125 + 21 Weeks, and Camping

This past week Jeffrey and I went camping to Booderee National Park, which is only 45 minutes away, but feels like a completely different world.  At first we thought we would have to cancel because the weather was dreadful on Friday, but it cleared up and the rain held off for most of the week-end.  We had a lovely time, lots of walking on beautiful beaches, rockpools, native animals and wine, beer and cards at night time.  It was so good to get away, and we didn't talk about the kids TOO much :)  Mum and Geoff looked after Carmen and Arley for us, and apparently the kids were quite happy with that arrangement!  Arley took it upon himself to go through a developmental spurt during that time though, so he wasn't napping well for them which makes him not his easy self.  However, he is now rolling over from back to tummy all the time, and he is fully sleeping 11 hours straight every night.

Carmen has been a real handful since we have been back.  I mean screaming and crying red faced tantrums that can last on and off for hours.  I took her to school yesterday, and I stayed and watched her in the playground, from inside for about 15 minutes.  I saw some older boys being mean to her, and it broke my heart.  The carers there tell me that she is so quiet and shy, and doesn't ever make any trouble, and that she doesn't join in very much with the other kids.  On the way home it dawned on me that this might be why her behaviour at home has gotten out of control.  She is definitely worse when she gets home from school too.  I think she is trying to control every aspect of her life at home because she has no control over it at school, and that she is quite anxious there.  She is one of the youngest in her class too.  So, I have pulled her out of school.  I am thinking of putting her back in for two days a week starting in January, as those bigger boys will be off to real school, and the older kids in Carmie's class will move up to the preschool class, the babies will move up into Carmen's class and she will be one of the oldest in her room.  Hopefully her behaviour will improve too, because I don't think it can get much worse!  She is still so sweet though, as long as I am by her side playing with her every minute of every day!

Below are a video of each of them.  The first one is of Arley laughing.  He was doing this for about 10 minutes, we were cracking up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn6GnD8UHUc&feature=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8nHMLgsTy4&feature=youtu.be

Setting up the tent at Booderee:

 A kookaburra came to visit

 These two guys hung around us for three days

 Jeffrey decided to leave the tent door open when we slept the first night.  Apparently a possum climbed over his feet at night, and this little guy popped in for a visit in the morning.  We closed the tent door the next night :)

 The most beautiful beaches ever.

 I braided her hair for school yesterday.

 This is what happened when I took the braids out.