First shoes

Today we bought Orla her first pair of shoes. Isabelle and Aidan also scored a new pair while we were there.

Visit to Christchurch

Some photos from our recent visit to Christchurch:

- Picking apples in the autumn sun.
- Playdough creations: "sheep" by Grandad, "rainbow", "volcano" and "earth" by Isabelle. (Note the Anzac biscuits cooling in the background).
- Playdought creations: "rainbow" and "rainbow earth" by Aidan
- A llama sensing the opportunity for some food.
- Isabelle and Aunty Loulou feeding a kunekune pig.

We thought he was a gonna but...

...the cat came back.

Bully cat that is.

Cavewoman

It seems so right, in an atavistic way, to have an animal skin rug on the floor of my lounge.

Interpretations

Today Orla picked up a stick, pointed it and said "bang!". Tonight she did the same thing with her comb.

If she were my son, what's the betting that on telling this story, most adults would smile indulgently and say something like "boys will be boys!" or "it's natural, isn't it?" Or am I just having a cynical day?

My interpretation is that this is simple mimicry of play she has seen many times before. It's not particularly significant by itself, unless it forms part of a greater pattern that is yet to be revealed.

The more things change...

So I was wondering the other day if Isabelle's rotational schema thing was still relevant. Things change over time, and play becomes more complex and sophisticated. Perhaps another model is needed?

I peeped through the window as Isabelle's class did some singing close to pick-up time. The teacher asked for the children to clap in a circle. Isabelle does so with great concentration, mouth open, brow furrowed as she follows the progress of her hands with keen eyes.

Then we popped into the library to pick up the Tintin book that Aidan had ordered. Isabelle is allowed to choose another book too. The title she chooses?

Round and round.

Yup....

Harvest

Here is our tomato harvest.

(Yes, that's the lot!)

Orla throws

Orla toddles into the kitchen with a bean bag and a big smile.

She says "throw!" and hurls the bean bag to the floor with a flourish.

So I've got two trajectory-schema children?! How will the windows cope?

(News not yet reported on this blog is of Aidan throwing a rock through one of the glass panels of our front door. Still haven't heard quite how many dollars that is costing yet....).

Shopping

After we all did the grocery shopping this afternoon, Brendon dropped me off in town for a free facial (that I had earned through spending excessive amounts of money at a salon). He suggested that I could spend the extra half hour I had in hand by having a look at some clothes. (I had been complaining this morning about a lack of things to wear). I closed the car door and waved them off at 3.00. At 3.04 I left a shop with two new tops. It is amazing how efficient you can be without three small children in tow. (And yes, I tried them both on).

The facial, though only 30 minutes long, was superb. Can't remember the last time I had one. I walked home and was pleasantly surprised that despite a lack of exercise, the walk up Bolton Street was not too difficult. The 193 steps up the hill to our suburb were challenging though (as they always were!).

When I got home I asked Isabelle dramatically:
"Do I look any different [after the facial]?"
"Yes".
"How do I look different?"
"Your nose is red".

Back to reality!

Woof woof bleed bleed

Great excitement here this morning when I looked out of the window to see a bleeding dog on our side of the fence. And I really do mean a bleeding dog (not a @#$%^ ! dog).

By the time the SPCA were on their way it had jumped the fence (with me in careful pursuit, holding Orla, the phone, and my cup of tea).

To cut the long story short, the neighbour managed to get a lead on it and read its tags - I telephoned the owner who duly retrieved it (shortly before the SPCA arrived!).

All that is left of the flurry of activity are a few dried drops of blood on the steps by the gate.

Apples

Our school sells fundraising apples at the moment.

I've noticed that after apple pick-up day, the children waiting at the bus stop put apples out on the road for cars to run over.

On Friday I took the car. As I drove towards the bus stop, I noticed a solitary apple sitting in the middle of the lane. A group of children at the bus stop looked hopefully on.

I swerved slightly to ensure that the apple crunched dramatically beneath our tyres.

The children jumped up and down, whooping and cheering with delight! I chuckled.

(Policy makers take note: you can't really make people do anything. They have to have incentives that make sense to them in order to act in the desired way. Merely making healthy food available does not mean that children will eat it - especially when there are other, more entertaining possibilities!).

Skilful trajectories

Usually when I drop Isabelle off from school, Hazel is on the monkey bars. She is so strong - it just appears effortless as she casually swings from bar to bar, sometimes going for the next handhold, sometimes missing out a bar and making a larger swing.

Aidan watched her in awe and amazement the other day as she climbed to the top of the rope swing. She explained in a matter-of-fact way her technique as she climbed.

He was also fascinated by her prowess on the scooter, and studied her as she whizzed past him up and down the driveway. He was unable to replicate her advanced abilities (she is about 3 years older than him), but worked quietly on his scooter skills, finding his level, experimenting, falling and picking himself up to try again.

Aidan's away on a Playcentre trip at the moment. Afterwards, he is going on a playdate and I won't see him until school pick up time. I realised as I wrote this post that I miss him. I can't remember the last time we were separated for six whole waking hours.

One happy boy

On Tuesday after dropping Isabelle off at ballet, we went to the Karori library and nabbed the only Tintin book they had left off their returns trolley.

Aidan was extremely pleased.