Just a Spoonful of Sugar

Kai has been on antibiotics for the past week. He is not happy about this fact, however we have come to a compromise. After taking his medicine he gets a small chocolate easter egg. So now, twice a day, I say "Kai, it's time for your medicine" and he says "Treat?". And then he starts crying as he walks over to me, crys even more as he takes his medicine and then smiles and says "treat" again.

Ben has accused me of trying to give Kai an aversion to chocolate because he associates it with medicine. I can live with that.

A Collection of Poems

Lizzy just recently finished a segment on poetry at school. For giggles, here are some of her works.

Dad will always be cool

I was talking with the kid yesterday and the topic of being teenagers came up. I said "Perhaps when you are 14, you won't want to come with Mum because teenagers quite often don't think parents are cool."

Isaac responded "I think Dad will always be cool because he plays computer games."

So I now record this statement for posterity's sake.

Messages

Last night I found a message on my toothbrush. Lizzy had stuck a sticker on my toothbrush which read "I love you Mom". She had also left her sticker book in the bathroom, so I wrote on one of her stickers "I love you Elizabeth".

Tonight, as I was cleaning my teeth, I noticed two new messages had appeared, this time on my makeup bottles. My sticker I had written to her was now on her toothbrush.

So naturally I had to write another couple of messages tonight. I wonder which odd spot I'll find a message tomorrow.

My helper

Kai loves to help around the house. He's actually quite an organized little fellow, and will say "Way" when he wants to put his toys away. I've got to admit that it's rather nice to have a child who likes to tidy up.

On a number of occassions lately, I've gone to take out something of the kid's cup/plate cupboard, only to find that Kai has unloaded the dishwasher for me. While that is terribly sweet of him, there is a problem. They haven't been washed yet! Ah well - it is the thought that counts, isn't it?

Why Math Homework Frustrates Me

Some afternoons I feel like ripping my hair out. The reason is simple - Isaac is doing his math homework. I would say that 99% of the time Isaac knows the answer. The problem is that he is required to explain how he got that answer and that is where the problems start.

This is todays homework.

As you can probably see, he knew the answer was 24. In his head he worked out that there were 6 blocks of 10 minutes in a hour and therefore over 4 hours, there would be 24, 10 minute blocks. (6x4=24).

So when he writes down the explanation, there is one shell picked up every 10 minutes (1) and this is done 24 times. His explanation is therefore 1x24=24.

So another day passes where I tell him that he needs to write down all the steps, to show his teacher how he worked out the sum. This gets him all frustrated.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Maths is going to be easier the harder it gets.

Letters

Lizzy loves to write letters. Ben & I are always finding notes on our desks or in other places around the house. I hate to admit, but there are some unmailed letters in our house too.

Two letters have been written recently - and while they are still unmailed - I thought it was important that they made it to their intended recipients.

Christmas is on the Way

And in America this means making Gingerbread houses.

We made our first ever tonight.

Back to Halloween

Finally I have a photo of my little Bob the Builder.

School Photos Part II

And today, Isaac's photos came home. Here is our sweet 3rd grader :)

School Photos

Lizzy came home with her school photos today. Isaac did not, so you'll have to wait to see his.

Hugs

The other day Isaac asked what my favorite things was. My answer was "Saying goodnight to my children, because it's a very special time I get to spend with each of my children and I always am able to give them a big hug."

Isaac thought about this for a moment. "I like hugging equally to computers".

"I definately like hugging more than computers", I answered.

"Of course you do, you're a girl".

I held back from responding that this was obviously boy logic.

Halloween

Tonight was Halloween. Unfortunately I forgot my camera, however I have some photos from the kids Halloween parade and playing in the park afterwards.

We went trick or treating with my friend and her children, much to Isaac & Lizzy's delight. What amused me most was how quickly Kai caught onto the whole trick or treating tradition. He toddled after the big kids as quickly as he could, and would squeal in delight when someone opened the door. Often this was accompanied by a little happy dance. If the person bought the bowl down to his height, he'd quickly take a candy and pop it into his bag. If they were still down low when he'd done that the hand would go out again. Luckily for us, he's not had candy before so he didn't realise what a treasure he was putting into his bag.

Here are some photos of Isaac & Lizzy from the other day at school. Isaac was Obi wan Kenobi and Lizzy was a witch (she'd just watched Kiki's Delivery Service, which influenced her choice). Kai was Bob the Builder, although photos of him are on my friends camera.

Travel Plans

Today Isaac wrote the following list of places he'd like to visit:

1. The South Pole
2. China
3. Washington D.C.
4. Glacier National Park

I'm sure that we'll visit 3 and 4 at some stage in the next few years. And we may even visit China, as Ben has always wanted to take us there (I think all of Ben's stories about his visit to China have influenced Isaac). But the South Pole doesn't strike me as a family vacation destination. I think that this goal will have to be one that he does as an adult. Hey - the kid likes science - perhaps he can do a stint there one day as part of his studies :)

Perspective

I had a few family members comment about the background in my Trip_Down_Memory_Lane post. Just to give a little perspective for the first photo, with me standing on the back verandah in the bikini ... had this photo been taken a few years later, Jan B's house would have been there instead :)

Santa

Lizzy and I were driving to the shops on Saturday, when she suddenly said "Wouldn't it be funny if we had to pay for Christmas?"

"We sort of do" I said. "We buy gifts for one another."

"No. I mean wouldn't it be funny if we had to pay for Santa's gifts?".

Ummm. Yeah. Funny.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

I was looking through some old photos tonight and thought I'd take you on a trip down memory lane.

"What do you get if you wear a yellow jacket?"

"A Bee Sting."

Well technically, it would be a wasp sting, but I had to smile at how far Lizzy's jokes have progressed over the past year. Was it really only a year ago that she made up knock, knock jokes that made no sense?

Just Like Daddy

Kai is a good imitator. He obviously wants to be just like all the older people in our household, but of everyone, Daddy is his idol.

Yesterday, as Ben was getting ready for work, Kai was in the bathroom watching him. He then reached up and picked up Ben's deodorant, took off the lid, lifted up his shirt and dabbed the deodorant on his belly.

Mmmmm. Kai will be smelling fresh all day long - just like Daddy.

Can you spot anything different?

Take a close look at this photo? Yes - they are 3 gorgeous Armstrong's but there is something different..

Any guesses?


Well - I suppose it's a bit hard to tell from the photo but you are looking at 3 Australian citizens :)

Yes. Kai is now an Australian. Sometime in the next 2 months, he & I are going to go on a little vacation to San Francisco to get his Australian passport. Without it, I'm told we won't be allowed into the country.