Play-Learn-Grow-Repeat

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
The topic of Tate’s music class over the last few weeks has been staccato and legato.  Tate practices moving fast and slow, up and down with short notes or long slurring notes.  Whether we’re singing, dancing, clapping or bouncing, Tate is learning the differences of fast and slow articulation in music.

Last week’s assignment was to make “track art.”  We picked out several different size cars and trucks and applied paint to their wheels.   Then, on a piece of paper, Tate drove the cars all over in different directions and different speeds to demonstrate smaller wheels have skinnier tracks and larger wheels have wider tracks. While making his tracks, Tate sang a song and would push the car back and forth to the beat of his song.  It was hysterical listening to him sing.  It sounded more like a rap.  He raced the cars all over the paper creating quite a piece of abstract art.  It’s one of those pieces I’ll hang on to for awhile.

I thought the activity was fun and a great idea because it’s something different for him to do with paint as well as a learning experience.  Cars dipped in paint definitely held his attention.  He loves to paint and get messy.  What child doesn’t?

Today in class we looked at each child’s track art and discussed what was different about each one and what was similar.  The children had fun showing each other how special their own painting was.  Next week’s assignment is to make our own drum.  I can’t wait to see what ideas Tate will come up with.

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
After a year of developing in a fairly normal fashion, Haley is starting to exhibit some interesting and unique personality traits. It’s really funny to see behavior that models her father (mischievousness), her mother (stubbornness), and that is all her own.

We keep Haley’s toys in a fabric bin in the corner of her room. There are also a couple oversized stuffed animals there. I often bring out these items for Haley to play with. She loves hugging her big teddy bear and pulling items out of the box. Lately, a new game has emerged. Haley now walks directly into that corner, turns around and stands there. She doesn’t look around; she doesn’t try to climb on the nearby loveseat. She just stands there and looks at you. It is the oddest thing!

Haley is also starting to show signs of OCD. She loves cleaning things. She’ll grab any piece of cloth or napkin or white paper she sees and begin rubbing the ground or table with it. Nothing is ever clean enough for her! This is definitely the result of Haley watching her grandmother do chores. Another favorite activity is vacuuming. Good luck to you if you were planning to vacuum and Haley sees you. She insists on helping. As it turns out, one year olds are not so skilled at the task.

Haley often laughs maniacally, like a mad scientist, and no one knows why. She also loves to pray. We showed her how to fold her hands in prayer, and she can’t get enough of it. Sometimes when she’s breastfeeding, she’ll stop suddenly, look up at me with a big smile, and grasp her hands together. She’s so religious! This delights my mother to no end.

We’re really enjoying all of Haley’s quirks. So far, toddlerhood is pretty entertaining!

From Friday Mom – Jaime:
This month at daycare, they are teaching the kids about fairy tales. One of the rooms has a giant beanstalk in the middle of it. Another is painted up with various Cinderella scenes. Each day this week has had a different theme. Andrew has been very excited to bring his favorite car from Cars into school on Monday, even though he promptly broke the fin off Carla Veloso. (Yes, I realize this has nothing to do with the whole fairy tale thing). He gets to wear his favorite pirate shirt today as they learn about Peter Pan.

But yesterday… Yesterday was “dress as your favorite fairy tale character” day. This was a day clearly geared for the girls in the class. They all have Disney princess dresses…or at least some dress up costume where they can CLAIM they are their favorite princess.

But what are you supposed to dress a boy in???

I found out about this lovely dress up day as I was (almost) late picking up Andrew from daycare at 6. “MOMMY! TOMORROW IS LIKE HALLOWEEN AT SCHOOL!” So I asked Andrew what he wanted to be. “CAPTAIN AMERICA!”

Um…Okay…That’s not quite a fairy tale character. What fairy tale character would you like to be?

Tinker Bell.

My jaw dropped. In my head I’m thinking something like: Seriously? Tinker Bell? TINKER BELL? You’re a BOY. Shoot. How do I explain that this is a girl thing, not a little boy thing? Hold on… Should I explain that to him? Do I let him do it anyway? Wait a minute…WHAT am I thinking? I am NOT spending MONEY on a Tinker Bell costume for my little boy. Um…. how do I get out of this one????

So I called my mom. Yeah, I played the Nana card. She couldn’t talk him out of Tinker Bell either. So as Hubby and I were eating dinner, she took him over to Party City and constructed such a cool costume for him as Prince Charming.

It was awesome. He was psyched to wear it. Actually, he told us that all the little girls were going to be princesses and they were going to LOVE him and want to MARRY him because he’s the prince charming. (Then he told me that I was a frog and had to hop around the house until I caught him so he could give me a kiss and turn me back into a princess)

His favorite part of the costume was his scepter, which he proceeded to tell everyone was a lance and tried to run at everyone like he was a knight on horseback in a joust. (Note to Hubby: Maybe it wasn’t the BEST idea getting him hooked on Full Metal Jousting.)

Surprisingly, Andrew was the only Charming in the class. And, true to his prediction, all the princesses LOVED him. Most of the little boys were in their Halloween costumes. We had Batman, a dragon, a dog and a couple parents who gave up completely and didn’t dress their kids up at all.

So, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my mom for saving the day and picking out the “coolest costume EVER.” And to everyone else – have a great weekend!

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
Tate is quickly approaching the age of two.  So far, he has grown and developed into a wonderful little boy.  His smiles, kisses and “I wuv u’s” all melt my heart.  He lightens up the room with his charming glow and ability to make everyone laugh.  However, along with turning two (soon) comes the “terrible twos” or as I like to say the “trying twos.”

Having already experienced this stage of development with Jack, I can remember feeling very frustrated and never wanted to leave the house.  Before leaving the house, I knew Jack would have a fit being in the stroller, wanting nothing to do with being in his car seat or have a crying fit if not allowed to have all 100 Thomas trains that were hanging on the sales shelf.  It was a trying time, especially for a first time parent.

Tate, on the other hand wears, his heart on his sleeve – and in his voice, in his stamping feet and his crocodile tears.  He is sweet as can be one minute and the next he is screaming at the top of his lungs.  I mean shrieks so loud they are ear piercing and his face turns red.  He insists on doing exactly what you’ve told him not to do (with a huge grin on his face) or he’ll throw himself down on the floor throwing a tantrum if he doesn’t get what he wants.  I know two year olds like to test limits and are curious.  I have no problem letting his curiosity shine.  I want him to learn about everything we deal with on a daily basis. I’m not sure if I feel these trying times are a little worse because I’ve forgotten just how hard it was with Jack, or if my patience is rapidly diminishing, or maybe a little of both.

I’ve read books and articles trying to find the best ways to handle these fits.  The best technique that seems to help at the moment (and with Jack at this age) is distraction.  Offering another toy or taking him outside to play usually calms Tate down to where he can take a deep breath and try to express in words what is wrong.  His demands alternate between frustration and amusement for me.  I know it’s a stage because Jack thankfully grew out of it, but in the midst of the mayhem it can be very hard not to have a tantrum myself.  Please share any other techniques that have worked for you.  I’m sure in a few years I’ll think about these little fits and laugh.  Hopefully Tate will, too.

Tate is quickly approaching the age of two.  So far, he has grown and developed into a wonderful little boy.  His smiles, kisses and “I wuv u’s” all melt my heart.  He lightens up the room with his charming glow and ability to make everyone laugh.  However, along with turning two (soon) comes the “terrible twos”.  I like the term trying twos.

Having already experienced this stage of development with Jack, I can remember feeling very frustrated and never wanted to leave the house.  Before leaving the house, I knew Jack would have a fit being in the stroller, wanting nothing to do with being in his car seat or not allowed to have all 100 Thomas trains that were hanging on the sales shelf.  It was a trying time, especially for a first time parent.

Tate on the other hand wears his heart on his sleeve- and on his voice, on his stamping feet and his crocodile tears.  He is sweet as can be one minute and the next he is screaming at the top of his lungs.  I mean shrieks so loud they are ear piercing and his face turns bright red.  He insists on doing exactly what you’ve told him not to do (with a huge grin on his face) or he’ll throw himself down on the floor throwing a tantrum if he doesn’t get what he wants.  I know two year olds like to test limits and are curious.  I have no problem letting his curiosity shine.  I want him to learn about everything we deal with on a daily basis. I’m not sure if I feel these trying times are a little worse because I’ve forgotten just how hard it was with Jack or if my patience is rapidly diminishing or maybe a little of both.

I’ve read books and articles trying to find the best ways to handle these fits.  The best technique that seems to help at the moment (and with Jack at this age) is distraction.  Offering another toy or taking him outside to play usually calms Tate down to where he can take a deep breath and try to express in words what is wrong.  His demands alternate between frustration and amusement for me.  I know it’s a stage because Jack thankfully grew out of it, but in the midst of the mayhem it can be very hard not to have a tantrum myself.  I’m sure in a few years I’ll think about these little fits and laugh.  Hopefully Tate will, too.

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
I am guilty. I admit it. Lock me up and put me away. I let my child watch TV. In case you’ve forgotten, she’s very young—only one wonderful year old. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, she should not be watching any TV at all until she is two years old. Even when children do watch TV, it should be strictly limited. I don’t do that either. It’s on a lot.

Haley’s exposure to TV began innocently enough. A few minutes of a show kept her still long enough for me to feed her dinner. It stopped her screaming if I had to place her in the playard and run to the bathroom. Now, however, we have it on purely for her entertainment. If you add on the time she spends watching Sesame Street videos on youtube, we’re blowing any reasonable screen time limits out of the water.

I guess I should feel worse about this, but my dirty little secret is that I don’t.

I’m not sure why that is. Maybe because she doesn’t actually watch it that much when it’s on—only when she’s captive in her high chair or a song comes on. She spends a lot of time doing other things, like kicking a soccer ball with remarkable precision and “reading” her board books. Plus, I watched a lot of TV growing up, and I turned out pretty great.

I realize this is a completely ridiculous justification. While I’m making excuses, also please let me divert some of the blame to my parents. They are really the ones who started having the TV on more often—probably because when they would be watching her and she’d fuss, it was an easy form of distraction. I don’t know what it is with grandparents, but they need her happy all the time. When she starts whining with me, I shrug and say, “Sorry kid, life is pain.”

I suppose the reason I allow this TV watching to continue is that I don’t honestly believe in the harmful effects. I keep her far from the screen and the volume low to protect her eyes and ears. But in terms of content, I think it helps more than it hurts. At some point, she may start learning things. PBS Kids and Nick Jr. are MUCH more educational than anything I had when I was little. As I mentioned, she only really seems to care about the songs, anyway. Perhaps once she is more interested, I will begin to set limits. Life is painful that way.

From Friday Mom – Jaime:
As a lawyer, my job is to solve other people’s problems. It’s messy. it’s hard. But I absolutely love it. And, actually, if I’m doing my job really well, I psych out the problems and figure out a way to steer the client around a potential landmine before they blow themselves up with it…

Parenting is like another planet. I don’t see most of the landmines before I’m firmly entrenched in them. And, as good as I am at solving other people’s problems, the mystery of how to get Andrew to eat something other than one of the old standbys is still a total mystery.

But every few days he comes home from school and tells me about the taste test he did. His new teachers have somehow convinced the world’s most picky, stubborn eater to try (AND ENJOY!) stuff like broccoli and carrots. The carrot experiment was apparently to get the kids to experience the different textures of the same food (hard and soft, depending on whether the carrots were raw or cooked). Andrew proclaimed that he liked crunchy best and that he would actually eat five…no! TEN!…carrots if I made them for him.

The kid won’t even look at broccoli if I try to feed it to him. They managed to get him to chow down on it. I’m still not sure how broccoli and chocolate worked together in a taste test… Or why anyone would think to put the two together… But hey, they somehow managed to get him to eat a green vegetable.

Even our own taste tests that we do in the house are met with stringent opposition. So what is it about doing one at daycare that makes it not only worth trying, but fun? And good?

I just don’t get it.

But I’m now going to turn to much happier subjects… Today is the home opener at Yankee Stadium and I cannot wait! There’s nothing better than blowing off work (on a motion day, no less) to catch a ballgame with my sister, uncle, hubby and especially my dad.

Go Yankees! And have a great weekend everyone.

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
Jack’s class has a weekly, “letter of the week.” This week is the letter V.  When we reach the letter Z the school year is over.  It’s hard to believe how quickly this year is coming to an end.

Today, Jack’s class is having a veggie tasting party.  What a great idea.  I would love to see how many veggies Jack tries and actually swallows.  He no longer eats the veggies he liked as a toddler.  Lately, I’m even having a hard time getting him to eat his carrot sticks, which he once loved.

Although I’m a little skeptical, I think the tasting party just might be a success.  By placing the students in a different setting, they might be more willing to try new vegetables.  Hopefully the vibrant colors, a large selection and some yummy dips will be more appealing to Jack.  I know it works with my husband.  He’ll try something new if it’s cooked or presented in a new way other than my usual steamed varieties.

Also, Tate’s taste buds are changing for the worse, too.  I know it happens around this age, but I thought for sure he would hang on to eating up his veggies for a bit longer.  He’s experienced what a chocolate chip cookie tastes like and doesn’t want anything but a “coooookie.”  I can’t be too upset since I’m the one who passed along the sweet tooth gene.

I’m anxious to hear how many kinds of veggies Jack tasted.  It would be a miracle to hear him ask for a pepper in his salad and not peanut butter chips.

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
Haley’s dad was sick last week. Sure enough, Haley and I eventually caught his cold. It’s no fun at all! I felt so sorry for Haley. Her nose was stuffed up, and she HATED when we used the suction bulb to clear it out. She’d let out the most pathetic coughs and wake herself up in the night. Luckily, she never had much of a fever.

It’s a challenge to take care of a sick baby who can’t tell you how she’s feeling or what she needs. But I learned it’s a much bigger challenge to be a sick mom with a sick baby. Usually, if Haley needs me, day or night, I am in prime form, ready to care for her. It doesn’t matter how tired I am. When I am feeling sick and debilitated, it’s a whole new ballgame. Fatigue and soreness slowed me down a great deal. I admit it— it was very frustrating. Just when I was able to lie down and rest following a fit of coughing, Haley woke up miserable and needed to be cuddled and rocked. And just when I would have her settled down, I’d sneeze suddenly, wake her, and have to start the whole process over again.

My mom and my husband stepped in quite a bit to help Haley through her illness. We survived. There are only a few mild lingering symptoms remaining. As unfortunate as it is to have illness invade your home, you have to keep everything in perspective and count your blessings. We are lucky to be healthy and safe. I might be annoyed by all the sniffles, but they also remind me to be grateful for my almost perfectly healthy child.

From Friday Mom – Jaime:
It’s no secret that I was completely freaked out about Andrew’s first day at his new daycare. Freaked out might just be an understatement, but as it turns out – of course – I was worrying for nothing.

Sunday night, Andrew looked at me and asked if he was going to his new school in the morning. When I said yes, he was quiet for a moment before nodding and saying, “Mommy… I ready.” He was smiled broadly and then shyly asked whether we could stay with him for a few minutes in the morning before going off to work. He also begged to be able to bring in cupcakes for all his new friends.

So we stopped and picked up mini cupcakes. WITH sprinkles. (Apparently this was very important). And, while it made Andrew very happy, I figured it probably made a terrible introduction for us. “Hey. We’re the new guys. Let’s get all the kids tanked up on sugar as we run out the door so YOU have to deal with the resulting sugar high…from 17 kids!”

Actually, we forgot them the first day… But Andrew did great without them. He got there, checked out the location of his new cubby for about 2 seconds before running off to the puzzles. He put two together with Hubby while I talked to his new teachers (one of whom I actually went to high school with – not that Andrew believed for a second that I knew her for over 20 years and that we used to play field hockey together).

Each day, he’d run into the classroom, thrilled to be there. We’d do a puzzle or two and then he’d say, “Okay. I fine. Go to work.” The cupcakes probably endeared him to a couple of the kids, who all stared at them in awe marveling at the fact that Andrew brought in cupcakes (WITH SPRINKLES). But he’s done great with the change.

He already has his coloring buddies. He loves the crazy girl in class, who just might be even wilder than he is. And, of course, he’s in good with the class troublemakers…

Today he and Hubby are going to head down to Great Adventure to the safari and ride some rides. I’m totally jealous since I’ll be working.

Have a great weekend everyone.

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
Many of us are preparing for Easter this weekend.  We’ve accomplished a few fun things to celebrate the special holiday including egg hunts, decorated eggs, and picked out our church outfits.  Well, the latter was more of a mommy thing.  Tate loves to go on egg hunts.  He also realized he loves to hide everything, not just eggs.  He finds it comical watching us search for something until we find it. I guess I can’t be frustrated when he is playing the game fair.  Eventually my missing items will show up, right?

Since Jack is a little older and wiser, he is able to tell us what Easter is all about.  When I asked him the meaning of Easter on the car ride home today he replied with: “God made Jesus stand up and be alive again so he could forgive us for doing bad things.”  I was amazed at his answer because he knew the meaning and understood it as well.  Of course, since he listens to his teacher, Jack also thinks the Easter bunny gives him candy .  I had to chuckle at his comment.

We are looking forward to Jack’s Easter party and other fun activities this weekend.  I love seeing all the children dressed up and celebrating a wonderful time of year.  I hope the Easter bunny brings you a basket full of goodies!