Communication

The Nintendo DS has a wireless feature which means you can communicate with other Nintendo DS users - either by drawing and writing, or by typing in words.

After we showed the boys how to use it, they spent the next 10 minutes sending each other messages saying "I hate you", with Declan struggling to keep up as he can't type as fast as Callum, before they lost interest and went back to their respective games. It could be a long school holidays.

Swimming pool tour

As well as visiting Dubbo Zoo, we also had a swimming pool tour of western NSW. Starting with the Langdon Linigens, where we spent some time gathered around the paddling tour (which is looking much smaller with three boys in it than it did a few years ago).

Then continuing to the Fairmont resort, which has a nice pool complex, including a hot spa bath which (unusually) children are allowed in.

Then after a visit to Dubbo, the swimming highlight was the Bathurst Olympic Swimming pool, which has recently been upgraded to include a kids pool with its very own whirlpool. About a 3 metre diameter whirlpool, created by water jets, a metre deep, which sweeps everything in it around, and around, and around. It was pretty hard to drag Callum and Declan away once they'd discovered it, despite the scariness for the watching parent (who could only see half of the whirlpool at any time, while Callum and Declan were delighting in hanging onto the side, and resisting the whirlpool current as much as possible).

Zoofari

We're just back from a trip west, to Dubbo Zoo, where we stayed in the "Zoofari Lodge" for a night. This involved three different animal tours, and the privilege of, as Callum has been reciting ever since, "feeding a giraffe, stroking a wombat, and feeding a black rhino". Both Callum and Declan loved the whole zoo experience, plus riding tag along bikes (three wheels, with the child on a smaller, tag along bit of bike, behind the parent) around the zoo.

Declan was a bit nervous about feeding the giraffe, refusing to do it at first, and only agreeing after much prodding. He showed a similar reluctance with the bike riding, but got completely into it after 100 metres, begging to get back on as soon as we stopped to look at an animal, and yelling "woo-hoo!!" every time we went down a hill.

Callum also loved the bike riding, being particularly proud of his ability to pedal when Evan needed extra power, and overtaking an electric car.

We stayed in a "tent" - a permanent canvas structure with a bathroom, which made us all keener to actually experience some real camping some time. Lots of fun.

Merry Christmas

Christmas this year saw both boys increasingly excited as the day drew nearer. Evan had made them a special advent calendar (which had various prizes associated with each day - my favourite - a hug from each parent - the boys' favourite - choose your own DVD from the DVD rental shop), so they were very well aware of when the big day would dawn.

All three grandparents spent the night, so that they could watch the stockings being opened in the morning. And in honour of Uncle Andrew, who came for a morning visit, they got to open all their presents before, rather than after lunch.

Most favourite present, by a country mile, was the Nintendo DS we got them, with Callum playing a puzzle game, and Declan playing Ben 10 for hours all afternoon. Neither of them seem to have go the hang of the eating part of Christmas, still preferring to grab a bread roll and continue playing with whichever present takes their fancy.

The Langdon Linigens came for a play later in the afternoon, giving the boys some much needed light sabre exercising - they were all going a bit stir crazy from so much time inside.

Sleepover

Yesterday, in what is becoming a tradition (this is the third year), Callum and Declan went for a sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa's house. This year proved that they are still very taken with the doorbell game, despite being a year older (ring the doorbell, and then sneak into the house through another door), but the dinner bell game (ring the dinner bell as much as possible) is starting to pall.

They made a Gingerbread house each, which they are very proud of, and were still in a state of high excitement with the novelty of it all when we came down to fetch them at lunchtime today.

Another treasure hunt

This morning the boys created another treasure hunt for Evan, with the reward being his birthday present at the end. They were very excited about it, with Declan asking permission several times to tiptoe into our room to see whether Evan was awake yet.

There were five clues, with the trickiest being a Detour - a choice between two tasks:

Wii it - play a sporting game on the Wii
Read it - read Callum and Declan a small book.

Running

This evening, when we decided it was time for bed, both boys resisted. We gave them a choice - bed, or running five laps of the block (Victoria St and Mitchell St). To our amazement, they both accepted the challenge. Declan gave up, a bit puffed, after one lap, but Callum stuck it out, and after the third lap, I told him he could do a bigger fourth lap all the way down to the Spanish shop, and that would be enough.

He was quite chuffed with himself (and red in the face) when we got back. I've been trying to work out how far that was - I suspect 2 - 2.5 km, so a reasonable run.

Treasure Hunt

We went to Granny's house for a pre-Christmas lunch with Martin and Kevin and Granny Marta (and Granny, of course) today. The boys, as usual, refused to eat any of the rich and yummy food provided, instead snacking on bread and things that were in a Santa sack Granny provided.

After eating their fill of gold coins, they created a treasure hunt for us - hiding (they thought) six coins - one for each adult. After Martin and I found four, and fruitlessly searched for a while, they admitted that they had probably eaten two more than they thought.

A night

Tonight the boys got their awards for academic excellence at A night. They were both very excited to be there (although Callum was finding it hard to decide whether shedding another tooth was more of a reason for excitement).

Declan, in particular, after being to the rehearsal this morning, seemed to have suddenly realised it was a big deal, and couldn't stop smiling.

Grandma and Grandpa came to watch, which pleased both the boys, and got to listen to Callum at full volume on the way back home in the car (Callum adds volume and talking speed, as well as complete irrelevence in his conversation, when he is excited).

2nd tooth out

Callum pulled his own second tooth out during assembly today. Thanks to the double row of teeth he now looks completely normal and has no gaps.

Accelerated outcome

After having met with the Learning Support Team the outcome is as expected: Callum will start next year in Year 4.

Accelerating update

Well the only people immediately involved not wildly enthusiastic about Callum jumping to Year 4 next year appear to be Jennifer and me.

I spoke with his teacher on Friday and she was not just positive about the idea but the very thought literally made her day - it's hard to convey how happy it made her. We spoke with Callum on Saturday and he was very clear he wanted to do it in spite of us pointing out the negatives. We've spoken with him each day since and he remains very positive; and he's spoken with his teacher and they've exchanged enthusiasm. The Principal took me aside yesterday to reiterate that she thought it was the right course of action.

The remaining step is a meeting with the Learning Support Team this afternoon. We're not expecting them to present any problems, but we feel it's important to make sure the process is done completely correctly and to have a few guarantees about what will happen minuted.

I must say that while I'm happy Callum is so enthusiastic, this is a very, very stressful decision for his parents. It's one of those moments which you'll only really know if you did the right thing in retrospect, but which involves a clear, fork-in-the-road type decision.

Belts

The boys did their Taekwondo grading yesterday and seemed to pass without trouble (you don't get immediate feedback). That will make Declan a green-tip and Callum a blue-tip. For both it's going to get harder from here as there's increasing amounts to remember and get right, but they've done very well to progress this far this quickly.

Christmas tree

We put our Christmas tree up this evening. It lacks some "Vogue" style because almost all the decorations are at the eye-height of someone about 1.2m tall.

There was much excitement from the kids; and much warm glow from the parent end of things.

Acceleration rears its head again

I met with the School Principal yesterday to have a chat about teachers for next year and having Cal do the OC class test early to open up some options.

Her view was that we should move Cal to Year 4 next year. It would mean he could stay with the same teacher and with a familiar group as the years 3s from his current class would be there.

It's a very difficult decision and one that requires a lot of thought.

Depression

Callum's best friend all year has been Alex. They get on like a house on fire and spend a great deal of time together. What makes the relationship even better, from a parent viewpoint, is that Declan is really good friends with Alex's younger sister Lucinda.

Unfortunately they move to Brisbane on the weekend. Callum is clearly unhappy. In fact he's in something of a state of denial; he keeps referring to next year when Alex is back.

I feel so sorry for Cal.

Christmas Concert

Declan had his Christmas concert today (three classes of kindergarten, all performing in unison on stage - kindergarten teachers do an amazing job). He played a banksia man. I couldn't go, so Evan videoed the whole thing, and replayed it for both of us this evening. I think Declan enjoyed watching himself almost as much as performing, and gave me commentary on all the characters throughout the event.

The banksia men were the bad tempered ones who spoiled the party (the Cockatoo's Christmas party) and Declan had a great scowl on his face throughout his part.

He told me that he had wanted to be a fairy, but couldn't, because we didn't have the full fairy costume available in our house, just the wings.

I do find it interesting that he doesn't appear to have noticed that the fairies and the banksia men were the only parts that were for girls and boys only (other parts included koalas, wombats, cockatoos, magpies and santa claus). Maybe my brainwashing (boys can be fairies too) is working!

Tooth gone

For what feels like months, Callum's lower two front teeth have been loose. He's been very reluctant to do anything about it for fear of blood (he hasn't seemed too worried about pain). So tonight, Evan got his permission to try and pull it out. "You can try five times, Evan. After that it's not coming out". On the second attempt, the tooth came out, with very little blood (although Callum immediately went to check in the mirror, and spent the next half hour exploring the space with his tongue).

So he's now joined the ranks of the losers of baby teeth, and we've got to decide tonight how much the tooth fairy pays in this house.

Speech

This term, Callum's speech was about the Titanic. He got very into it, and created gestures for pretty much every part of the speech When the iceberg hit, he nearly fell over. When they were playing soccer with chunks of ice, he played soccer. And he scratched his head when the children were wondering whether their father had made it to the lifeboats.

Anyway, we discovered today that a week ago, his teacher had told him last week that they were having a mini speak-off in class between Callum and his friend Angus, to decide which of them is going to the main speak-offs (two children per class to choose the best speaker for the year). Callum has been desperately keen to make it to the speak-offs since Kindergarten. And now that he's the closest he's ever been, why didn't he tell us? "I forgot". He did the speech again tonight, for practice, and its still pretty good, so we'll see how he goes this week.

Update: Sadly Callum's teacher is away on leave, so the substitute just went with Angus for the speak-offs - presumably because he's been in it a few times before. I don't think Callum is too disappointed, he probably had a 50/50 chance, but its a shame he didn't get to go for it.

Water fighting

Tom Linigen's birthday party was officially a Star Wars party (with many attendees, including Callum and Declan, bringing their own light sabers) but unofficially it was clearly a water fighting party. All attendees were handed a water pistol (theirs to keep!) on arrival, and a few selected adults got water pump action shotguns.

Later activities included water bombing the deathstar. A good time was had by all.

Speed limiters

We went up to the mountains today for Tom Linigen's early birthday party. The boys have a new game in the car - watch the speed limit signs and beep every time the car goes faster than the speed limit. It gets a bit wearing when they are both doing it, and the car is going at 81 in an 80 zone...

Star Wars Heaven

This evening we went to the opening of the Powerhouse Museum's new Star Wars Exhibition. It is a huge blockbuster, with a great combination of real props (Millenium Falcon as you went in) and fun science experiments that are vaguely related to Star Wars (Callum programmed an R2D2 lookalike to go forward, turn a corner and go forward again).

The boys were as excited as I've seen them for a while. They dressed up in their Tae Kwon Do uniforms (to approximate Jedi Knights), and argued intensely about all the dressed up characters who were wandering around ("that was Boba Fett", "no it was Jango", "look, there's an imperial trooper!"), danced to the band, and had fish and chips from the Chewbacca Fish and Chips stall. As well as looking and marvelling at all the different props that were on display.

Callum had his picture taken (possibly for a newspaper!) having a light saber battle with Darth Vader, but Declan refused through shyness.

Because we were one of the first 100 bookings, we got a free light saber, which Evan has claimed for himself.

A-Night Awards

I am so thrilled. We just got a letter saying that both boys have been selected to recieve an award for academic excellence at the A-Night Ceremony the week after next.