Info from the wall of sound

We have now used a new babysitter, Joan, for two evenings. The kids are very taken with her. Last night when she arrived she was greeted by both of them talking at high speed telling them everything that they could think of in the shortest possible space of time.

Apart from them liking her, which is great, the other good thing was that I managed to pluck some useful information about Cal out of the flow. Cal was upset after school last Thursday and Friday and has burst into tears a couple of times since - which is very out of character. In telling Joan about the speech he gave at school on Thursday he got upset again and it seemed to revolve around not being chosen to represent his class in the "speak-offs". I had a chat with him about it this morning which seemed to help and also asked his teacher to have a word with him and see if that settles things down.

Declan's report

I had a parent-teacher interview with Declan's teacher today and got his portfolio and report. The report was excellent, literally in fact - the only thing not ticked in the top box was his pencil grip which was one down.

The teacher also discussed our plans to send him to school in 2008 and agreed it was entirely appropriate, necessary in fact, especially given he's so much more social than Cal.

Spot

Declan got a free soft toy Spot the dog, from a bookshop on Saturday morning. Ever since, they've been inseparable. Declan has been talking about his puppy to me, showing Spot things (like the zoo, and the Spot book we were reading) and generally bonding with his new friend.

But when I suggested to Declan that Spot might like to share some of his lunch, he gave me a withering look. "Spot is a toy, mummy. He doesn't have a mouth."

Zoo keeper

While Evan took Callum to two (!) birthday parties this afternoon, I took Declan to the new Darling Harbour zoo. An amazing feat of fitting a good selection of Australian animals into a very small space.

He enjoyed it very much, and stopped and looked at pretty much every exhibit. At the end, there was a zoo keeper showing off too lizards, and allowing Declan and another boy to gently stroke them, and get licked by them. As we left, Declan asked plaintively, "how long will it be until I can be a zoo-keeper?"

I think it will be an ambition of his for a while.

Airship

We have a new toy - a remote controlled airship. It's about a metre long, and say 30 cm high, filled with helium, and has a couple of small propellors at the bottom which allow you to direct it up, down and forwards and backwards.

I think Callum was as excited as I've ever seen him over a toy. His eyes probably lit up slightly more over the train set on his second birthday, but it's pretty close. He's spent a lot of his available time in the 24 hours since we got it driving it around the house. He hasn't quite got how to turn it and make it go forwards, but going up and down is lots of fun of itself.

Cafe society

We went to our new favourite restaurant on Sunday night - one of our cafes has turned into a local italian place (cafe/restaurant, as Callum earnestly explains to me - restaurants make you dinner, cafes make coffee and lunch).

The boys behaved beautifully. They shared (and finished!) a four cheeses ravioli between them, while we had a dish to ourselves. And then as a reward, they got icecream (or gelato, again, as Callum explained to me) for dessert.

The owner of the cafe has always been impressed with them, because they will eat his four cheeses dishes (it has gorgonzola, so a pretty strong taste, but they don't care, because it's not green), but was even more impressed last night as they both practiced their best italian "grazie" and "prego" with him.

Catching up

We went to the opening of Bradfield Plaza today (a new space immediately underneath the Harbour Bridge that has been landscaped). While we were there, we ran into Emily and her mum, Deb. They were in my mother's group, and we last saw them about three and a half years ago.

It was really interesting to see Callum and Emily interact. Once I'd explained to them both that Emily was born only one day after Callum, they got on like a house on fire. Callum showed Emily his watch that he was wearing, and Emily persauded Callum to clink glasses and say cheers with their glasses of coke and orange juice.

And when we left, they gave each other a big hug, and then, very unusually, we had to drag Callum away as he was still chatting to Emily (normally Callum is the one waiting impatiently by the door while we finish our goodbye conversations).

Treasure maps

The boys have a new game - treasure maps. Not sure how long it will last, but for the last two nights, they've created a treasure map around the house for me to decode when I get home. They greet me at the door with great excitement, and guide me around the house to all the various clues.

Luckily for me, there is no need for me to deciper anything, as they tell me exactly what each new clue means almost before I get there, falling over their words in their excitement.

Last night most of the clues were pictures of eyes (drawn by Callum) looking towards the next clue or piece of treasure. There was one clue, though, which was the word LOFT, written by Declan, under instruction from Callum (totally mirror writing, but otherwise perfectly formed).

Evan started them off with the first map, but now they've got their own head of steam.

Talking

I took the boys up to Greenwood for our regular Saturday morning milkshake today. We went into a children's clothes shop (clearly the demographics of North Sydney are changing if there is enough custom for children's clothes!) and Callum and Declan combined to charm the sales lady. After being told everything about dinosaurs, Cammeray Public School, the merits of the colour pink, and sundry other facts, she said in an aside to me (about Callum), "I bet he enjoys show and tell".

Advertising again

We let the boys stay up late to watch Stuart Little tonight, which meant they got to watch the ads, as well. We explained to them that they were there to persuade us to buy things. Callum got all superior and said that he wouldn't watch the program after Stuart Little (which was being advertised in every break).

But then after we'd watched the ad for wholemeal bread for the third time, both of them said, "we should buy that bread, Evan. I'd like to eat that bread." Even though there was a tomato on the sandwich made to illustrate the ad!

I think they need to watch more advertising so that they get the hang of resisting it.

Catch-up

We've been a bit slack on entries lately, so for posterity:
+ Declan is being incredibly stubborn at the moment. His beetling brows, pouted lips and stamping feet are becoming all too familiar. He has a need to get his own way and we've had several titanic battles of wills.
+ Both boys' swimming continues to improve apace. Callum can now really swim and loves swimming underwater in particular. Declan hasn't mastered breathing yet but is getting there and is terrifyingly fearless. He also loves being underwater but has a habit of staying there until I come and get him.
+ Callum is doing weekly occupational therapy again to help strengthen his hand as he's finding it difficult to finish his work when he's in first class two days a week.
+ Declan can read a few words but hasn't much confidence in his abilities, so usually just refuses when asked to do so.
+ Callum is now eating a lot better than ever before (which may not mean a great deal given the low base, but it pleases me). Declan has now started eating nothing (sigh).