Food Day

Hello, it's a hot Tuesday afternoon, the kids will be home from school soon so we can go and buy the mince for the Spag Bol. I forgot it at the supermarket this morning. I've been busy cooking today. Amy liked Erica's spinach and potato puree (with chicken stock) so much she asked me to cook it for us, so I'm using a recipe I have for a chicken, bacon, potato and spinach soup. Lena requested the Spag Bol. I don't usually cater to my kids like this, but it's Tuesday, which has become Choose-day, and they are so excited about the chance to actually choose what they get to eat that night, they think about it all week! Even if it ends up being curry one week and Spag Bol the next.

Lena has settled into First Grade nicely. She has a very sweet young lady teacher. She was sitting next to a nuisance of a boy who constantly bickered with her, but now she is sitting next to her boyfriend. She is so glad she has a boyfriend and says he is very nice to her. Amy also hangs out with boys. I think she's had enough of girlie bickering. She comes home and tells me so-and-so is strong, but she can still pick him up, or some such result from rather more boisterous play.

Amy is doing well in piano, Lena is going through a rough patch, trying to clear the hurdles of learning to use both hands, and learning about rhythm and rests. Amy cried a lot too at that stage, but got past it and now enjoys being able to play a song she likes. Both go on and off swimming, depending on the behaviour of the other kids more than anything else I think. Lena said she nearly drowned yesterday, twice, which worried me of course, though she seems okay with it as she managed to save herself. But on one other occasion I saw a kid go under during playtime and all the teachers were so busy they didn't notice. She managed to get hold of a rope, but she then vomited so she must have swallowed a lot of water. So I worry. Maybe I'll go early enough to watch that final ten minutes playtime.

And they are both doing an English class at Keio Academy, just because I can never seem to find time to do English with them. When they come home soon, I will have to start them on their English homework as well as their Japanese. Lena applies herself well and gets her work done quickly, but Amy fluffs about, and gets distracted so she ends up taking ALL DAY to do it. Last night it went to bed with her, and she woke in the morning with it still not done! I'm going to try hanging over her shoulder more today so she can get some time to relax without having to think about it.

Erica is next to me, playing with an old phone. She also likes tissues, the broom and pulling all the DVDs off the shelf. And the Wiggles. And Blondie, although I think she confuses the Wiggles and Blondie, since she looks at the TV when we put the music on. She dances! She got so excited yesterday when we put the music on, and her big sisters started dancing. She stood up, waggled her hands around and clapped them, grinning from ear to ear.

She finally has a tooth, and another one coming. She's hard at it, chewing and standing and cruising, plays hard, sleeps hard, still three naps a day, then a fairly late bedtime of 8 or 9. She eats - loves bananas, and the spinach and potato puree! She also loves the computer and is trying to get it right now so I'm off to finish my pureeing!