Insults

Euey has this game. Will started it, which I'm sure no one will be suprised about. Will whispers something in Euey's ear and Euey comes and tells me. More often than not it either makes me go oooohh gross! or Wiiilllll, you can't get him to say that! It is most hilarious when Euey doesn't quite get the translation right.
Euey has now passed the game onto me, so I have to tell him insults to tell Will. That's what he requested tonight, as we lay in his bed having a good-night cuddle - Mum, can you tell me something funny and I'll tell Dad?

And so it began ...

G whispers and Euey repeats perfectly: Your mother is a hamster
Will replies: Your father smells of elderberries
G whispers and Euey repeats: Put a sock in it Pom
Will replies: I'm no Pom!
G whispers and Euey repeats: All the same to me, you all eat potatoes

And all was well in the world, until we swapped beds and it was Will's turn to let the insults fly ...

Will whispers: You're a convict
Euey repeats: Mum, you're a convent

After the laughter subsides ...
G replies: I'm no convict
Will whispers: Yeah, you're worse than that, you come from religious stock
Euey repeats: Yeah, you're worse than that you come from delicious stock

School

Euey received a big letter today, from his new school in Shepparton. I thought tonight would be a good time to open it, because Aoife and Finian were already asleep. Had I known his reaction I would not have given it to him on a night when Will wasn't here (footy finals you see).

Inside was a green envelope with a star attached and a letter. I read the star: This is a special gift for you to wear each time you come to school to see us. Inside was a name tag. Wow! ... Wow! he said when he saw it. Can I try it on? It had sparkles on it, Euey's favourite.

Next: the letter. First I explained it was from his Buddy and that his Buddy was a friend who was older than him and had been at school for a long time, so he could always ask him for help. Dear Euan, I began - How does he know my name? He interjected. After some explanation about how I'd told the school we were moving and that he would be starting there, I continued. Dale's letter was lovely. He loves dogs, so they have something in common already and Euey wants to take his favourite little toy puppy to show him.

Euey was quiet for awhile after I finished reading, thinking I guess. I used the time to tell him that we would be visiting his school lots of times before he started, so he could meet Dale then. I want to start school when we get there, he said. I have a mate. He doesn't even know me but he's my mate! Then he looked down at the name tag. Can I wear it aaaaalll night? Please please please please??

Two problems to deal with. First, the name tag. Sorry Darling, it might prick you, let's put it beside your pillow. Okay (sad face). Next, starting school. Now, you won't start school straight away, you have to finish Kinder first. You'll start school after Christmas.

Christmas? Christmas? He jumped up and started bouncing on the bed. Christmas, Christmas, Christmas Christmas!!!! Realising I'd lost him I kissed him good night and started to walk out. Mum, he said, ceasing bouncing with a serious face. Mum, I've got a GREAT idea. Let's put the sparkly name thing with my jocks, I never forget my jocks in the morning!

Dress up party

My kids LOVE dressing up. It is not uncommon for spiderman and a princess to come shopping with me. So a dress up party? Well, that was just heaven!

Tired Little Pirate, Loony Ben 10 & Queen Bee.

In anticipation of Father's Day

DON'T READ THIS POST UNTIL YOU HAVE READ WILL'S POST on

Life Through a Daddy's Eyes

When I got home from Aoife's ballet - yep, me at ballet, weird huh? The things you end up doing when you have a daughter who's favourite things are shoes and handbags - preferably in pink! - anyway, a little after I got home, just after Will had left, Euey sidled up to me. Mum, he says, all tickled pink, I did a good trick. What was it? I ask a little nervously. I forgot to hide Daddy's father's day thing from kinder, but it's okay, I told him I made it for you. And I didn't let him see inside the card, only the outside. *Proud smile*.

A few hours later, when Will got home, Euey came running again. Mum, Mum, is it Father's Day yet?

Euey grew a daffodil

Will's words

A lovely little Irish exchange took part in our living room last night, just before Will and Euey left for Father's Night at Kindergarten.

*********************************************

Euey (watching tv): Dad, come and look at these gun things!

Will (walks in): Oh yeah, tanks.

Euey: You're welcome.

Will: No, I don't mean thanks, I mean those things are called tanks.

Euey (looks confused, like there is no difference between those two words).

Will: Hang on .... George, I need your help here!

Finian

Finna is a right little chatter-box these days, he even gives Aoife a run for her money. Poor Euey and I sometimes just sit mute staring at the other 3 as they natter away, wondering how they manage to fit so many words into their day.

He has several words ...

Dada

Mama

Nana = banana

Na-naaah = look at me, look at that, what is that?, take this please, I want that and countless other useful phrases.

Nee-oww = the sound a cat makes, he changes the tone to match Sarabi perfectly.

Jeh or Jeh-Jeh = Gen

He also grunts to mean 'yes', growls when he is being scary or is angry at me and makes sounds that very closely resemble words, parrot-fashion.

He can sing Twinkle Twinkle and ABC perfectly in tune. When he sings Twinkle the words are usually da da da, but when he sings ABC a lot of the letters are recognisable, especially aaah, bee cee dee and aaash, eye, shaaa, kaa, la la la la dah.

He can sign:

more - flat hand to chest

milk - one hand grasping in and out

water - one finger pointing to mouth

finished - hand horizontal and waved back and forward

Twinkle Twinkle - 2 hands up and grasping in and out (he makes this sign when he wants us to sing the song as well as when he's singing it, and he also makes a perfect diamond shape as he sings).

He is still the chirpiest soul I've ever met and very independent. He often carries a 'blankie' (muslin baby wrap) around and always takes one to bed. He sucks his thumb. When he's tired he'll plug his thumb in, grab a blankie if one is nearby and climb on someone's lap or lie on the ground. If you ask him does he want to go to bed he grunts yes.

He gives kisses and cuddles freely and plays tricks all the time. He has his Daddy's sense of humour. He takes his little back-pack to childcare and insists on carrying it and walking all the way in. He follows Aoife and Euey around a lot and loves joining in their games. They call him a loony little munchkin (a title inflicted by me I'm afraid) and tell everyone he's the 'craziest' in our family!

Copy Cat

Copying is all the rage here at the moment. The kids copy each other (and when it gets too annoying listening to them bicker I copy both of them). Will has an iphone application of a cat that copies anything you say. He also gets Euey to copy him, telling Euey little things to tell me - more often than not it's a dodgy pick up line.
Tonights copying session:

Will - Ask Mummy if she comes here often.
Euey - Mum, Daddy wants to know if you come here often.
...
Will - Ask her 'How you doin'?'
Euey - Mum, How you doin'?
...
Will - Tell her you need a labotomy.
Euey - Mum, I need another bottom!

Quotes

This morning:

We've been talking about Korea a lot, considering going back for a year. I even applied for a couple of jobs. As I didn't get them we're staying here, but there have been many a discussion about Korea lately. Even before I applied for the jobs we'd decided that we will try to pick up our Korean and teach the kids. Obviously all the talk is filling their minds, because comments like this are becoming common place in their play:

Aoife, you need to put these on your feet. This is Korea and Korea people fight with their feet.

**************************************

Last night:

Just before bed Will was play fighting with Aoife on the bed. She was lying on his tummy facing him, with both his hands in her armpits.
Aoife: What are you doing Daddy?
Will: I'm thinking about tickling you.
Aoife: *laughing* I'm thinking about you stop tickling me.

...

As I was leaving the bedroom after cuddles Euey inexplicably called out to me Roger, Roger!
I came back in laughing: Huh?
Mum, Roger yourself out! he said, killing himself laughing.

Bedtime Stories - Bringing in the nets

Brucie was my grandfather. He always wore shorts, a shirt and braces. He never put his shoes on properly, just stepped on the back of them. Then he shuffled to keep them on. He would pull up in the ute, walk up to the door, open it and come straight in, traipsing mud where ever he went. He would call out Lucky, Lucky ... I've got a job for you. We'd all jump in the back of the ute and hold on for dear life. We usually had no idea where we were going or what we would be doing. Could be collecting prickly cactus pear, or back to The Ponds to go fishing, but this time we were checking the yabby nets.

He pulled up at a channel. We all poured out and started looking around. Looking here. Looking there. Finally, we headed back to the ute. Brucie, we can't find it, do you remember where you put it?
Must be around the corner, he'd say. We'd jump back in the ute, holding on for dear life, and off we'd go around the corner. Pull up, jump out, start looking. Looking here. Looking there. Brucie, are you sure it's here?
Must be around the corner, he'd say. Jump in, hold on, off we go again. Pull up, jump out, look here, look there. Brucie? Are you sure?

Sometimes we'd drive around all the channels in Ardmona looking for yabby nets. We'd get them all (or most of them) in the end, and Brucie would take them home, resisting our offers of helping him re-set them. In a few days he'd put them back in, forget where half of them were and off we'd go again. It was the best way to spend a Sunday morning!

******************************************************

After I'd finished telling this story, as they were both killing themselves with laughter Euey commented: Brucie was a crazy crazy man Mum. He forgets as much as you. Even more!

Then as I walked out the door he called Lucky, Lucky - the tone was so exact it brought tears to my eyes. There's a lot of Simson in that boy.

Like father like son ...

Will was discussing with Euey how much of a hunk his daddy is and how his mummy is a skunk. Euey, bless his little heart, came running to me yelling skunk and monk, skunk and monk and skunk and monk.

Then after dinner he was reading a few stories to the kids. He read a couple of phonics books, aimed directly at helping them learn to read. He also has a habit of stopping as he's reading to explain any words the kids might not understand. After a couple of books Euey had had enough ... Dad, can we just read and not learn?

(By the way, watching Will read 'Learn ch, sh and th words with Meeble' was ilumminating.)

June - July Photos

At the zoo. There was a butterfly on him, but I missed the butterfly and just got the awesome expression.

At the museum. The kids absolutely love the museum. Great rainy day entertainment.

At Ann and Rids' place. Not sure what happened here. We left them in Charlie's room and all of a sudden they all came running out wearing as many of Charlie's clothes as they could get on!

He he. Such a joker already, god help us as he gets older.

Catha came to visit! Yay!

Seems Finna is not the only one who got the slap-stick gene from Will.

Finn goes nuts when I drive the pram toward one of those little merry-go-round rides in the shopping centre.

Daddy's home, yayyy!!!

Euey wrote his name.

Chucky decided to wake up Aoife by sitting on her head with a pooey nappy.

Charlie teaching Euey how to ride his new bike.

And fixing the handle bars after he rode down the hill and forgot how to use the brakes. Lucky only pride and bike were damaged.

I don't like girls

Aoife had an issue today and she wanted to sort it out with Euey tonight. Apparently Euey and a friend claimed they don't like girls. Aoife was very affronted. When she brought it up Euey back-tracked big time.
I do like girls. I love girls.
How much, Will asked.
Forever, he said, forever ... I dreamt about girls last night.

Bedtime Stories from Cath

The first bedtime story I posted was about the birth of my best friend and the day we met (same day). The next one comes straight from the horse's mouth. It is not one my kids have heard yet. It's not even one I remember. But it will be told tonight with glee.

Check it out here.

Crackers from Euey

This evening everyone was colouring in a Little Mermaid colouring book while I cooked dinner (even Finna). Will came in to help me and Euey called out Dad, I've got something to show you. As he walked back into the living room Will was greeted with Look, green boobies!
Wow, green boobies are my favourite, replied Will
Yeah, cause green means go! said Euey emphatically.

Then at bedtime Will was telling him a story about Viking raids in Ireland and he asked Why does the Viking have a king in half their word? This was quickly followed by Why don't we ask Michael.
From Aoife's bed next to them I could hear the cogs whirring away in Will's head until finally ... Ahh, yes, good idea Euey, let's ask Google.