the playground on weekends.

It is much larger than our house and back yard, and the kids were able to run and run and run and run. There was so much noise that no-one really heard any of the music I spent hours assembling. However we have been listening to it in the car, so David is still enjoying it.

It was a Spiderman birthday party. I managed to find Spiderman banners and tableclothes and other paraphenalia, including party bags, rings and hats. We asked the kids to dress up, and most did. David was going to go as Black Spiderman, but on the morning of the party, at the last minute he changed his mind and went as Ben 10.

We invited lots of kids and just about all of them came! I thought that we would have more drop out. I included siblings, and so we had a variety of ages from babies, to crawlers to toddlers and even one older sister (Vienna).

I kept David involved and he was very excited about it all. He told me who to invite, and mostly didn't change his mind. A few days before the party he said that he didn't want any girls at the party. We were in the car coming home from Daycare. I asked him "What about Katie and Rafaela? " He said "Oh, except for Katie and Rafaela." I asked "what about Isabelle? Sara? Celestine (etc....) The result was that except for the twelve girls we invited, there were to be no girls. He actually invited more girls than boys.

We had on the menu: potato chips (plain salted), popcorn, fruit (watermelon and black and white grapes, with bananas on the side), chocolate cupcakes, orange cupcakes, juice packs, soft drink. Hot food for mostly the adults was party pies, sausage rolls, spinach & chees filo triangles, mini quiches.

The birthday cake was a carrot cake, with a superhero decal on the top - I had to search all over to get it but finally got it at Woolies in the city. David and the kids all ate the cake.

Lots of kids, lots of fun. No tantrums. We had egg and spoon races with kinder surprises, so all the kids got a prize. Lots of fun, but no-one did it properly. Gordon won the first race, and held his egg on the spoon. Finn won the second race, and he had the spoon in one hand and the egg in the other. We had a mini parade with all the dressup costumes, which was fun. I never got the time to bring out all the bubble mix and wands, but no-one missed it. It started on time (with one guest early) and pretty much ended on time. We were all packed up, cleaned up and exited the hall by 4.45pm. We then went home and David opened all the presents!!!

Birthday party

Well, we survived the 4th Birthday Party, in fact it went very well. There must have been over 20 children there, and no meltdowns!

This is David with his birthday cake, and Anthony's fire hose. He is putting out the candles. Anthony loves being a fireman - he kept coming up to David (and others) and saying "You're on fire! I have to put the fire out!" (with his hose).

David was very excited, and we agreed to open the presents at home after the party. David tried to negotiate a different result, but we held firm. Everyone was met at the gate, and asked about the present (he generally asked what it was) then he explained that "Mummy said" he had to wait until afterwards and open them at home.

Later, when Paul loaded all the presents into the car, David jumped right into his car seat to go with them. As Paul had to come back for a second load (including me), he then had to negotiate with David, who wanted to go into the house and open "all the presents" and then "just one, really quickly". David is a good negotiator - He suggests something , "How's that for an idea? It's a good idea!" (I think that he has probably got it from me.)

When the presents were opened, somehow all the cards got detatched from the respective present. I only know where a couple came from..... Boy, did he get some good stuff! Completely overwhelming in numbers and scope. Thank goodness we separated the party and presents from the actual birthday. It meant that he got a chance to appreciate his actual birthday and presents from family before the new wave.

We held the party at the local Community Centre hall. The hall has lovely polished boards, toilets, kitchen, quiet room, trestle tables, padded mats, sandpit, tiled & grassed outdoor area with climbing castle and slide and shady tree. And very importantly, LOTS of room to run.

Boy. oh boy, did they run! I put up three Spiderman banners and some streamers. We took a big bag of David's toys for the kids to play with, and some toys for the sand pit. Anthony's dad blew up balloons, but for some reason they were popping on the floor - bio-degradable, and not strong I suspect.

The party was in the afternoon from 2.00 to 4.00pm, and I got access to the hall at 1.30pm.

David's music list

I added this photo because I like it, and because he won't be able to fit in the suitcase in a few months - he is getting bigger and taller all the time. The suitcase has been a cool thing to play in for a while. It can be a space ship, or a bed or a car, or anthing exciting really.

Well, we are having a fourth birthday party for David on 11 October. I have hired a hall with playground, as we don't have what you would call a backyard. Now I don't have to worry about the weather, space, or keeping the house clean (before or after). Hurray!!!

As a result, I have invited everyone David wanted to invite, and a few more. I think that we will have between 18-20 kids and associated baby siblings and parents etc. Hopefully a great idea but I will let everyone know after the event.

I have selected a playlist of music for David's party, and I thought that it might be interesting to record it for posterity. Here is the list:

Batman Theme (from the '60s TV series - with scary laughing in it that David loves)

Song 2 by Blur

All Star by Smash Mouth (from Shrek)

Mamma Mia by Abba (because they sing it at daycare)

Don't Call me Baby by Madison Avenue (because he likes it in the car)

Stayin' Alive remix by N'Trance (from Madagascar)

You got a friend in me the Robert Goulet / Wheezy version from Toy Story 2

Real Gone by Sheryl Crow (from Cars)

Spiderman Theme from 60s TV cartoon series

Wannabe by Spice Girls (from Small Soldiers)

Barbie Girl by Aqua (because he likes it in the car)

In the Flesh by Blondie (because I used to sing it to him when he was little - he calls it the Darlin' song)

Dr Who Theme from the TV series, because he likes Dr Who

Beyond the Sea by Robbie Williams from Finding Nemo

Le Festine by Camile from Ratatoille

Sh-Boom by the Chords (from Cars)

Route 66 by John Mayer (from Cars)

Batonga and Malaika by Angelelique Kidjo (from playing it in the car)

If I didn't have you (from Monsters Inc)

Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts (from Cars)

Take 5 by Dave Brubeck (because it is good)

22 Songs, 1.2 hours.

We should get through the playlist a couple of times.

This is a photo taken of us (including George) by David, when we were on holiday in Port Macquarie. Good, Huh? Now that he is getting to be a photographer, we may get some photos of Paul & I together occasionally.

Holiday snaps

Holiday snaps from Port Macquarie, early in August. David in a Maccas playground. They are wonderful when you are on the road. Generally, filthy, hot or cold, with bad visibility, but little opportunity to hurt themselves, and all different. The coffee is getting better at the McCafe, so we like the leg stretch and exercise. I am fond of saying that it is just as well that I am not too big. I generally have to climb into them. Either because David needs some encouragement to go down a curly tube slide or because I have to see something, or because he won't get out.

All of those things are getting better though, compared with 12 months ago. Soon he won't want tme to play with him, so I will enjoy it while I can.

This is Action David, on the balcony/outdoor porch of the cabin we got at Port Macquaire. Just near the breakwater, and Town Beach. Lovely view. Not quite camping, as we ended up thinking it was still a bit cold for canvas. The days were lovely, but the nights cold. We had lots of climbing and action stuff. David has obviously seen someone rock clilmbing, becaus he has ben wanting to imitate it for a while. He wants sticky boots. He wants climbing rope and grappling hooks. He wants to be safe when he climbs, so he uses his safety harness. Given that David can't yet tie a knot, I am not confident that the rope and harness are in fact safe. This holiday the occy strap was a key ingredient, and the climbing rope that I bought him. He spent a lot of time climbing up onto the decking, from the garden, over the railing you can see in the background.

David slept in his new Spiderman sleeping bag, on the top bunk. He loved it! He was great with the ladder. I was happy that with the railing, he couldn't fall out. There was also a window up top, and separate lights so he had light and air. Perfect!

This is a photo of Sara, the little tabby cat with no tail who absolutely made the holiday. She was a real pet, so not a stray. Sara was the name David gave her. She tried to give a good impression of being homeless and hungry, but was so tame that she must have a home. She just loved David and loved to mooch. David is wearing his favourite alien flannelette pyjamas.

Lots more about the holiday. We saw a lighthouse, flew a kite, ran lots and lots on the beach. We visited the Koala hospital and saw koalas. We also went fishing. David has his own blue fishing rod. Dad caught a couple of small fish, which had to go back in, but we did catch fish! David didn't stay still long enought to really get into the fishing experience though....

an idea for a monster ....

Well, on Friday, David and I had to hide, because there was a monster coming.

It was green, and had a hard body, like a toaster. It was really tall. It had buttons for teeth. It shot laser lights out of its eyes. It couldn't talk, but it could hear. It was going to rip our skin off.

First we hid under the umbrella, on the chair. From the top, the umbrella would look like a mushroom, and the monster wouldn't see us. Then we had to run across the house and hide in the downstairs toilet, with the door locked and his little chair against the door. This was to stop the monster.

We came out when I worked out that Daddy was going to be the monster when he came home, and I told David that it was another hour before Daddy was due home. David was disappointed.

Lots of imagination! I ought to point out that this was a scary (not funny) monster, but David wasn't scared!

We also made Ben 10 watches (again). And a Heatblast figure, out of yellow paper. David is getting a Ben 10 Omnitrix watch for his birthday, if he is good.

We had a great day on Thursday. We waited for the Foxtel man (unit broken and replaced).After lunch we went to visit Annie, who has had an operation. Then we went to Centennial Park, to see the gun/cannon and statues. We also found a great playground. It has button bells that you can play with your feet, swings and lots more. It also had a waterplay section. A fire hydrant that kids can make flow, into a river. Once the river fills, it overflows into the sand pit, where the play equipment is. David was making a river for three or four little kids. Then Joseph came along. Joseph is four and a half and had a Ben 10 bike and helmet. They had a wow of a time, first with the water, then climbing and just playing. Well, I barely got him out of there before dark. I put him into dry clothes, gave him his (long ignored) sandwich and in the slow traffic home he fell asleep. We couldn't wake him, so we put him to bed. He slept right through until 3.30am. That is another story in itself......

Likes & dislikes

So, where are we at this week? Well, lots of emotions, lots of testing boundaries, lots of testing relationships.

David has decided to take an all or nothing approach to life. It started last week (and who knows how long it will last?). David doesn't just like anything anymore. He LOVES it. So, on Saturday David said that he LOVES gymnastics. I said "Really?" and he said "Of course!" This morning David said that he LOVES daycare! He also loves Ben 10, potato chips, bubbles .... You get the idea.

David also HATES lots of thing recently. He HATES gymnastics. He HATES daycare (also this morning, about 45 minutes after he said that he LOVES daycare). He HATES broccoli. He also randomly HATES food that he likes, and then gets over it.

He is just so passionate about it all. He gets frustrated and cross if things that he is making or building don't go just right. He is so happy when he gets something new, no matter how small, or when we fix something or build it just right.

Occasionally he is BORED over something.

More disturbing, over the last week David is now saying that he HATES mum, or that he HATES dad. There is a direct relationship between the "love" and "hate" and getting his own way (or not). He is also saying "Go AWAY." when he is angry. Interestingly he is also saying"You're sacked! You're not my mum anymore." I know where the "You're sacked" somes from. It is from the Pamela Allen book "Brown Bread and Honey". After a relatively short period, David will tell me that I am not sacked anymore, and that he loves me, and wants a cuddle. I have tried reasoning with him and explaining the consequences of what he is saying but I have come to the conclusion that there is no point. He doesn't really understand what he is saying.

It seems to follow on from the playground stuff that is present in Pre-school and which wasn't in the Nursery room. One day two kids are best friends and the next day "He's not my friend anymore." For example, in March this year, David went to Gordon's birthday party. Approximately six weeks after the party, Gordon upset David when he said to David "You're not coming to my birthday party!" I explained to David that he had already been to the party, so that this didn't make sense. The next day they were best friends again. The following week, David told Gordon that he didn't want to play with him anymore.

David also has the unfortunate habit of growling (I think like a dog) when he is most displeased about something. Fortunately, I can make him laugh about it some times.

So, at the moment it is all a bit of a rollercoaster. I understand from the parents of some HSC students that it can continue for years...... Lots of fun!

(Oh, this has somewhat replaced the phase from last month where he stopped saying Yes! and replaced it with "Of course!")

I just thought that I would add this photo from a few weeks ago. As regular readers would know, David has always liked playing in bags & suitcases. He will be too big soon!

Sydney Festival, earlier this year

David is on my lap which makes typing difficult. He likes the idea of being on the web. He likes the photos and the blog that he just typed with Katie's name.

He has gone now, so I will do a quick note.

This is a photo taken during the Sydney Festival, early 2009. One of the installations was to put pianos around in public places in Sydney, and let people make their own music and interact with them. This one is on the paved area at the front of the Sydney Opera House. David is (of course) for the period, wearing the Batman dress up, but with shorts, because I convinced him that it was too hot for the long trousers.

David walked right up to it and wanted to play it - lots of crashing and noise, and complete confidence. He played for at least 8 or 10 minutes. Tourist were taking his photo, because he looked photogenic, I guess. I got him off to let others have a turn - David inspired a couple of other children who could actually play to have a turn.

We then went around the Botanic Garden, and back home on the ferry from Circular Quay.

Another day we went in to see the free kids show in Hyde Park, and see the fabulous Spiegeltent. The Spiegeltent was worth seeing - atmosphere, mirrors and it all fits together like a jigsaw! There were juggling lessons, tumbling lessons and a magic show. Lots of fun. We got cupcakes on the way, and David really enjoyed seeing other kids playing "What's the time Mr Wolf" while we were waiting for the shows to start. Hot days, but a breeze and better in the gardens under the trees than in the concrete streets. We also played in the fountain in Hyde Park, but David got too cold, so we went home. He fell asleep in the stroller while we were walking back to the Light Rail, so he missed the train trip home. A good time was had by all.

some photos

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Some more from David!

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Spiderman comic

Last year David saw a Spiderman comic (booklet style) in the newsagent. He sat on the floor to look at it and cried when he had to put it back. He did the same thing with Dad when he visited the newsagent. It was expensive, and much too old for him. We didn't buy it, but I noticed that he kept on wanting to look at it.

When we went to Wagin for Christmas he found it in the newsagent there. Uncle Steve was asking what David would like for Christmas. I told him to get the comic for David. ( Uncle Steve also got David some other wonderful stuff, like a Batmobile).
Well, David just loved it, and still loves it. For weeks I had to read stories from the comic book everynight before he went to sleep. Then I rationed him to one story only from it. After a hiatus, we were reading from it again last night - two stories. David has learnt lots about the different villains and lots of language. In one comic, Red Skull is "never satisfied". David asked what it meant. I explained that it meant that he always wanted more. What ever he got was never enough. David thought about it and said, "I am never satisfied." Later when he was having a bit of a tantrum because I wouldn't give him / buy him something he again said (throught the tears) " I am never satisfied." You have to smile sometimes. He has DVDs of cartoon Spiderman, and again, loves them.


There was an Iron Man cartoon on TV (ABC Kids) and David saw the trailer and wanted to watch it. We saw it, and as a result, Iron Man was very popular for a while. There is also a new movie out (rated M) with Robert Downey Jr and they are making a sequel, but they are too old and violent yet. Ben 10 is becoming the new big thing, because it is very very big in the playgrounds, but Spiderman is a constant. The interesting thing about Ben 10 is that David knew about it and the Ben 10 watch (Omnitrix) before he had ever seen any shows, or read any books on it. Just from the talk between the kids.
This birthday David wants a Ben 10 watch, that lights up and makes noises. We have told him that he can have it if he is good. It is interesting watching him wait for it - he really doesn't like waiting. Waiting for weeks is really hard. I have a few other Ben 10 things organised for presents too.
He still plays with Buzz Lightyear though... Regular Buzz and his brother, silver Buzz.
That's all for now.

A few quick things

A few quick things. David loves dressing up. We dress up as a cowboy, the Lone Ranger or a sheriff, a robot and we have dress up superhero suits - red & blue spiderman, black spiderman (new!), the Incredibles dress up (Dash or Mr Incredible), Batman (not recently). He has an action pack and ropes for climbing (just like a rope climber). This weekend we had to make a belt for gadgets (like Batman). He has been using a plastic tool handle as a sword.

We went to Anaconda which sells adventure and camping stuff - he was too little for the climbing wall, which would have been 5 or 6 metres high (and he thought it was scary) but we managed to buy some proper climbing rope, 1.25m, for a cowboy lasso. He was lassoing the door knobs last night before he went to bed.

He loves guns. When we were cleaning out the garage, dad found an old fashioned derringer replica pistol. Made in Spain, Dad thinks that uncle Bob and Auntie Jeannie gave it to him when he was a boy. Mde of wood and metal. It has a cocking mechanism and a wooden grip, metal barrel. David loves it. We stuck a torch on the top and it became an old fashioned light pistol. We put a paper sight/scope on it and it became an old fashioned sight pistol. This is in addition to the plastic guns (revolvers that don't revolve) that came in the cowboy/Lone Ranger packs. He loves putting holsters on, and if we don't have it, we try to make it out of paper.

Lots of imagination. Lots of roleplaying. Every time he gets something new, or special, he has to tell either his toys (Mum, make Ruby talk, make Terry talk) or he asks me to pretend to be Katie.

On the way to daycare, he wants me to be David, and he will be Mum. That way, he can push the lift buttons and tell me that I can't push them. Interesting, because when we roll play he tells me lots of things that I have told him, and he hasn't necessarily liked. Such as, "You can't have potato chips tonight, they are party food" "Yes, you can watch a DVD when we get home, if you are good!"

David is mostly happy and mostly good and that is wonderful. Two other cute things - he has his own words - Yesternight and Nose wax. Pretty self explanatory.

Anyway, that is all for now.

Mum

Well, I am back after a serious hiatus. Mum died on 14 December 2008. Before we got there for Christmas. I spoke to her on Saturday, and she was full of instructions, but not well after the chemo on Friday. ("Don't buy too much food coming through Perth - we don't want to waste fruit and vegies. We can buy lots in town. Buy a new Christmas tree. Not too big. ") She was really looking forward to seeing us. I think that she insisted on having the chemo on Friday because she wanted to have some improvement for Christmas. She wasn't able to eat much.
She met Fiona with Steve on Saturday afternoon. She told me that she didn't want to put it off any longer. She didn't want Fiona to think that she didn't want to meet her, and she couldn't wait until she was well.
She liked Fiona.
She went into the local hospital later that night, because she was vomiting a lot (after the chemo) and she died early the next afternoon.
We all went across, for the funeral, and to spend Christmas with Steve, Puss and Ted in Wagin. We met Fiona and young Stephen and Matthew.
Anyway, after that I haven't really had the time or energy for the blog.

Quick one!

A quick one - I have been meaning to say that David is doing interesting things. For the past couple of weeks he has been working on pronouncing his 'L's - with a big slightly exaggerated tongue movement. Effective too - especially noticeable on the Rafaella, Linda and other important L words. He can now roll his tongue, and click it too! Interesting what he focusses on. The tongue clicking started when we we in the car listening to the Shrek title song "Allstar" (AKA the "Hey Now" song) and I did it in time to the music. David wanted to do it too.

He can't click his fingers yet, but he came home from Daycare just before his birthday to show me how he could hop!
He is getting much more interested in dressing himself "all by myself" and now is putting shoes on, as well as just taking them off. I am letting him choose what to wear (with the obvious consequences that sometimes it is the Batman PJs, or the Lightning PJs all day. But he then is really happy about what he wears, so there are lots of compensations. The Daycare touches are wonderful. On Friday, in the park for Finn's birthday David took his shoes and socks off. I found them up on the climbing castle. He had neatly tucked his socks inside the shoes, just like they are told to at Daycare. Then he and Katie and Celestine got naked and ran around a lot. Which is of course another story!

Katie is back and they were so happy to see each other - David had been calling out to her all the way to the park, even though she couldn't possibly hear him. Definitely partners in crime. Katie wanted David's water bottle (as usual) and David wanted to share (as usual). He also is really noticeably playing much more with other children, not just beside them. It is especially noticeable when you see Liam, who is six months younger, and reminds me of what David was like at that age.

Well, we will see what this week brings. Lots and lots of chaos on world markets - definitely will be different for his generation growing up, rather than the current Gen X, Y who have never really known hardship. I just hope the important things continue though - peace, clean air, clean water, clean food, good health. When I hear about the food & milk contamination in China, the dreadful hardship in Zimbabwe, Somalia and Sudan I do realise just how lucky we are!!