Making an AFL legend step one: AUSKICK!

Saturday was a very proud day for the Hatches - Hatchling No.1 and Union Jack in particular. With his socks pulled up SO high they were above his knees, brand spanking new footy boots and brimming with enthusiasm, Union Jack took Hatchling No.1 to Auskick for the first time.

Hahahaha - kidding!
No, it was Hatchling No.1 with the socks, the brand spankers and so on. But you have to admit that the mental image of Union Jack right now really is something else!

Anyway, here he was (Hatchling No.1, that is) lined up and ready for his first ever Auskick session. Woo hoo!

Third from the end, green t-shirt and looooong socks. Doesn't he look a picture? He might be in desperate need of a St Kilda shirt and a haircut, but at least he was looking in the right direction (i.e. where the action was taking place).

Check out that grin as Hatchling No.1 runs in for his very first tackle. Hey, what's not to smile about? The guy he's about to tackle has no arms - it's unlikely that he'll retaliate too much, isn't it?

Hmmm, I'm not sure if there is a policy on closing your eyes as you go in for a tackle... I'm pretty sure Nick Riewoldt doesn't close his eyes at the vital moment, but I guess they'll get to that later.

If there's one thing Hatchling No.1 has been blessed with it is hand/eye co-ordination. Kicking was a breeze.

Apparently the footy boots made Hatchling No.1 kick twice as far as normal, according to the man himself.

He was slightly perturbed when it started to rain, but when 'the blokes' explained that we play footy in rain, hail or shine Hatchling No.1 returned to his happy place once again.

At the conclusion of his first Auskick experience the first question was "Can we do Auskick again tomorrow?".

The landing was smooth, and the duck has taken to the water, just as we suspected he might!

Jen x

A weekend by the sea

In my book, skipping town for the weekend is always an exhausting yet invigorating thing to do. Last weekend we did just that and headed down to the Mornington Peninnsula. Everybody is happy when they visit "Grandpa's Beach House". Hatchling No.2 is especially happy when he is actually saying the words, "Grandpa's Beach House".

Lordy, if I heard him say it once I heard him say it a thousand times over the four days we were there! And for the week following our visit! It may take me a few more weeks to recover. You know, for the rocking back and forth to stop... that sort of thing.

I took the Hatchlings to the quieter side of the peninnsula on Friday (before Union Jack made the journey after work to join us).

I keep telling myself the Hatchling No.1 is NOT envisaging giving Hatchling No.2 a hefty shove, thus plunging Hatchling No.2 straight into the wet stuff right at this moment.

It couldn't be possible, we'd only heard the words "Grandpa's Beach House" 378 times by this stage. Not even I was ready to do anything so drastic!

By the way, it was the Hatchlings themselves who insisted on wearing their hats this way. Hatchling No.1 was terrified the wind might pick his hat up and blow it all the way to Tasmania.

French Island or Philip Island might have been more realistic possibilities...

Hatchling No.2 was just wishing his mother had bothered to do up at least one button on his polo shirt that day. I mean, how hard would it have been? My care factor for buttons really needs to be raised a notch or to, wouldn't you say?

Thank heavens Hatchling No.2 was far more interested in working the phrase "Grandpa's Beach House" into at least 7 more sentences before we stepped off the pier.

You can see him working on the possibilities while Hatchling No.1 looks for fish, sharks, stingrays, seaweed etc.

"This here wooden pier reminds me of the polished wooden floorboards at Grandpa's Beach House!!"

Got it!

"This metal mesh we're walking on is just like the security door at..."
You guessed it...
"Grandpa's Beach House."

Bingo!!

I have to stop now, I can feel the need to rock returning.

Jen x

We love the Easter Bilby!

Awww, this says it all really. The Easter Bilby is Hatchling No.1's latest idol, can you tell?

It is cupboard love, of course. After all, the love a Hatchling feels for an Easter Bilby is really only valid between the time of his first sighting on Good Friday until consumption of the last chocolate egg. Whenever that might be.

You can't beat a good Easter egg hunt.

Stay tuned for more of our Easter shenanigans just as soon as I eat another 127 Cadbury Dairy Milk eggs.

Jen x