Car Antics

Levi had a great morning. Great, until I had the audacity to bring out his school shirt. Then he was 'sick'. I think he got used to being off school sick and then he had a week without me. He wants more time though. He was grumpy when I wouldn't let him off school even though he was "four truthful stars telling the truth". Yes, I have no idea what that is either, but I assume they are doing telling the truth in school. By the time I picked Levi up from After School Care he was playing happily and wanted to stay a few more minutes.

He has an unusual way of getting into the car now and I videoed it to put here so I didn't forget it. He loves it that he can climb on the car and climb in either the sun roof or my window. The only thing that I had to video it on was the iphone, so the quality is crook.

Blading

Ty and Levi playing
Levi learning to Roller Blade

The tongue helps you to scooter

This past week, I spent in Townsville. Townsville is about a month ahead on the trip to summer and it was getting quite warm there. It is not much of a trip for us though. The days are incredibly long and tiring. I get very homesick because I really miss being with Levi. He is just fine with Jo but still, I miss him. While I was away, it seems my computer was busy without me. Hackers annoy me as I can see little use in their profession and just wish they would put their skills to a more useful pastime.

This weekend we just did the usual kid thing. We mostly played on scooters and roller blades. I decided that if Levi could get going on his bike, we could do some trails together. However as he wouldn't have the speed, my theory was that I would roller blade. Now that was good theory, apart from one glaring flaw.........I can't roller blade. Not a problem, I thought, I'll just learn. So that is what the last few weekends have been. However it has been wiping me out. It is amazing just how many muscles you use when you don't know what you are doing! Levi is also trying to learn.

Father's Day

Today we played board games and not a lot else. It's Father's day here and I find that it isn't a day that I really think of my Dad much. Dad didn't really celebrate things like that and it has translated into being a fairly non traumatic day, now that he is dead. I mean I miss him, but not more today than other days. I think that I am lucky like that. the days I remember Dad are more distant for me as I was not living in the same country for years before he died and only moved home after he had died. The days that I miss my Dad are the days that Levi does something very Don-like or wants an explanation that only Don could really give him. Levi already has concepts particularly in mathematics, that I am struggling to understand. My mind just doesn't work that way. He just has naturally what I could only wish for. But I think that is what it all comes down to.

What do you really wish for?

I wish they had more time together. That is what I really miss. I miss time that could have been. I miss how happy Levi would have made Dad and vice versa. I miss the ability that my father had to simplify explanations without feeling like you are an idiot, esp with children. It is a rare ability.

Levi called Robert today to wish him Happy Father's Day even though it isn't Father's day in USA. Robert has a message on his phone, "I can't take your call right now.....". Levi got to the message and then is sitting in the back of the car with the phone doing nothing. I know that I have a great international call rate but it is a bit much to let him sit there with an open line.

"What are you doing"

"Dad said he couldn't take my call right now, but it's OK, I am happy to wait for him!"

He is very sweet!

Spring planting and Riverfire

Levi's Flowers
Levi teaching Butcher birds how to chew

Levi herding grubs

Baby Butcher bird eating grubs

Levi and I planted our spring garden today. Planting with kids has become so much easier! Now seeds come in seed tapes. Paper tapes with the seeds in them, perfectly spaced and held that way. Once you plant them and water them, the paper dissolves and the seeds germinate. It is great and almost foolproof for kids. The real proof will be in about 2 weeks when we see if they come up but I have high hopes for lots of little carrots and peas. During the digging, we found a bunch of grubs. Who knows what they were supposed to turn into, but Levi rounded them all up and corralled them on the platform we use to feed the birds. Never shy to take up a free meal, we had plenty of butcher birds and a few baby ones.

We had Zac and Alex over for most of the day, because Di has had surgery. She went in on Thursday and the kids were getting a bit stir crazy. There was the change in schedule for a start but then all the stress of having Mum in hospital. So the kids wore off steam playing all day and then they all stayed up late to watch Riverfire.

Day off

Enough pillows for you?

Levi was a little wild tonight. Who knows why? He has made some things for Robert for Father's day and I'll send them out when I get a chance. He wouldn't tell me what was in there because it was a surprise for "everyone". I had to go and ask the teacher so I can label the customs form.

I had a day off today, but didn't get much done. I think my Mum is really lonely now that Jane has gone to Abu Dhabi. Jane used to spend most meals with her, so I think it is pretty quiet with Levi at school and me at work. I hope that she can find some things to fill the time. In the holidays she is going to the beach for 2 weeks. I am working the whole time, but I likely wouldn't have gone to the island anyway. I don't get a lot of relaxation time there and have to be right 'on' Levi all the time to make sure that he complies by all the rules and to make sure he doesn't continually get into trouble. Pretty much, it is more fun for us to drive to the beach for a day and drive home than to go somewhere with such high expectations. Levi will have a couple of days with his friends over the holidays, and then the rest of the time will be in Vacation care. I don't have much time off over the holidays and will save it all for Christmas. I can't wait for Christmas.

Much Better Night and Day

Levi has been much better all around the last few days and it has been a huge relief to me. I am so happy that the last two nights he has slept through. In fact, he was so asleep last night that he was still asleep when I left for work in the morning. Suddenly things are looking up and it is a great feeling.

Today Levi had his Father's day event with Mikey. He loved it. They made pictures together and spent some time at the Lego table. Mike was fun afterward. He said that some of the Dad's were very serious about their Lego. One little boy said "Let's put in a Doggy door Dad" and his Dad said "We are working on a wall here!" Ah well perhaps they are more relaxed about play at home.

Then afterward we all went out for dinner to Sizzler. It was Mim's birthday this week, so we celebrated that too. Mim and I both had impossible days at work, so it was nice to not have to cook and to hype up the little man on sugar before bed time. Ah well it doesn't happen very often.

Levi at Sizzler - much sugar on board?

Veiled Discrimination

Levi slept through the night last night for the first time in weeks. There was no midnight crying or pain. He just slept the whole night peacefully. I think that tonight will be the big test, but I have high hopes now. He is sleeping very quietly in there now.

Tomorrow is the Father's day event at Levi's school. I am having trouble with the discrimination that is involved here. I am a little annoyed by the whole thing. The Mother's day event was at 1.30pm on a Thursday. We got about a weeks notice only. The Father's day event is 5 - 6 pm also on a Thursday. They get two weeks notice. Now I might be reading a little too much into all of this, but it seems to me that the implication of these times is that Mum stays home and looks after the kids and is therefore available at short notice in the middle of the day. For Dad however, the implication is that he works and needs more notice to alter his schedule, even if only to get home a little earlier that day. Consequently, I missed the Mother's day thing because there was no way on earth I could change my schedule with that little notice.

Anyway, Mikey is going to rock along to be the random Father for Levi at the afternoon tea and then we will all go out for dinner, somewhere really ritzy.....like Sizzler. Levi is very clear about the whole thing. He wanted me to first ask Robert if he could come along because he is his real Dad, then he has separated all the events/presents. There are the send away things that he is making for Robert and there is the stuff they are doing at this event, and that is for Mikey. He is very sweet and wants to make sure that no one gets left out. He loves making things for people he loves.