Weekly Daycare Update

So, as you may have noticed with my last post, and you will notice with my posts to come, I am more about the pictures, less about the words. This is because I have less time to work on the blog, since I have a non-napper again: Thomas!

I love being able to spend time with a child doing "big kid things" that I can't do when the younger kids are present. It's just always great to have a new twist. So, Tom and I can play with toys that pose a choking hazard to the babies, we can play games, read longer stories, and play make-believe (his favourite). It gives him a little educational time, especially in preparation for school this September. It also gives him extra attention, which I believe he currently needs. (It can be hard to be the big kid at the daycare sometimes - the crying babies get more of my attention )  Thirdly, it helps us to bond and spend some quality time together before he's finished at the daycare, which will be mid-June. (Where the HECK does the time go?) I'm not worried about losing touch though. I believe lots of play dates are in the future!

So, after that wordy bit, I will zip it and get on with the pics, since I think parents like to see what their kids have been up to, even if I don't have time for the detailed play-by-play!

Maryam and Marcus are all about sitting on chairs. Oh, and check out Maryam's new 'do.

At Baird playground.

I know. They are ALWAYS EATING!!!

Thomas was sitting, talking in a slightly evil, or in the very least, mysterious voice, to Maryam. It seemed as if he believed she could perfectly understand, and follow along in his game. She stared at him for a while in bewilderment. I think she was flattered that he was playing with her. She eventually moved on though, much to Thomas's dismay.

Marcus made it clear that he wanted to sit with Amadea and Leila, on a little blue chair (we have a lot). Too cute!

Sprinkler! Nuff said.

This is Amadea's garden!

She proudly showed us where she was growing broccoli!

The Daycare Family

Home daycares really are extended families. I love the children I care for like my own, and the children form such close bonds, like those of brothers and sisters. Some of these relationships are easier than others to continue once a child has left the daycare. Noah is lucky to still be good friends with Aidas, the first child ever to step foot into our daycare. Here are some photos of Noah and Aidas, back in the day. This first one is from when they were around 1 year old.

They loved to play pots and pans. (1.5 years old)

They went through teething troubles together. (Around 20 months old.)

Here they are walking through High Park at around 2 years old.

Wearing the bunny ears they made for Easter, at around 2.5 years old....

Visiting the Toronto Zoo together...

Sunnyside Beach....

And celebrating Noah's 3rd birthday.

When Leila came along, she and Aidas quickly bonded as well. He was like a big brother to her.

Aidas was at the daycare from the time he was about 10 months old, until he was almost 4 years old. Here is a video showing the friendship between Noah and Aidas at around 3 years old.

And here's a video of them now, at 6.5 years old.



We had been invited to spend the Victoria Day weekend at Aida's cottage. It was incredibly fun!

They have a huge bouncy pillow, reminiscent of a similar apparatus at Ontario Place, back in the time of "The Orange Tent". (Don't get me started on how I long for the orange tent, and everything that was under it, to return to Ontario Place!.)

It's not easy to take photos while being bounced around on this thing, but where there's a will, there's a way! They were adorable in their glee. ;)

This is an intense conversation between Noah and Aidas, over ice cream.



We enjoyed a camp fire, and roasted marshmallows, every night!



Their cottage was in Sounthampton, and the pictures below are taken at Southampton Beach.

This was at a different beach in Southampton. The water was freezing. I have great admiration for these boys, who just dove right in!

And of course, here they are enjoying one of their all-time favourite activities: video games. It was a great weekend, and I am thankful for having the opportunity to take Noah and Leila to visit their cottage. I hope these two remain friends for life!