Learning, developing

This weekend there was a change. At the ice-skating with cousin K on Saturday, you skated all by yourself and better than  before, trying to go backwards and even doing a jump or three.
Then we went to Finsbury Park and you climbed to the top of the two climbing frames.
Today you swam well and then we had a roller-skating practice, at which, similarly to the ice-skating, a new confidence was apparent. Along with the football we played, this has been a great weekend for physical development and learning. Proud of you, son.

Italy

We brought you to Italy for Easter. We spent 9 days in Rome, 4 in Florence and now 3 in Venice. You have learnt a little about the ancient Romans, a little more about Renaissance painters, something of Greek mythology and more about Christian mythology and you have been up and down the canals on water buses in Venice. You've had a ridiculous amount of ice-cream and have kept a diary/scrap-book of the days' happenings.

You've also become really into telling stories. Ostensibly, I am supposed to be telling most of them, but you take over and supply all the detail. Stories with themes like "under the surface" (digging tunnels and building cities), "under the sea" (seeing sea animals), "the show" (music, singing), "space story" (going round the solar system) and "dionsaur story" (from 'dinosaur cove', going back to one of the three dino eras) often have similarities: breaks in the activity for you to check if all your friends  need to go to the toilet, an impromptu party including food and games, bedtime and now chess moves. These stories can easily last an hour. You have never talked so much. It's lovely (and a little tiring).

Questions

From out  of the blue: "Daddy, why do some languages have similar pronunciation?" You are 4 years and 4 months old.

First day at school

The new school is open, although work is still going on, and some kids have been there for a few days. You went in and saw familiar faces and were perfectly happy. When we entered the classroom, first you got a pen and drew a picture, signing it, then you wrote "Welcome to King's Cross Academy" on a small chalk board. The head saw it and said he should have got you to do some signs since they had none for the front of the school. He didn't need to ask twice - but he didn't realise you'd take him at his word. You wrote a couple of signs on A4, then asked one of the staff - Christine - to give them to him. (He was gone.)
You had folded them up and she didn't know what they were. Luckily, he came back and you gave them to him yourself. Because you had written on the outside of the folded paper too, he thought they were small paper so had to be encouraged to open them up. When mummy and daddy left the building not long afterwards, they were already on the reception desk. When we picked you up, we got a snap of you and one of your signs. (You have history, with signs all over your nursery too.)

Rock Trumps

We play games every day. Junior versions of Scrabble and Cluedo, Uno and more. You've enjoyed "top trumps" since we got our first pack - "toff trumps" a marketing gift from a company - and then I bought "wonders of the world", "London", "tallest buildings" and now we have about 15 or 20 packs. You asked about tree ones a while ago and I couldn't find any.

After we bought a 'modern artists' pack at the Tate, we made an individual card with you as an artist to go in it. Yesterday you suggested we should make a pack.

You have given me a little family business idea, son.

Party!

 
Your 4th birthday party was a success by any standard. It came a day after your 'graduation' from nursery on Friday 17th July.







Lots of your friends came - Lily, Pearl, Elliot, Michael and Sasha were all there - and your nanny, granddad, great aunt Rosemary, great uncles Mike and Redmond and cousin Kasey were there too.

We had a bouncy castle that you enjoyed and there were egg-and-spoon, sack, and beanbag races.






Your mum cooked lots of food and you helped me buy some food and drink at Sainsbury's bouncing all the way to the supermarket with excitement. I feared you were so excited that you'd crash and cry at some point but it never happened: you are generally so strong and happy. In turn it makes me so happy to have such a son.

The following day was a picnic with the opportunity to meet some of the other children, teachers, staff and parents from your new school, King's Cross Academy. We are very optimistic about the quality of the school and hope we have chosen well for you, son.

Mr Wonderful

You had a fun three weeks in Xian and Chengdu, where we saw pandas. Your grandparents, cousin and aunt all gave you presents and your Mandarin got a boost.

You are a funny little boy. This year, you've been into Paddington and Horrid Henry and enjoy games: top trumps and chess (you just got your own account on stansnetchess).

We got you into King's Cross Academy and are hoping that it'll be a great school for you. We are talking about your mum becoming a teaching assistant there. We love you so much, son.