Benny's Birthday Cake

Benny had a great birthday. He was lucky it fell on a Thursday as that is the only day i have him by himself for 2 and a half hours. So we got to hang out (and have Macca's for morning tea!) The the afternoon was spent making cakes. First of all it was the promised silver icing, silver sprinkled cakes as promised to Uncle Brenty then it was onto the Ben the Builder hard hat cake for Benny. We shared his cake with the neighbours and cousin Karen.

But the cake that Benny was really waiting for was the cake his girlfriend Margie was making for him at playgroup! Ben LOVES Margie! (Margie is a playgroup mum) and she made him a very special Giraffe cake. However Ben was slightly disappointed as apparently Margie didn't get the memo that Ben was turning three. Ben told everyone he was three. He even had an argument with Grumpy who dare try to tell him he was only two! He actually argued with anyone who told him he was three it was just a bit heated with Grumpy!

Meanwhile I am pulling my hair out as my baby tells me constantly he is NOT my baby and he has skipped a year and is three already! I think next year he will be telling me he is off to school!

P.S. He really gave me a belly laugh as i was putting the clothes on the line and he was sitting in his blue peddle car singing happy birthday to himself! The whole neighbourhood could hear him.

Welcome Home Uncle Brenty

We went out to the airport to pick Brenty up last Tuesday and this was in the paper the following day.

And before you make comments yes, that is the glare from Nathan's bald head (the neighbours pointed it out!) However, he would have you think it is his halo all a glow! And I wasn't cut out of this one I was organising the models! If you would like to read the article that accompanied the photo click here.

Happy Birthday Big Boy Ben!

Benny is 2 today!!! I have been in tears about it for the last week. My baby is a big boy now! Boo! Hoo! He however has no such issues. Apparently he is three. He had no need for two and Ryan is three so why shouldn't he be three too. He will not let you tell him he is two. He gives you this look from under his eyebrows that says "Don't mess with me, I'm three and I will NOT argue with you!" He is currently playing with his new toys. A fire truck, a garbage truck, a grader, a tip truck and a huge Mac and Lightning McQueen set. His biggest problem today is keeping The other boys away from them! He does however have NO problems defending himself and so far the score card for today reads Ryan 2. Matthew 3, Ben 0!

The scarf, beanie and mittens Nanna Bev made him for his birthday. He loves them and wants the mittens on all the time. He is currently trying to eat brekky in them!

Miles Franklins' Uncle Brenty

The Miles Franklin Pre School and Primary School have adopted Uncle Brenton. He visited them before the Olympics and today he made his return visit. With Bling in tow! He was greeted at the pre school with gifts! There were beautiful drawings that children had laboured over and given with love. Debbie (Matt's teacher) had printed and framed photos of the class watching him swim. In one shot Matthew has his arm around his best friend. In the other the class is sitting in front of the TV and every mouth is agape. The big school had prepares a photo montage set to a Shannon Noll song. They had gotten photos of Brenty from everywhere. It was very obvious to me that Brenton Rickard is the number one source of inspiration for every single student at Miles Franklin Primary School.

Hanging off every word

The toy mascots uncle brenty brought back for the boys. They haven't been put down by them yet!

Stack!

We all have new bikes. I have a trailer on mine that i can put Ben and Ryan in and Matthew has his own (so does Ryan but he doesn't like to ride too far). Anyway, yesterday we decided to go for a ride. Ryan hopped in the trailer, does everyone still remember the lake incident?!!. We rode to the school then stopped and let Ryan have a ride on his bike on the basketball court. He was following Nathan weaving when disaster struck and he stacked it. He went over the handle bars and landed, thank goodness, on his stack hat but then unfortunately came to rest on his face! He had gravel up his nose! And he put his teeth through his lip! Blood every where! So the poor kid is obviously never going to be a cyclist!!!

Heart Attack

Is what I had first thing this morning! The boys got up at 6.30 this morning (actually they awoke at 10 to 6, I let them get out of bed at 6.30!) I was laying in bed snuggling down for a little while when I heard Ben crying from the kitchen. Ben had decided to make his own breakfast. He had taken his little chair in there and got down one of the sharp knives from the magnetic rail then dragged his chair over to the bench (and the knife!) and proceed to cut his own tomato! (He believes that he can do anything his mummy or brothers or daddy for that matter can do!) Unfortunately for him he had the knife upside down and cut his hand twice!!!!!!! Thank goodness they weren't deep and a wiggles bandaid fixed the crying (although it obviously still hurts as he is still whingy). But OH! MY GOODNESS BEN! You gave me a heart attack. And i didn't react very well. I was terrified of the damage that he may have done so I was screaming to Nathan to come and have a look. All the while planning how we were all going to get ready to rush to the hospital. What I should have been doing was stopping the bleeding, but i must admit I panicked!
I wonder if i will get better at responding to crisis as my children grow and no doubt have more of them?!

Put to good use

This week is Book Week, which means dress up like a book character at pre school. So Matthew decided he could be Bottomly Potts from Hairy Maclary. Which was great as we just happen to have a spotted dog costume (2 sizes too small for him but that's another story!) So this morning he got all dressed up and i painted his face with black and white spots and whiskers then I realised his Bottomly Potts costume was tailless! So I sacrificed my wedding stocking (complete with lace tops!) to become Bottomly Pott's tail! And i couldn't think of better use for them!

Apples

If you are considering the cost of children you need to know this! The cost is directly in proportion to the price of apples! Today at the fruit market i bought around 4 kilos of apples. In every colour! In many shades! My boys like apples (would much prefer that than chocolate!). They like granny smith, Nathan likes pink ladies (no surprises there!) I like red delicious. Our fridge is full of apples. Including pineapples (Two of thoses!) What is really sad is by next Tuesday they (and all of the other fruit!) will be all gone and it will be back to the fruit market for more apples! I'm thinking about getting an apple tree!

Olympic Expert

And his name is Ben. He is an expert commentator too. today watching the diving I hear him saying "Bounce, bounce bounce, jump, round, round, round, splash!" Followed by applause! On like the 2nd day of the Olympics he was watching rowing saying "Backwards! Backwards!" Then at the gymnastics a girl was on the uneven bars and we hear "Wee! Wee! Wee!" If i want the boys to get out of my hair for a few minutes put the equestrian on! They can't get enough of it! And do you know where they get it from? Their father! He walks in the door, turns on the TV to 7 and will remain there until I come over to him and greet him and say how was your day? The response i get...... "How many did we win today?!!!"

***** 2 SILVER *****

Congratulations for your two silver Olympics medals Brenty. It doesn't seem enough just saying those few works. There should be music and bells ringing! I am so proud of you but it doesn't come anywhere near to the pride that Nathan has for his little brother.
This whole experience had been a lesson for me. Brenty has written in every profile in many different places that Nathan is his number 1 inspiration. I had seen Brenty write it before in other profiles. His Australian swimmer profile has had it since Brenty first made the team. I had never thought much of it. But every time Brenty is required to write a new profile (the latest being his one on the Australian Olympics Team) he ALWAYS lists Nathan as his inspiration. His defining moment is having breakfast with Nathan when Nath was the Australian record holder for the 50 and Brenty was just starting his swimming career. I say I find this interesting because I was involved with Nathan all those years ago and I never thought much of it. I have to be really honest and say in those early stages I thought very little of Brenty as he was just a pimply kid with braces! And i have always compared Nathan and Brenty's relationship to that of me and my sister Jackie. Jackie and I are very close. We shared a room for our whole childhood. When we moved out of home we moved in together. When we have had dramas in our lives or have needed help we have always been there for each other. One of Jackie ex boyfriends battled with his jealousy. He used to be jealous because he felt Jackie's eyes lit up when she saw me after school (we went to different schools) and he wanted to be the one to light Jackie's eyes up! I'm sure she would agree getting married and replacing each other with our husbands has been a long journey for us. But one that has been completed quite successfully over the last few years. And we are still close but we realise that our husbands are the first to hear our news closely followed by each other!
But as close as we are, she is not my main inspiration in life. I have greatly underestimated the influence Nathan has had in Brenty's life. Just because they don't talk a mile a minute when they are together doesn't not mean they care any less for each other. Boys show their emotion very differently. (Something I will be an expert at in about 20 years i am sure!) I remember talking to Kata (Brenty's girlfriend) once and she told me how much Brenty admired Nathan and i couldn't believe it. I believe it now. I can see it. I admire it. I don't think I am the only one now who realises the magnitude of Brenton affection for his brother. I can see the reciprocated feelings from Nathan. Brenton has achieved something that Nathan desperately wanted to achieve and couldn't. And if there is one person in this world that could make Nathan so unbelievable proud without jealousy it is Brenton.
But i think Brent will be surprised with the impact he has had on his nephew lives. They only grasp a little of Brenty's achievements. But i can see as they age their hero worship of Brenty will only grow. And it is not going to be just that their beloved uncle in an Olympian. It will also be that their uncle is an amazing person, who loves them and takes an genuine interest in them and sets guidelines and enforces them. Brenton takes a huge role in raising our children. One that i believe he doesn't fully understand yet and probably wont until he has his own children. But give the boys a few more years and they will be listing Uncle Brenton as their greatest source of inspiration!
As i said in the beginning if i am proud of Brenty and the boys are proud of Uncle Brenty then Nathan is 1000 times prouder. And i can't wait to see Nathan see his brother when he returns from Beijing because it is sure to be one very emotional reunion!

Sunrise

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Our last week was a hugely emotional week! We were exhausted by the end of it because not only did we feel as if we has swum every stroke with Brenty we had the added emotional pressure of feeling like you couldn't control what was happening. (Brenty more than in control but you know!) We also had the added pressure of an appearance on Sunrise last Thursday morning. It meant spending a night in Sydney as we had to be at the studio at 5.30am. The boys were happy as usually at that time of the morning we are telling them to go back to sleep and this time we had to actually wake them. So we arrived at the studio and we greeted with a free McCafe (well drinks only!) We were then lead into the studio where we were placed in the front row as Koshie and Mel wanted to interview Nathan. Then we spent three hours trying to keep the kids quiet! Although apparently we weren't overly successful as my Dad rang at the end of the show to say he could hear Ryan talking the whole way through one of Nat's news bulletin. But then they couldn't have been that bad as Mel, Koshie and Nat complimented us on how well behaved they were. I only had to take Ben out of the studio once and while we were out Pete Blasina (the gadget guy) had a chat to him! It was an amazing experience to see how live television is put together. It is a fast pace interspersed with moments of relaxed moments (Ad breaks!) I found it really interesting that Mel and Koshie aren't as chummy off camera mostly because they are working, either reading scripts or redoing makeup. But they are lovely!

No doubt if you saw the show you would have seen what a great job Nathan did in his interview! I on the other hand was being painted with chuppa chups. Ben had one firmly in his mouth and another rubbing through his hair! The yellow feather boa that i was given to wear was covered in chuppa chup. I felt sorry for the person who had to wear it after me!

Thank you to Cleon, Bob and Maureen our next door neighbours who taped it for us! The boys have sat down and watched it a few times. Hooting every time they see themselves!

Nathan actually got a call back to be interviewed the day after Brenty swam from the Canberra studio. He was thrilled (although if you saw it, he was on his way to work and dressed in a shirt and tie and looked like a pollie!) But he felt like he was able to lift Brenty's profile in Australia while he was overseas bagging medals for the country. Hopefully we will see some sponsorship and kudos come Brenty's way now!

During the second interview the boys were watching it from home and when Nathan waved at the camera they boys thought he was waving at them personally and were so chuffed! It was beautiful to see!

Below is the link for the second interview that Nathan did.

http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/sunrise/video/index.html?autoplay_id=9289896#embedded-video-top

And finally a few photos!

The birds and the bees!

Today Matthew asked me why Busta and Barkley hadn't hatched any puppies yet!!!! I explained very patiently that doggies don't "hatch" puppies. (Last term at preschool the kids hatched eggs and learnt all about the hatching process.) Matthew then wanted to know how the puppies got out of the doggy. So I explained how the mummy doggy pushed the puppies out of her tummy, the whole time thinking please don't ask me how they got in there! I must have done a fairly thorough job of explaining because he didn't ask and was very satisfied with his answers. I also explained to him that you needed a mummy doggy and a daddy doggy to make puppies and as Busta and Barkley were both boys there was no possibility of them having puppies. He was a little disappointed!
Meanwhile, I have been thinking of my response when I do get the how did the puppies get in there mummy. It will be "Ask your father, darling!"

SILVER!!!!!!

Congratulations Brenton! 2nd in the 200m Breaststroke at the Olympics Games. We are so proud of you. No one more so than Nathan. We were talking today about what it takes to be an Olympian. Nathan has achieved so many things but he isn't an Olympian. He was a hardworking and dedicated athlete but he unfortunately didn't have the "it" that takes you to the next level. What the "it" is we couldn't work out. We both wish we had "it" but we don't! We do however, realise what you must give up to achieve "it". And that is why Brenton has our admiration, adoration, respect and appreciation. But i am sure if you asked Brenton right this minute if he would prefer his silver medal OR all the KFC, sleep ins, pain free body, pruney skin, chloriney smell, lack of social life and putting aspects of his life on hold. He wouldn't even hesitate in answering the medal, the medal!
And that is why I'm not an Olympian! (I'm off to have a burger and a sleep in!)

Well done Brenty! We are beyond proud of you! We can't wait until you are home so we can see in person how well that medal fits around your neck!

Rickard family; F grade celebrities!

I received a phone call about 19 am yesterday from Channel 7 asking if i would mind if they came over to tape us watching he race. I was still in my jarmies and the house was a mess! So i hit the fast forward button and got the house tidy and got dress, threw on some make up and tidied up the boys. I then got nervous and rang Nathan and insisted he come back to be taped with us. (Who wants to see the sister in law really? The nephews i understand but who knew if their concentration would last the 60 seconds his race would take?!) So he came back and we invited the neighbours over to watch with us.
But we have learnt what a fickle industry the media is. As it sounds like they are not going to show the footage and they also cancelled us for an interview this morning! But we are still going on Sunrise Thursday morning.
The whole think I find so frustrating though. Brenton has been the most consistent male swimmer in the last 2 years but he gets no coverage. He still made an Olympic final yet nothing. Thank goodness he is not in it for the fame!

Brenton Rickard: Olympic Finalist

Congratulations Brenton. We are so proud of you. You have achieved so much where others have tried and come up short. Your profiles might say that Nathan is your inspiration and hero but let me tell you that the feeling is mutual. Not only that, you have three nephews that adore you. No doubt you will be an inspiration for them as they grow older and realise the magnitude of your achievements. Today they adore you because you are their uncle Brenty who plays with them and gives them his time. They think it is hysterical that you are on our tv not watching it as you usually are when you are at our house. Ryan has even asked how you got in there!
Anyway we look forward to watching the rest of your Olympic campaign! You're no longer a rookie racer, you have got three sub 60 races under your belt, relax, swim fast and enjoy the ride!

It's snowing!

We had some this morning around nine and now some more at 1.30. My cousin Karen has seen snow for her very first time today! We have hit our max of 7 but thank goodness we have the heater cranked up to 19!

Matthew and Barkley catching snow flakes

Tonight is the night

Brenton starts his Olympics campaign tonight with the 100m Breaststroke. I'm not going to wish him luck as he has reassured us he doesn't need it. He has done the work. He has complete confidence in the work he has done. And he believes he can do the best swim on the day. Brenty I believe you!
For all of those who want to show him that you believe in him too. Send him a hero message.
http:/hero.telstra.com/olympics
He would love to know you are behind him!

Questions

So many questions!!! Matthew is full of them!

Mummy why are those people walking down there. I answer then..... why? Then i answer then.... why? I answer then..... why again!

Mummy why do some dinosaurs eat meat and some not. Mummy what is meat? Is a dog meat? Is a horse? Is a cow? Why? Mummy, when did the dinosaurs die? Why? Did people live with dinosaurs? Why? Why cant I have a dinosaur? Why does Nanna live so far away? Why does she live in the desert? Why is the desert hot? Where is space? Can I got in the rocket ship there? Why not? How does that satellite dish talk to space? Can I talk to it? Why not?

Sometimes i snap at him thinking he is baiting me. But then i think can a nearly five year old do that to an adult? (I think yes!) I often ask him what does he think in response to his question but Geez there are so many! Do you know that even Ben asks why! It is never ending. Before i had children i am on the record as saying I would answer every question i was asked! Ha! It is impossible. Matthew can ask questions that just do not have answers!

Will this stage last forever? Will i survive it? Am I giving the correct answers? Do I give age appropriate answers? Do I need to go to university to satisfy my sons knowledge requirements? Why is the sky blue???

A future AFL superstar!

Yesterday Matthew got to play Auskick at half time at the Swannies V Bulldogs game. It was a huge deal. All of the AFL clubs in the district (not just ACT but south coast and country regions too!) go into a ballot THEN only 9 people are selected from the team to play. Matthew got lucky and he got the call up! He got to do something that I would have loved to do as a kid. As a little girl I loved the AFL. I am a one eyed Carlton supporter. My favourite memories of my grandfather involve us watching Hawthorn play Carlton. It was the one thing that I shared with him that none of his other grandchildren did. All my life, even when i was grown up and living on my own, when Carlton would play Hawthorn, the winner of that game would call the loser and sing a song that we had made up. At granddad's funeral I sang that song as Carlton had lost that weekend (coincidentally, since he died Carlton rarely wins!) AFL is something that I also shared with my father. He would take me to the games at princess park. One of my most vivid memories was the time Dad took me with Uncle Bob and as we were waiting to go into the ground a man talked to me about the upcoming game and his parting comment was "You're a good boy!" I had plaited pigtails hanging out from my Carlton beanie!!!!! I even introduced my in laws to AFL. One year I took them to see a Lions V Carlton game. They are now avid lions supporters. So I have a huge affection for the game of AFL.

Anyway all of this probably influenced me to choose AFL as the game that i would like my children to play. Additionally, the Auskick program is the best junior sport program around for kids . It teaches sportsmanship, it encourages parental participation and it doesn't partake in a competitive environment. ANYWAY, back to the story....... my little boy was out there in the centre running his little heart out. He chased the ball from one end of the field to the other! He got one touch of the ball (because the umpire cheated in the hope that all the kids got a touch!) He looked so cute in his uniform (even it was 3 sizes too large!) And he had a ball! We were so proud of him out there!

Matthew is the 2nd blue speck (centre of photo) no where near the ball! This was towards the end when he was getting sick of chasing the ball yet not getting to touch it!

Nath forgot the camera these were taken on his phone! Matty is in there somewhere!

Snow

Yesterday was bitterly cold. It was windy, rainy, grey and freezing. The perfect weather for making snow. So this morning I suggested to Nathan that we take to boys to Corin forest to see if there was any snow. I seconded guessed myself the whole way. We could see snow on the mountains but thought it may have been higher than Corin forest. The road to the forest was dry and the sun was shining. I thought "Oh no! I've stirred the boys up, promised them snow and we aren't going to see any!" But we turned a corner and there it was! Snow beside the road! We kept driving and it dried up again. I said to Nath if worse came to worst we could park the car on the side of the road and let them play in the snow by the road. But thankfully when we arrived at Corin there was snow! Not the 20cm dumping that Thredbo received but enough for the boys to have their first play in the snow! And enough for us to think that Matthew might just be a snow bunny. He loved it. He made snow balls and a snow man and went for a slide on his bottom (as did Ryan!) So now we have all seen snow and just might go back to the snow fields before the end of the ski season.

Corin forest covered in snow

Matthew with a really hard snow ball!
The boys and their new friend (Ryan decapitated him with his left boot as we left!)
Throwing snowballs
Running from snowballs
Their first touch (well matthew's second the first thing he did when he hot out of the car was touch the sludge there!)
Ryan packing a snowball
Ben about to cop a snowball My camera after Nathan coped me with a snow ball! We are still drying it out!