Swing Swing?!?

Charlotte LOVES to swing, as soon as we pull into the park I hear a shout from the back seat.... Swing? Swing?! Swwwwwiiiiinnnnnnnng!!! She can easily spend an hour in the swing. It is her favorite thing to do at the park. Sometimes we go to the park just for a swing.

People watching

Telling me NOOO Mama, she doesn't want her picture taken. Another favorite thing, saying NO! Ugh.

Oh Charlotte, won't you please smile for me. I swear she loves to swing!

Brady however could really care less, he swings or he sits and watches Sister have all the fun. 

What a goofy face, B Man. 

More Tot Trays

Here are this week's activities...

Spooning

Focus: Hand/eye coordination

Materials: plastic jewels, paint palette and spoon

 Small spaces
Focus: Hand/eye coordination
Materials: Dry spaghetti noodles and an empty plastic container with small hole openings (I found mine in my spice cupboard)

 

 She really liked this activity and went right to work when I pulled it out and modeled it for her.

 C took a break and belted out in song. Here she is singing into her spaghetti noodle microphone. Too funny.

 And back to work.

Cutting

Materials: Scissors and strips of paper

C needs a lot of coordination to learn how to cut, I envision this skill will take longer to acquire.

A Big Girl, B Man & Bears

This morning Charlotte insisted on dressing herself for the first time... which included last night's nightgown, a dress (used as a skirt) and pink leggings. Good thing we were staying home all day! Whew. As I was brushing her teeth and placing pigtails upon her little blonde head she spoke a few sassy words. Our morning conversation at the bathroom sink was more than amusing...

Me: Charlotte, did you dress yourself today?

Charlotte: Yes

Me: You are such a BIG girl!

C: Yeah Mom, I know.

Seriously?!? Charlotte is 2 going on 16. Sassy thing. What am I going to do with you?! Please don't grow too fast, you may be ready but I am not. Lol.

 Oh Bear, he is the most loved teddy bear I know. Bear is Charlotte bestest friend in all the world. He really is such a good sport as Charlotte drags him everywhere. His days are spent face first on the floor forgotten about or directed to sit and drink at a daily, sometimes hourly, tea party. Every night he sleeps in a head lock position underneath the arm of my first born. Every tear that is shed soaks into his fur. Every hug is forced from his owner. Above all you know that Bear is appreciated and cherished. Thank you Bear for being a part of our family.

 B Man and Ted, da bear

 Not quite the affectionate friends as Charlotte and Bear.

Someday soon Ted, you as well, will be loved by a cuddly guy named B Man!

Standing Power

 B Man is working on his standing power. His sister was much more independent by 10 months, I try not to compare too much because these kiddos are so different to begin with. Anyway, he prefers standing with assistance but sooner than later he will be on his own.

 Love those chunky thighs. So kissable!

 Pride at it's finest.

 He is thinking... "Mom, I know I'm cute"

"Mom, stop already with the pictures. The flash is burning my eyes!"

Whimsical Valentine's Cupcake Liner Wreath

WHAT:  Whimsical Valentine's Wreath , made out of cupcake liners!

WHERE: The tutorial can be found here, http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/2010/01/whimsical-valentine-wreath.html.

HOW MUCH: Under $5!!! Yes, 5 bucks! I got all my goodies at the Dollar Tree. That place is awesome.

MATERIALS: a foam wreath, ribbon to wrap the wreath (I just used what I had on hand), 75 cupcake liners and embellishments or 3 of these little babies...

Now what do I do with the zillion of the leftover toothpick hearts? Hmmm. Ideas, anyone?

First Words

B Man said Mama for the first time on December 28th. It was a late Christmas present I might add. It was the best feeling in the world to hear him say my name first. It took all of 14 months before C said Mama. She is all her Daddy's girl.

Here is B Man today, completely thrilled with himself after we celebrated his new word UH-OH. Adorable.

10 months and 1 day old

Tot Books: Colors

This concept is brilliant. Tot books are mini file folders filled with information. When I taught 2nd Grade I had tons of file folder games that helped reinforced concepts, my kids loved them. I am so excited to create some Tot books for C. Check out this website for more ideas and best of all, free printables to create your own,  http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.com/TotBooksTotPacksALL.html I am aslo thinking this is a great tool to store in the car.

Here is mine I made up... I used 1/2 manilla folder, construction paper, markers, glue stick and contact paper for lamination, and velcro dots. C loved the feeling of ripping the velcro apart.

 The folder.

 The tot (hamming it up).

The task.

 

As you can see Barbie is learning her colors too. Lol

A quick jaunt into the playhouse tent as the attention span lacked today.

 Back to work.

 A job well done!

She loved it. Our conversation went like this...
Mommy: Where is the orange?
C: Where is orange?
C finds the orange.
C: There is orange! Giggle giggle and an added squeal and jump.
And repeat with remaining colors. I can't count how many times she occupied herself with this folder.

The bystander.
I am loving that  little belly that hangs over. Heheee. :)

LOVE LOVE LOVE Tot Trays!

Okay, so I ran across this website from my friend, http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.com/totschool.html , Aaaaa-MAZING! This website has great ideas for 1-3 years, I mean GREAT ideas, not to mention free printables and links to so much more. WOW.

It was a bit overwhelming for my perfectionist, teacher brain to say the least. I have started small and filled time within our day with more purposeful play. Did I say I LOVE it?!?!

I started implementing their idea of Tot Trays in our own home. I bought 3 black baskets from the Dollar Tree store and started jotting down ideas and collecting stuff around the house that I know would fit C's personality and aid in her toddler development. Bottom line, it's fun and it promotes skills she needs.

 "Spooning"

Objective: Toddler practices hand eye coordination through the use of spooning 1 pom pom into each opening of the muffin tin.

Materials: Spoon of choice, pom poms, and muffin tin

 I was shocked at how much she loved this activity. Let me tell you she is so proud when she finishes and will do it over and over again. WIN.

"Beading"

Objective: Toddler practices fine motor skills while placing pony beads onto a pipe cleaner.

Materials: Pipe cleaners and pony beads

Again, she LOVED this. I had tried to bead with her a few months ago and beading with string is not, I repeat not easy for a toddler, the pipe cleaner provides just enough stiffness to learn how to string. WIN.

I can see jewelry making in her future, she loves to create. This activity will be helpful when we learn counting and patterns too.

Rice Sensory Box

Last summer when is was too hot to play outside I made a rice sensory box with a plastic under the bed storage box and a huge bag of rice from Costco. I added some household things to play with. Pros... C loves to dig and pour and hearing the rice fall. Cons... Be ready to vacuum up a whole lotta rice the first few times. I have taught her to keep the rice in the box and that she can't get "wild" with it, she understands the rules. It has been great fun. I love how I can put a lid over the top and stick under the bed and have it be outta of sight.

Working on colors: White

 It's been a while, yes I know... I have been busy child rearing and such. Forgive me. ;)

So for my efforts at teaching C her colors I have been creatively thinking like a teacher and scouring the web for fun tot-friendly ideas. I have come across SO much great information, I LOVE it! I am so happy C is excited to learn about her world and that she is ready to explore each day... well, at least most days! HA.

Charlotte and I have been "discussing" the color,  White and related topics. We touch on subjects like snowman and snowflakes and basically everything in our world that is white. Frosty the Snowman is one of her favorite songs right now. I have to capture it on video, she is great at it!

 She wanted her picture taken near the snowflakes we made. Do you LOVE learning in your jammies, C?!!? :)

 While we were learning somebody leaned in for a quick cat food snack. B MANNNNN!

 And look he was SO proud of himself!!! B MANNNN!!!

 Still proud of himself... oh that face melts my heart!!!

After painting with white, gluing snowballs (cotton balls) and gluing magazine pictures of white stuff C had her "white" lunch with, of course, a glass of milk... don't laugh. I burnt the toast when I ran excitedly to fetch my camera for this picture, the sourdough was suppose to be white. I said I am trying to be creative. LOL