The Cousins, Day Four

Cities are not something I know how to enjoy naturally, so I was a bit apprehensive about showing off San Francisco to the cousins. In the end, all worked out exactly as it should have. The kids enjoyed a view of the Bay Bridge from the Google cafe.

During the rest of the day, they registered the change in physical location, but really, it was all about adding pieces to their their relationships to each other. I love that I have over fifty photos, almost all of them featuring two or more kids talking, laughing, running, or climbing. They are still enamored of each other.

 

 

We had high expectations about walking four miles around the city but adjusted those expectations by the time we had walked the length of Embarcadero to The Exploratorium.

 

 

With baby asleep and the rest of the young crew seeming tired, we opted to let mom and dad walk around the city a bit, while Rado and I took the other five kids to The Exploratorium.

This was our first time at The Exploratorium, and we now know three things: 1) to get the most of it, kids should be at least seven years old; 2) never go there during a holiday/vacation season; 3) take one adult per kid so that each kid can "immerse" him or herself in whatever experience draws his attention.

 

 

After about thirty minutes of elbowing crowds inside, trying to find something that would interest, miraculously, all five children in the same space (or at least in proximity), we decided that the outdoor area was our best bet. A few things occupied us there. First, there was a contraption intended to teach the power of motion (I believe). Kids spun a wheel that made a rope turn that made other kids jump through it.

 

if that looks like Raya crashing head-first into Sava, your eyes are not deceiving you

 

 

it seemed impossible at first but, through sheer willpower and unyielding persistence, she figured out how to do it!

Second, kids ran. A lot.

Velin and Sava played hide-and-seek-plus-tag with an intensity that exhausted the onlookers.

 

 

Third, kids sat on rocking chairs.

Some contemplated.

 

Others snacked and bonded.

While still others socialized.

 

Fourth, the four-year olds engaged in precarious calisthenics on a railing not specifically intended for play.

 

Fifth, Ivana used her superior managerial abilities to motivate the boys to contest an earlier decision made by one of the adult playground supervisors that Velin did not meet the height requirements for a curious bee-hive-like climbing structure.

 

Sava and Ivana had been let in, but Velin was deeply distraught for having been turned down, so on their own initiative, all three went to above-mentioned adult supervisor and, for about three minutes, argued why Velin should be allowed to climb. Long story short, and amazingly, they persuaded the guy to let Velin in. It was, hands down, the most powerful bonding experience for the three of them so far.

Sava and Ivana on top

On the way back, I took too many photos of the wonderful camaraderie that, over the past four days, has grown around all five of them.

Raya and Ivana seem to have something extremely important and just as interesting to talk about much of the time. 

 

Sava and Velin radiate, together, the kind of young-boy energy that made me say as I watched him change into his PJs tonight that I wish I could stop his growth at this precise moment. I'd really like it if he stayed this way for a lot longer.

 

Geri weaves effortlessly in and out of all gender and personality formations, and she has an awe-inspiring ability to find things in the world that interest her and to persist at tasks that seem particularly intimidating.

I'm already dreading their departure four days from now.