Parcels and play.

Blimey that was fast, my myriad order arrived today.  The broom was immediately commandeered by my charge and Rye took off with the rotary beater.  I confess a smidgeon of disappointment with the beater, it feels a bit flimsy and is difficult to use; although Rye did enjoy himself when I popped a bowl of water with a little washing up liquid in it, on the floor.  He sat for ages whisking the water and creating bubbles, which allowed my charge some free playtime with the broom without Rye trying to take charge.  (heheh, she growls at him, its really funny lol)

I also bought the pan and brush too, as well as those lovely stockmar beeswax crayons and lovely natural paint box.  Rye really likes the crayons, and I am a convert now too.  The cheapy ones I bought him from the poundshop he rarely uses; the beeswax ones he really got into and produced a very colourful piece of paper.  Even my charge was better at mark making with the beeswaxs one; although she doesn't seem to quite have the enthusiasm for drawing and crafts as Rye.  She did enjoy making a card for her mum; my old standby for young kiddy's who simply do not have the skills... cut out shapes help them stick them down and then get out the glitter.

Bless her mum, I thought she was going to cry when she saw the card that C had made for her :-)  Gave me a little glow to know I'd helped to make Mothers Day a little bit special for my charge's mum.
And this is the card Rye made for me; virtually all by himself:

Then it was time for lunch and I was suprised just how well a tortilla wrap with a bit of cheese sprinkled over one half, then the other half lifted up over the cheese to create a half circle and then popped on a griddle, went down with the kids.  Both tucked in with gusto.  The tortilla wrap I made myself was tasty too; cream cheese, rocket, grated carrot and apple, sliced (lengthways) celery and grated cheese.  Nom nom.

Then we had story time and afterwards played with the gnome homes, rainbow tunnel and tree blocks - very popular toys in this house:

The second photo is after my charge was picked up.  I added to my myriad order the geometric pentacle puzzle - well, I just had to have it lol.  It is a little too complex for Rye; nonetheless he enjoyed playing with the shapes; although he did become a little frustrated when he tried to put the pieces back into the tray and he couldn't do it.  As I suspected a bit of tiredness there; he's now sat next to me snoring softly :-)

Last night after my charge went Rye asked to play a game; so we played snakes and ladders:

He doesn't really understand the game, he enjoys twirling the hand on the thingymyjig, and he found it funny when we landed on ladders or snakes but the moving the counter along so many squares was a bit lost on him; or prehaps he just wasn't interested in that aspect of the game.  Nonetheless, we had fun.

This Rye created the other night, as I've mentioned, he is very much taken with an Enid Blyton bedtime story about two children who build an amazing toy brick palace, that for once is left standing overnight; much to the joy of the nursery toys, that come alive at night.  The toys are visited by the King and Queen of Mouseland who are amazed by the magnificient palace.  Well, this is Rye's take on the story; from what I gather, he's created a "perfect" tunnel castle and the bus and lorries are all lined up to use it when they come alive in the night.

Here's our little creator, earnstly explaining to it all to me.

This was last night's creation; Rye decided to add in the passengers from his big, red, bus.

And the Waldorf reading?  Coming along and enjoying it alot, although I think I must have been a very unaware/un-imaginative child because I never thought of baby jesus in the nativity scene as the light in the dark.  I just remember it being a story that was told at Christmas time and was fun to act out lol.  Some more books have arrived today; "Free to Learn" and "You are your child's first teacher".  

Hehe, and last night not long before bed, I decided to give the "toast and hotmilk with cinnamon" trick a try with Rye. The idea being toast with a little honey and the milk helps to promote sleep, if used as part of a bedtime routine.  Rye isn't a particularly difficult child to put to bed.  He enjoys a giggle when I try to put his nighttime nappy on; he enjoys a good catawailing as we jointly clean his teeth and then he likes to snuggle into his bed and for me to read him a story - the Enid Blyton one, which last night I played around with and told the story in my "own words"; then it's kisses and "I love you's" and then that soft request that I sit in the chair for a little while as he settles and drops off to sleep.  I sit for maybe 10 minutes and then I just quietly get up and leave; whether he's asleep or not; I've found if I do this without saying anything he accepts it; if I try to whisper "goodnight, sweet dreams", I'll be half way down the stairs and he'll start to cry.  The bed time snack from my point of view, is because we eat at some point between 4:30-5pm because I childmind, whereas it use to be around 6pm and these days by 6ish Rye is normally telling me he's "hungreeeeeeeee".  The milk was a disaster though.  My boy isn't a lover of warm drinks; and really milk does tend to make his movements a bit loose; but I thought I'd give it a try as he's not had warm milk before and if he did like it well I'd look at getting in an alternative to cows milk so not to risk any tummy upset.  He didn't.   You'd think I was trying to poision him by his reaction; and he really didn't like the cinnamon added either. 
Oh well, just toast and water then in future lol.