Swing Kids

We have been hanging out at the larger playground after the big boys finish school, almost every day. Noah and B. enjoy playing with their classmates (since the playground is across from the school, and most of the kids drift over to it after class). Riley and Riko are quite skilled on the equipment, and Thomas is practising and getting better every day.

He's still not yet 2, so there's a "clumsiness factor" that makes me a little nervous about giving him too much space on the equipment. And the upper level of the playground is completely off-limits for him, but he seems okay with this arrangement!

Noah and B. did some sponge painting one day while the 4 little ones were sleeping (yes, in unison!). Speaking of which, the new arrangement of Riley sleeping on the toddler bed in Leila's room has worked out splendidly. I thought one would keep the other awake, but so far they both settle down fine. Leila always wakes first, but Riley is quite the heavy sleeper, and is not disturbed by this. Actually, I think that Leila is comforted by having Riley in her room, and tries to go back to sleep now, when she wakes and sees that Riley is still sleeping. I initially gave Riley the option of Noah's bed with the railing (which is in the room where Thomas naps) or the toddler bed in Leila's room, and she said "I wanna have a sleepover with Leila". :)

Okay, back to painting. The little guys did finger painting one morning while the big guys were at school, and while baby Leila was having her morning nap. (On the first few days of daycare, Riley requested that she also have a sleepover with Leila in the mornings. This kid is too darned cute!) The Superman paint smock is the coveted item, and if one gets it, the other one complains. However, Noah and B. have cleverly designated a particular Mickey Mouse smock as the "other superhero" smock. And so the art of saving face begins.

Riko just loves to paint! Here are photos of her back to her old happy self (like she was on her first couple of days of daycare). Unfortunately, shortly after this she caught Leila's cold, and started to run a fever. She stayed home with her mama for two days. When she came back, she was incredibly sad again. Poor kid. She has the regular adjustment any kid starting daycare would have, but she also has to adjust to a new culture and language. Never have I wished so much that I could understand the Japanese language! So far, all I have learned is that something sounding like "Yameh" means "no". *sigh*

Riley was reluctant to finger paint at first; a lot of kids are. But she had a blast once she got started, and produced a beautiful painting!

I just had to take a picture of this beautiful work of art. Can you tell that he was enjoying himself?!