Rise of Nations

We've started playing a new computer game lately - Rise of Nations. It's a diplomacy type game - very realistic - where your aim is to shepherd your nation through the various ages all the way to the information age, at the same time as taking over your enemy's territory.

Although it is somewhat warlike, it's interesting to see which bits the boys like. Callum loves making Wonders - such as pyramids, terracotta warriors (and in more modern times) the Eiffel Tower. He also takes charge of research at the library, into commerce, civics, etc.

Declan, on the other hand, is in charge of exploration, and, once the fighting starts, the military (particularly the navy).

I get to sit and help Declan (and get frustrated when he just wants to build ships and shoot things, instead of exploring the way I want him to!)

Big brother helping out

My friend Nadine was in the playground at recess yesterday and told me this story.

Someone pushed Declan over and he slightly cut his hand. Nadine was there to say it was OK and she helped him wash the blood off under the bubbler. Apparently Callum noticed there was a problem and rushed over to check declan was OK. He then insisted on trying to find Dec's teacher and, when that failed, got his own teacher to check Dec's hand. Finally he told the boy who had pushed Declan over that he had done the wrong thing and shouldn't push people in the future (which might just have been Callum seeing someone else muscling in on what he considers his perogative - only he gets to push Declan around).

It was great to hear that Cal is looking out for Declan in the playground.

Declan Book Award

Declan recieved a book award at Assembly yesterday for his work in phonics.

I saw his teacher at pick-up and she said he was doing really well and, more gratifyingly, was the stand-out in actually focussing and trying to read the words phonically.

He was, quite rightly, very proud of his award.

Writing fiend

Declan has lately decided he is very keen on writing. He's taken to writing long screeds about things as messages to people. The only problem is that he can't really spell (and isn't willing to take the risk of being wrong, either). So I have to tell him each letter as he goes.

So this evening, he wrote a card to his friend Dan, "Dear Dan, I will give you whatever you want for your birthday." On another card, he wrote, "Dear Dan Please write what you want for your bithday". He plans to give them both, plus a third card for the return message to Dan on Tuesday.

He's a delight to watch. He sits at his blue table with his pencil, sticking his tongue out for concentration as he writes the letters, and then yells out to me, "What's the next letter, Jennifer?"

Manipulation

Last weekend, when we dropped in on Kinokinuya, Evan bought, ostensibly for himself, a book called Murderous Maths. He told Callum in no uncertain terms that he was not allowed even to touch it, let alone read it. The result (of course) being that Callum has spent the week glued to the book, putting a mischievous look on his face every time Evan or me notices him reading it.

I'm not sure if he's learned anything particularly new, but he's certainly had a great time playing with the numbers in the book.

Mountain celebration

We went up to the mountains today to celebrate Emma's second birthday. She, impressively, could tell you that she was turning two, and that there were two candles on her cake.

The four boys together had a great time being sent on missions by Evan - to touch various grownups in order, to hide, etc. etc. Then, after birthday cake, they got to watch Chris' steam engine to a full loop of the track - which they were happy to stand out in the rain to do. Although I think these days Zoe is probably the most excited of the gang at seeing an actual steam train... the others have been spoilt too much by various train shows.

Easter plans

The boys have been planning for easter for days now. In fact, yesterday, they actually used the phrase, "only two sleeps until easter". I don't think I've ever heard them count sleeps before.

Declan made Callum promise to wake Declan up in the morning so that they can hunt for easter eggs together. Callum has gone to bed with an envelope on his covers, entitled "open on easter". Inside are instructions for what to do easter morning, mainly that he needs to take his torch downstairs to search for easter eggs.

They've also been planning about how they can reach some places where eggs were found last year, quite high up - complex plans involving making sure there are cubes and stools nearby ready for quick access.

Ambition

Declan has decided that he is going to be an artist when he grows up. He will work Monday to Friday, and then on Saturday and Sunday he will have holidays. He'll start when he's 20.

He suggested to Callum that he draw the pictures that Callum will need for his company. Callum was interested, but cool. In Callum's words, "I will be relaxing in my deckchair as the droids to all the work in my company, Declan." I think the implication was that his droids would decide whether they needed pictures from a notable artist like Declan.

Lego

Yesterday we wandered into the city for a bit of window shopping - including HobbyCo, which has some excellent Lego. Callum and Declan both decided on their favourite sets - Star Wars for Declan, and Indiana Jones for Callum, and then entered negotiations for how they could get it.

We told them that they could maybe ask for it for their birthday, or else save up for it.

Later, Declan suggested to me that his birthday party invitation should have a list of all the different bits of Lego he would like. I suggested that that wasn't especially polite, but he couldn't quite see why such an eminently sensible transaction shouldn't happen.

Sweeping

This evening, as the grownups were finishing dinner in the backyard (Grandma and Grandpa were visiting), Declan decided to sweep the backyard, finishing the job that Grandma had started earlier. He got the broom out, and did a very thorough job of getting rid of all the tree detritus that had spread over the backyard from the previous few days.

He was very proud of himself.

Taking Notes

Callum's got a new habit. He has a pen, and some notecards by his bed, in case he needs to write anything down during the night (from his reading).

Two nights ago, he wrote a reminder to himself to look on page 163 of his science book, where there are instructions for making life out of the atmosphere. He's going to send some droids to Mars, where there is an atmosphere, and create life there.

Last night the notes were more mundane - cryptic notes and a diagram for how to make a machine to mint coins.

Four way punching

Declan is getting better at doing four way punching - which is the first "pattern" needed in tae kwon do. He still gets distracted quite easily at the lesson, but this week could be forgiven, as it was quite an exhausting lesson, involving lots of running around, kicking things, and general exercise.

He's by far the most flexible person in the family, able to sit with his feet touching each other and knees touching the floor - head on his knees for good measure (apparently this is known as butterfly position).

Skin update

Since we got back from Italy, Callum's skin has seemed worse than when we went. That period also coincides with Biggles the cat, so we've been a bit disturbed that he is allergic to Biggles (who he loves).

But when he got yet another infected patch, Evan took him back to the doctor, who sent a bit off for testing. It turns out he has picked up an obscure marine bacteria, which is well known to be found off the shores of Italy. It can be nasty if you are immuno-compromised (which he clearly isn't, as his only symptoms are patches of infected skin) and there is a special type of antibiotic which should clear it up.

Inventions

Callum has an invention book, that he writes in every time he thinks of a new invention. Last night, when his grandparents were over, he was enticed to show the whole book to Grandma. She had seen the book before, but hadn't had the benefit of his commentary and explanations. I think it was good for him, as she's inclined to quiz him on exactly how he's going to make various things work, which often gets him thinking a lot harder about some of his wild and whacky ideas.

Often, though, his answer when asked a tricky question of exactly how something will work, is that his inventing droids will figure that out for him.

Fish and Chips

On Wednesday afternoon, Tom and Dan came around for a play. Evan took all the boys to the playground under the harbour bridge for a play, and then handed them over to me when I got home from work while he went to Council. We went and got fish and chips, and sat eating them on the grass while watching the ferries go back and forth.

And then after dinner, they spent a very enjoyable half hour playing with two remote controlled cars - alternating controlling them, and running around like lunatics chasing them.

I was a bit apprehensive at wrangling four small boys on my own in a public place, but they were all very good - they're definitely growing up now they're all schoolboys!

Buddy Class

At Cammeray, they have a concept called buddy classes - each class has another class in the school that it buddies up with for various activities. In Callum's kindergarten class, his buddy class was a year 5 class, and two year 5 girls took a shine to him and painted an amazing didgeridoo with him (he was particularly popular because his cardboard tube was the longest, owing to Evan's packrat tendencies).

This year, Callum and Declan are each other's buddies, in their buddy classes, which they are both very excited about. On Thursday, they met up for the first time, and they are all planning a party, complete with activities (to be dreamed up at each meeting). Callum decided on Thursday night to sleep with his calculator, as Miss Carapina has made him responsible for the budget.

Secret spots

Declan got a small Thomas tent from Uncle Andrew for Christmas, which has proved very popular. It has been in the playroom, stopping any adults from getting in, so that the boys can play without interruption.

But yesterday, Callum moved it to our room, in a patch of sunlight, and sat in it reading for an hour or two.

School updates

Evan and I met with the boys' teachers (in turn) and the school counsellor and deputy principal on Friday, as part of their settling in process. It was our chance to talk about them, as well as hear how they are going.

It appears that Declan is doing fine, and has lots of confidence, except about reading. We were hoping that his unwillingness to try when reading would reduce once he was out of Callum's shadow - his teacher is trying to think of a few strategies to bolster his confidence.

Callum is having a great time, and his teacher has noticed his tendency to finish things quickly and then sit quietly waiting for everyone else. She said although his writing is fairly messy and slow, it wasn't really holding him back from doing (mostly) year 3 work with the rest of the 2/3 class.