Ewan's Corner

Posts Tagged ‘kids’

A wonderful and amazing version of the Dr Seuss classic “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” (his final published book) recorded at Burning Man. One of my favourite bed-time stories, loved by big and small kids alike – wisdom for us all.

Created by Tedshots.

From the brilliant Julia Donaldson, author of several wonderful stories which I (and my kids) have memorised.

Tea in bed. Second cup.
Dislodge cats. Get up.
Son to school. Spouse to work.
Sit at desk – mustn’t shirk.
Scratch head. Dream up snail.
Maybe team her up with whale?
Chew pen. What next?
Can’t think. Feel vexed.
Feed cats. Open post.
Read it, over slice of toast.
Little boy wants to know Date of birth of Gruffalo.
Little girl wonders why Giant gave away his tie.
Out to shops. Get idea
(Big grin, ear to ear):
Brilliant climax – whale gets beached!
(Rhyme a problem . . . reached? Beseeched?
Leeched? Well never mind, just now.)
Snail then rescues whale – but how???
Back home, get stuck.
Go off snail. Consider duck.
Phone rings. Who is it?
School, requesting author visit.
Check diary . . . shocked to see
“Monday, Brookwood Library”.
That’s today! Leap in car.
Thank goodness, not far.
Tell a story, act and sing.
Kids join in with everything.
(Teacher sits there marking books,
Blind to my accusing looks.)
Answer questions. Back to house.
Joined by son, later spouse.
Open bottle. Cook salmon.
Practise piano. Play Backgammon.
Have bath – that’s when
Inspiration strikes again:
Snail could learn to write with slime!
(Quite an easy word to rhyme.)
Crawls on blackboard, leaves a trail . . .
Children run and save the whale.
Story planned! Tomorrow, start
Writing it – the easy part.

Happy third birthday my little angel, I love you.

I wish I could pause your growth sometimes, or at least slow things down for awhile – time flies by so fast these days with you and your brothers keeping us so busy, and I know I’m not appreciating you fully.

You are such a wonderful little soul – so very different from your brothers. You have a wonderful nurturing aspect to your nature, and you are always trying to help – from helping with the washing, hurrying your brothers up at bath time and helping everyone get ready for school.

You are tough and independent – one of your favourite phrases is “no! I do it self!” – and you adore music and sing along happily to any one of your many favourite tunes. You have a fiery little temper which often catches your brothers by surprise, and the ability to fall asleep almost anywhere.

It seem like only a few short months ago that you were born in the corner of our bedroom, and now you’re an independent, sweet and happy chatty little personality obsessed with Tinkerbell, music, books and your mommy.

Happy birthday Hannah Grace.

Happy 7th birthday my eldest son.

You’re a bright guy, so very sensitive at times and a deep thinker who would rather be indoors than outdoors.

Your rapidly improving reading and maths skills give me no end of joy to witness – you only realise how precious the ability to read is when you see it developing in your own child, and the worlds it opens up for them.

You are doing so well in “grown-up” grade 1 – I know how hard it can sometimes be to be the eldest child, doing so many things for the first time and easing the path for your younger brother and sister.

We are both working on controlling our tempers, and it only recently dawned on me that part of the reason why I have such (often unrealistically) high expectations of you is because I see so much of myself in you, far more than I do in your younger siblings.

I’m so glad you enjoyed your morning beachcombing :-)

I love you KB.

When I was One,
I had just begun.
When I was Two,
I was nearly new.
When I was Three
I was hardly me.
When I was Four,
I was not much more.
When I was Five,
I was just alive.
But now I am Six,
I’m as clever as clever,
So I think I’ll be six now for ever and ever.

— Now We Are Six, A. A. Milne

In appreciation of my crazy curious bright amazing wonderful soft-hearted 6 year old little thinker & dreamer, who is counting down the sleeps to his 6th Christmas and preparing for the big leap to grade 1. I love you my biggest little guy.