Firstly to Liam – Happy BELATED Birthday !
We actually *DID* celebrate his birthday on the day – October 25th – and I normally try to do a blogpost with photos, shortly after.
Suffice to say, we’re a busy household – and time has gotten away – and this is the ‘latest’ blogpost ever – only taken me six weeks to get to it – LOL (sorry) !
Hopefully, it was worth the wait.
Here’s the posts from his 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th birthdays…
School
Liam is really getting BIG now – we measured him for his birthday, and he’s actually the same height as Cameron was at age 10 (Liam is a full year ahead) !
He’s into grade 3 this year (2016) and his teacher is Mrs.S (she had a big long surname – and so she’s just known as Mrs.S !)
I asked Liam about his ‘crew’ at school – and he reeled off a big list of names – Alex, Jason, Alex (there’s Alex L and Alex P) – and then Daniel, Dylan, Jarrod, Jayden, Tim, Steven, Chris and Josh !
They all play “6-square” at school – he’s in a really good ‘place’ with his group of friends – he’s such a nice boy – even the girls want to be friends with him. His ‘girlmate’ at the moment is Mia – he told me with a blush.
On weekends – he & Alex always connect via Skype, and play MineCraft.
One of the highlights of the school year was the 3-day school camp – at “Camp WeekAway” – which I joked should be “Camp ThreeDaysAway”…
They did some awesome activities, including canoeing, bushwalking, flying fox, hut building – and slept in cabins – and came home exhausted – but happy.
Grade3, Knox Gardens Primary School
Off to school with his brothers – in Grade 5, 3 and 1.
School excursion to Melbourne Museum
School sports day – go Lawson !
Sleepover at school – with a minion – and next to Alex
Fun Activities
Liam has really gotten involved with all manner of video games – the main one is still MineCraft – but this is now on the PC-version, and he plays online – in EggWars, and Hypixel, and Roblox – and he connects to Skype on his old iPhone – to chat to friends.
He also follows along with Cameron, in the YouTube world – to see what other people are doing with MineCraft.
They also play the XBox – we’ve recently started playing Halo with four-player (Dad, Liam, Cameron & Charlie) – but they’re all too good for me !
It’s great fun to hear them laugh as they shoot me with a rocket launcher, or drive OVER me ! (thanks Liam).
Aside from video games, he plays outside with his basketball (more in a sec) – and his love of soft toys remains strong. He got a few new toys when we visited Queensland (MovieWorld) – with a Patrick from SpongeBob SquarePants, and a Sylvester cat – and recently got a Torchick Pokemon soft toy.
We love that he’s still such a soft-natured boy (no pun intended) – he must have over 50 soft toys now – we find him in bed with an army of felt monsters – LOL !
And – he’s hugely into POKEMON…
LEGO is still big in our house – Liam helped me build the Boba Fett Slave 1
Zooming on his bike at the skate ramps, Avoca on Christmas Day
Great to see kids having fun on bikes – Liam loves it
Movies + TV
We go to see a bunch of movies as a family – and has been a few over the last year or so. The Good Dinosaur, Pete’s Dragon, Pets, TMNT2 (which he nagged about for ages !), Kobo and The Two Strings – and there must be a few more I can’t recall.
He watches TV shows on Netflix, or recorded from TV – including AdventureTime, and Teen Titans – as his favourites.
He also still loves Minions (how can you NOT) – and into the Marvel arena – with Thor, Guardians Of The Galaxy, IronMan, Captain America, Avengers – and we recently watched the first 1989 Batman movie – which he loved.
He’s seen the first four of the Harry Potter movies, and really loving it – following in the footsteps of his HP-addict brother Cameron.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 – with Cam, Matt and Luke (Thompson)
Basketball
Liam swapped from KARATE to play basketball, and is now in his third season. I was the team coach for his first two seasons, which was great for both of us.
We have a concrete patch in the backyard, and Liam practices a lot – and takes his ball to school. He recently scored 14 points in a game – and was leading the point scoring for his grade/division.
When he first started, the whole team was learning some techniques – such as my standard 3-choice : dribble, pass, shoot. The ability and skill grows FAST in young kids – and Liam was soon doing full-court lay-ups.
And – it helps that he’s TALL – the tallest in the team – and still has another season in U/10 !
He really enjoys basketball – it’s so great to watch him play – and to have some fun at training together – and in the backyard.
First ever game of basketball – with Dad as coach
After their first win – took a few months, and then they were firing !
End of season with the team – great set of kids
On the way to basketball – Charlie is excited too !
New season – some different team mates – still with Dad as coach
We didn’t make the finals, but they learnt a lot, and had fun
Queensland
We had a wonderful family holiday in the September school holidays. Liam was keen to try out the roller coasters, and loved the first “Scooby Doo” coaster – more than his big brother – and so I took him on the “Superman” ride.
He’s tall enough, but was the youngest in the long line – and I kept checking to see “are you sure !?!” This coaster goes to 120kmh in 2 seconds – it’s Formula 1 fast – and he loved it ! I was screaming in delight, and forgot he was next to me – but he was hooked !
We went on the Green Lantern – and then the Arkham Asylum (the old Lethal Weapon) – that was the limit – he’d had enough by then !
He loved the shops there (MovieWorld) – and bought a Sylvester stuffed toy. When it was time for the parade at the end of the day, he was amazed+excited when the Sylvester character pointed to him, and then at himself (“that’s me !!”). He also got a “Patrick” from SpongeBob SquarePants – to add to his soft toy collection.
One morning, I was wanting to go for a beach walk (6am) and Liam and strolled along and chatted – and splashed in the water – he’s a nice walking companion.
We had a few other great days together – at SeaWorld, and Wet-N-Wild – and then went to Noosa.
When we got to Noosa, Liam and I took off one morning while everyone else was still lazing in bed – and we walked through the National Park headland – just the two of us. We saw some WHALES off the coast – amazing…! It was nice to share that with him.
Morning walk in Surfers Paradise
Waiting for the parade at MovieWorld
Tired but elated after a big day at MovieWorld – dinner at Hog’s Breath (Surfers)
Checking out the view from the balcony in Surfers Paradise
Screaming in delight on the “Flume Ride” at SeaWorld – Charlie looks scared too !
Hanging out with Dora The Explorer (SeaWorld)
3D movie at SeaWorld – SpongeBob SquarePants
Caught by the giant squid – great faces !
Bushwalk in the hills, on the way to Noosa (Take a photo, Dad !)
Ready to go to the pool – and patiently (!) waiting for everyone else
He built a stone tower, on the walk at the Noosa National Park
Whales – in the distance – amazing to see them !
Loving the swimming pool – the kids swam for at least 3-4 hours a day
Our last day of the Queensland holiday – dinner in the RACV resort
Family
Being the ‘middle child’ can be hard sometimes – Liam has a few run-ins with Cameron from time-to-time – often when a game has started out well, but it always “ends in tears”.
He’s still much closer to Charlie – they share a bedroom, and they often play similar games. Cameron is getting close to high school age – and the ‘gap’ seems larger sometimes.
Liam is lucky to have a great friend with Charlie – they’re good pals.
In this next photo, I’d ordered McD’s for Cameron & Liam (and me) – and gone with Charlie to get KFC. I came back with Charlie, and Liam had “set up” my Macca’s into the burger lid – ready to go – thanks buddy !
Hanging out in the hammock at Auntie Kath’s – very comfortable !
Easter Egg hunt with Charlie
Crazy fun in the mirrors at Pancake Parlour
On the way to pick up our new car, Liam was teary to say goodbye to the Commodore
Walking with Nanna in Castlemaine, he went walking with Rachel, and Jem also
Goofy selfie faces, while waiting for the movie to start – LOL !
Date With Dad
Liam had a voucher for Pancake Parlour, for a free double-stack – and so we headed there after dinner one evening for a special dessert – we were both sooo full afterwards…!
Cousins
Liam is the same age as Jasmine (Jazzie) – they’re best of friends – and always playing together when we get the families together.
I think he secretly would have liked a sister – and she’s ‘close enough’ to that.
Playing table tennis – we’re getting a new TT table for Christmas !
Acting out a Star Wars play – Luke, ObiWan, Chewie and Han Solo
Goofy Fun
Liam is the FIRST to put his head in a cut-out, for a photo – whether it’s Angry Birds, or some other movie character, or these ones at the adventure park in Red Hill.
He always (usually) having a good laugh at himself, or a funny situation.
Springing into action at The Good Guys Superhero Games Day
And of course – cake – yum !
Some other photos of our “lovely Liam”
Cool dude – all dressed up for an outing + cool glasses, buddy !
Ice cream !
Christmas presents – happy indeed !
Aaaand – Christmas eating – yum…
Holding little Aiden + happy with new onesie – made by Donna !
Happy Birthday
Thanks for being such an amazingly fun & caring little guy – we love your goofy outlook on life, you certainly know how to have fun, and wear your heart on your sleeve.
And you love your friends, and basketball – and soft toys !
Happy Birthday once again, love from Mum & Dad. X
Grumpy Wookie 