Chez Seal

Saturday, 23 March 2013

Neighbour's Day

Kieran has been at school for over a month now and is loving it, especially swimming in the outside pool every Monday and Wednesday. He liked it so much that we bought a pool pass for March, which was a bargain for $20 as West Wave entry is $6.50 per adult plus the time and petrol getting there. We more than got out money's worth hanging out there after school in the afternoon sun, splashing in the pool. His reading is excellent. One girl is reading at level 6, Kieran and another girl are reading at level 5, and the rest of the class are level 3 and 4. He loves doing maths too, and has made lots of friends.
For fun we have been to the Toddler Day out - which was heaps of fun. The boys especially loved the bouncy castles and the inflatable fruit keepers, MOTAT, which is free in March at the moment and we also did the Neighbours Day Glen Eden Treasure Hunt yesterday. We did mini treasure hunts and quizzes in each location, like Waikumete cemetary, Lucinda Community Orchard, Glen Eden Picninc Park. Kieran got to sit in a model police copter, be filmed on a large map of Glen Eden, sit on a giant tooth and race around the cemetary. It was great fun, and at the end were bouncy castles and treasure!
I'm not sure if I mentioned that a woman reversed into me when I was parked outside the school in February. Well the car finally went into the panel beaters...in the only wet weather of the month!! Seriously, it was ridiculous. I cancelled activities left, right and centre. After one day of racing to catch a bus (which was late) then walking/running from Parrs Park with Cam on my back who had had no nap to the school then racing back with K to catch the next bus (which was early and so we hung out at the bus stop for 20 minutes, before climbing onto a bus and then walking home from the library. Nakita kindly offered to take K to school for the next day and Wednesday morning. And on wednesday afternoon I got the car back. It was a wonderful moment lol, I practically pranced off on the school run! Of course the rain vanished after this - typical.
Study is going well, I have completed 2 of the 14 assignments due before June, and am working on the next one, which is a pig! I have my 2 contact courses in Palmerston North in the first week of April so we'll head down to Wellington so Chris and the boys get to loll about in Days Bay while I cower in a Palmy campground, then join me the day after Chris's birthday for a night before I head up to campus accommodation and my second contact course. It's going to be a busy week, especially as the second course runs from 9am to 9:30pm each day. Wish me luck!

Friday, 8 February 2013

11 years down, many more to go

I can't believe that Chris and I have been married for 11 years today. So much has changed since we wed: Chris has his PhD, I got my business qualification and have almost finished my BA, children (of course) and even Bandit has only been with us for 9 years. Looking back I wouldn't change a thing (apart for Chris's love of skinny black leather ties).
In other, more exciting news, Kieran has finished his first week of school. He eased into it beautifully, allowing me to leave after 20 minutes the first day. Admittedly this is because I hinted that Cameron was naughty and might ruin his first day of school. Alas, my imminent tears were derailed by Cameron turning into a shrieking, writhing gobshite and by the time we arrived at Playcentre the teary crisis had been averted. Subsequent days have gone well, and Kieran is looking forward to Monday when he has swimming. On Waitangi day we went to Cornwallis beach for a paddle and then over to the wharf so Kieran could try fishing. Alas we caught nothing but the boys had a blast.

Friday, 1 February 2013

Lasts

As Kieran has grown up we have experienced a number of lasts. Some we didn't realise were lasts at the time - the last breastfeed, the last staggering walk before mastery was achieved overnight, the last gummy smile before the first tooth popped through. Those I remember with a sense of guilty loss and regret that I didn't cherish them more at the time, though they were enjoyed at the time. But now we approach the bigger lasts. Kieran had his last day of kindy yesterday. As they sat there on the mat and Kieran chose the book for mat time, sang the 'happy school days to you' song and handed my gowned and cap son a scroll and bible I reflected that there would be many more bittersweet moments in the future. On Monday Kieran starts at Oratia primary - something he is really looking forward to. And so we continue with our firsts. Our first laugh, smile, steps, tooth are shifting to become first book read, first day of school, first best friend, first girlfriend etc. It's a reminder to me to enjoy these moments and days because they come and go so fleetingly. I want to look back on more happy memories not regretful "wish-I-had's". Let's make it so :)