New Plymouth For New YearsSome muchloved family time this last weekend in New Plymouth - we went to the park and watched the Festival of Lights at night, then returned the next day to play on the slides, the swings, walk through the fernery and go out in the rowboat. Then we walked up to the zoo, and around the Brooklands Bowl.
Heaps of fun!
Then Uncle Stephen taught Jesse how to skateboard and his moves are so choice that Jesse might be better than him soon!!
A Family Resemblance
There's something delightful about boys being boys. The week spent with an uncle visiting produced some of these classic lines:
Jes: Can I go tell Uncle Eye that the coffee is ready?Kirst: Yeah, go ahead.
Jes: Heh hehe cool, then he'll come downstairs in his undies and that crazy hat.VocabularyLiam is at the delightful stage where he communicates his most pressing need by repeated the word most closely associated with that need..
Liam: Mak, mak, mak! (I want some milk please)
Liam: Char, char, char! (I would like to sit on a stool like the big kids)
Liam: Bak, bak, bak! (I want you to read me a book)
Liam: Esse, esse, esse! (My brother Jesse is a/ not here and I'm looking for him, b/ not paying attention to me, c/ annoying me in some way)
Liam: Pease, pease, pease! (I'm really tired and relenting to the use of the word Please in an endeavour to get what I want from you)
Also in Liam vocab, all girls can be mummies if required, and all boys daddies, but no one can rival his Daddy for affection at the moment.
More School TalesYesterday was the first day of the new school term - an exceptionally exciting day for all concerned because it means Jesse will be back at school 5 days a week. It's good for everybody..
However in a strange turn of events yesterday morning - after a bit of a spat, the cause of which remains unknown, Jesse's punishment was the threat of not being allowed to go to school - which provoked cries of anguish and desperation.
Something isn't right here!
Pare Family Weekend Away
So the whole family took the Tank (youth group coffee machine) away for the weekend to youth leaders Training in Ngaruawahia. It was cold and raining. But it was fun. We made a lot of coffee and cookies and things. Generally we had a marvellous time.
Kid quotes that were outta sight..(just a reminder .. Jes is 5, and Liam 20months.)
5.30amLiam : Blah be dad dybbe jo lolll le daaaa de bah de
Jesse: Liam! Go to SLEEP! It's the MIDDLE of the NIGHT!6.30amLiam : Blah BEE beb daaa de be tuc ha hehehe ha blah ta tahhhh
Jesse: Liam! Stop being such a STUPID baby! Go to sleep!Later that day, playing on the playground with KirstenJesse: I LIKE this world. It feels like a warm, cozy blanket.More School TalesSuffice it to say... Jes has taken to school like a duck to water.. although it has some interesting side effects.
Side Effect 1:Jes: "wow, did you see that 'the' on the side of that building? I can't believe it. There are so many 'the's' everywhere. look, look! there's one on the weetbix packet."Side Effect 2:Jes (being put to bed at 6.55pm): "oh thank goodness it's time to go to bed. Now I can finally get some sleep."
School Tales
So Jes has just started school and it's very tiring for the wee laddie - but exciting as well. As to be expected from the lil' energy pop - it wasn't long before he lost his school uniform sweatshirt. 3 days in fact. Conversation between Kirst and Jes as follows.
Kirst: (thinking.. I'll just ask one more time) "Jes, are you sure you don't remember where you left your jumper?"
Jesse: "No. I don't know."
Kirst: "Did you take it off by the playground?"
Jesse: "Maybe." (looking thoughtful)
Kirst: "Well do you remember where you put it after you took it off?"
Jesse: (looking thoughtful, then exasperated!)"Mum! We've been through this before and I don't remember, ok!"
Adorable
Who could resist such creatures? The cat is the latest addition to the Paremoremo Rd family - her name is Madison, Maddy for short.
Liam is adorable as he runs after her, calling "A-addy, A-addy" and then scooping/grasping/grabbing/pulling by whichever part of her he can grab. He gets overcome with excitement, literally shaking with "oooh OOOh OOOOh". The other morning he was seen to be carrying her by one arm (outstretched she's as tall as he is!) whilst she merely set about grooming herself with the other paw. She seems quite content to hang around with the rough-and-tough boy, even so far as being carried around occassionally by the ears.
Jes however, is ferociously dedicated to "My Cat" and every so often is heard to proclaim to all those who attempt to extricate the poor thing from his somewhat ferocious grasp.. "But she likes me!".
While Staying at Grandma's
1.
Jes: "mummy are you tired?"
Kirst: "well, yes actually"
Jes: "well just come to bed then if you are tired!"
as if it was the most obvious thing in the world2.
the scene: walking through some bush towards the zoo with kirst and grandma
Kirst found an acorn top, and said to Jes in a hushed tone...
Mummy: "Jes, look! Some elves have been here.. and one of them has left his hat here!"
Jes (with a look of absolute awe & astonishment): "really!? do you think if we wait, we could see him? At this point there was a pause as Mummy started to feel guilty that he was believing her...
Jes: "...and if we find him we can STOMP on him and KILL him!"
The Thinking Child
Jes: Are you going to work today? After you drop me at kindy?
Me: Yup.
Jes: So you're going to work. You're going to work at church aye?
Me: Yup.
Jes: Did you go to work at church yesterday?
Me: Yup.
Jes: Oh. What was the man talking about yesterday?
