Sunday, May 26, 2013

Bean Play

Bug and I had so much fun doing this activity. I really needed to distract her so I could make dinner and this was perfect. Kept her close enough I could play to but busy enough to let me get dinner on the table. We happen to buy our beans from Costco, bags and bags of them. My Hubby has the weird idea that the world might end and we have to be ready he says. I figure if 60 lbs of beans are going to take up space in my pantry I might as well have some fun with them. You wash them before you use them anyway right? And afterward Bug even "helped" me clean up. I cannot believe how big and coordinated she has gotten. Cherish every moment they go by so so fast. These are the memories I want to lock inside my soul to be pulled out and examined when I'm old and gray(grayer).

Nature Stamping

I have been trying to find ways to incorporate nature play with our art time. So today Bug and I collected our paint supplies and then went in the yard for nature stamps. We found a rose, a chicken feather, pine cones, madrone leaves and a rock. Bug looked for surprised when i started painting our objects but soon got into it. This is a sample of my work. I used the rose, feather and pine cone.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Co-Napping

As a new mother to two under two, if I could give one piece of advice it would be the gift of co-napping. Bug still goes down for an afternoon nap that lasts anywhere from 1 to 3 hours. I already had her on a flexible nap schedule because little girl gets some major diva attitude if she doesn't nap. When Sunny came along it only made sense for them to go down together to give me a little sanity time. In the beginning I used this time to catch a little shut eye myself. Now that Sunny is almost 3 months old I use this time for ME time. I used to clean the house but now I find ways to do that boring brainless task with the girls. Nap time is now fitness time. Or knitting time. Or just sitting down in complete silence without some small lovely parasitic cherub sucking my life force outta my boobs. And my house might be a little messy, my mail my stay unsorted, my laundry unfolded, but it gives me the little bit if alone time that resets my Mary Poppins Mommy Clock. I'm able to have a little more patience, a little more YES. And that is so important to me. I have to tell Bug "No" four hundred bazillion times a day any time I can say yes I will. Yes you can play in the mud. Yes you can climb that tree.Yes you can help chop vegetables for dinner. So do NOT fell guilty for taking a little Mommy Time Out. And leave a comment, what do you say yes to??

Sunday, May 5, 2013

DIY Toddler Bird Feeder

I stumbled upon this really fun and easy bird feeder picture on pinterest. Unfortunately there were no directions to go along with the picture but it seemed simple enough Bug and I just ran with it. For our version your will need: Either empty paper towel rolls or toilet paper rolls, peanut butter, loose bird seed of your choice.(I went with all organic kind because Bug did eat some), cookie sheet, butter knife So very simple, pour the bird seed out on the cookie sheet. Generously coat the outside of your roll of choice with a thick layer of peanut butter. Let your Little have fun rolling it back and forth in the bird seed. Shove over end of tree branch and wait. This activity kept Bug engrossed for at least an hour. And it was pretty inexpensive too.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Facing your Parental Fears

Everyone is always telling me I worry about my Girls to much. Especially my Hubby. And for the most part they are right. While I would love nothing more then to cram my bumbling, distractable 2 year old into a nice padded soundproof sphere its just not practical. My house is far to small. So instead, about 100 times a day I close my eyes, and all the air is sucked from my body while I pray to any form of higher power willing to help, that Bug will not fall from whatever bazillion precarious perches she mischievously finds herself upon. How else will she ever learn balance, and a rational fear of heights if I don't let her do a little solo exploring. And you would think it would be the old oak tree out front, or the tippity top of the slide at the park, or off the back of the couch which she uses as a balance beam that would do her in. Or her own two feet. A week after we brought Sunny home. While out for the only walk per day my cesarean recovery allowed. While standing right next to me, Bug tripped. Falling head first off the last porch step. Onto hard rocky ground. How do you figure out if something is seriously wrong with a hysterical midget that cannot freaking talk? She was such a trooper. Cried for about five minutes and then was very calm unless someone touched her. But no matter what we did, itsy bitsy spider, patty cake, high fives, food bribes she wouldnt use her right arm. So off to the ER we went. With a newborn. And me still on pain meds. Oh yeah and a two hour drive one way. Poor kid was such a trooper. Until the nurses tried to take her temperature and then the blood curdling, screaming ridged body, eye rolling fear began. Two sets of XRays later and its a broken clavical. Only thing to do is brace her arm for as long as she would let us and give her some pain meds of her own.Longest eight hours of my life. .