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When we are reading the map while travelling in the car, Piet will often ask to be shown on the map where we are going. But turning around and holding the Melways in front of him has become increasingly uncomfortable for mum. We wondered whether that was the reason he kept nagging about it. However, when we offered him the Melways at home, he was still interested and even got company from his sister. On the map, they can point out the freeways.
Camping?
In the second weekend of September, we had the ambitious plan to go camping with friends in the
Cathedral Ranges. We drove up early on a rainy Friday afternoon and put up the
camper trailer during a dry spell. The night was fairly cold. The kids were happy to
play outside, but our options were limited and when we heard that our friends couldn't make it, we decided to
pack up and try our luck at home. We had a warm night. The next day,
Piet and Emma enjoyed every
ray of sunshine in the garden.
Visit auntie Bell
Auntie Bell came over for the third weekend. The kids immediately got her to read
Cave Baby. Kell taught them how to eat kiwis properly: cut them in quarters and
eat the fruit off the skin. Then auntie Bell had to watch Piet and Emma collect sticks and twigs and
line them up on the driveway.
After a well deserved sleep, the sisters took Piet and Emma to the kinderboerderij. On arrival, Piet told Kel that he would tell her all animal names in Dutch. And he could! At least the first few animals, after that he forgot his mission. There were little goats, cows, chooks and horses - the rabbits were on holiday. As usual, Emma liked the horse best, while Piet kept his distance. After observing all the animals, we went to the playground next door for some active play. Back home, auntie got some time off as the kids decided to play with their bikes on their own.
Jan keeps being surprised by the weather. On Monday, we had the hottest day of the season, while for Tuesday the temperature was predicted to be thirteen degrees lower.
Last Soccer Time Kids
After 19 months for Piet (see
Feb 2010) and 7 months for Emma (see
Feb 2011), we went for the last time to their football-themed playgroup on Friday mornings. The kids did not always participate in all activities - Piet would hardly ever get up for a song like Incy Wincy Spider/Hansje Pansje Kevertje at the start - but recently they had been joining in more. At home, they will sometimes hold a running race or do 'little kicks (dribbling). One thing dad won't miss is the wonky end of each term, which involves a graduation ceremony in which the kids are called up individually and get a
trophy, which they can hold up while their parent takes a
picture and the rest cheers. Then they are handed their
certificate and finally a sticker, which they get every week and which is probably the most desired object of all. The kids manage to sit through the whole affair
more or
less interested. From next week, Piet and Emma will go to nursery on Friday as will - in addition to Wednesdays - while keeps them out of the house for the arrival of their little brother or sister, as we call it, in six weeks time. It also prepares Piet for his Kinder, which will start in February three half-days a week.
Eastern View
On Tuesday, we went to the beach house to stay with Pen and Andrew, over from London, and Pen's brother Bill, down from Canberra. It was sunny when we arrived, so we went straight to the beach. The
cousins enjoyed the sun, while the rest stuck a
toe in the water. It was so lovely, that Piet got into his
swimmers and
charged into the sea. He could
not get enough (see also this
album), but we took him out once he was blue in the face. Emma is less keen on icy water and preferred the
sand. The evening was
puzzle time.
The next two days were overcast, Piet went into the water less, we built more sand castles and read more books.
