Summer Fun!

Cute little girl after a soccer game all dressed up and dancing!

 She loves to paint! wish we could do it more often but it makes such a mess.

 She is doing very well learning to swim. This weekend was the first time she put the arm floaties on and she was so excited when she realized she could "swim" all by herself.

 Now we are working on moving our arms instead of just kicking; floating on our back; and holding our breath under water! (She does it occasionally but sometimes she forgets and gets a little choked).

The New Routine

Leyla is doing so great in daycare! She has really adjusted and made friends. She is even happy to go in the mornings and doesn't fuss at all when I tell her bye (sometimes she used to). I am very proud of her! The girl that watches all the little ones is very sweet and I can tell she does a good job. Leyla is always happy to see her and she gives her hugs and kisses bye-bye! She loves her new friends too - one time she fell asleep in the same bed with the other little girl, Aime. She tells me when the play together, too, and that she had fun. I am so happy that she enjoys it and I am so glad that we decided to put her there - I think that was the best decision we could have made!

We have our routine in the morning, too. We get up and eat breakfast together, brush our teeth, get dressed, pack her backpack, and catch a taxi. In the afternoons she "helps" me wash the dishes or the clothes or whatever, sweeps, mops, and then we play with her puzzles or read books.

She has gotten really good at doing puzzles! She loves to do them all by herself. One of her other new favorite things is singing (well it's not new, but she's gotten better at it). She sings "Ee-i-ee-i-ooo" all the time and in tune- she even tries to pronounce "had a farm" and "moo moo there." She sings "Baby Bumblebee" and can say "it stung me!" and "ugh, yucky!" She also sings Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and in her mumbled singing I can here "high" and "sky" at the ends of her phrases.

She has definitely gotten to be very defiant and well push the limits! But, we are learning to be firm and ignore crying episodes and she will comply. Most of the time I have to tell her over and over "You can't have any candy until you eat your broccoli" and eventually she will get it. It's amazing really how much she understands - you just have to be firm and not give in, and she will know that you are serious. She understands all the rules but tests you!

My big helper! After I finished mopping she wanted to mop the entire house again and did so for a good thirty minutes!