Another year older, another year wiser? By December we are all wearier! And ready for the Christmas season, followed by the January-relax-and-recover season ☺
We started the year visiting the Hunter Valley to see the Garden’s Christmas lights and Melbourne to the Australian Open Tennis for my Dad’s 70th birthday present, and enjoyed a family holiday to Tasmania in September, where we last visited with a baby Jarrod. What really made us feel old though was all the 40th invitations during the year, Nik’s 20 year high school reunion, and Ross’ primary school reunion! The kids have enjoyed their various activities and events. We have enjoyed the taxiing around and event coordination, although it has limited Nik’s time for work and Ross’ time for golf (yes yes, never enough time for golf). We have appreciated finding babysitters happy to mind six children at once, also septuagenarian Aunty Marilyn took five overnight and Ross’ parents took all six to Shoalhaven in the July school hols, allowing us to keep the economy at Cronulla going by eating out for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Jarrod and Zac both started new schools this year (Year 7 and Kindergarten respectively), both played soccer, tennis and piano, and both discovered…girls (enough said). Jarrod also participated in SRC, band, public speaking, another band, a year 8 debating team (and practiced debating often with his mother), another band, choir (perhaps to meet girls?) and…percussion ensemble, otherwise known as band. He also was a soccer referee, a job he loved so much he said he didn’t even mind doing it without pay (really? Is he really my child?). Zac LOVES school, and learnt to read (by way of home readers, and notes he received from girls at school). Both boys are early risers, but had to step up their organisation to get to school on time (which they have done all year – Jarrod only missed the bus once because it was late and he had given up on it arriving and come back home for a lift) and both are now looking forward to some sleep-ins!
Tim and Sam also share similar interests, and both have big years ahead in 2012. Tim enjoyed tennis, soccer, piano and playing trumpet in the school band, entering the Regional Science Fair (with an experiment big on YouTube showing the effect of Mentos in Diet Coke – scientific principles? Not as important as exploding liquid from bottles), and an enrichment program one day a week at our local high school. This all paled though once he learned last week he has made it into the Student Parliament for next year. Sam is counting down the days until Kindergarten starts and is looking forward to walking to school with Zac and seeing Tim up on stage at assemblies. Sam was in heaven in January this year when we did the “Day Out with Thomas”. Sam also enjoyed soccer, tennis and swimming this year (well, endured swimming), and is our little drama king (only described so because I am not allowed to refer to him as a drama queen). He has taught me to relax more – every time I worry about him or employ a specialist, it turns out to be unnecessary. Example no. 1: I took him to a paediatrician for his separation anxiety, and he happily chatted to her while I returned to the waiting room to retrieve a toy we had left there. Example no. 2: he showed no interest in forming letters or writing, so I booked a $200 assessment in for after our trip to Tas. Then we boarded the plane and Sam spent the WHOLE flight…colouring in and writing his name.
As for the girls, they look the most alike and act the most alike. They both love singing, shopping and going out for coffee. Abi lets Belle get away with more than anyone else does! Belle is very easy going but also very definite! She showed no interest in toilet training until the bribe of Preschool Orientation was nigh – she wants to go to school because everyone else does. Her two hour orientation made her reject nappies and go shopping for a school bag (any excuse to shop). And Isabelle Lily in that two hours made a friend who will be in her class next year, called Lily Isabella. Abi took up tennis (because all her brothers were enjoying it) as well as netball, piano and started learning the flute, and joined the Australian Youth Choir which included a concert at Town Hall and a CD recording.
The chocolates in their advent calendars are assisting the countdown to Christmas, and we look forward to focussing on this day of meaning and tradition. We wish you a very happy Christmas and all the best for 2012.
