Visiting

Yesterday we visited friends for dinner. They have two girls (Ella and Amy) pretty much the same age as Callum and Declan. A wonderful time was had by all. Ella and Amy have a trampoline in the backyard, which was a huge hit. Then, when it got a bit colder, all the children decamped to the dress-up box, where Declan found a very fetching pink wig, and matching tutu.

The highlight for me, though was when the remote controlled dalek came out, and Callum decided to chase after it with a rollerskating barbie.

Anzac Day

Yesterday was Anzac day, and to celebrate we made Anzac biscuits. Callum was in charge of the recipe and the ingredients (checking that we had the right ones) and Declan was in charge of mixing and putting the biscuits on the baking tray.

They turned out well (albeit a little overcooked - my responsibility), and we took them with us as we walked across the harbour bridge with Jack and Sue (during the breaks in the rain). The rain held off until we got off the ferry to come up the hill on the way home, but luckily the assorted raincoats and umbrellas kept us mostly dry.

First soccer game

Callum had his first soccer game on the weekend. Not the next Beckham, but he had fun while runnning around in soccer strip that was like a dress on him.

Theatre

Callum did another school holiday theatre course this week, with a performance at the end of the week. As he has the previous two times, he loved it, wanting to do it every week if possible. His performance had less narrative flow than previously, being the classes response to a combination of music and learning about right and left brain thinking. That meant that only the performers understood it, I think. But they had a great time, nevertheless.

As part of the course, they got to see a piece of live theatre - Emily Loves to Bounce, at the Opera House. By coincidence, Declan and I went to see it today. Both Callum and Declan really enjoyed it - I think they prefer something with a bit of narrative flow and action to a more musical event (like the Wiggles).

The Christmas Fairy

Today Callum and Declan both went to Declan's friend Dan's birthday party. The instructions on the invitation were, "dress in your favourite costume", so we gave the boys the choice from the dress up box.

Declan's choice was a santa hat, and a pair of fairy wings. Declan showed off his fairy wings to a number of adults at the party, who were duly impressed. One of them commented to me that she didn't think many children could carry off that costume, but Declan was clearly managing it. I think it was the addition of the purple balloon sword (acquired from the party entertainer) that really made the outfit.

Inside boots

I've owned some purple ugg boots since before Callum was born. Callum and Declan (particularly Callum) have been very taken with them, first because it was fun to dress up and clomp around in them, but then more recently because Callum noticed that he quite liked having warm feet as winter started appearing.

So the boys (with my support only in the background) have been campaigning for some "inside boots" of their very own for some time. Today Evan was worn down, and they went out and got some, and Callum and Declan took great delight this evening in clomping around in their "inside boots". They're a manly khaki green colour, I hasten to add.

Rainy easter

Easter is back to its traditional Sydney weather - grim and rainy. So, even though we have two boys who are not entirely well, we've been trying to figure out how to avoid the resulting cabin fever.

Yesterday, we (excluding Evan, who has the flu) went to Darling Harbour with Sue and Jack. We were trying to see the free circus entertainment, but unfortunately in dodging the rain, we missed all of it (if it was on at all). But the boys had a ride on the miniature ferris wheel, which was the highlight of the visit, even though Callum said he was bored after it had gone around six times and he'd figured out how the cogs worked that made it go around.

Today, we went to the Australian museum, which had a special predator exhibit (for kids a bit older than ours, I think, although they did enjoy it). The highlight was a three-d film from the inside of a shark cage, although Declan did think the highlight should have been the shop, if he'd been able to convince me to buy anything.

This afternoon, the Gaynor Vincents came around to help us with our cabin fever, and Declan and Claire had a very enjoyable time playing hide and seek all over the house, while Zoe did her best to climb the stairs at regular intervals and join in.

Tonight, both boys were asleep almost as soon as their heads touched the pillows.

Learning

This morning, Declan showed me the sign language he is learning at Neutral Bay Kindergarten. It seems to be just learning the alphabet, rather than words, but it certainly got Callum interested.

And last night he sounded out several words (cat, dog, fox) while reading with Evan. It's still fascinating to see the different learning styles; by the time Callum could sound out words like this, I'm pretty sure he was reading (very) simple sentences - he's always relied much more on visual memory with his reading.

Declan's turn

Declan has been a bit feverish and coughing for the last 48 hours. After a visit to the doctor on Wednesday, Evan and Dr Goh agreed the plan - if it lasted longer than 24 hours, then Declan would get the same antibiotics that Callum has, in an attempt to forestall another pneumonia experience.

The strand of pneumonia that Callum had isn't particularly infectious, but tends to be infectious for people who are living in close proximity, and particularly if they are sleeping in the same room. And it has a 1-2 week incubation period.

Declan's still not right, but his cough hasn't yet got worse. Fingers crossed...

Much better

Yesterday, Evan and Callum went out and bought a trainset as a present for Callum being in hospital. So when I got home last night from work, I was greeted by two boys delirious with excitement at the chance to show a new person how their very exciting new toy worked. Callum is recovering well, and two quiet days at home have not left him climbing the walls (as he would if he were well) but with a nice surplus of energy to be very cheery each evening.

Declan was so excited by the train set that he's taking the empty box to show and tell tomorrow. Don't know what his class will make of it.

All out

We've just all got home from hospital. Callum was allowed out after a night where his oxygen levels stayed up nice and high. We thought he must be allowed out, because after Declan got there for a visit, they spent the time racing around the ward chasing each other.

He needs to have the week off school, and take antibiotics for another week, but no other treatment necessary (except to figure out how to keep an increasingly energetic boy quietly and sedately occupied for another week).