Those Things That Make Her... Her (on jumping)

You know, I always have these blog idea's rolling around my brain that it seems I never take the time post about.  This topic, is one that is so completely obvious if you spend anytime around my child (which I know most of you don't).  I know that I have mentioned this particular Sarah thing in many other posts, but I really wanted to take the time to write about just this trait. 

Sarah is a jumper, she has been a jumper for most of the past year.  As far as I can remember, it was like it her mission to go through all the motions of learning gross motor skills just to get to jump.  (See, this is why I need to blog more, because time frames get fuzzy)  For forever Sarah has jumped all day long.  You can always find Sarah is a crowd of kids, just look for the bopping head.  When anyone asks about Sarah one of the first things they ask is "Is she still jumping all the time?"  The answer is yes. Yes, she still jumps all the time.  It's just how she shows excitement, and happiness, and joy.  And she's a happy kid, so yeah, the jumping lasts all day long.

Literally almost everything can get a jumping reaction: 
Sarah do you want to wear your black sparkly heart shirt today? A jumping yes reaction before grabbing it from me to "put on"
Sarah notices I filled the basket with wipes. A jumping reaction "Well looky there!" "So many!" "Wow!"
Sarah do you want to go outside and play? A jumping reaction "outside" "out there" "socks and shoes" "jacket" "hold hands!"

And always, always, always jumping!

And those are just a few normal everyday things that I mentioned.  Things that she really loves the jumping last longer and is way more intense. Like say we let her watch TV and it's Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, or we tell her she can have a doughnut or yogurt raisins (her all time favorite treats).  She just can't contain her pure joy and it has to come out and it comes out straight through her feet in the form of jumping.  It one of those things that is just... her.

As you can probably guess, her favorite thing to do at the gym is jump on the trampoline.  The other parents ask me how we taught her to jump so well, but I don't have an answer.  We didn't teach her to jump, she just does it.  God gave her this talent, this joy.  She has this incredible balance and energy. And I love it.  I love it. I love seeing her jumping, I love seeing her joy.  I love seeing her athleticism, I love to see her hopping at the door when I come home from work.  It's just a part of what makes her... her.

I have no idea what she will end up doing with jumping, maybe be a trampoline gymnast, maybe track and field, maybe basketball, maybe karate, maybe dancing, maybe nothing.  I just know that it is inherently a part of her, and it is part of all the many many wonderful things that makes her who she is.

Our Top Halloween Toddler Books

In my last post, I talked about how I went out and bought a bunch of Halloween books for Sarah.  It took a lot of searching to find good toddler books for a kid Sarah's age (20 months, in October, she's 21 months now).  Especially since I was relying on books lots from ebay and whatever happened to be at our local thrift stores.  So, I wanted to share a few of the books that Sarah seemed to really enjoy, and I'll explain why she enjoyed them.




This book was instantly a hit with Sarah, she really enjoys the interaction of slide and find.  Each page presents the toddler with a new activity.  Some focus on riddles to figure out what is hiding, some ask you to count how many things are on the page.  Sarah loved that every page was different.







This book is a simple little board book that is basically the five little pumpkin poem, and let's face it, what kid doesn't like that poem right!? But the illustrations are super cute in this version and Sarah loved just love it.








This little book is a great transitional book that is somewhere between a board book and regular page book, so just be aware if your child is younger or is rough on books.  This is another book that rhymes and is a little repetitious, which is great because the child learns to anticipate what is coming and can "help" you read.  It also has a different surprise for the child on each page.  For example, one is a lift the flap, one is a curved mirror.  So Sarah really enjoyed reading this one!






This was one of the few books I paid more for, but we love the Stinky Face books!  The original makes a regular appearance in our bedtime reading sessions.  This one is a little longer, so I know that not all 20 month olds could sit through it, but it is super cute and imaginative.









This was the first Halloween book that was a big hit with Sarah.  I think it had the best explanation of dressing up, trick or treating, and all that.  It is a paper book, but the illustrations are adorable (a little old fashioned) and it's just plain cute.








This has got to be the simplest book ever (and it's tiny). It's literally a picture book that has a few sounds of Halloween spelled out, example picture of a witch with "cackle" written above.  But Sarah thought it was so funny when I would do the noises.  This is also the first book I caught Sarah "reading" to herself.  It was so stinking cute!  So this had to make into my top toddler Halloween books!




We had quite a few other Halloween books, some of them were good for showing actual kids with painted faces, some were cute stories, a lot were what you would expect of a toddler book on Halloween.  I really think it helped to talk about all the things she was seeing when we were out and about at stores or friends homes or whatnot.  We did a lot of talking about pretend and letting her feel decorations that were scary looking.  She loved pointing out black cats, skeletons, pumpkins, etc. and I think the books really helped with naming those things that aren't normally around and explaining things like trick or treating and pumpkin carving.  So if you have a little one, I would highly suggest throwing some good books into rotation for the month of October.  I think it made a world of difference!

Now that Halloween is over, I've put up all of the Halloween specific books, but kept the fall/autumn books out and added some Thanksgiving books to the mix to get her ready for the next Holiday.  I just put them out over the weekend, so I'm not sure which ones will come out as favorites.  I'll try to do an update after Thanksgiving to let you know which were the front runners.  Do your kids love books?  Do you try to spice things up around the holiday's and add some festive books to the mix?  Let me know ~ thanks for stopping by!

October Recap

Hi!  So I wanted to do a quick recap of our October/Halloween fun.  This month has been a little crazy for us schedule wise, so we didn't get everything on my to-do list done, but we got some it accomplished.  We took Sarah to the pumpkin patch and corn maze right by our house on the 12th.  It was a beautiful afternoon and we all enjoyed being outside and showing Sarah the pumpkins, corn, goats, bunnies, etc.  It was so much fun teaching her things now that she is getting big enough to understand a little of what is going on around us.

It's still amazing to me to see and hear just how much she has learned this past year.  We've talked about farm animals for such a long time, that she was so excited to feed a goat, and to see a bunny hop. And to be able to tell me she saw pumpkins.  It was super important to me to get books and talk about fall and Halloween with Sarah for the whole month of October.  So I started searching for toddler books at thrift stores, Goodwill, Ebay, etc. (Hey, books are expensive!) to have a good stock built up long before the month started.  Then I changed out most of her books to just be fall/Halloween so we could really talk about the changing weather and that Halloween was pretend, and give her a good understanding of trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, changing leaves, face painting etc.

This next picture is just super cute to me, because Sarah has recently been really into sitting on things that are just the right size for her.  She loves to find little places just big enough for her to sit, so when we went into the pumpkin patch, she insisted on sitting on one of those round fat pumpkins that was the perfect size for her.  The only problem was that it was exactly cooperating staying upright, so Mike had to help hold her steady, but when she made it work, this was her smile.

Other than this day, Sarah go to go to her little gym's Halloween party.  I kid you not, from the time we walked through the door, to when we left, Sarah did not stop jumping.  She only stopped long enough to zoom from one end of the gym to the other to continue to bounce.  She loved pointing out the different kids who were dressed up that she recognized, as Minnie Mouse, or pirate, monster, etc.  I told myself, after that party, that if this was the only thing she got to do for Halloween it was enough, she has that much fun!  (Plus she slept great that night, holla for gym time right before bed!)  In this picture she was pointing out the jack-o-lantern snacks they had set out.  They were little clementine oranges with faces drawn on.  She loved counting them, and they were a health snack when it was all over. (I may steal this idea for next year;) )

But luckily this wasn't the last Halloween fun Sarah had.  On Halloween here, it was rainy and windy.  Some communities decided to post-pone trick or treating until the next night, but where we were planning on going decided not to.  I didn't necessarily want to take Sarah full on trick-or-treating, as she is not even two, but I wanted her to have a taste of the holiday.  So I ended up taking her to a trunk or treat at our local church that they moved inside.  I just wanted her to be able to see the other kids in costume and to get to say trick-or-treat.  She was so well behaved y'all.  It still warms my heart to think of just how sweet she was.  She stayed right with me and Grandma (daddy had to work), holding one of our hands.  She had fun pointing out the decorations and putting the candy into her pumpkin (yes, she insisted on putting in herself) and she said "Thank-you" to each and every person who gave her something.

After that experience, we took Sarah back to Grandma's to trick-or-treat with Papa.  I thought this would be the one house she'd get to do traditionally, but when we got there, my mom informed me that some of the neighbors were expecting to see her, so I took her to (3) houses.  Of those (3) houses, she got (1) trick and (2) treats.  I can explain that in another post if anyone is interested.  But of the two treat houses, they were so excited to see Sarah, I'm pretty sure she was the only spook they got all night, and were just thrilled that I took the time to bring her by.  We made one last stop before bed to see Gammy (Mike's mom). And that concluded our Halloween fun!  Mike and Haley were able to carve up our pumpkins one night.  Which they had a blast doing, and I made roasted pumpkin seeds.  I took them over Grandma and Papa's on Halloween so they could be on their porch and be viewed by the neighborhood.  (Our house is just too secluded for anyone to ever see them and they deserved to be on display)

So that was it for our family.  Did y'all do anything fun for October!?  Oh and hooray for piggy tails!  Sarah's hair is finally long enough to do some cute hairdo's, which just happened in October :D

Oh! Here's a little bonus video just for my blog readers:

Sarah at 18 Months...

So it's that time when I need to do another update on Sarah.  I say need because time is racing all around me.  Seriously,  time where to have to go that you're speeding up!?  Just slow down for a minute, because I'm not getting a chance to drink in all the lovely cuteness that is my 18 month old!

(I always like to write these as though I'm talking to Sarah when she is older)
(Also, anything in "" are things that Sarah actually says)

So at 18 months, you are absolutely amazing.  AH-MAZ-ING!  There are times when I find myself looking at this beautiful little girl and thinking, how did you get so big?  Where did all that hair come from? And how do you know what sound the letter "k" makes?  (And also maybe, where did you learn how to throw a tantrum?  Is there some super secret toddler club that teaches the art of a good tantrum?) I am absolutely blown away at the rate you are learning and how tall you are growing.  You can already reach every door knob and can twist the locks that are in the middle, luckily you haven't figured out how to open the door itself, but you are so close (and yes, you can open doors that have a handle instead of a knob).  You can reach inside of our cabinet drawers and we are having to move things higher up because you have a long reach, so center table is almost not a safe area.


You are getting really good at articulating exactly what you want.  If by some chance I can't understand what you are saying or wanting, you will figure out a way to let me know.  For example, one night you wanted a bath, and I hadn't offered you one yet (in my defense it was a little early).  So you asked for my "cell phone", then asked for "pictures", then you scrolled through my pictures (yes, you know how to use the tough screen to scroll) till you found one of you in the bath, stopped, showed it to me, said "bath! bath!", then did the bath baby sign before running to the bathroom door.  Then when we went into the bathroom, you stopped at the cabinet where your bath toys are kept, pointed and said "toys" "splish splash" "water".  You have also started requesting certain activities or snacks.  If I ask you if you want a snack, you'll say "snack", and run or hop to either the pantry or refrigerator and say something like "snack, yogurt" "snack, raisins" "snack, sta-berry".  Or you'll say "sing song, mingo" "sing song, abc" (btw, mingo=bingo).  You also like to repeat key words until someone acknowledges what you are saying, "abc, abc, abc, abc, abc, abc, abc" Me: abc. "sing song, sing song, sing song, abc"  I love it!  I LOVE how you are communicating with us right now.

Just as a reference point, the doctors said most 18 month old's should be able to say 5-10 words.  Ha!  You blew 5-10 words out a long time ago!  You know the name of almost everything in your environment.  You can say anything!  You can count all the way to 20, you can count backwards from 10.  You not only know the alphabet, but you can recognize each letter (upper and lower) and have started learning the sounds of letters.  Right now, I know you know the sounds of T,K,M, & D.  But you could know more.  Like I said earlier, you amaze me with your ever changing knowledge!  You also know all the basic shapes and colors and can recognize them in your environment.  I often hear you practicing different things before you go to bed.  I'll hear you whisper counting or softly say K kah kah (<--- Supposed to be "k" sound).  So you not only love learning, but you love practicing the new things.

Speaking of going to bed... It breaks my mom heart, but you have started to put yourself to sleep.  Now, I have to ask you if you want to cuddle or lay down in your bed.  Usually you choose to "lay down bed".  In fact, after I put your pj's on, you'll toss you lovies over the side of your crib and try to climb in.  I know this is so important for your development and that it's good for you to gain independence, but I miss our night time snuggles.  You are just proving to us over and over that you aren't a little baby anymore.  But even though you want to put yourself to bed, you still want me in the room until you fall asleep.  Right now, we play a little game similar to Marco Polo.  You'll pop your head up and say "lay down" and I have to say "lay down" in response.  I've tried not saying anything, but you'll repeat it getting stressed if I don't, so I know that you just need to know I'm still close by.  It's a security thing, and I'm happy to let you know that I am there with you.  But as you are getting better at going to sleep, the number of times we do this goes down...


You're still a good eater, but are eating less these days.  You make really healthy choices when I give you an option.  Raisins are probably your favorite sweet snack, and broccoli and peas are your favorite vegetable.  You still won't drink juice, but you love loVE LOVE Chocolate Milk.  It is your absolute favorite thing to drink.  You only get it once a day, but man oh man do you go crazy over it.  Usually following "ch-milk" you want some gold fish or Annie Bunnies crackers.  It's so much fun to see what things you like and don't like.  You are still not big into meat, about the only meat you'll eat consistently is ham and scrambled eggs.  But you love fresh fruit and steamed veggies.  You also love dairy: yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese. 

Let me see what else... Hmm.. Your gross motor skill are way ahead of the game too.  Your daddy used to call me a kangaroo when I was pregnant with you, and I think he was on to something, because you hop like a kangaroo, like you can hop all the way down a hallway in great big leaps, you can jump up and down all waking hours of the day (and do).  You love to run and climb.  You understand a lot of action words, you know how to "sit down" and "stand up".  You know how to "stop", "run, run, run", "jump, jump, jump", "slow down", "lay down", "kick" and "step up/step down".  But by far your favorite is jumping.  We hear comments all the time about how much you jump and how amazing it is that you can first of jump with two feet, but also that you can move while jumping and that you don't stop jumping, like ever.  Girl you were born with springs on feet.  Are you a future Olympian?  Who knows!   But I know you have a passion for it already.  Because when I say you don't stop jumping.  You.Don't.Stop.Jumping.Ever.Not.Even.When.Watching.TV.
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Okay, so I kinda got derailed when I was writing this post and now it seems so much has changed that I can't quite remember when she started doing the new stuff, so I'm going to go ahead and post this as her update, incomplete and all, and that way I can move forward with where she is now.  Thanks for stopping by!!

On Today's Episode of Mommy Guilt...

I abandoned my kid last night.

I just can't do it.  I can't sleep with a kid beside me in bed.  I tried, really I did.  But I need space and range of motion when I'm sleeping, and having a little tiny body tucked up under me or across my chest is not a situation that I'm comfortable falling asleep in.  Sure we can nap together on the couch.  Sure, I'll snuggle with her in the bed.  But when it's time to do some real overnight heavy sleeping, nope.  I just can't do it. 

Sarah was having a rough night last night.  She went to bed fine, but around 10:30 she started moving around and couldn't settle down.  I went into her room to soothe her and let her know I'm here and everything is okay, which usually does the trick.  But not last night.  The second I'd take my hand off of her she'd sit up and cry for me, so I tried to stand there with my hand on her back or head while she drifted off, but my back started hurting.  I had a really bad pinched nerve a couple of weeks ago, and had to go the chiropractor and get adjusted several times.  It's nearly completely healed, but hunching over the side of a crib to keep my hand on her was making it twinge again.  So after 30 minutes I scooped her up and said she could lay in bed with me.

So away we went to my bed.  At first I thought she was just having bad dreams, because she didn't seem fully awake and would murmer things like "all done, all done" "no,no,no"  "bear, bear" "all done".  Mike wasn't home from work yet, so it was just the two of us, but it doesn't matter how many were in the bed because whenever Sarah is in the bed with me, she wants to be right up against me or on top of me.  It reminds me a bit of how bunnies sleep if you've ever seen a group of them sleeping together, arms legs bodies everywhere.  Which was fine so long as I wasn't trying to sleep.  I have since come to the conclusion that it was either her two year old molars or her first ear infection, but either way it became clear that it hurt her to lay on one side of her head.  So we laid there together, she tried desperately to fall asleep and to somehow become one with me, but she wasn't having any luck.  She even tucked her head up under my chin the way she used to when she was a baby.  Part of me was really loving all the snuggles, and another part of me was thinking, how in the world am I going to get any sleep?  I can't fall asleep like this... what if I squish her, how can't I keep up with all those arms and legs and make sure they don't get caught under my arm or leg (I mean, come on, the arm of an asleep person weighs a ton)... I'm just too aware of her to allow myself to fall asleep.

Eventually Mike got home from work.  He was surprised to see her in the bed with me, because I am not one to let Sarah sleep with me.  She sat up when he got there and heard us whispering and said "ouch, ouch".  So I offered to get her some medicine, which she seemed really excited for.  So as I was getting up to get it, she panicked again and clung to me "momma momma momma", (like crawled into my lap and wrapped her arms around me) so I asked if she wanted to come with me, which she did.  So the three of us went to get her some medicine.  After that, she started feeling better.  We took her back to our bed, put her in the middle and I sang some lullaby's to help her fall asleep.  Once I could tell she was out, I snuck out of bed and slept on the couch.

Enter mommy guilt. 

I know she needed me last night.  I know she just wanted to be close to me and to know I am there, but I can't sleep with a kid next to me.  As much as I might wish I could, I just can't.  Mike slept in the bed with her, so it wasn't like I left her alone or anything, but it was clear that she wanted me, and I left her.  When I went to get ready for work this morning, she was curled up right where I normally sleep, not all tucked up next daddy, which makes me think she was still looking for me.  Maybe I'm over thinking this, but I felt like a bad mommy for not sticking it out all night with her.  Yes she was asleep, but I still worry that she felt abandoned.  Does this ever happen to you?  I know in the grand scheme of things it's a little blip that she probably won't remember, but I don't ever want her to think that I'm not there when she needs me... Hmm... I don't know but I'm feeling the mommy guilt this morning...

My Daddy

Happy Daddy's Day to all the daddy's out there!

I want to take a moment and share with you all some of my feelings for my dad.  It's hard (really hard) to put into words just how much my dad has shaped me into the person I am.  I am one of five children.  In order of birth, I am number 4 and the youngest girl.  As a kid, I was always desperate for my dad's attention.  As the hardworking provider that my dad is, he was often away working during our childhood.  He taught seminars back then and would travel all over the country teaching, often for weeks at a time.  So when he was home, it was highly competitive to get his undivided attention.  I was that kid running up to him "tickle me daddy, tickle me daddy", "My turn daddy, spray me with the hose", "More! Daddy".  I was also that kid that would sneak into my parents closet, on my dad's side, sit on his shoes and put things in his suit pockets.  Little pictures or toys, just things for him to find when he was away teaching.  I can still smell the leather of his dress shoes when I think about it.


My dad's nickname for me (well one of many) has always been "baby girl".  It's a name I wear with pride.  During those childhood years, he always made it point to tell me just how special that title is.  You are the only one who can be my baby girl.  I love all of you, but you will always be MY baby girl.  Even back then, I knew that name set me apart.  It was just for me.  It made me his, and him mine.

Now mothers and fathers both play an integral role in their children's lives.  They both teach and provide for, but in different ways.  My dad wasn't necessarily the nurturing type, but he was the one with the twinkle.  You know, he's the one that would have a surprise destination or adventure for us.  He'd pack us all up and take us for a bike to the park, not our park, the one on the other side of town with the cool fort, or take us for a walk... to the zoo!  He'd also be the one to put us all in the car for a spontaneous trip to Magic Mountain or Disneyland!  (Okay, as an adult I know it was spontaneous, but it was for me as a kid)  He'd come up with car games to keep us entertained, like offering a FREE candy bar to whichever kid came the closet to guessing how many bridges there were on the way to wherever we were going.  Oh, and don't ever think he'll tell you anything about a surprise.  He's an excellent secret keeper.  We were never the kids to ask "Are we there yet?" instead, we would ask "Where are we going?" and the response was always "CRAZY".  I don't know where crazy is, but it always was a fun destination.


Fast forward through the awkward teenage phase (no need to dwell on those tough years) to my young adult life.  That is really where my dad and I got close.  It was once I was old enough or mature enough to really benefit from his wisdom that we got close as friends.  He is the one who taught me work ethic, how to handle conflict, how to write a resume and cover letter, what to look for when buying a car, how to hang a bathroom mirror, how to research and compare.  He's the first person I call when I don't know how to do something.  It's funny, you hear stories of the day when someone realized their dad didn't know everything.  Well that day hasn't come for me.  He still knows everything!  He's still teaching me things.

So on this very special day where we honor all the fathers and daddy's out there, I want to say THANK YOU to my dad.  I want to put him at the top of the "Best Dad" list.  I want to recognize the man that has been there for me my whole life.  Who watched my first steps as a baby, first steps as an adult, first steps as "mommy".  I want to thank him for being my support when I needed it, and my safety net when I didn't.  I'm thankful that I got a good one.  I'm thankful to be his "baby girl".  I love you daddy!  Happy Daddy's Day!

Sarah Cleans Up

A couple of weekends ago, we were busy getting ready for company to come over for Memorial Day.  I was going through the house and packing away things we no longer needed hanging around, like Sarah's jumperoo.  But lets back up, when I am in "Everything must be cleaned, lest anyone think my baseboards aren't always shiny mode" I get a little sporadic (spastic).  Like if I'm in the middle of dusting and remember that I need to clean the stove, I'll run and start the oven cleaning then come back to and finish the dusting.  But that's neither here or there, just setting the backdrop for the type of day it was around here.  So Sarah is really good at playing by herself sometimes and we had spent the morning playing with every toy imaginable.  So our house looked like a typical house with a toddler, toys covering the floor wall to wall.

Sarah is in several toddler phases right now, one of which being "monkey see, monkey do" another being "fill and spill".  So these two things combined to her "helping" me clean.  I was busy cleaning who knows what and I look up to see Sarah very busily putting all of the toys from the floor into the jumperoo.  She was very purposeful and intent and I have to admit, it made me pretty proud to see her concentration and helpfulness.  It took me a few minutes before I thought to pull out the camera and capture the moment.  I'm still super bad about documenting things, so I'm pretty proud of myself for remembering...

Here are a few pictures...

That's a pretty good little pile

Looking good

Working hard

The finished product

And there were a few things that were taken out and added, so there is a little discrepancy between what was in at some point and what was in there by the end.  But here is a picture of what all was in there...



Puzzle Board & (5) Pieces, Snack Cup, Music Box, Dumbo, (2) Balls, (2) Books, Train Whistle, (5) Peek A Blocks (1) Pooh Block, (2) Animal Puzzle Pieces, Lucky, Blankie & Bear, Oh! and a couple Cheerios

I also thought to get a little video...





I hope you enjoy this little glimpse into one of our toddler days!  Do your toddlers do anything that catches you by surprise?

Carousel Ride

We let Sarah ride on the carousel during our last trip to the mall.  I got a bloggie for Mother's Day, which records much better film than my phone (which, by the way, is absolutely terrible).  Anyway, I've been trying to remember to catch more moments on video, after all she's only this little once.  Just thought I'd share this moment with all of you.  Enjoy!

MyGym

Sarah has started attending MyGym!  We were contemplating putting Sarah into some sort of class for awhile and finally pulled the trigger in late March.  Sarah is a very active physical baby and with her staying home everyday, we wanted to be sure we exposed her to social situations and started to teach her the concepts of sharing and taking turns, along with learning some new skills outside of what we do with her.  If you have DirectTV, and have spent anytime watching BabyFirstTV then you have seen some of the things they do with the young children.  It's fantastic!  They do a little bit of everything during the one hour session and if you have a MyGym near you, definately check it out!  They will let you attend one free class with your child, so you can really get a feel for how they do things before enrolling your child.  And right now, they have a special running for their 30th anniversary, so you can catch a good deal! (Wow, I sound like they sponsored this post or that I work for them, so not true... but it really is a great thing for little kids!)

So Sarah loves, loVES, LOVES going to MyGym.  There is definately a structure to the class and after a couple of classes most of the kids know what to expect.  But we all know that trying to get a group of toddlers to all do the same thing at the same time is a bit like herding cats, so if the child doesn't want to participate in something, it's okay for them to explore the gym on their own (with your supervision).  They also introduce new items or activities every 10-15 min, so if your child didn't like the last thing, they have new opportunities to participate throughout.  I love that!  One of Sarah's favorites is when they bring the swings out.  She loves to swing by herself, or with other kids in the shared swing or funky swing (they always have one non-traditional swing that the kids can explore together).  She literally follows the intructors to the supply closet whining when they are putting them up.  But then they bring out something new for her to look at or explore, and it's okay that the swings have gone.  I've taken pictures of her doing various things every week that I'll share with you so you can get an idea of what I'm talking about.  One of the weeks, the picture didn't turn out great, so it's blurry... but you'll still get a good idea!



In the ball pit - Week 1

Hanging from the trapeze - Week 2

Swinging - Week 3



Separation Time - week 4

Bubble Time - Week 5

Climbing on the mats in front of the mirror - Week 6

We had to miss class last week, because Sarah had a fever, but we'll be back this week.  She really does enjoy her time in the class, and has learned some great new skills!  Some things not shown are circle time, story/puppet time, and the gymastic parts.  Sarah isn't really into the tumbling right now (like somersaults or flips), but she loves walking the balance beam and doing the hanging/jumping activities.  Also, they have open gym time throughout the week, so if you're a stay at home parent and are getting stir crazy on a rainy (or other) day, you can drop in and play for an hour.  So cool and so fun!  I just wanted to write a little post about Sarah at the gym and share some of her cute pictures!  I hope you'll check them out if you have a young child.

15 Month Update

Sarah is 15 months old!  I really can't believe how fast time is flying by!  She is amazing us everyday with new things she says or does.  She's already had her 15 month check-up two weeks ago.  We had taken her in to have her exema looked at, because it wasn't seeming to clear up after the first time we took her in, and since it was so close to 15 months, the doctor went ahead with her check-up.  Basically we have an 18-22 mo old on our hands phyically and developementally.  The doctor has been really impressed with her everytime we take her in.  She is in the 99th percentile height wise and 85th percentile weight wise.  The doctor also said she is done teething for awhile.  She has a mouth full of teeth (12) including all her molars.  The only baby teeth left to come in are the canine teeth and 2nd year molars, but they aren't on the horizon at this stage. Yay!

New notable things with her physical developement are the ability to climb onto furniture.  She can climb onto lower furniture (sofa's, chaise's, etc.) turn around and sit down.  She is very proud of herself every time she gets up there and has a look of accomplishment on her little face.  This is especially true if she is able to sit beside you on the couch.  She also enjoys rocking herself in the antique rocking chair my great great grandfather built.  It's a low piece of furniture, and the first piece she was able to scale.  This new skill is a little frustrating to her as she thinks she should be able to get onto anything herself, but is too little for some items.  In other news, she can jump off the ground with two feet, like high.  She's always been a jumper, but now she doesn't have to hold onto anything for support or steadying.  When she gets excited she jumps in place with both feet off the ground.  The more excited she gets, the higher she goes.  It's pretty amazing!  We have also started taking Sarah to MyGym a little over a month ago and she is thriving in that class.  I have a whole post in the works about that though, so be on the lookout!

New notable things in her physcological developement are the ability to say simple phrases, and singing.  She has been really good at repeating single words for awhile, but now she can use simple phrases.  A couple of current favorites are "Oh no!" and "All gone!".  When she finishes a snack or runs out of water, she'll take it to me and say "all gone" and show me.  Similarly she has to see an empty bowl or plate to believe that the food or item is really all gone and sometimes, she even needs to scrape her spoon inside to just to be sure she got it all.  She can hear and understand nearly everything that is said to her.  If I ask her if she needs a new diaper, she'll run to her changing table and say "elmo" (who is the character on her diapers).  When I ask if she's hungry, she'll do the sign and go to her high chair.  If I give her a choice of two things like which socks or what food she would like, she's good at pointing to the thing she wants.  She can also respond with "no" and "yeah" (she has a hard time with the "s" sound) to questions.  Do you want to read? Yeah!  Would you like some more chicken? No!  We've been pretty intentional in teaching her that there are two responses to questions, so we're trying to avoid the whole "NO" phase of most toddlers.

She has also learned a few um lines...beats.... whatever to her favorite songs.  We sing a lot of duets at the moment.  For example the alphabet song usually goes like this (and if she stuggles or leave out a letter, I re-sing the part properly so she can learn it)
Sarah: A,B,C
Me:  D
Sarah: E, E, G
Me: F,G,
Me: H, I, J, K
Sarah: L, Mmm ,O, P
Me: M, N, O, P
Me: Q, R, S
Sarah: T, U, V
Me: W, X, Y, and
Sarah: Z
Me: Now I know my
Sarah: ABC
Me: Next time won't you sing with me

We also sing Row, Row, Row your boat as a duet, but she really only does the "row" part:
Sarah:  Row, Row
Me: One more... Row
Me: The boat gently down the stream, merrily merrily merrily merrily, life is but a dream
Sarah: Row, Row

Other new developements have been in her playing pattern.  She is getting good with some shape sorting.  She definately knows the circle, square, and star.  She stuggles with heart and triangle.  It's hard for her to twist it to the right position.  She can do her beginner puzzles when she does just a piece at time.  If I put all the pieces in a pile, she gets overwhelmed, but she'll put them all back throughout play time, but only a piece or two at a time.  She can recognize same shapes, but can't say them all.  Like if I say "circle" she'll point to circles, but she can't say circle.  I've also seen her randomly start pointing out circles when we're not talking about shapes, so I know she recognizes them, even if she can't say it.  She can say oval and square and she'll do the same with those shapes.  But I think her favorite shape is the star right now.  She points them out all the time on everything!  Another favorite play activity are putting things in and pulling things out one by one.  She enjoys having someone count the items as she does this and can sometimes say the next number, sometimes not.  If they are colorful items, she enjoys hearing the colors, but I don't think she can identify any colors on her own, she can, however, say "yellow" "red" "purple" and "green".  She still loves to be read to and is enjoying books with more pages, more words on a page, and actual story books.
 
We have still not started potty training yet, so she is wearing pampers size 4 diapers during the day, and huggies size 5 overnites.  We were having a leak problem at night, but going up in a size with the overnites as stopped that problem.  They are huge on her, but they work, so problem solved.  This weekend we packed up all of her size 12 month clothing.  She has a couple long sleeved 12-18 month shirts that still fit, but mostly she's in straight 18 month clothing right now.  The 18-24 month are big on her, and size 24 month are swimming on her.  But 18 month fit perfectly.  So, she she's starting to get ahead of the curve clothing wise.  She's in a size 5 shoe.  And yes, she can say "shoe/s" and "sock/s" and knows exactly what they are.  She also knows "hat" and "coat".  When I ask if she wants to go "bye bye"  She'll gather these things and go to the door.  She's a smart little cookie!

At this point she is fully weened from the bottle.  She still drinks milk in the morning and at night, but it's from a cup and at night it's before we brush teeth and put on pj's.  She is starting to put herself to bed some.  She still enjoys snuggles time, but then she'll sometimes point to her bed and just want to be put down, and she'll put herself to sleep.  She is really growing up so fast.  I think I'm the one holding on to her baby routine more than she is.  But I don't see her much during the day, so nightime is my special time with her.

Like I said in the beginning, she is truely amazing us everyday with the things she not only comprehends, but can say and do.  She is beginning to lose her babyness and is starting to look more little girl like.  Not fully, but her baby fat is starting to melt away to muscle and her face is so expressive, that I can see the little person in her, not just a little baby.  She still doesn't have much hair, but it's long enough for a little bow clip when she'll tolerate it.  She is so much fun to be around and play with and it is truely the highlight of my day and weekends when I get to spend time with her!

Current Nicknames: Baby, Sarah-bear, lovey dove, snooky-loo
Favorite Food: Broccoli, rice, cheddar bunnies, cheese, grapes
Comfort Things: Mr.Bear, blankie, paci
Favorite Toys: Books, plush piggy bank, cookie jar shape sorter, puzzles
Favorite Songs: ABC, Ten Little Indians, If You're Happy and You Know It, Wheels on the Bus
Favorite Show: Mickey Mouse Club House, Little Einsteins, Super Why
Favorite Activity:  Going outside, swinging, jumping, reading, climbing
Current Size: 18 Month Clothing, Size 5 shoe, Size 4 Pamper (day), Size 5 Huggies overnite (night)

Secret Hiding Place

Today I want to talk about secret hiding places of kids.  Not the kind of places kids like to hide themselves, but places they like to stash things when they think no one is looking.  For instance, Sarah has taken to shoving things down one corner of her bed.  There is a small triangle at the corner of her bed just big enough for her to shove her paci and blankie down.  So whenever we are having a hard time finding a pacifiers, I know I can recover at least (5) if I look in that corner, along with a blankie or two or three.  I'm not sure why she feels the need to put things there but she does.  I know it's not always a game, because she'll do it in her sleep then get upset she can't find her pacifer to put herself back to sleep.  This little habit is no big deal.  Every kid has their quirks and this is one of hers.  I've learned to put extras on her chest so in the middle of the night I can grab a new one and not have to try to find the one she's managed to lose in the 4 hours since I laid her in bed.  I can even see the draw of putting things down that triangular hole.  I mean if I were a kid I might think it's magic.  They go in there and somehow find their way to mom a few days later.  Pretty neat.

But this is not the only hiding place of Sarah's.  This is just her paci and blankie hiding place.  She likes to hide bear behind her bookcase.  Her bookcase is slender and made with pockets, so it's easy for Mr. Bear to fit between the wall and the shelf.  But rest assured, if you can't find Mr. Bear just look under the bookcase, or sometimes in her high chair if he happened to get hungry when they were playing.  But again, this doesn't bother me.  She has her reason's for putting things in odd places.  Just like at my mom's she likes to throw things away because the lid to their trash can swivels and she can't see the top, so it's just fun to watch the top swish about for a few minutes.  This is especially true of her shoes.  Don't ask why, because I don't know.  But if I can't find a shoe, it's always in the trash.  (We're discouraging hiding place though, because trash goes bye bye for good, and someday I'm sure she'll put something in there we won't know about and it will just be gone.)  This hiding place kind of bothers me, but not really because we know to look in the trash anytime she is playing around it.  But there is another place that I don't understand and that I don't know whether it's funny or bothersome... (definately more funny... on second thought)

You see one of Sarah's hiding places has become my shirt.  And before I go on, I should let you all know that Sarah has a habit of putting her arm down my shirt at least 50-75% of the time when I pick her up.  She's perfected it to be such a smooth motion, that I don't even notice it.  I guess it's some sort of comfort thing.  It's never bothered me, and she doesn't seem to do it to anyone else, so whatever, no biggie.  (Now, the pulling of my shirt neckline in public is problem, and I am trying to break that habit... but that's generally when she wants me to hold her instead of riding and I'm getting off subject...) 

So the other day I went home at lunch time to see Sarah for a bit.  I don't get a lot of face time with her during the week, so I like to spend my lunch break with her.  Well, she was going to go for an outing that afternoon and I was in charge of dressing her.  So I did and her hair has gotten just long enough to put a cute little bow in it.  So I did.  She looked adorable!  But then I let her go play while I ate and Mike got them ready to go.  So as we are all getting ready to leave I notice she didn't have her bow anymore.  So I went to find it. I searched and I searched, but I couldn't find it.  I gave up and everyone went on their way, me back to office, Mike and Sarah off to wherever they were going.  I proceeded to work the rest of the afternoon.  As I am finishing up for the day I go to the restroom, as I am washing my hands I look in the mirror and notice that shirt doesn't look right... what is going on?  Well you guessed it.  I had a cute little white bow resting on my bra. OH MY GOSH!  I have been walking around all afternoon with a bow poking out awkwardly from my bra under my shirt.

Well played Sarah.  Well played.

You have to admit it's pretty genius to hide a bow there, it's the last place I would think look.  Anyway, this was just the first thing I found down my shirt.  I have since found cheerios, a magnet, her blankie, pacifiers, etc. down there.  It varies in degrees as to when I find them.  The blankie I found pretty quickly, the paci I didn't give back (um, yes daughter, I will gladly make any paci you give me disappear until nap time or bedtime).  Some I haven't found until I changed clothes at the end of the night.  It's crazy!  And like I said, she has put her arm down my shirt for as long as I can remember, so I just don't notice her doing it.  But yeah, that's another one of Sarah's secret hiding places.  So now I'm curious, do your kids hide things in weird places?  Thanks for checking in on us!

Ap-ple

Sarah has taken to calling everything Apple.  Which when she says it actually comes out Ap-ple.  Funny thing is, she doesn't even eat whole apples!  She'll eat applesauce, but she won't eat an actual apple.  This morning she busted out with Applesauce.  But just because she says it, doesn't mean she wants it.  She was having cereal and a banana for breakfast, when she looked up and said very clearly Ap-ple sauce.  So what do we do?  We go and get applesauce....  Did she eat the applesauce this morning?  Nope.  I'm sure she will later on today with her lunch or dinner, but she definitely didn't want it this morning.  But this word is said over and over and over in our house.

Me: "Sarah, do you want to go play?"
Sarah: "Ap-ple"

Me:  "Sarah, what shape is that?" (Talking about a square puzzle piece)
Sarah: "Ap-ple"

Me:  "Sarah, what are you doing?"
Sarah:  "Ap-ple"

Me:  "A is for..."
Sarah:  "Ap-ple"
Me:  "Yes! A is for apple!"
Me:  "B is for..."
Sarah:  "Ap-ple"
Me: "No, try again!  B is for..."
Sarah:  "Ap-ple"
Me: (points to picture of banana which she knows how to say and what it is)"What is this?"
Sarah: (turns page back, and points to apple) "Ap-ple"
Me:  "Yes, Apple!" (turns page forward) "B is for... What is this?" (whispers banana)
Sarah: (looks at me)
Me: whispers "Banana" again
Sarah: closes book, runs off "Ap-ple"

Me:  "That's a leaf"
Sarah: "Ap-ple"
Me:  "No, that's a green leaf"
Sarah:  "Ap-ple"
Me:  "You're silly! That's not an apple! It's a leaf" "Leaf"
Sarah:  "Ap-ple, ap-ple, AP-PLE!"

Me:  "Sarah, want a snack?"
Sarah:  "Ap-ple" (runs to pantry)
Me: "Okay we can have applesauce"
Sarah: "Mmmm"
Me:  "What would you like with your applesauce?"
Sarah: "Ap-ple-sauce"
Me:  "Yes! Applesauce! Would like something with your applesauce?"
Sarah:  (thinks, points to refrigerator) "Cheese"
Me:  "Okay"
(this time she was completely right :D )

Sarah:  (playing by herself) "Ap-ple, ap-ple, ap-ple, ap-ple ple ple, AP-PLE, AP-PLE, AP-PLE!"


She really can say so many things!  She is great at repeating words back to you, or suddenly busting out a new word when you least expect it.  Like she pointed to her potty, and said Oval clear as day.  Her potty actually is shaped like an oval, smart girl.  But then she goes back to saying apple.  I guess it's fun for her to say.  Just thought I'd share one of those things she's doing all the time right now.  It's cute, and she's good at saying it! Hope you're having a great day!

How To... Fold Infant Pajama's

So here's a quick little blog.  It came to me as I was sitting here folding Sarah's laundry.  I fold Sarah's clothes, or really all clothes, very specifically.  I like clothes to look neat in drawers and to keep outfits or in this case pajama's together in one spot, making it easy to grab and dress  I used to hang ALL of her clothing up, but as she gets bigger I'm adjusting our system to meet our needs.  With that said, I thought I'd share how I fold Sarah's two piece pajama's to keep them neat and together.



Start with unfolded pajama's.   I chose this set so you can see the top and bottom easily.

 

Step 1: Spread out the top front side down.  Spread out bottoms front side up.

 

 

Step 2: Fold in one arm of the top, making it even with the body.  Fold bottom in half pulling the crouch out to make a point.

 

 

Step 3: Fold in other arm on top, again keeping in line with the body.  Fold legs up to waist on bottoms.

 

 

Step 4: Place bottoms on top of folded arms.

 

 

Step 5: Fold lower hem of shirt over bottoms up to neckline.  The shirt is basically pocketing the bottoms.

 

Ta-Da!  This is the end product, and nice neat little bundle of pj's.

Here's what a stack of these pajama bundles look like after your done with laundry:

Nice, neat, and ready to go into the drawer of your choice!

Yes, I may have a slight OCD tendency, but hey, who doesn't like neat little stacks and organized drawers?  And since pj's are usually a no brainer, it's super easy to grab the next set and put them to use!  Enjoy!  Let me know if you found this little tip useful.  I always enjoy feedback!  Thanks for stopping by!

What's In Our Toddler Easter Basket

The Easter Bunny is hopping his way through our house tonight.  Yes, we do all fictitious people in our house.  Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, etc.  We also do the true meaning behind all of the holidays, but what is childhood without magic??  Kids only get to be little once, why not fill it with as much magic as possible?  So tonight I thought I'd share what we put into our toddlers Easter Basket.

Sorry for the poor picture quality, but I'm not a photographer (and also sorry for the brown carpet, believe me, we hate it!)  To start, both Sarah and Haley have the same bunny basket with their name embroidered on the ear.  I ordered them last year and still think they are so cute!  Now for the filling we stuck with mostly toys because we will be doing an egg hunt with Sarah's cousins tomorrow where they will get plenty of treats.  On the left are Snug Bugs by B. toys.  Sarah is really into putting things together and taking them apart, so I thought these would be fun for her.  Plus, they are cute little bugs and butterfly's so they are spring(ish).  Next, are some chalk-a-doos.  I picked these up at dollar tree.  We've not really introduced the whole writing thing to Sarah yet, so that will be a fun outdoor activity (If spring ever decides to show up...).  Then I picked up a little thing of bubbles from Wal-Mart.  It has a spill proof toddler container.  Since we have little miss independence, I know that she will want to carry her own bubbles to play with, so that will be fun! (Again, spring we are patiently waiting for you...)  Then are a couple of Disney fruit crisp packs (to fill the sweet treat category).  And to top the whole basket off is a little yellow duck from Kohl's.  Nothing super fancy, but all things I know she will really love!

And here is the basket all put together.  As previously mentioned, we will be doing an egg hunt for Sarah and her little cousin who are about the same age.  Here's what we put in their eggs:

 

 

Starting with the back row left and moving clockwise: Mariani Yogurt Raisins, Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Colors, Gerber Graduates Fruit and Veggie Melts (Very Berry Blend), Stretch Island Fruit Chews (oh so very strawberry), and Starburst Jelly Beans.  We also threw in a few plastic necklaces and stickers.  We kept it pretty simple with tried and true toddler favorites.  We've never given Sarah any kind of candy, so we'll see if she likes them.  I plan on cutting them in half and/or smooshing them so they are easy for her to chew.  But yeah, that's what we are giving to our toddler for her Easter treats.  Hoppy Easter!!!!!!!!

Does Sarah exist?

Sarah is in complete denial that she exists.  It's laughable I know.  But really, I believe it is a conscious decision to not acknowledge herself.  Okay, we have already covered that she loves books.  So we read books over and over and over again.  Well I believe in teaching Sarah whenever the opportunity presents itself through out our play time or in life.  So with some books we go through a million times, I start going over colors, or animal sounds, or identifying objects or body parts (believe me it helps break up the monotony of reading the same book over and over again).  So if I point at the toes in the book, then to her toes, she shakes her head "no" and pull her foot away.  But if I point at toes in the book then point to my toes, she laughs and thinks it's funny and makes the connection that the illustrations are of real things.  Same thing with eyes, nose, hair, hands, etc..  But, she absolutely refuses to acknowledge that she has a body.  She is more than happy to point out things on my body or her daddy's.  But not herself.  With any other object she'll just run and get it, picture of a cup, will send her on a mission to get her cup.  You get it.

But it's the same thing when it comes to pictures of herself.  Now, I know that pictures are a harder concept to grasp than say acknowledging her toes.  But she is really into looking at pictures on our wall, or in her photo album.  But if the picture is of her and me, and I point to her in the picture then point to her saying her name.  She'll shakes her head "no".  Like her thought bubble reads "No mom, that is not me".  But if I point to me in the picture and then to myself and say "Mommy", she gets it and will smile.  I can even ask "where is mommy?" and she'll look at me and smile.  If I point to a picture of daddy and ask "where is daddy?", she'll look around for him, and then point or smile at him.  If I point to her picture and ask "Where's Sarah?", she looks at me like I am crazy.  If I then point to her and say, "There's Sarah!" I get the same shaking of her head.  It's so funny!  If I persist, that the picture is of her and point to both the picture and herself, she looks at me like I'm crazy, gets frustrated and walks away, shaking her head again.  Her thought bubble in this case is "You just don't get it mom.  You had me going with the picture of you and daddy, but you must think I'm a fool if you think I'm going to believe that baby is me".

But this isn't always the case with the mirror.  Now, most of the time she still denies that the baby in the mirror is her.  But she will smile and kiss the baby every time.  The ONLY exception is if I put something on her head, like a bow.  If I put a bow on her and she starts to take it off, I'll walk her over to the mirror show her her reflection and say "how pretty" or "how beautiful".  When she sees herself in the mirror with the bow or hat, she will immediately leave it alone and start flirting with herself.  So I know that sometimes she gets it. 

What's even funnier, is that we have taught Sarah baby sign.  We did this because we wanted to cut down on the frustration of figuring out what she wants or needs.  But as of right now, she feels the need to do the signs on me rather than herself.  If she wants a bath, she'll run up to me and start rubbing my chest.  If she wants to eat, she'll come up to me and pat my mouth.  I think it's part of the self denial of her existance.  This part of her non existance is cute and I definately know what she is trying to tell me when she comes running up to do a sign.

I know that developmentally, she just may not be at the age where self awareness happens, but she's so quick when it comes to pointing out things around her that I think it's funny she won't acknowledge her toes.  She'll acknowledge her shoes and socks, but point to her naked foot and it's like they disappear.  I have a feeling that she is about to outgrow this phase of her life, so I wanted to be sure I got her quirkiness down on virtual paper.  I hope you enjoy!

P.S. - This whole thing goes out the window when we are playing peek-a-boo!  There is nothing that thrills her more that to reveal herself from under her blanket, or from behind our sheer curtains (which is her favorite place to play).  You should hear the giggles that come when she thinks she is invisible for real.  She's still too young for Hide and Seek, but that will be a fun game to teach her.  I'm pretty sure she'll be that kid with a bowl over her head thinking that it's covering her whole self from view.  Ah, I love playing with her and am looking forward to new games we'll get to play down the road...