Learning Curves

Little Miss 8 months has, after 2 weeks practising, perfected the crawl. She can spot a small discarded scrap of flotsam or jetsom or pasta on the carpet across the other side of the room, and she's off. As long as there are no obstacles- bean bags, brothers, or a super-annoying knee catching nightie - to conquer, she is a free baby. She is a mouth on four legs, leaving her snail trail of dribble as she goes. Favourite spot - under the table while we eat dinner - dribble tickling all our toes, and feasting.
She had her first morning in the sandpit today - and to my surprise 99.9% of the sand was still there when she had finished. She loved being amongst the other play centre kids and tolerated being sprayed with water, sand and tackle hugs. She sat in the circle at morning tea and listened to the story. Where has our baby gone?
Next step in her development agenda is pulling up to stand and she's already working on that one.

Mr 3 is learning to get along all day without his brother. He's worked out there are plus sides to being the big kid at home - play dates and treats with mum. Total control of the after lunch reading list. But it is hard work being both Kungfu Meerkats doing Kungfu in his imaginary games. He puts on his odd shoes and finds a cricket glove to wear while playing. His new best friends are a plastic guinea pig and a small knitted finger puppet that is a grey possum. At 2.45pm he climbs into the car eagerly. He loves to bowl into his brother's classroom and read their stories. The school bathrooms he told me are 'so jool'.(Cool).

Mr 5 is learning loads. So much he can hardly tell us what happens every day. When a friend asked what he did at school he replied. 'I do maths.' (Pause.) (Sigh.) ' I've got a LOT to learn'.
One evening last week he wore a Air New Zealand eye mask on his forehead because his 'brain hurt'. He has developed a number of allergies - 'I'm allergic to salad', he told us at dinner. He has learnt a number of new songs - a rousting top-of-the-lungs hymn called 'You Raise Me Up' (complete with arm actions), and a rap-style Grace which he rapped solidly all weekend. (He is going to a Catholic School). He must have learnt some pretty special other skills too, because the other night I overheard him playing with his toy phone: It rang. ' Hello?' he answered 'Is that you, Jesus?'