Year after Year

Each year we take a picture of Jake next to one of our Buddhas in the back yard to commerorate his birhday and to see how much he has grown from year to year. Having just had his fourth birthday, it's interesting to look back at the five birthdays photos (including when first born) and see just how much he has grown. It's also a bit scary to think that the last photo was four years ago when it seemed just liked yesterday. The three year old picture is Jake at nearly 3 1/2 as we cannot find the three year old one. We also think Buddha needs a touch up!

My Birthday Weekend

It's been a busy time for mum and dad this weekend. Not only have they made a special effort for my birthday yesterday but they have also had to put up with me hyped to the max on cake, sweets and cordial. What a great combination of foodstuffs that is for me!

Mum and dad organised for a small but select group of friends to meet at the wavepool in Darwin. It's a terrific place for a four year old to play. I went on a boogie board and an inflatable ring and I had brilliant fun riding the waves. We also had chocolate cake and lots of other goodies. Mum came home and had a rest in the afternoon.

For my birthday I got lots of presents including a trampoline (which dad still has to put up), a bouncy castle, crayons, a water slide, heaps of books and games, including buckeroo and a golf game.

This morning M&D took me to Fred's Pass Show which is a country show just outside Darwin. I loved the chickens and cows as well as the boys riding on their bikes on top of sea containers. All good stuff. Mum made a mistake of buying me my first candy floss which I really liked and dad bought me a pancake for my breakfast. Mum and dad have been discussing the effects of junk food on me!

It's great being four!

The Joys of Camping

Well the 'Dry Season' has started and mum and dad took me camping. Last time we went camping was two years ago when I threw up at 4am in the morning and we had to pack up and leave the camp site. But safe in the knowledge that I haven't thrown up since our holiday in Singapore six months ago, mum and dad were sure that the same wouldn't happen again.

We went to Batchelor on the way to Litchfield National Park, about an hours drive from home. We found a really shady camp site and set up camp. Mum and Dad bought a new tent with three rooms and a sun annex. Dad says 'it's the Taj Mahal of tents.' All I know is that it took M&D ages to put it up, and they didn't even bother with the rain fly. Anyway, after the tent was up, Dad said that he needed a drink so off to the bar we went. I had a fruit juice and mum had a coffee. Dad must have been very thirsty as he had another beer.

After that we went to the pool for a swim which was great fun. I had a strawberry milk shake afterwards.

After a few problems with the gas light it was off to bed. In the morning I found a cane toad in the sun annex but Dad didn't keep it there for very long. We also found a frog in the pool and geckos in the toilet. Camping is so interesting.

Shortly after I saw Aoife and Eamon from my child care. They came in late the night before. Eamon said his dad took ages to put their new tent up too! M&D went and had a coffee a I had a babyccino before going into the supermarket in Batchelor. Did I tell you that I hadn't thrown up for ages? Well, Dad had great fun cleaning the supermarket floor and mum was not too pleased to drive back to the camp site with vomit in her hair and in her ears!!!! At least I wasn't sick over the sheets this time!

Eventually, M&D and me had another shower and dad said he needed a beer, so off to the bar again. No strawberry milkshake for me though, even though I wanted one - M&D were firm on this one.

Spent the rest of the day in the pool with Eamon and Aoife which was great fun before having roast dinner in the restaurant. Dad had another beer.

Looking forward to my next camping trip, not so sure about M&D.

The meaning of the universe, life and all that stuff

Last weekend, Master 3 year old came up to me in a straight face and stated that he needed to speak to me. If he was 15 years older I might have asked 'is it the Police or a girl?'

However, in an enquiring tone he asked 'Dad, why is everything here?' I have to admit that I have been less thrown by questions from politicians and their minders, Industrial Relation Commissioners and executives of multi-billion dollar projects than by this question from a 3 year old. This was a question without notice and he wanted an answer there and then! I also asked myself 'how come we've by-passed the questions about 'Why is jam sticky?', 'Why do eggs break when I drop them?' or 'Why does poo smell funny?'

So I asked him what he meant by that. His reply was simple. 'Houses and things.' So I tried to relate my answer to something that I thought would be relevant to him (Never underestimate the intelligence and logic of kids!). So I said that people ask builders like 'Bob the Builder' to build their houses for them. "Why' was the response. At this stage I started to sense that whatever I said would be questioned and so started scambling for an acceptable answer. 'Because we live in a place where it rains a lot and the houses help keep us dry' I said.

(and here's why you have to love the way children look at life) Junior philosopher looked slightly bewildered, but only for a nanosecond , until he replied with serious intent 'why don't they just wear raincoats?'

I had no feasible response for him though my tears of laughter. I've take that question on notice, but who am I to argue against the logic of a three year old?

Post chocolate blues

I have finally eaten all my Easter eggs. Mum and Dad are very pleased to have them out of the house and are grateful that I have now stopped bouncing off the walls.

I am going back to pre-school tomorrow after the Easter break and looking forward to seeing my friends and Mrs Gore again. I have been practicing my cutting skills and my number identification. I can recognise 1, 2 & 3.

We had some really good fun in the pool this weekend. Dad put my slide by the side of the swimming pool for me to slide down into the pool. Dad has put the photos on my blog.

We also went out to look at some tents as we are going camping a lot over the dry season which starts in a couple of weeks time. Mum and Dad are looking for a two bedroom tent so I can share with Mum, and Dad can have his own room. M & D say that this is not quite right.

Happy Easter Everybody

Hi all

It's been a really chocolaty week. First it was Dad's birthday last Wednesday and I made a chocolate cake all by myself (well Mum helped, but only a little bit.) Mum also bought a soccer ball cake for Dad as well.

I also made an Easter egg basket at pre-school. Mrs Gore gave me some Easter eggs. Mum and Dad were very happy about that!

For Easter, Mum, Dad and I went into a hotel in the city centre. I think they were trying to fool the Easter Bunny that we had moved, but I told him where we going and he found me ok. He gave me three eggs. I have eaten one already and Mum and Dad are going on a bike ride to the park with me soon to burn off some energy.

I also went back to Crocosaurus Cove with Dad yesterday whilst Mum went for a massage. Mum is not allowed to leave me alone with him anymore as he made me hold a baby croc and got someone to take a photo. Unfortunately it was in the wrong format to show here but our friend Angus converted it for me. Thanks Angus.

My birthday is next. Yippee

Feeding Crocodiles

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Mum and Dad took me to Crocosaurus Cove in Darwin yesterday and I had a great time feeding the baby crocs with a fishing rod and pieces of chicken. I also had fun looking at the snakes, but Mum didn't hang around. Dad is off to Perth for a week tomorrow but says he will bring me home a puzzle or a book, so he can go as often as he likes