We have had the book, Chicka chikca boom boom, ever since Isabelle came along. And I recently got a new copy for the kids, with a bonus CD sung by Ray Charles. As it turns out, they don't really like the CD. But we did find a video cartoon on Youtube of the poem by a different group. And the kids love it! At least twice a day, someone will ask to see the Chicka chikca boom boom movie, among many others.

Well, the other day, we were driving in the car, and Isabelle started singing the song, and just about knew all the words! Then she kinda asked us for the missing part, but we didn't really know it all yet either. But we'd get a few of the words or phrases out, and she would say, "No, wait Mommy, Wait!" And then she would pick up where we left off. Of course, when she sings it, it doesn't just end after one verse. In fact the same verse can repeat many times.


We also took the kids to our favorite sushi restaurant for the first time. And the kids did really well, eating with chopsticks, and with general manners. They can be such good kids when they want to be. (They can also be real stinkers too!) They both ate a lot of good food, and tried just about everything we offered them, including a couple of special rolls, some udon, some tempora, and of course, edamame. David even liked the seared Ahi! (In the low light, the pictures didn't come out that great.)

This summer we finally started swim lessons for the kids. There is a great program in town that has an indoor pool, heated to about 90 F, and is only about 3-4 ft deep, with a seat about 1 foot under water that encompasses the outer perimeter. The classes are only 2-3 kids each, so the kids can get all the attention they need, and they advance individually within each class, so if they can do all the things expected at a certain level, the same instructor will just start teaching them the next level. No new times, kids, or teachers.

So far, they've had a couple of lessons each. David doesn't listen to his instructor, so he has to learn by being taken out with her, and then they both do things together. He really just wants to play with some of the toys. And throwing things. He like to throw stuff into the pool.

Isabelle has had a couple of good lessons, but she is a 'little unsure' about getting in the pool with new kids she doesn't know yet. So her lessons have been essentially private with a different instructor. She also like to play a lot more in the water, and she won't do things we know she can do. For instance, when we have gone to the community pool, she can tread water and blow bubbles, and even put her whole head under water for a second or two. At swim lessons, she just barely blows a bubble or two. The lessons are only 30 minutes, but I bet if they were an hour, Isabeel would be more comfortable, and do all those things she can do.

Here's our July 4th recap, a few weeks late...

For July 4th, we went downtown to watch a bit of the annual criterium, then to the towns central park for the usual fireworks display. There is a big play structure there, which got the kids very excited, and a little scared when there were too many other kids there. But they were very busy running around and climbing and getting even more tired then when we had arrived, and more tired then they needed to be for the show later on. But we did eventually settle down on our picnic blanket, and had a few snacks. There was a boy about 13 years old near us that brought his electric guitar and mini amp, and was playing a few bits of songs. Both David and Isabelle were very interested in what he was doing. And I was curious to hear whichever piece he would play next, because everything he was playing was metal from the early 80's! I'm talking Crazy Train, Eruption, even Master Of Puppets!


Then, we saw our friends Megan and Steve, who just happened to park their picnic blanket a few meters away. They came over, and the kids got excited and wanted to tell them all about our afternoon at the park. And then run around them in circles.

After about 9 p.m., the sun set, and the kids realized that they were getting tired. But we kept them interested in the show by talking about it, and then a woman who was also nearby, gave us a couple of glow bracelets, and the kids really liked those too. But soon, David was getting more tired, and having a hard time playing or interacting much. So I sat with him on my lap, and we looked at some of the various sites we could still see, like balloons flying away, other kids with glow sticks, BBQs, etc.


At 9:30 the fireworks began, and the whole park erupted in simultaneous "Ooohs" and "Ahhhhs!" We watched a few fireworks, and then David says, "I want to go home now, Daddy."
He was just so tired. But I told him that we would just be there for a few more minutes, and then we could go home. I think he really like the finale though, when there are a lot of explosions in the sky, and lots of colors. He was too tired to walk back to the car, and so was Isabelle, but once they were in their car seats, they had a lot to say. Kids, Megan, Balloons, Steve, Guitars, Picnics, Diego ( a current favorite cartoon), jumping on the beds, etc.