Another birthday

Thanks to everyone who wished me a happy birthday for yesterday, it was lovely to hear from you all. Marc and I took ourselves to a "Gold Class" screening of Toy Story 3, which was a nice way to enjoy the evening. (Though I have to say, the movie was fine but didn't really grab either of us. With everything going on in the world right now, it's hard to get emotionally engaged by the challenges facing a few toys. Possibly because our cupboards are overflowing with similar pieces of plastic...).

I feel like we're due for an update, so... Owen has just finished his first semester at school, and has been loving it. His enthusiasms include:
- footy (he's a rabid Geelong supporter, despite having watched only about 3 hours of footy in his life, and the extreme lack of enthusiasm seeping from his parents);
- chess (he's beaten me several times, but he's incredibly aggressive and erratic, which makes him kind of fun to play -- occasional flashes of brilliance, followed by suicidal loss of pieces);
- books (he heads off to read solo now, which I LOVE!).

Georgie is getting quite grown up, and talks non-stop. She spends a lot of time trying out sentence formations and various emotions (now I'm sad... now I'm mad.... now I'm hysterically happy). No, she's not insane, she's just 3. She's very charming and universally beloved, and now has real hair!

Marc is still working on those video games. Serena is still working half-time, and has completed 4 months working for the Victorian government, helping to draft legislation (road-related, generally). We're all doing well! Stay in touch.

"Maisie's gone all little!"

Georgie came out of her room yesterday, very upset and teary because (I eventually learned) her favourite big teddy bear had gone small. I asked what she meant and she said "Maisie's legs don't come down to my knees anymore". They're actually several inches short of her knees, which is a pretty good indicator of how much Georgie has grown. She's tall and skinny, not a plump toddler these days. Owen is also huge. They're now sharing a room, which makes Georgie feel very grown up. If only we could convince her that diapers are not really a sign of maturity....

Owen continues to love school, and seems to be more or less complying with all the new rules and procedures. His compliance during the school day may explain the increase in lawlessness at home (conservation of bad behaviour). Well, I guess we'd prefer that to the alternative.

First day of school

Owen started school today. We had a few tears, but for the most part he was pretty happy to put on his new uniform and see his friends again. He's fortunate that he already knows quite a few of the kids there. His backpack seems to be designed for someone at least 6 feet tall, he can barely stand upright....