Charlie’s 7th Birthday

As with previous years, I’m almost a MONTH late for a blogpost for Charlie’s birthday – LOL !! His birthday was June 28th.

June/July is always a tricky time of year – end of financial year, with added work pressures now that I’m a sole operator, as well as family sadness, with Uncle John’s passing, and funeral.

But – this is a happy blogpost – HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHARLIE !!

Charlie has some blog posts for his previous birthdays, check them out here : ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE and SIX.

Amazing to see how much he’s changed – even in a year – after just looking at his “SIX” birthday blog post…

Great gang of friends for his birthday party !

School

Charlie is in grade 1 this year – with the lovely Mrs.Loonstra – she was Liam’s teacher in grade 2 (last year). She has been so great for Charlie – and a big factor in him “coming out of his shell”. He has new found confidence in the classroom, among friends, and around the house/family in general.

He won a ‘student-of-the-week’ award a few weeks back – and stood in front of the whole school assembly – his certificate said that the award was for “Improving his confidence when speaking in front of his peers”.

His favourite is sport, but he also loves maths, and reading – his daily readers are getting better – wonderful vocabulary, and he’s kicking butt at spelling.

But – it’s his maths calculations that make us go “wow” – including when we were asking him by 12’s – eg. what is 3×12, and then 4×12 – and he thought, processed in his head – and got the answer right – all the way up to 120. Not bad for a 6 yo…!

I just asked him “who are your best’est friends at school” – and he answered Jenny, Tristan, Neeko and Ashely. They all came to his birthday party at the end of June.

School photos 2016

Fathers day brekky – September (in Prep Room)

School activity night – with his best friend Ashley

School sports day – go LAWSON !

Off to school with his brothers

Charlie & Dad, at parent games night at school

Activities

Charlie loves playing video games, like his brothers (no surprise) – he’s just gotten hooked in PokemonGo – but also loves the Lego Star Wars Force Awakens game. He’s great at Doodle Jump, and MineCraft – although he had a recent hissy fit in a game of MineCraft (“everyone was killing me !”) and he threw the controller on the ground !

It’s got a broken hand grip now – and has a “Charlie” sticker on it – to remind him whenever he plays – LOL !

He has one of our old iPhones, and chose a THOR cover, and plays a few games on it, whenever he can. And – he was asking me to get his own Spotify account – so he can now have a playlist of his own. He got some new headphones for his birthday too – nice !

LEGO – Charlie is probably the king of Lego in our house, after the obsession from Liam & Cameron has pegged back a little. He will often be found in his room – putting together some creation – sometimes in the total nude ! (after starting to get into PJ’s, and getting distracted – ha ha !)

Charlie and I spent a wonderful day together a few months back – and built the LEGO Millenium Falcon that I’d gotten for MY birthday. We even put Star Wars on the the TV, so that we could listen while we built.

Just Charlie and me for the day – was a nice time together…

He’s into the new NEXO KNIGHTS theme – and had a birthday cake designed by Donna.

Nexo Knights Birthday Cake

His choice for birthday treat – he wanted to make Lego, and watch Star Wars

The day after his party – straight from bed, to the Lego table

With some help from big brother Liam

More Fun Activities

When Cameron had a birthday recent, he went to the TunzaFun indoor climbing centre, and we were surprised to see how well Charlie took to it ! Just fearless, and keen to succeed – he was the only one of the kids to make it up this tricky one.

We had a fun day out with Auntie Kath to the “Enchanted Garden” tree climbing and ropes course – she and Charlie went on the ‘low ropes’ – he just loved it !

I can’t wait to take him for some more rock climbing – perhaps the ‘Hard Rock’ climbing centre in Nunawading…

Goofy fun in the gardens area afterwards

Charlie is continuing with Karate – the other boys are doing basketball – but he’s still enjoying it – and has had a few gradings, and new belts.

Family fun

Over the last year, we’ve had some great times together – including a holiday in Avoca, and re-building the bike track, and a day out to The Grampians, boating fun at Lysterfield, as well as many movie outings as a family – Star Wars, Zootopia, The BFG and many others.

He’s lucky to have to big brothers, who encourage, and challenge him with new outlooks on activities, as well as frustrate & upset him sometimes…

He has a wonderful giggly laugh, and a constant source of fun in our house !

Lookout from the top of The Grampians

Super Charlie, king of the world

Avoca : “Geronimo Swing Dipper” track, before trail maintenance

Family picnic, and boating fun at Lysterfield Lake – cool sunnies !

Charlie having an OARsome time

“Paddle Faster, Dad !”

Family outing – headed off for Christmas Carols.

When Charlie saw our trolley with chairs, esky, and bags – he asked “Are we camping here overnight !!?!?” LOL !

Christmas morning in Avoca – making sure Santa + Reindeer could find us

Visiting Santa – always great fun…

Fun with cousins – this was a Star Wars play – Charlie was CHEWBACCA (LOL !)

Fun with his brothers, at the SuperHero show

Bike ride with Dad+brothers, for an ice cream at Jells Park

Bunk bed for THREE ! He was excited to have a window right beside his bed.

Ice cream – yesss !

Hammock shenanigans – ha ha ! (love Cameron’s expression)

Out for a hot chocolate with Dad + Liam

Happy #3

Despite sometimes getting lost in the shadow of his big brothers, Charlie is forging his own path, and being his own boss – when he can.

As the third kid, he often has to stand his ground, to be heard, or have some control – and we face his stubborn streak a few times, but you gotta admire that, somehow.

But usually, he’s just a big barrel of awesome – such a dude – he makes us laugh a LOT.

Water park play fun – no, I’m NOT cold !!!

Table tennis crazy fun – he was wild with the bat !

I opened the door after getting home, to face Boba Fett with a light saber – for someone who says “I love you, Dad”, he sure tries to kill me a lot…