Money changes everything

With the start of a new year came the start of an addition to Henry and Milly's routine.  Housework.  Yes, housework.  We thought it was about time they started helping out around the house.  They are certainly old enough to do some basic chores and there is no better incentive than the promise of pocket money.

They both have five jobs to complete each day and once completed they can give themselves a star.  They decide whether or not they want to do the job and understand they don't get a star if they don't do the work.  They must get a minimum of 20 stars to get any pocket money but get an increased amount if they get 30 or more stars.

We've had the system in play for just over a month and it seems to be working out well.  Milly barely scrapes in with enough stars to get pocket money, but Henry is trying his best and is enjoying getting some coins to add to his money box.  It seems to be setting a great example for Buster too, as he sometimes wants to be in on the jobs as well.  As for Michael and me, we are very grateful for the extra help we are now getting with some of the menial jobs around the house.

Back to school

 

The kids are well and truly back in a school routine.  Miss Milly has taken to school life like she takes to everthing - determined and focused.  I've had to laugh each afternoon when I wait under the school's infants shade shelter for her teacher to bring the class out at home time.  Everyday she is first in line.  Everyday.  When I visited her classroom to see where she sits.  She is at the very front table.  She loves doing her homework and wants to be the best at everything.  I love her ambition but would also love if she could be a little more gracious about it.  She is already telling Henry that she can read better than him, that she has more best friends than him, whatever she can to be better than him.  If only she realised Henry couldn't care less.

 

But it was during last week that we also had a proud parent moment.  We had finished dinner where we each take turns talking about our days.  Henry had said nothing much had happened at school for him that day, except he had enjoyed playing handball.  It was when he was getting out of the bath that night that he asked me "what's a role model?".  We talked about people we looked up to and people who set good examples for others.  I then asked him why he asked the question.  Turns out his teacher and told him he was a good role model but didn't know what it meant.  We were so pleased for Henry and hope somewhere inside him it boosted his confidence. 

So by the end of last week Henry he was awarded a Merit Card for good manners and good behaviours, and Milly received her first ever Merit Card for good work.

As for Buster Boo, he is having a ball at preschool and now proudly displays his artworks on his bedroom wall.

And then it was Saturday.  After a full week of not seeing much of each other, the three little Hobsons played happily together creating Lego worlds all around the house.  We didn't hear a peep out of them for four hours.  No tantrums from Milly, no "can I play wii now" from Henry, and Boo Boy wasn't excluded. 

It was wonderful.  It was peaceful.  If only it could stay this way forever.

What's for lunch Buster?

I'll have a gun sandwich thanks Mum!

 

Milly's first day

The night before Milly's first day at school I was tucking her in bed and she said "Mummy, I'm a little bit scared."  I told her it was ok and natural to be scared about starting school for the first time.  She looked up at me and smiled, then sweetly said "What outfit do you think I should wear?".  Um, that would be your school uniform Milly!

She woke up the next morning ready and accepting.  She had a bigger breakfast than usual, got dressed without fuss, let me brush her hair, she even wanted a ponytail.  She packed her bag and was ready to go.  It all seemed so normal and routine, like it was her 100th day getting ready for school and not her first.

When it came time to take her to her classroom she seemed a little excited.  I think she just wanted to get on with it.  She hung her bag on a hook outside the classroom, then it was a quick handover to her teacher and we walked out.  No tears from her and certainly no tears from us.  She has a good number of friends from her preschool who have started at school with her, and is lucky to have her best friend in her class. 

 

 

So how did her first day at school go?  We think it went ok.  She won't really tell us much and seemed to reveal more to family who called to speak to her at the end of the day.  We are pleased to report she is keen to go back to school tomorrow and extra excited because she gets to go to the library and borrow some books.

The start of something big

Milly starts school on Monday.  It feels like we have been waiting for this moment forever.  Henry started back at school on Wednesday and Buster started preschool on Thursday.  This meant me and Milly had two days of just the two of us.  So we decided we would make one of the days "our special day".  A special day of going shopping and looking for things for her room (I'll be repainting and doing her room up in the coming months) and going out for lunch.

 

We had a nice little morning.  We had morning tea at a cupcake shop where she could peer through a window and watch them make and decorate the cupcakes.  We strolled holding hands through the shops where she started compiling a list of all the things she wants for her birthday, we had lunch and chatted away about all our favourite things and the year to come.  I think she felt pretty special and important, and it was really nice to have just the two of us. 

 

 

It was nice up until the point where we were looking at light fittings for her room.  I haven't completely formulated the design of her new room but I did have the idea of doing away with a table lamp and instead having some little paper lanterns strung up.  We were in a shop that sells lots of designs and she liked two different ones.  I said we could buy one but she would need to choose which of the two she preferred.  But no, she wanted both.  So she stood there with arms folded, bottom lip out and a scowl on her face.  I mean, I was happy to buy one.  I liked both of the designs she picked out but we couldn't have both.  She was still going to get one, she just needed to pick.  But still no.  So she declared that if she couldn't have both she didn't want any.  And so we left empty handed.

Her defiant behaviour continues to baffle and torture us.  This is what her teachers said in her end of year preschool report:

Milly has had a very busy year in the Green Room.  She has extended her friendships and moves between all social groups with ease.  Milly's caring nature and sense of fairness during play makes her a popular companion with her peers.  She is a natural leader who negotiates with friends during cooperative games.  This enables her to move the game in many different directions.

Milly explores all aspects of the program, enjoying science and challenging activities.  She will often be seen in deep conversation at the table as she lends a hand to solve some of the trickier puzzles.

Milly thrives on teacher directed activities.  She follows instructions and completes tasks with little fuss.  Milly extends activities where needed independently by adding her own individual flair.

She is beginning to use phonics, recognise letters and copy words.  Milly has an interest in numeracy and has an understanding of basic maths concepts.

We wish Milly success in her future educational experiences.

Michael and I can only hope that school settles her down and we wish her well for her first year at school.  We also wish her Kindergarten teacher all the luck in the world and that her behaviours at preschool repeat through to school, and not the continuation of what we experience at home.

The scallywag

Buster started at preschool today.  A very exciting day for all.  A day where you can expect to get a little teary and expect for there to be some separation anxiety.  But there was none of that. 

We arrived at preschool to lots of welcomes.  Buster was shown to his locker where his bag is kept.  He took out his lunch and snack bags and put them in the fridge.  We did a quick tour of the toilets, but he was not interested.  No, Buster was more focused on getting to the play part of preschool.  So off he went to the toys, slides, and the sandpit.  While he was happy playing, I said my goodbyes and hot tailed it out of there.  No tears.  Not from him.  Not from me.



Putting his lunch and snack in the fridge.
 

 

 

I won't lie.  I did check my mobile phone a few times during the day, in case I had missed a call saying he was too upset or too tired and I should come and collect him early.  I did wonder how his day was going without me.  I had packed a spare change of clothes in case he forgot to go to the toilet and had an accident.  I was fully expecting to collect him in the afternoon and find him in his changed clothes.

 

Instead, when I arrived to pick him up, I peaked through the window.  I wanted to spy on him and see what he was up to.  He was on a playmat with some other kids and they were all laughing and having a chat.  I sneaked through the door and got a debrief from one of his teachers about his day.

The report was that he had had a great day.  He joined in at group time, he listened to instructions, he even sat down and ate his lunch.  A few activities they asked if he needed help with, but he gave them a firm "no" because he wanted to do it himself.  Mr Independent.  They told me he did have a few tears and wanted his mama when he accidentally got hit in the face with a rubber ball, but had a cuddle with a teacher, settled down and went off to play again.

They also told me he was a bit obsessed with the toilets.  It turns out he had realised he could sit on the toilet and flush it at the same time.  This became a bit of a game and he had spent a lot of time in the toilets enjoying himself.  I asked Buster about it and why he kept flushing the toilet, his reponse "the water was tickling my bottom".  Oh dear.  Then his teacher casually remarked "he has a bit of scallywag in his character".  Oh yes, he does.  Labelled a scallywag on day one.  Way to go Buster Boo. 

And so it turns out that they have earmarked another scallywag in Buster's class.  I was told the two scallywags hooked up for a bit of play, got up to who-knows-what and the teachers decided it best they be separated.  Oh deary, deary me.

So not a bad first day.  We are now looking forward to hearing how day two goes tomorrow.

 

School holiday wrap up

It is almost the end of the school holidays.  Henry goes back to school on Wednesday, Buster starts preschool on Thursday, and Milly starts school next Monday.  These school holidays have seen such a mixture of weather conditions.  We've had plenty of hot, sunny days where we have made the most of getting out to playgrounds, bike parks, and swimming at the pool or the beach.  There has also been lots of rain, so have had movie days and Lego days, plus Henry has got the most use of the Wii before heading back to school.  Here is a bit of a photo wrap up. 

 

 

A rainy day and Milly and friends are all set up to watch a movie.
 

Lots of fun at the ocean baths.
 

Always prepared, Buster sleeps with a gun.
 

While Henry did not help me make these biscuits, he was very keen to have his photo taken holding them.
 

 

Flying fox fun.
 

While Buster didn't last longer than five minutes in this pool...

... Milly couldn't be removed, even when her lips were turning blue because the water was so cold.  She did, however, manage to perfect doing a jumping somersault into the pool.

It's a Barbie world

As a young girl I could entertain myself for hours playing with my Barbie dolls.  I had four Barbie dolls, a pink convertible car, a campervan, a horse, as well as a house.  I also had a mum who could sew and make clothes for them. 

Milly has never shown an interest in playing Barbies (or with any dolls really) until recently.  And there's nothing wrong with that.  Art and craft activities have always been her thing.  When her cousins visited recently they did some Barbie play and that sparked her interest a little.  However, it has been our next door neighbour's little girl, Bridie Rose, who has got Milly mad for all things Barbie.  You see Bridie Rose loves playing with Milly, and Milly loves playing with Bridie Rose.  Bridie Rose is almost four years old and an only child.  She thinks of Milly has her big sister, which is rather sweet.  Bridie Rose got a Barbie Mansion/Dream House, a Barbie Glam Pool, and some Barbie dolls for Christmas.  Now when Milly goes over to play, Bridie Rose wants to play Barbies.  My inner child is screaming "hell yeah" who wouldn't want to play Barbies when they have a Mansion and Glam Pool to add to the mix.

So now that Milly is all jazzed about Barbies, she wants a Dream House of her own.  Being the creative girl she is, she made her own out of some spare shelves we had in the loft and large Duplo blocks.  She even made a staircase to get to the first floor.  She's pretty chuffed with herself and we are too.  She now happily spends time in her room, keeping herself busy and not tormenting the rest of us.  Her Barbies have a very busy life.  They watch TV, go to the movies, go shopping, they have discos and some of them even have careers.  One of them is a vet, another an artist, with another a ballerina.  She has even assigned one of the Barbies to a Cinderella like role, who has to cook and clean for the rest of the Barbies.

But I have to laugh.  She wants her Barbies to have more clothes, but not glamourous dresses that sparkle and glitter.  She has asked me to find her Barbies some shorts, singlets and joggers.  After all if she is going to play with them they need to dress like Milly too, and that means no dresses or skirts.

Milly's self-made Barbie Dream House.

Open plan living.  A dining room and lounge room complete with flat-screen TV.

Not quite a walk-in-wardrobe, but clothes and accessories a plenty.

Nigh nighs Barbie.

 

 

Looks like Ken is in for a good night.

Ringing in another year

Yes, above you will see I finally got to make and enjoy drinking that Frozen Lychee Vodka Martini.  Due to the heat it was less of a frozen martini and more of a super cold one, but it hit the spot.  In fact it's fair to say it hit the spot a number of times on New Years Eve. 

It was just me and Michael at home this New Year.  We put the kids to bed, popped some champagne, mixed up some cocktails and watched a few movies.  I even managed to watch most of the second movie before I started dozing.  Yes, I know I'm a lightweight and barely make it past 9.30pm on any given night, but I'm blaming the vodka and a humid evening for making me a bit sleepy or as my friends call me "Tiffy Nigh Nighs".  I woke up just in time to watch the Sydney fireworks on the TV and really wished I hadn't.  I thought they were a bit boring.  So Happy New Year one and all.

I have to admit I'm enjoying the school holidays at the moment.  Not having to rush around making school lunches, get kids ready and be out the door at a certain time.  It's nice being lazy in the morning, having leisurely breakfasts and still being in my pjs after 10.00am.  The kids have been playing ratherly nicely together and I haven't reached that stage yet where I wish they were back at school.

 
One of the Christmas presents from Santa was a Junior Monopoly board game.  It has quickly become one of Milly's favourite games to play.  Sometimes there are tears when she is bankrupt but she just wants to keep playing and playing.  No surprises she is actually quite shrewd when it comes to negotiating properties.  It's a lot of fun when we play it as a family.

Boxing Day

Boxing Day saw Corin, Yin and Casper head back to Sydney.  It was time to put the house back together, clean up, and find cupboards for all the new toys and games. 

 

By midday Buster had succumbed to what had been a very big week for him.  It's not like him to fall asleep before lunch, but the little man was plain tuckered out.

 

 

With Buster asleep, Henry was free to play his new Wii games on his own and uninterrupted.

 

 

Milly was busy in her room playing with her new Hello Kitty Dream House and Lego Friends.

 

While I was busy fulfilling a promise to Buster that I would build his Mega Bloks Power Rangers Samurai Headquarters, and that it would be ready for him to play with when he woke up.  Sadly for Buster this didn't quite go to plan.  I made every effort to have this project completed before he got up, but it took me over four hours to finish it.  All I have to say is Mega Bloks could learn a lot from Lego and their instruction booklets.

Christmas Day

I have memories as a kid of waking on Christmas morning when it was still dark outside.  I'd creep to my stocking hanging on my door, if it felt heavy and bulky I'd know Santa had been and I had been a good girl that year.  I'd then get back in bed and go back to sleep. 

Henry was first up on Christmas Day (no surprises there).  It must have been not long after 5.00am.  I'd asked him the night before if he was going to wake early to not wake his brother and sister, and he could open his stocking downstairs and play quietly.  Like the good boy he is, he did just that.  Milly was next to wake just before 6.00am and she joined Henry downstairs.  I could hear them excitedly chatting away and comparing their stockings.  Corin and Casper were next to join them, so I got up as well, as did Yin.  Buster woke around 6.30am and then Michael came downstairs at 7.00am.  At last we could start Christmas and more importantly pop that champagne cork.  It had rained all night and was raining still, so it looked like we would be stuck indoors on Christmas Day.

Champagne breakfast:  scrambled eggs, bacon, turkish toast.

 

Just after breakfast Corin needed to get something from his car.  While he was gone there was a knock at the door and in stepped Santa Claus.  How lucky were we to have the man himself to hand out the presents?  Henry and Milly weren't convinced it was the real Santa.  They thought it was Corin.  Their reason being that Santa doesn't wear glasses all the time, he only wears them when he reads out his lists.  But in the end, they really didn't care as long as they could start opening some presents.

It had been a generous year.  Thank you to all family who send presents.  Once they were all opened it was time for the kids to play, while us adults enjoyed some more champagne as we started to put together the toys that needed assembling.

 

It was while I was putting together the Hello Kitty Dream House that I looked out the lounge room window and noticed a large branch from our red gum tree hanging lower than normal.  Michael and I went out to inspect it.  It looked like the branch had split and was being supported by another tree.  If the branch was to fall it was certain to damage our neighbours house, take down our adjoining fence, and depending on which way it fell possibly break some of our windows as well.  It was raining, it was Christmas Day.  What do you do and who do you call?  I thought about calling our State Emergency Services (SES) who operate 24/7 in storms, floods, and other emergencies.  However, I knew they were all trained volunteers and didn't want to disrupt their Christmas with their families.  After a few hours of procrastinating I decided to call them and let them make the decision on whether the branch could wait or have to come down immediately.  The risk of seriously damaging our neighbours house and ours was worth making the call.

 

Within 40 minutes of reporting our branch to the SES, four men showed up ready to take it down.  I couldn't apologise enough for calling them out on Christmas Day.  The head of the team wasn't sorry at all.  He said our call couldn't have come at a better time because his in-laws had just arrived for Christmas lunch and he was happy to be out.  As it turned out, they assessed the branch to be dangerous enough that it would need to come down.  It took them almost two hours.  It was a delicate operation of chainsaws and pully systems as they dismantled the branch in stages.  Buster and Casper were transfixed by the windows watching.  When the SES were finished our side courtyard was trashed.  Michael had worked so hard on clearing it up and having it visitor ready for Christmas so we could dine outside.  At least we and our neighbours were now safe from the branch.  We tried to thank the SES men with beer and wine but they refused and said they are not allowed to accept gifts.  So humble are these men, "just doing our job" is what they said.  We felt terrible, but have made a promise to make a good donation next time we see the SES fundraising.

 



 

 

Not long after the SES had gone Mum and Peter arrived for Christmas dinner.  The kids were all busting to open more presents.  So far it had been a very exciting day.  I was a tad disappointed about the weather.  I had so wanted it to be warm so we could eat outside.  I had fairy lights and lanterns all ready to set up around the courtyard.  Because it was cold and raining we had to improvise and have dinner inside.  I even decided not to do the frozen lychee vodka martini cocktail (I'll have to save it for New Years Eve).  Despite all this it was Christmas Day and there was plenty to be thankful for.  We were safe, happy, healthy, and surrounded by family.  After a few wines it was a very merry, Merry Christmas.

 



 





PS.  Our Christmas dinner menu:  salmon and avocado tartlets / roast chicken with a cranberry, pistachio and couscous stuffing / roast turkey breast with a maple orange glaze / roast pumpkin and goats cheese crumble / roast potatoes / broccolini and peas / Janet Hobson's homemade Christmas pudding / homemade brandy and vanilla bean custard.