Skiing (4/4; the rest of it)

While we lived in Canberra, Simon took a class on ski maintenance, and does all the routine stuff for us. this includes a mid-week wax to keep us skiing nice and fast! Even James' hire skis (just poking up above the back of the ski Simon's working on) got a coat!
James spent a lot of time in imaginitive play with Bec on 'Sled 3', although there were a few arguments when Eleanor wanted to join in. James doesn't like to be interrupted, and Eleanor loves an argument these days! Her 2 new (and oft-repeated) phrases for the week were, "I CAN!!!!" (said with great emphasis and indignation) and, "and again?!" (in a request for more tickles/raspberries or games from (my) Daddy). However, her speech blossomed in a week surrounded by adults, and she used quite long and complicated sentences very effectively.

She didn't do as much skiing as James, but we went well-prepared with books and toys and a selection of new items. Her favourite activity was drawing (which sometimes meant requesting pictures, so I drew a lot of upside-down flowers, planes and rockets!).

One afternoon we set out for a chairlift ride and it started snowing on us, so I bundled her inside my parka and she sang Nikkle Tar (Twinke, Twinkle Little Star) for me as we rode up and straight back down again!

Pete the Snow Dragon lives at Falls Creek, and with his friend does a free half-hour kids' concert twice a week at the end of the day. It's really well-done, and despite light snow/rain through it all, James and Eleanor were both happy watching and listening to the original songs about skiing and snow. James has come home with a half-metre-long Pete tail, which he wears at every opportunity

We all went out for dinner one night. James fell asleep on our laps after ordering, and was able to be woken happily in time to throughly enjoy his dinner. Just about every scrap on the table disappeared, but not a great deal of it by the person it was actually ordered for!

My parents would have been lucky to get even a spoonful of the fluff on their cappucinos!

"I've finished Andrew's, now can I have some of yours, Elaine?"

And James rather liked his chocolate pudding for dessert, but still wanted to share it. Here he is pulling Daddy forward by the beard for another mouthful! (Simon and I have been teaching them both to lean forward over their plates a little, to avoid food landng in their laps or on the floor).

The last night, James was asking about the wine while on Mummy's lap, so we asked if he wanted to try a little sip. Unfortunately he didn't heed the 'little sip' advice and it was lucky I'd put a plate down, as he spat it all out. The verdict was hilarious, "I don't like wine, it's very boring for my mouth"!!! He'd heard the word used a few days previously and had obviously worked out it was a negative thing, but not the full meaning!

His other great one-liner for the holiday was while he was doing a new puzzle on the floor. He asked me to come and, "help me download the puzzle, Mummy?"!!! A true 21st century child!