picture update

Would you like to see what we've been up to?

Look! All four girls participating in the same activity and being nice to each other! I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.



Natsuki sucking on a sucker while waiting for Emi to get her hair trimmed. She managed to get only a little sticky.



Misaki made a puppet of a girl who is dancing. Today she made a boy to go with it. I think she got her inspiration from the Princess and the Pea book I bought for Sakura's birthday.



Checking to see if her goggles fit. Swimming lessons have started at school. Twice a week both Emi and Misaki get a chance to swim without me even having to lift a finger (almost!). Emi's already starting to get tanlines on her back.



If Chikara lays down on the floor, Natsuki just can't leave him alone. Her little cheek resting on his shoulder is adorable.



A rare sisterly moment between Emi and Sakura.



I went to Emi's school for a parent "fun day". We made a kaleidescope together. Sakura stuck by my side the entire time but Natsuki ran all over the place. No fear that girl!



Emi's tomatoes! They were still green last week but today she brought home a red one.



Sakura loves her blue blankie. It's been her constant companion since she was about 3 months but finally she put enough holes in it that we had to say good-bye to it. Fortunately I did have an extra pink one so it was an easy transition.



More evidence of the holey-ness of poor blue blankie!



And last but not least a little update on the life of Natsuki.

It's amazing how quick she goes from this...



...to this! In a one minute period she can fall apart, pull herself back together and then flip out again. Never a dull moment.



Natsuki having a time out. Can you see her hands on her knees? She's so cute having a time out that I almost don't mind her being bad just so I can see her cuteness. Well, almost.



Another thing we've dealing a lot with is Natsuki's pickiness as an eater. Emi and Misaki were not picky at all but Sakura was fairly picky and now Natsuki by far is the pickiest. I've been trying more creative ways to present food so that she might be more interested but even as cute as this lunch is she still only ate the rice and then I had to cajole her into one carrot, one piece of watermelon and her meatballs. Still too much work.



On the other hand she has figured how to drink from a cup all by herself so I guess I'm not a failure in all areas!



So that's what we've been up to. My friend who had her baby breach has been freaking out a bit since she's been home. I kind of saw this coming but it's taking up most of my extra time. Her capacity for freaking out is large so my posts may be sparse for a bit.

I did buy a notebook so I can start writing lists for my upcoming trip home. Less than three weeks now!