Cameron has turned SEVEN !

Wow – the years are just flying by – and our ‘oldest’ lad has just turned 7.

This last year has brought a multitude of changes for him – with starting school the most significant and life-changing for him.

As I’ve done in previous years, I like to write up a post about the previous year, and whatever has shaped them – and some funny stories & such. 

Here’s the ones from previous years – 6th, 5th, 4th, and 3rd birthdays (none for 1st or 2nd – doh !).

Sooooo much has happened this last year, that it’s hard to remember, and identify all of the highlights.

School

First few days of school :

Last year, Cameron was in prep at Knox Gardens in Mrs.Roussos’s class.  He has grown tremendously in confidence and personality – with many MANY friends, and lots of play-days and birthday invitations.  

He loves doing the show-and-tell, and his report card/interviews have been glowing – that he’s a very sensible little boy, and aware of other classmates – very considerate and empathetic.  We couldn’t be prouder.

During the school year, he’s had his weekly lunch orders as “very exciting” – and has enjoyed having a grade-6 “big buddy” – with his friend Nathan.  I don’t know who benefits more from the relationship – Nathan seems to think Cameron is pretty cool too !

Cameron’s buddies include Emma-B, Jett, Ryan, Nick, Josh-D and Jackson+Alex.

He had a great time at the school concert – and dress-up days (crazy-hair day) – and absolutely kicked butt at the school sports day !    He won the 100m run in blazing time – even stopping to look over his shoulder – ha ha !   And then, his team won the two relay sports – and then he screamed home in the 200m run too !   He was the only PREP kid with FOUR first places – super proud Dad !    (LOL !)

School photos – end of prep :

Crazy hair day :

School sports day :

Dressed for school concert :

He’s now into Grade 1 – with the same teacher !!    (great news)

Footy

With Cameron growing up more, he’s been enjoying playing more active sports – and has really been enjoying AusKick.  This is a way for young kids to get started with AFL – and learn some ball skills, and have fun on a cold Saturday morning.  We had some awesome crisp cool blue-sky days – and I was really enjoying it myself.

Cameron and I would ride our bikes there – nice fun outing for father and son.

And then – I couldn’t have been more pleased as the day he won the GOLDEN BOOT !

This was a take-home award, and had to bring it back to the group the following week.  Cameron was lucky that it was grand-parents day – so there was a bunch of over 60-70 adults, and the same number of kids – as they read his name out – and he was presented with the award – and he held it over his head as everyone cheered.

I swear I must have gotten some dust or dirt in my eye – or something like that.

The lads from AusKick got to play the ‘half-time’ game when the Knox Falcons played – which was a lot of fun for them – and they then lined up on the corridor and high-fived “the big men” players as they ran on to play the second half.

Cameron and I also had a trip to see RICHMOND play – against an in-form GEELONG team.  We expected to lose – and we got thrashed !

When we (finally) scored a goal, he was so excited that he jumped up, and the seat he was on “folded-up” and so he sat down to NO seat – and fell on the concrete.  A few people around LOL’ed and he was a bit embarrassed – but no biggie.

Riding to AusKick :

Ready to play (AusKick) :

Cameron with the GOLDEN BOOT :

End of season trophy :

On the way to see Richmond v Geelong :

Our team got thrashed, but it was actually kinda funny (!)

Cameron’s favourites :

If he could have free-rein to do ANYTHING – he’d play his Nintendo Wii – he got a Mario Brothers game from Santa – and plays it for hours – and HOURS !

He also likes to play Lego-Star-Wars and Donkey-Kong-Country-Returns – oh, and Mario-Kart.  I’m amazed at how good he’s gotten – I remember showing him Crash Bandicoot on the XBox a year or so ago – and he struggled to simply jump over the hole.

He also loves playing on Dad or Mum’s iPhone – we’re glad he hasn’t got a Nintendo DS (yet ?) – as we’d never get his head outta the screen…

He uses our laptop to play a few games – and some educational ones – especially MATHLETICS – which he really enjoys, and is quite good at.

Movies – he’s discovered POWER RANGERS somehow – and has been grabbing DVD’s from the local BlockBuster store.  He also (still) loves BEN-10 – and has other films such as YOGI BEAR and THE SMURFS – and a new birthday DVD of NINJAGO.

We also watched the first three Star Wars movies – with 1/2 of the movie each time – and some pausing to chat & have a break.  He was excited to hear what a REAL light-saber would sound like (when Ben Kenobi first hands his light-saber to Luke)

Cameron thought Chewbacca was pretty cool (he he) – and even pointed out IG-88 and BOSSK and BOBA FETT – the bounty hunters scene from Empire-Strikes-Back.

Wow !   (he learnt a lot from playing the Nintendo Wii game !)

Cameron was pretty surprised to hear about Luke’s Dad – he was a little stunned – and then when he found out about Luke’s sister – he was even more amazed !

I’m so pleased to have been able to watch the films WITH him – rather than have him talk with friends at school – and learn ‘the truth’ about the Skywalker’s.   

LEGO – he’s still gun-ho mad for Lego – and has made some amazing new creations lately.  We’ve taken a photo of one – and sent to the Lego Club – they might print his picture – that would be amazing !

Family

Cameron is great big brother to Liam and Charlie – becoming closer buddies with Charlie a lot – but plays Wii with Liam for hours on end.  I think Cameron forgets how big & strong he’s getting and can sometime be a little rough. 

He’s also got boundless energy – and never seems to stop…

Family bushwalk to The Dandenongs :

The Giant’s Chair – at Sky High (The Dandenongs) :

Christmas time :

Family holiday – overnight in Stawell :

I just noticed that the kids line-up in the SAME pose for all of those pictures – left-to-right – is always Charlie, Cameron and Liam – LOL !

His cousins Millie & Jasmine are great friends, and we have a few kid-swap-sleep-overs – they get along to well together.  Millie & Jasmine have a pool at their house – Cameron loved splashing in/out for hours…

At Yum Cha – with Millie :

My sister (his Auntie) lives in Castlemaine, and so Cameron and I had an adventure one weekend, and went on the V’Line train to visit her – and stay overnight.  This was a great experience for all of us – with Cameron and Kath going on a steam train, and being able to pick his brekky egg straight from the hen house – he loved our trip away.

He was kinda sad though, when his beloved AusKick football was chewed up by Kath’s dog Jem – and he disappeared into the bedroom and we found him crying into his hands – aaww.   “It was my first ever football”…   

But – Christmas time – Jem gave Cameron a NEW football, and he made sure NOT to leave it outside overnight…

More bits & pieces

• We took Cameron & his brothers to the dinosaur show at Docklands
• He loves to get Yum Cha – and even asked for Sushi for his 7th birthday meal
• When we order a pizza, he loooves Olives and Anchovies – just like his Mum !
• Recent trip to Luna Park, he rode his first ever roller coaster – and even went on the dodgem cars on his own – and a kiddy roller coaster too – so grown up.

Random pics from the last 12 months :

Mathletics on the home laptop :

Having a chocolate milkshake at the shops :

Goofy grin :

Silly props – from the shed at Auntie Kath’s :

Fun with Auntie Kath :

Face painted – Spiderman – AND – Ben 10 (wrist) :

Amazing blue eyes – a very Cameron photo :

Dress up as a pirate for a birthday party :

At home – in the spa :

What a year !

Thanks Cameron for an incredible year – with lots of changes and new experiences – and a few trials along the way – yep, the personality ‘evolution’ can be challenging at times…(!)

You’ve become an awesome young boy – and we can’t wait to see what the years ahead will bring.  

Happy birthday mate – love you lots !

X.    Dad.

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