Travel advice

"Nicolas and Eloïse, can you please move your colouring to the table instead of the floor so I don't step on you?
- Always look.
- ?
- Always look, before you step."

Ellie's visit school visit!

Sitting nicely with Israel, her friend from kindy. Well, she asked him to marry her, so I guess that makes him her fiancé.

She's in Room 4, with Mark Bracey, the only male teacher in the school.

Mangere Bridge Santa Parade

No swimming pool?

No problem!

Nico the explorer/fighter merman

Merman tail (excl. socks) courtesy of Oma.

Correspondence with La Petite Souris

Too much sugar in the lunchbox = cavity = abscess = tooth extraction.

Below is what happens when a bad mummy forgets to leave money under the pillow and just managed to get out of bed to leave it next to the cat's food bowl.

Check your shoes

After his tooth was extracted, Nico came to work with me instead of going back to school.

I work in an office where site inspectors and field crew often come after having waded through grass, mud and stormwater, so this sign is at the door.

Badass dental patient

Nico had a tooth pulled out yesterday.

I recall my tooth extractions in Noumea were a lot more teary, painful and louder than his.

Nicolas tries to outsmart Maman

About a year ago, I got this great scam started whereby I had Nico convinced that "Maman knows everything".

The initial goal for this was two-fold: 1) to get the kids to listen to me, and, 2) once I unveiled the truth, to get them to understand that when I actually don't know something, I would look it up or ask questions until I eventually know.

Whether I remember the answer is a totally irrelevant thing.

Nicolas even got his friends in his class to believe it. I went through a lot of trouble not bursting out laughing whenever they (and the teachers!) came to me to ask about it.

So eventually I told them the truth, and life just carried on without any fuss.

Earlier this evening, Nicolas asked me something and I said distractedly:
"I know.
- How do you know?
- ( I couldn't help and the words came out of my mouth) Because you know, I know everything.
- Noooo you don't!
- Yes I do!
- Oh yeah? What's... *thinks quickly* one gazillion times one gazillion?
- It's a gazillion squared.
- What's a gazillion square?
- It's one gazillion times one gazillion! Go check with Papa."

And off he trots.

A few seconds later, I can hear Bas chuckle.

Lil' punks

I got hair chalk a year or so ago and finally got round to putting it to good use.

Colour wheel for Nicolas, red and purple for Eloïse.

Poem

Lunches, check. Backpacks, check.

I have spent the last month and a half immersed in a Six Sigma course, abandoning a few chores as I try to come to terms with a rather failed work/life/studies balance. 30 hours work, 27 hours studies, 15 hours active parenting per week, that doesn't quite leave me much room for a social life, sleep and general house duties.

Herewith enterth Papa, who generously takes over full childcare during the week-ends. However today for some reason Eloïse was not allowed on an outing. So after an afternoon of reading books, cuddling and learning how to make loom bracelets, I had an enormous amount of course material to catch up on (compounded by the fact that I helped David on Friday and Saturday). I asked Bas to make the kids' lunchboxes for me, which he did.

"Where do you put the lunches?
- Nico has his lunchbag, Eloïse's backpack is too small for her lunchbag so items will go in loose."

So Bas did as he was told.

There is a backpack sitting in the fridge.

Nico the Baker

Nicolas' first cake... A happy cake for Holger's birthday, recipe supplied as part of homework.

Today's Viva cover

Tante Babiche was either brave or crazy to shoot eight children of varying ages. The result is great.

Travelling through Nico's eyes

Nicolas and some of his school mates got interviewed by Jeremy Corbett as part of AIAL's promotional video.

His full interview here.

Nicolas, HR manager and architect.

"Maman can I play on the iPad?

- Yes Nico, you need to set the table first.

- But whyyy do I have to do it?

- Because I can't cook AND set the table, and many hands make light work.

- So why don't you have more kids?

- Oh. That's an idea. And where will they sleep?

- We can build a room?

- And who's going to do that?

- We can! But we won't ask Darryn."

Forgetful bethroted

"Mummy I was going to get married today!

- Oh? And with whom?

- Logan! But I forgot to..."

Eloïse, 4 y.o.

Thanks, Pumpkin Patch...

"I know what I want for Christmas Maman!

Some drums! With a cymbal!"

http://youtu.be/8XFSr5QVq8s

Who needs a table anyway?

The price of love

"Mummy did you like the mandarin I gave you this morning?

- Yes Eloïse, thank you, it was very nice.

- Mummy can you give me a present? Because I gave you a mandarin.

- Excuse me, you don't give a present because you want something in return, you give presents because you love someone.

- But you love me, so you have to give me a present!"

Considering she gave me *one* mandarin segment and wanted a $15 toy, the love we have for each other better not be quantified this way.

Demonstrations beat explanations any time

I'm reading "The Brave Little Donkey" to the kids and get to a passage where the donkey's mum dispenses advice.

"You have the three donkey gifts: your bite, your kick and your loud bray."

"What's a bray?

- Do you know what a bray is, Nico?

- Yes I do, it's when a donkey... Err... Umm... Uh... *takes a deep breath* HEEE HAWW!"

Papa isn't logical

"Eloïse, please tidy the Lego back in its box.
- No, it goes here.
- Eloïse, the Lego belongs in the box.
- No, the Princess Lego belongs in the bookshelf!
- Eloïse, I'm not in the mood to argue!
- Then don't argue!"

Eloïse ~ 4 y.o.

Playdate

With Amber, I suspect Nico's first "special friend who is a girl".

Pumpkin Patch brochure

I had signed the kids up to be models for Pumpkin Patch.
A few emails and an audition later , we found ourselves in Howick Historical Village.
This is the result.

25% off ENTIRE store! Exclusive in store preview, tomorrow Wednesday

From: Pumpkin Patch NZ <eclub@eclub.pumpkinpatch.co.nz>
Date: 4 March 2014 5:35:00 pm NZDT
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