Cousins

(This is a blog translated into English using chat GPT）

This is Fionn on May 4th. Can you guess why he’s wearing a Star Wars costume?

Yeah, May 4th is May the fourth, right? So it’s Star Wars day because it’s a play on the Star Wars phrase “May the Force be with you.” It was probably around 23 degrees Celsius that day, but Fionn had already decided a few days earlier to become a Stormtrooper. So he wore the costume from home and kept it on even when we stopped by the convenience store or the 100 yen shop.

Since he was little, he’s always been like that. He doesn’t feel embarrassed or care about what others think. His desire to wear this overrides everything else. I really like that about him! The size is still a bit big, so I think he can wear it for another two years. It’s really a hit!

On that day, Seina and Chinatsu went back to Tokyo in the morning. It was during Golden Week, and my elementary school niece and nephew finally had their break, so I took the three of them to another T-shirt art exhibition.

Fionn doesn’t have any siblings, so having those two around is really important to him. My sixth-grade niece is a smart and caring big sister who takes good care of Fionn. My fifth-grade nephew loves games and is kind-hearted, so he quickly helps Fionn with anything he doesn’t understand. He’s like a superhero!

When Fionn was born, I felt the age difference, but now they can have normal conversations. They get super excited playing Fortnite together and having fun at the beach like this. This time is really precious and valuable for both me and Fionn.

On that day, the three of them cooperated in searching for clams. They found a trick that when the waves recede, and you see air bubbles coming out of the sand, it means there’s definitely a clam underneath! Fionn would excitedly report, “I found one! I found one!” He looked really happy when he dug them out. The two of them praised him too. Having an environment where they can cooperate, show kindness, and compete with each other has a significant impact on their growth.

Along the way, they intentionally lay down or fell in the shallow water and got completely soaked.

Look at that happy face! My niece said, “This is the most fun Golden Week ever!” Even though I thought it was cold just by dipping my feet in, kids are tough!

Because he sees his older siblings doing that, Fionn got carried away and ended up soaking wet too. But of course, I always expect such actions, so I brought spare clothes. It’s great for kids to play wholeheartedly within a safe range! It’s not easy to find time like this when you live in the city.

This year, I’ll take the three of them out to play a lot! The two of them will become junior high school students in no time, so I know these moments are limited. Oh, children grow up so fast! Don’t grow up too quickly!