Little Tigersr

So - what do you think - do the boys look alike? If grandpa Neil was bored, he could photoshop Ellis's hair onto Rowan - I think they'd look like twins. Maybe he could thin Rowan's face out a bit too. Funny - Rowan even has the downturning mouth. This reminds me - Ellis is very observant - he said to me this morning "why are you miserable?"

Oh dear I thought.

"I'm not miserable - I'm just intent on getting out the door - I'm concentrating."

The other pictures are of Mr. Magpie who crept in a almost gave me a heart attack on Monday.

Ellis was up early and in a very pleasant mood - most accommodating. He did not want to jeopardize his trip to Little Tigers. It was pouring out (most rain they've had in 100 years - drought is definitely over) and I was a little apprehensive about driving as they were telling people to stay home and to be careful of puddles (they have water markers on the roads here to let you know how big the puddles are). The other weekend when we drove up Mount Lamington we drove on a road that was basically the same level as the creek it was crossing. It was slightly thrilling. Anyway - I did not want to get stuck in a puddle so was prepared to turn around if things did not seem good. Even if it did mean spending the day indoors with El and Ro. Thankfully, we made it to Little Tigers no problem. It seems our American friends decided to go too (and the rest of Brisbane). It was much louder. Ellis disappeared again for about an hour and only surfaced when he was thirsty or hungry. They have food at Little Tigers (cookies, slushies, ice cream, chips) and Ellis tried every trick he knew to get met to buy him something, but I held out! He did eat the chips that Sara (other mom) bought. They asked me what I was doing for Rowan's birthday (their kids birthdays are coming up and they have planned events - but their kids are older). "Uh, I think I'll make a cake. I'm not really that great when it comes to birthdays." I felt a little guilty, but not too much - Rowan won't remember - and all Ellis cares about is cake. We will celebrate it - but I think he's a little young still for the themed birthday parties. Next year I will get off my lazy butt and do a real party. Our present to Rowan is that we are not abandoning him to the babysitters who could only come on his birthday this week!

We lasted about 4 hours at Little Tigers - at one point Ellis came to get me as he'd lost his socks.

"where did they go?"

"I put them in the tube and they went shhwwwooooop!"

Oh - he'd put them in the ball vacuum tube that takes those balls that they use in Ikea and other playrooms around the world - the balls get sucked into the tube and shot around the play structure only to come out somewhere else. Kinda like habitrail for balls. He socks did not make the journey. I mentioned it to one of the workers. He wasn't too worried. "you should see what we find in there." he said. I wasn't too worried either. We have a giant rubbermaid of socks that came with us to Oz courtesy of our neighbour Adam.

Sara noted at one point that both Ellis and Rowan have a fascination with the balls.

"you should buy a bunch and create a ball room in your house."

Good point - I hit Kmart today and got a start. I bought a bag for $20. G. Anita - this is your present to Rowan to keep him occupied. It will cost a lot to fill a room though. I think there is about 4o in the bag. Maybe we can set up the playpen and pretend.

After that we drove to Tanya's and Ellis played with their version of marble works and he also got to do a craft. Tanya filled a bunch of bowls with different things (puffs, ribbons, glitter, paper) and he glued them to a piece of paper. Seems so simple - why can I not do that?

"you're no good at crafts." noted Ellis as we were getting in the car to leave.

"no - I'm not really. I don't really like them. I'm good at other things - I like taking you on adventures instead. Plus - that is why you have to go to school, to learn things that I can't teach you. Like crafts." I've been feeding him this line a lot lately. He's buying it I think. Mainly because they do do cool things at school. Building igloos out of ice, making coconut candy, writing books (he came home with a little book that he'd done about a boy who gets chased by a tiger and crocodile. Fortunately daddy and mommy rescue him - we all go home to Rowan who was left home alone for the day - and have chicken, noodles and broccoli for dinner followed by a treat.

As I pulled into the driveway I noted that Ellis had just passed out. Good thing I had taken my book with me to Little Tigers. I finished it. Cyp phoned to say he was on his way home so I reluctantly woke them up (after sitting there an hour) and went in and made dinner.

Tried to get Rowan to sleep in his crib. He won round 1. I think I give up.