Michael came into our bedroom this morning at 4.23 fully dressed in his school uniform. “I’m ready to go to school,” he announced happily. I lured him into our bed where he chatted merrily. “Would you like to take off your school uniform and put your pyjamas back on?” I asked hopefully. He did not fancy this. Eventually he fell back asleep, fully clothed (including tie, people) and in the morning we got him up and sent him off to school in his slept in uniform. Look, don’t judge, he got to change out of it again at 4 in the afternoon. Sigh.
Youngest Child
Getting Bigger
About a month ago we gave up reading bedtime stories to the boys and just let them hop into bed with their own books; the end of an era. I am torn between sorrow and joy.
Bump
I was summoned to the school during the week because Michael had fallen and got a big bump on the back of his head and his brother and another child had then (accidentally, due to momentum, I understand) run over his face and he also had a bloody nose. Oh he was woeful. But he is now entirely recovered. Partly because he got to spraypaint his sister’s old pink bike. The excitement! Photo to follow once we have put on a second coat. It’s just one thrill after another around here.
More Record Keeping
Daniel finally learnt to cycle at the weekend. Hurrah now we can all cycle. Daniel needs a little more work: he can go and he can stop but he can’t start. We are going to spray paint his sister’s old pink (I knew that colour was a mistake) bike for him.
Michael meanwhile goes from strength to strength and cycled with me to the polling station on Saturday (constitutional referendum on which two thirds of the population decided not to bother voting) and with his father to the park on Sunday.
The Princess continues her impressive prayer reading at mass. She is very pleased with herself. Meanwhile at school, they asked me whether I am doing any extra-curricular activities to “stretch her”. Do you think reading at mass is likely to count?
Last Weekend
I took the children to Cork last weekend. We went to Charles Fort again and Michael said bitterly, “Why oh why do we have to go here every time we come to Cork?” Because it’s nice and I can get in free with my heritage card. And also, Daniel got to drink hot chocolate through a straw at the Bulman. Are these not reasons enough?
Medikidz!
The boys are rather taken with a series of books called “Medikidz” which they found in the library. A group of superheroes explain various medical conditions. The texts are, I understand, medically accurate but very dull. Nevertheless, the boys are captivated. So far we have covered childhood obesity, autism, breast cancer and brain tumours. And there are lots more where those came from. I find it all mildly disturbing. Daniel said to me the other evening, “I have a headache, do you think it could be a brain tumour?” Then at the weekend I overhead him telling my brother that there are 12 different kinds of brain tumours. Oh dear.