Rainy Day Paint Treatment

Don't you just love seeing ink on paper being splattered by heavy drops of rain? We decided to do some painting on a rainy day and let the summer showers put the finishing touches on Little Bit's artwork.

Using our customary pallet of primary colors (I like for Little Bit to see how they mix into other colors) she dipped, dabbed, and swirled the paint around the paper.

Here is the picture before we let the rain do its thing.

It was a good rain; not too strong, but heavy enough to be able to see immediate results. I put the paper on a flat cookie sheet so that I wouldn't have to peel a soaking wet piece of paper off of the concrete and risk tearing it.

It took a few hours to dry, but I thought the outcome was really cool. The water changed the tone of some of the colors, and the yellow ended up much more vibrant.

I love projects like these because I get to show Little Bit how flexible art is.

This activity was inspired by the book Science Arts. What are some other treatments we could do to a painted piece of work?

Tape Collage

Ordinarily, we all wake up together (i.e. a certain little toddler wakes up and makes sure that the whole house knows she's a wake) and we eat breakfast together then continue on about our day. This morning, however, I was able to get Little Bit downstairs before she woke up Bitty Baby. We went ahead and ate breakfast, but that meant that when Bitty Baby did wake up, I had to find something for the toddler to do while I fed the baby.

I remembered seeing a tape collage activity in this book and decided it was just the quick, non-messy activity that I needed. I grabbed all the different types of paint around the house that I could find and tore up some pieces. Then I grabbed a sheet of construction paper and set Little Bit up at the table.

Some of the tape was a little tricky for her to work with, but I think it just made for a more interesting piece. She enjoyed handling the sticky material and seemed very deliberate in deciding where to place each piece of tape.

When she was finished she wanted me to take a picture of her "artwork" but couldn't quite figure out how to hold the paper so that I could actually see it.

I showed her how to hold the paper with both hands in front of her and told her to smile. This strained, contorted face is her trying to smile big for the camera.

She kills me.

Freshly Squeezed Orange Popsicles

Go get some oranges and a few fun containers and make a delicious summer treat.

A few days ago, after juicing some oranges using Little Bit's juicer, I started thinking about how yummy it would be to freeze some OJ and make popsicles.

Then....I got this in the mail...

and, lo and behold, there was a whole article on making your own popsicle molds. While we didn't cast our own molds out of silicone, we did follow the mag's suggestion to use shot glasses (or other containers with interesting shapes) for freezing the juice.

We started from scratch and let Little Bit do some juicin'!

 

Then she did much of the pouring as well. Undoubtedly this was her favorite part...she loves to pour.

Next, I secured the popsicle sticks in place by taping toothpicks on either side of the sticks and then securing them to the glasses.

After just a couple of hours in the freezer (i.e. one toddler nap) they were ready for consumption.

Here you can see the two different shapes we got.

 
"Tasty."

I'll have to agree with her. They were quite tasty! We only used orange juice in our popsicles, but you could easily change it up by adding yogurt or combining different fruit juices.

Have fun and let me know if you try it...I'd love to see what cool shapes others can find!

Window Shopping

Have you ever started out somewhere and then ended up someplace completely different and have no idea how you got there? That is how I found this:

Sadly, I am in love with this lunchbox. Sad for two reasons:

1) My husband says I can't have it.

2) When I imagine buying this lunchbox I envision the teachers and other parents of Little Bit's daycare (she starts in August) "ooohing" and "ahhhing" over such a find...and I never thought I would be that person.

 

I've also been looking at patterns on Etsy. Is this not the sweetest little bunny you've ever seen?

I'm hesitant to buy the pattern because it doesn't have step-by-step pictures and I just don't think I'm ready for that yet.

 

And then there are these shoes, which I found poking around this store after reading about it here.

Now nine months old, I know Bitty Baby is going to be walking soon and I think these adorable shoes would be perfect for her first steps. (And just a note, if you like these check out the link- they're having a sale right now).

 

And lastly, I came across this old schoolhouse desk on Craigslist today. It makes me want to use the word, "darling." What a darling desk! Not a word I'd typically use, but a fitting adjective I think.

But what would I do with it? I have no idea. Maybe I could arrange it in our playroom somewhere and Little Bit could eat her snack there. Or maybe it could just stand alone as an example of beautiful craftsmanship.

 

Most likely I will pass on all of these items, but it's still fun to poke around and see what's out there. What kinds of things do you "window shop" for?

My First Doll

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I got a sewing machine for my birthday and in my excitement I promised pictures of my creations. Well, it turns out I was both ambitious and naive.

The first thing I made was an incredibly unimpressive "pin cushion." It's basically a felt pillow with a sloppily stitched heart applique. I was too embarrassed to post a picture of it so I avoided mentioning my new sewing hobby again and hoped you all would forget I ever wrote about it.

Since the pin cushion, I've done a practice run of a headband for Little Bit following these instructions, and I've sewn a valance for the girls' room. Sadly, none of these projects were bloggable. It was very discouraging.

But then, I was inspired by the Wee Wonderfuls "Archie" pattern and decided to give this little guy a go. My godson's first birthday party was coming up and this doll seemed like he'd make a good buddy. Despite MANY imperfections, including one leg sewn on backwards, he actually came out kind of cute.

Photo courtesy of my husband who was able to capture the doll's good side from this funny angle. Thanks Sweetie!

I was sad to see him go, but I think he'll get lots of snuggles in his new home. I'm really looking forward to making a couple more for the girls. In another week or so. :)

Glass Jars

We've been really missing our Unplugged Projects lately, so this week I wanted to make sure we did an activity incorporating the theme: glass.

We've acquired an impressive collection of glass jars over the past few months so I decided to take a few jars of varying sizes and show Little Bit how cool it is that they all make different sounds. I aligned them by tone from lowest to highest and tapped a few of the jars with the spoon to demonstrate. Then I handed the spoon over and let her go at it.

She tapped the sides and the rims for a few minutes,

then thought it would be more fun to make "chocolate milk" by stirring the spoon around in the jar.

Apparently the chocolate milk was very tasty.

So she poured some from jar to jar

and shared with her sister. She's usually very thoughtful like that. :)

Not quite what I had in mind, but I always enjoy watching her play pretend and I'm glad she was able to adapt my little project in a way that she could have fun with. To see more Unplugged Projects using this week's glass theme, visit Unplug Your Kids.

Turn Any Shoes Into Tap Shoes

Here's an idea I've been wanting to try since seeing it in a Martha Stewart Good Things for Kids magazine. Little Bit, obviously bored, was actually asking me to do a "project." I was supposed to be enjoying some much needed personal time, but Daddy-O was "indisposed" at the moment, so I just needed something quick and easy that she could do for a few minutes until he could come and take back over watching her.

I grabbed some pieces of yarn and taped baby food jar lids onto the middle of the yarn. Next, I wrapped the yarn up around Little Bit's shoes and tied them at the top.

Then she shuffled around and doh-see-dohed and listened to the sound of her feet clacking against the concrete patio.

She always loves to dance, so this spur of the moment activity was a no-brainer. It would probably also be fun to experiment with different sounds. Or, perhaps strapping bells to her wrists and letting her go all out as her own percussion section!

The Birthday Bash

No Unplugged Project this week. We were so busy getting ready for Little Bit's party, we just didn't have much time left over for other stuff.

The party was great. The kids had a blast. And Little Bit LOVED having everybody over at our house.

Of course, we forgot to buy eggs, so the cake didn't get baked until about 45 minutes before the party started. In all of our last-minute preparations, we forgot to hang the Birthday Banner. And the ice cream balls came out looking like this

But, with all the fun, none of that really seemed to matter. Here are some of the highlights:

The sand bucket cake was a big hit!

As was the slip and slide.

Yes, we let the kids play with squirt guns. I know, very questionable parenting.

I love this one with the two little heinies. They're reloading their squirters in the pool.

We forgot to teach her how to blow out a candle before hand, but she worked it out (with my mom's help).

And, of course, presents. Here she is sporting her freezer paper stenciled birthday shirt while she opens a card.

The party really could not have gone any better. There were about 8 kids at the party (half 3 and under and half 8 and over) and everybody got along. I was afraid of the big kids taking over, but it wasn't even an issue.

Even with all the fun, these parties are a lot of work! I'm so glad they only have one birthday party a year. Now I'm in the clear until Bitty Baby's first birthday in October. Hmmm....4 months away? That might be enough time to recover from this one.

Sticky Project in Pictures

Busy weekend.

Very tired.

Unplugged Project: Sticky

Tissue paper on sticky side of contact paper.

"Can I stick it here?"

"I want to try!"

Two artists at work.

Viola!

Found this at The Artful Parent. Go there. Also check out other sticky projects here.

Off topic: Very behind in my blog reading. Hope to get caught up this week!

Easy and Delicious Homemade Ice Cream

I recently tried out this recipe for homemade ice cream with Little Bit and I could not believe how EASY it was, nor how tasty it turned out for being so incredibly simple to make. Your kids will love making the ice cream as much as they enjoy eating it.

First grab:

• One gallon-sized resealable plastic bag
• One resealable sandwich bag
• Kosher salt (or ice cream salt)
• Half & half
• Vanilla extract
• Sugar

Fill half of the large bag with ice and add 1/2 cup of salt.

Then pour 1 cup half and half, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract into the little bag.

Now put the little bag into the big bag...Make sure both bags are sealed tight!

And shake. Shake. Shake. Shake. Shake your bootie off. Shake for about 5 minutes.

Little Bit had a hard time shaking the bag. It was just a smidge too heavy for her. :)

After shaking for a few minutes, check the consistency of the cream mixture. Once it's nice and thick, you can scoop it out and enjoy!

This ice cream was so good. You could easily change it up by using different flavored extracts. I'm thinking a little almond extract would be yummy!

The World is Her Canvas

We love to paint with Little Bit, so this week's Unplugged theme, paint, had us very excited. We decided to bring the paint outdoors and let Little Bit have free reign over our sliding glass doors!

We poured our tempera paints into a muffin tin and mixed a few additional colors for variety.

Then I explained to Little Bit that she could use her paint brushes to paint on the glass doors.

Little Bit was a little apprehensive at first and she's still learning how to use brushes as opposed to her hands, but she started getting into it after a few minutes of exploration and a little modeling by yours truly.

Of course, I should have know that the painting would soon extend to other surfaces.

Subsequently, she abandoned her brush and went back to using her fingers.

Can you tell she had a blast?

Once she had decided that she'd had enough, we made a print of her artwork on a blank piece of paper (inspired by this idea).

And clean-up was easy-peasy with the hose!

This was a fun project and one that I know she'll ask to do again. And, it was a nice "easy" material to work with for this week's Unplugged Project. Actually, I've been meaning to do this activity with Little Bit ever since the weather started warming up, so this week's theme gave us the perfect excuse! Wouldn't this be so much fun to do with a group of toddlers, like at a paint party?

To see how other participants in this week's Unplugged Project used paint, click here!

The Writing's On The Ball: Beach Ball Invitations

Little Bit's second birthday is coming up in just a couple of weeks and we've decided to do a beach-themed party for her. Really it's a ball theme using beach balls.

The girl has always loved balls and this was the best way I could think of to incorporate balls into an actual theme that wasn't all about sports. And actually, it wasn't even my idea. It was my friend, Christine's idea. One of these days she's going to get her blog going and I'm going to be able to link to her. But for now, she will just be my friend, Christine.

So, for this beach ball themed party, we decided to do beach ball invites. Again, not my idea. And shame on me, I don't remember the site where I saw it originally, so I won't be able to spread any link luv their way this time. My apologies.

I blew up the balls and used a Sharpie to write, "Come have a ball at Little Bit's Beach Party!" I also included other pertinent information such as where and when and how to RSVP on each of the balls' respective stripes. Then I deflated them and stuffed them in little manilla envelopes. I used 3 stamps and I'm still not sure if that will be enough to cover postage, but I figure even if the recipient ends up with a few cents postage due, at least they're getting a free ball out of it! :)

 

With her birthday approaching quickly, I will be sharing more of our ideas for her party in the coming weeks. I've also been working on redoing the nursery (if I can still call it that) and I hope to get some pictures up of that soon, too.

We're still in the planning phase of this thing, so by all means, if you have any ideas for the party, please feel free to share them with me!

Tuesday's Toddler Tornado #3: Protein Snack

I love, love, love this book and have found so many wonderful ideas within its pages. Most recently, I served up one of the snack ideas it mentions and it totally hit the spot!

The book calls this snack, "Peanut Butter Pinwheels" but I think a better name would be "Goopy Protein Roll-ups".

Ingredients:

• peanut butter
• granola
• honey
• flour tortillas

Spread the PB, sprinkle the granola, and squirt the honey onto the tortilla shell, then roll. Slice into bite-sized pieces and serve. I made these during Little Bit's nap and chilled them until she woke up so that they would firm up a bit, thus cutting down on the gooey factor.

The first thing she said after trying them was, "More?" Which is always a good sign! However, these little bite-sized morsels of goodness are very filling and oh-so-very sweet. So, don't think you need to make a bunch at one time. I could only eat about two of the pieces before feeling like I'd had enough. I made two tortillas and it was more than enough to go around.

Enjoy!

 

Do you have any tips for parents of babies and toddlers, or even preschoolers? Parenting lessons you'd like to pass on? Snack ideas your just itching to share? Or a product you think every Mommy and Daddy of little ones should know about? Post your link here every Tuesday and check to see what others are doing!

 

 

Toddler Measuring Activity

I think I reverted back to my senior year in high school this week. I kept waiting for Mr. Clagget, my walrus-looking English teacher, to pop out from around my sofa and lecture me (read: yell and shake his finger at me) about procrastinating.

But, we did finally come up with an idea for this week's Unplugged Project involving ribbon and completed it. We used the ribbon to measure each of our family members and then we adhered the ribbon to a wall for comparison.

First we got everybody measured:

Then we stuck the ribbon to the wall, side-by-side, and briefly compared the different sizes. We talked about the biggest and smallest pieces. And I asked Little Bit questions about which ribbon belonged to who.

We also glued faces from magazine cut-outs onto paper plates, and then attached them to the ribbons at the top for little heads, but they turned out really weird looking. I think we'll use photo printouts of all of us instead.

We haven't made growth charts for the girls, so I thought that this ribbon measuring activity would be a great way to introduce the concept of measuring with Little Bit.

To see what others did with ribbon this week, click here!

Newspaper Streamers

Hooray for newspapers!

What a great theme for this week's Unplugged Project. So many possibilities...we made streamers!

We used strips of newspaper, a round plastic lid with the center cut out, a popsicle stick, and yarn and tape to hold it all together.

This picture shows pretty well how it all came together:

I think this was Little Bit's first experience with streamers and it was an instant hit! She loved swishing her new toy all around her body...

or just carrying it around with her.

 

And, not wanting to leave Bitty Baby out of the newspaper fun, we folded a newspaper hat!

We had actually planned on doing a couple other newspaper projects, but Little Bit fell sick at the end of the week and we just didn't get to them.  But never fear, I'm sure we'll do them soon!

Go check out what other folks did with newspaper at Unplug Your Kids!

Green Seek-N-Find

Green was the theme this week for Unplug Your Kid's weekly project. We painted a green apple tree earlier in the week, and today, we sent Little Bit on a green treasure hunt!

We gathered as many green toys as we could find and Daddy-O planted them throughout the yard.

Then we sent her on her way, armed with a handy-dandy green basket!

After much encouragement and several explanations as to what we were searching for, she began to look for the green .

Then she started to get the hang of it...

Here she is showing off her collection:

Once she had collected all of the toys, we talked about where else we could find green in our yard; the leaves on the trees, a blade of grass, the foliage growing in our flower bed.

She also found some yellow.

Check out what others did with this week's theme here!

Apple-Stamped Tree

I've seen the potato stamping done before and always thought it was such a cool idea. A couple days ago I was flipping through this book and came across an apple stamping project. It met our criteria for an excellent toddler craft (easy and quick!) and I just couldn't wait to try it.

So, since this week's Unplugged Project theme is green, I decided to stick with green paint and make an apple tree!

Just a few supplies were needed:

I cut out a tree trunk from some brown construction paper and let Little Bit do the gluing.

Then we dipped the apple halves into a plate of green paint and started stamping!

The only problem we encountered was that the apple was a wee bit too big for my toddler's tiny hands. Rather than stamping, her technique was more like: cradle the apple in both hands, dump it over onto the paper, then mash it down. But whatever...it still came out great!

Here's to quick, easy, and fun toddler art!

A Place All Her Own

In an attempt to provide Little Bit with more independence, we decided to give up some precious real estate in our kitchen (actually, it was only being used to hold the gazillion phone books that we've somehow accumulated over the past six months). She now has her own cabinet filled with her own stuff.

I didn't have any shelf-liner handy, so I cut up some empty cereal boxes that were just waiting to be made useful, and put some poster putty on the bottom to keep them from sliding around. Then, I cut about an inch off the bottom of an oatmeal box and used it to hold her forks and spoons.

Now, she can get her own dishes out at dinner time and put them away when they're finished being washed. She loves being helpful like that :).

My next goals are to teach her to fold laundry and dust. Don't you just love the "Mommy's little helper" stage?

Earth Day Round-Up!

Since the '70s, Earth Day's environmental significance has continued to grow. While it's true that "everyday should be Earth Day" sometimes we need a little reminder to stop for a moment and take a mental inventory of what we're doing to help .

Over the past few weeks, we have tried to engage in activities that would instill in Little Bit an appreciation for the natural beauty and wonder that surround us.

We:

• gave some of our birdies a yummy snack.
• enjoyed a laid-back nature walk.
• learned how to plant seedlings here and here.

We also read this very sweet Little Golden Book:

Aside from it being a little wordy at times, this book perfectly explains to little ones that everything we see around us is a gift from God.

Simple activities like such as these can have lasting impacts on our children.

Did you do anything with your family to commemorate this day? If so, please feel free to post your link to share with others!

Scissor Flowers

Our theme for this week's Unplugged Project was scissors. Scissors? What in the world can I do with a child just shy of 2 years old with scissors? She can't use them to cut with...I tried and she is nowhere near ready. So, I decided we would try to turn the scissors into flowers and make a garden!

I figured we could just use a pair of old-school safety scissors, separate them, and use each side as our flower structure. It sounded easy enough, but getting the scissors apart proved more difficult than expected.

Daddy-O had to break out the power tools.

Once the scissors were separated, I used pipe cleaners to shape flower petals around the handles. I then got an old shoe box and put florists foam on the inside.

I poked some holes for seeds.

Little Bit was responsible for sewing the seeds and watering.

 

She looks like she's trying so hard to water her little seedlings well without spilling anything!

And voila! Instant blooms!

   

Here is our finished flower box. We added some moss to help hide the unsightly florists foam, and overall I think it turned out rather nicely!

While this isn't a project I would do again, due to the difficulty of breaking the scissors, I was glad to be able to reiterate the steps in planting seeds with Little Bit.

To see what others did with scissors this week, click here!

A Seed Has Been Planted

Yesterday we planted a few seeds...

We got some annuals and followed these directions on using eggshells and toilet paper rolls for planters.

Little Bit did a fantastic job at pouring the potting soil into our tiny planters.

In fact, she didn't want to stop handling the dirt; so soft and fluffy!

I helped her use her new snail-shaped watering can.

And now we wait!

Seeds. Soil. Water. This was all it took to hold my little girl's attention longer than any of our projects thus far. What is it about gardening that is so attractive to youngsters? Is it the getting dirty part? Or is it that on some level we are all drawn to the natural world?

The flowers we planted will sprout, bloom, and die, but my daughter will learn lessons to last a lifetime: responsibility, patience, and an appreciation for God's creations.

Yesterday we planted a few seeds...

Mountain of Pillows

Here's a little boredom buster that we do around here sometimes.

Collect as many pillows from around the house as you can.

Put them in a big 'ol pile in the middle of the room.

Then let the kids go at it!

It'll wear your little one out and buy you a few minutes until you can think of something else to do!

Have fun!

Finding Nature

As Earth Day approaches, we've been trying to do more activities that focus on appreciating nature. We recently made a special treat for our backyard birds, and today we went on a nature walk!

The weather was perfect: clear skies and light sweaters!

As we began our walk, we came across a fence blanketed with lusciously sweet Jasmine. Delicious!

We walked some more and soon discovered a school of happy tadpoles wriggling around in what was little more than a puddle of water. Little Bit wanted to hold one, so my cuz fished one out to show it to her. I was thrilled to come across the tadpoles. I can't remember when the last time was that I saw one...perhaps not since I was a kid myself and actually took the time to look for such tiny beings.

We tried to let Little Bit set the pace as she stopped here and there to examine a weed or admire a flower.

  

So often she sits relegated in her stroller and I push her along steadily forward. Today we paused, listened to, smelled, and discovered the world. Our world. Our beautiful Earth.

Themed Activities

I had always envisioned that once Little Bit got old enough, we would do fun projects together all the time. I got books and looked online for ideas, but we never really did anything...until...I started participating in Mom Unplugged's weekly themed projects.

For some reason, having a theme and a deadline every week has made all the difference in coming up with ideas and actually following through with them.

We planted a rock garden for the rocks theme,

made a memory book for the books theme,

and painted with pudding for the food theme.

It has been a blast! This week the theme is scissors. Since Little Bit is just shy of two-years-old, it will be a fun challenge to come up with something for her!

Even if you don't want to join the Unplugged themes, it would be really easy to do your own weekly themes. Just take some concepts, either as specific or as general as you wish, put them in a box and pull one out every week. Once you have the theme, you've got some direction on what to focus on in your search and the fun can ensue!

This is what's been working for me lately, and I have to give a shout-out to Seeking Imperfection for sharing it with me! To see what works for others this week visit WFMW at Rocks In My Dryer!

 

Lemme know: How do you come up with ideas for activities to do with your kids?

Fun with Food

We had a blast doing this week's Unplugged Project. I was so excited about the theme, food! There were a ton of projects that I wanted to do with Little Bit, but ultimately I decided on painting with edible finger paints and making an ice cream cone bird feeder. I know, I've done painting in the past (here also), but it's fun, so why not?!

Pudding Paint

I saw the edible finger paint idea here and I thought it was the perfect trifecta: easy, messy, yummy!

What you'll need:

• Vanilla pudding
• Food coloring
• Paper plates
• Bowls for mixing colors

First I mixed the vanilla pudding with food coloring.

Then I stripped Little Bit down and let her start painting. She painted some...

and ate some...

 

and painted some more...

and ate some more...

 

and by the end she was strangely reminiscent of McCauley Culkin in that one movie:

But, she had fun

and created a masterpiece!

 

Ice Cream Cone Bird Feeder

This was actually one of our Earth Day projects, but it fit in perfectly with the food theme so I'm posting it here.

For this project you will need:

• Ice cream cones
• Peanut butter
• Cheerios
• Bird seed
• String (we used zip ties)

First I spread the peanut butter onto the cone.

Then I put the cone onto the plate of Cheerios and bird seed. I love Little Bit's expression here! It looks like she's pleading with her Daddy to please get her out of another one of Mommy's wacky projects.

But, she was a good sport and helped get the bird food onto the cone!

With a little bit of my help, we ended up with this:

I can't wait for the birds to catch wind of the sweet treats hanging from our trees!

 

We have so much fun doing these projects. To see what others did with this week's food theme, visit the Unplug Your Kids blog.

Earth Day 2008: Activities for Toddlers

April 22 is Earth Day! What are you going to do to introduce your toddler to this very important day of awareness?

Here are a few activities that we're thinking about doing!

Sort Recyclables

One of the skills that Toddlers continue to improve upon is sorting, so why not give them some more practice? Depending on your child's ability, offer him several of two or more categories of items such as cardboard, plastic, and aluminum. Of course, you'll want to ensure that all items are safe and clean.

For the littlest sorters, keep it on the simple side with two types of items. For example, toilet paper rolls and empty water bottles. For older kids, try providing a more varied selection.

Build a Birdhouse

Birdhouses can be a great way for youngsters to see how nature is working right in their backyard. Build a house worthy of nesting and your tot might even get to see eggs and, later, baby birds! (Of course, you should not tamper with bird eggs or babies).

You can make your birdhouse from recycled materials such as a milk carton, a coffee can, a juice container, or a gourd!

Make a Bird Feeder

While you're providing a cozy home for your backyard birds, why not give them something munch on as well?

You can use everyday household items to make this bird feeder.

Or use some of your toddler's favorite foods...Cheerios and peanut butter! (but don't forget the birdseed ;) ) You can find instructions for this feeder here.

Plant Something

The rewards of growing live plants are far-reaching.

Plant a tree with your child and explain to them that as the tree grows it will provide shade for us and a home for birds and squirrels.

Grow any kind of edible plant: a tomato, some cabbage, or even a few herbs. Once the plants are grown, your toddler can then experience the satisfaction of eating the fruits of his labor!

Plant some flowers! Flowers are especially intriguing for our young ones simply because of their aesthetically pleasing qualities: they are colorful, often fragrant, and have interesting textures to explore. Or, take advantage of the Spring bulbs that are popping up this time of year. Give your toddler a daily peek at the flowers and anticipate their "grand openings." We just had some lilies shoot up and every day I would explain to Little Bit that they would soon open into beautiful flowers. When they finally did open, she was overwhelmed with excitement as she brought me to the patio door to show me!

Go on a Nature Walk

Little Bit is always excited to walk as opposed to being strolled or slung. She always finds things she wants to stop and look at, but usually I'm in too much of a hurry to let her.

For your nature walk, try to let your little one set the pace. You can bring along a checklist of things to keep an eye out for, or bring along a camera and snap shots as your child makes new discoveries on her own. Later, you can print the photos and make a nature catalog for your youngster to peruse.

Put on Your Green Shoes

Get some plain white tennies and die them green! Then slap them on the kiddos and play music from the 1993 CD Put on Your Green Shoes. Here are the lyrics to the title track (by Cyndi Lauper):

Gather 'round children and you will hear
The sound of a cricket crying in your ear
That's Mother Nature, she's crying out loud
This old earth needs some loving now, so

Chorus:

Put on your green shoes
Put on your green shoes
Mother Nature, she's calling to you
To put on your green shoes

Put on your green shoes and walk with me
We'll go around back and plant a tree
Help it grow and you will see
The way the world was meant to be

Chorus

Wonder how the world would be
Without the shade of a redwood tree
Without all the fish, the birds and the bees
Springtime would be lonely, so
Chorus

I may wait another year or two to do this one, but my nieces did it a few years ago at school and I just loved the idea. It was a great way to get the kids in the spirit and music always has a way of leaving a lasting impression. Plus, every time they don their flashy green kicks they'll remember the importance of taking care of the environment!

Read a Book

Here are some titles we'll be keeping an eye out for at the library and bookstores:

This Is the Earth That God Made

I Love Our Earth

The Earth and I

The Whole Green World

Baby's Book of Nature

I'll post our projects as we complete them then do a round-up of them all on Earth Day. And, if I can figure out how it works, I'll try to post a Mister Linky so you can join me in sharing your Earth Day activities! (If I don't figure it out, you can still share your ideas in the comments).

Memory Book for a Toddler

For this week's Unplugged Project theme of "books," I used our weekend trip to the beach as an opportunity for Little Bit to make a mini-scrapbook. It was a great chance for her and Aunt Patty to have a few more minutes together before we had to leave.

I did most of the prep work like cutting the paper, choosing and printing the photos, and coming up with a layout. Little Bit is usually happy to have the job of "Glue Stick Engineer."

Aunt Patty helped with the gluing and talked to Little Bit about what was going on in the pictures.

Here is the finished product. We kept it nice and short with only 4 pages (including the cover). We also embellished the cover with a few shells that we had collected. Little Bit decided on the placement of each shell. Unfortunately, they are also the first things she grabs for when we look at the book, so we're already missing one. We were going to add some coordinating beach stickers for more of a scrapbook feel, but decided against it since she had pretty much lost interest in the project once we had gotten this far.

Overall, I think the greatest benefit to a project like this is not necessarily the creation of the book, but the nostalgic nature of it. It will make a great keepsake and I know that Little Bit will want to see the pictures of her trip to the beach over and over. It will just be that much more special that she had a hand in creating the book!

Thanks, Mom Unplugged for another great Unplugged Project! If you're interested in seeing what other's did for this week's project go here!

April Fool's Day: Practical Jokes for Toddlers

Never too early to get your budding pranksters into gear!

Here are some fun pranks to play on your babies:

• Pull the chair out from under your little one right before he sits down...it'll be really funny!
• Leave the house for a long time without telling your kids where you're going...it's like an oversized game of hide-and-seek!
• Make the day into a "Freaky Friday" theme and pretend you're switching roles...your two year old will think it's hilarious to see you in a diaper (until it's time to change you).
• Show them how exciting it is to call 9-1-1 and hang up...always a winner!
• To really get them into the April Fool's Spirit, skip the above and see this awesome idea.

Have a fun-filled April Fool's Day!

ETA: If your read this post on April Fool's Day, you were Rickrolled. If you are reading this post on another day, please notice that this is an April Fool's post and is simply a reflection of my sick sense of humor. It is not to be taken seriously (Read: Don't do any of these things).

Unplugged Project: Rockin' Out

Here is our first attempt at participating in the Unplugged Project weekly blog carnival hosted by Unplug Your Kids.

Since I was drawing a blank with what to do for this week's theme, which was rocks, I did a good ol' Google search and came across this.

Perfect! A rock garden seemed just right for a toddler.

So, off we went to Grandma's house to collect some nice rocks!

We didn't have to go far...Grandma's driveway has plenty to choose from!

Here is Little Bit with her shiny red rock collecting pail (i.e. leftover Valentine's Day bucket).  She's starting to lose interest at this point.

So, I helped her out a bit!

Once we had enough rocks we brought them inside for a good scrubbin'. I can tell she'll make an excellent dishwasher one day (yes, I'm ready to start delegating chores).

Back at home we got our supplies together to paint the rocks. Little Bit couldn't wait to get started!

 

And the painting commenced.

Once the rocks were dry, we "planted" them in a nearby flowerbed.

Tadaaa! Here we have a very blurry picture of our completed painted rock garden!

 

I really enjoyed this project. We were able to stretch it out over the span of a few days with each step being nice and short...perfect for a toddler's attention span! And, we got to spend time outside in the beautiful weather we had this week...awesome!

I can't wait to see what next week's theme will be. Sound like fun? Come join us!

 

Pee Pee in the Potty: The Poop

We've got the pee pee thing down pretty good. Little Bit has had very few accidents in her underwear and when she does it's usually because we got caught up in doing something and didn't take her to the bathroom. Also, she likes to play this game where she says "Potty!" and we say "Ok, let's go to the potty." At which point she turns in the opposite direction and runs away giggling with excitement at the prospect of engaging us in a game of chase. Occasionally when she does this we don't get her on the potty in time and she leaks a little.

However....pooping is another issue. She poops in her sleep, during which time she wears a diaper, so we never get the chance to try to get her on the potty. There have been times when it seemed like she needed to poop, but she wouldn't sit on the potty for very long and then she would eventually go to sleep and poop in her diaper.

So, today we had an incident. Little Bit said "potty" so I immediately brought her into the bathroom and helped her pull down her little shorts so that she could sit. She refused to stay seated and her little shorts and underwear came off while she ran out of the bathroom. I figured she just didn't really need to go and was messing with me. Unfortunately, a few minutes later I heard a very upset little girl at the top of the stairs crying, "Mommy, poopy!"

Sure enough, she had left a little dropping in the hallway in front of her bedroom door. I think she then must have felt around her behind to see what happened because she also had poop on her hand. The poop on her hand then made it to my bedroom door as she used her hand to help support herself as she walked.

Keeping my cool, I swiftly scooped her up and placed her on the potty seat that we have on top of the upstairs toilet, which is very handy since she can't get off of it by herself. I proceeded to clean her up and reassure her that everything was going to be ok, while she continued to cry take stock of everything that was taking place:

"Poopy on fingers!"

"Poopy on thumb!"

"Poopy in there!" (pointing to the hallway)

"POOPY EVERYWHERE!!!"

I couldn't help laughing at this point as she sounded like she was channeling Dr. Seauss. It was very cute, and very sad.

And for some reason, I felt very mommish in the midst of this poopy debacle. I don't know that I can explain it, but there was something self-affirming about being able to react tenderly and sensitively to my daughter's vulnerability while wiping away all of the yuckiness. It was like, "Yes, this is what Mom's do, and I am a Mom." Anyway, I kind of liked it (but I'm sure I would be find if I never had to do it again.)

So this is where we are now. Some did manage to fall into the toilet while she was sitting there, which I pointed out to her and explained to her that the toilet is where the poop belongs. Here's hoping that it'll be just like the pee and it'll all just "click" now!

Get Out of Your PB&J Rut

Sometimes I find myself making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for Little Bit day after day after day. I get so bored just serving it to her, and I can imagine she gets tired of eating it, too.

So, on days when I feel like really shaking things up a bit, I bring out the good stuff. Here are a few alternatives to the PB&J blahs:

• Peanut butter, banana, and honey- Oh, so yummy. Ok, you don't really need to add the honey, but it really does add that special something that makes you go, "Mmm, mmm, mmmmm."
• Ham and cream cheese roll-ups-  Slather some cream cheese onto a tortilla shell, add a few slices of ham, and roll!
• Turkey and cranberry relish- Think Thanksgiving dinner between two slices of bread. Get some real turkey from the deli, sliced kind of thick, then add the relish. The cranberry adds a sweet touch to your basic turkey sandwich. (Haven't done this one in a while because I can't find a good store-bought cranberry relish, but if you can get your hands on some, it's delicious)!
• Burrito- Peel open a can of refried beans, add some shredded cheese, and fold a tortilla shell around it. Lots of protein!

These are some easy lunches that Little Bit really seems to enjoy. Have any other suggestions? What foods do you find yourself serving your little one for lunch?

Boiling Your Baby's Bottles? Think Again! (new BPA research)

BPA is making headlines again as a new study is released in the scientific journal, Toxicology Letters. The findings of a recent study suggest that BPA is released from plastic bottles up to 55% faster when exposed to boiling water.

Researcher Scott Belcher (University of Cincinnati) examined the effect of a bottle's age, under normal use conditions, on the amount of released BPA. He found that age was not a factor, however bottles that had been exposed briefly to boiling water released the chemical up to 55% faster than before exposure. Other researchers confirm that Belcher's findings are intuitive. (US News and World Reports article)

You can avoid the potentially harmful effects of BPA by using glass bottles or BPA-free bottles and sippy cups (reviews here).

Putting the "Munch" in Munchkin

With fork in hand, my husband aims towards our daughter's mouth. Her nose quickly turns up in the air and his efforts are thwarted with a decisive, "Noooooo."

What is a parent to do? Make separate meals? Cram the food down the poor girl's throat?

Thankfully, neither extreme is necessary. Through a little bit of trial and error, we've found a few tricks that have helped us get through many a meal without a struggle.

1. Hide the yucky stuff. A little bit of chicken can often go unnoticed in the creamy goodness of mac-n-cheese.
2. Do the dip. If our toddler doesn't like what we're offering we'll often try to find something for her to dip it in. Some winners include ketchup, BBQ sauce, honey, and good ol' ranch dressing.
3. One bite minimum. We insist that our daughter try at least one bite of everything on her plate. Only then can she decide if she really doesn't want something.
4. Play distracting games. We like to play Big Bite Little Bite. This works when your tot starts getting antsy and wants to stop eating because it's just plain boring. Being as dramatic as possible helps in this game (think very big and very little).
5. Never surrender. Eggs were our nemesis. Our daughter spit them out every time. But, after many "one bites" and a lot of ketchup, she'll now sit down and enjoy a plate of scrambled eggs for breakfast.
6. Put those little fingers to work. We have found that when we allow our toddler to feed herself she is much more interested in eating what we put in front of her.

Of course we've also found that it helps to sweeten things up sometimes, but that only works if your kid has a sweet-tooth!

Tell me what works for you!

Best Kid-Friendly Carrot Recipe Ever!

My staples of peas and corn have been getting old, so I decided to try to find some new recipes for vegetables that my little girl would actually enjoy.

In my search, I came across a carrot dish that sounded down-right tasty (and I'm not a carrot eater). These carrots hit the sweet spot and had my toddler asking for "mooo" (more)!

Ingredients

10 fresh whole carrots

2 tsp brown sugar

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tbsp cold butter

water

Cut carrots into 1/4 inch slices. Put in pan with enough water to cover carrots about half-way. Add cinnamon stick, brown sugar, and salt. Simmer until carrots are tender but not mushy. Drain carrots keeping liquid separate. Return liquid to pan with cinnamon stick and continue boiling gently until the liquid has reduced to a few teaspoons (ours was already reduced quite a bit so we skipped this step). Add butter and swirl until combined. Return carrots to pan and toss to coat. Eat 'em up!

*We only used 5 carrots and we had only enough to feed the three of us, so I doubled the amounts to feed a larger group (or have leftovers).

The Giving Blanket

This is the best baby gift idea I think I've ever seen. Baby gets a warm soft blanket, more than 30 children's organizations receive funding, it contributes to the independence and productivity of the disabled, and it is packaged in 100% recyclable material.

What more could you ask for?

We received a Nanny and Webster blanket as a baby gift from my husband's employer. Upon finding out more about it, I learned that 100% of the proceeds are donated to about 34 organizations benefiting children (mostly in the Bellevue and Seattle, Washington areas, where the company is located).

In addition, the company relies on an organization called At Work for it's packaging. At Work is a nonprofit group whose purpose is stated on their website:

AtWork!'s purpose is to to help people with disabilities learn marketable skills; find and keep good jobs in the community; and earn wages and benefits that help them escape poverty.

What a wonderful lesson in giving this blanket will be to our daughter. She will grow up knowing that her blanket is so special it also helps other little boys and girls. She will know that while it is providing her warmth, it is helping another child heal. And when she has it wrapped around her for comfort, she can also be comforted with the thought that her blanket has helped to provide a better life for children in foster care.

The blankets are generously-sized at 36" X 42" so the receiver of this gift will be able to snuggle up to it for many years.

Friday's Fun: Fun With Books!

Don't just read your child's books to her. Have fun with them!

We love Michael Rosen's We're Going on a Bear Hunt. The book is a fun read on it's own, but paired with rhythm and hand motions it's a sure-fire hit.

Watch as Michael Rosen demonstrates:

 

Here are some more ways to get the most out of your toddler's books:

• Act them out
• Use big hand motions
• Find puppets or stuffed animals to retell the story
• Personalize the characters with various voices
• Pause throughout to allow your child to guess what comes next

For more fun ideas to incorporate into several other beloved children's books, check out Story Stretchers for Infants, Toddlers, and 2s

You Know It's Time To Shave Your Legs When...

When every time your toddler accidentally brushes your legs with her hand, then looks down, giggles, and says, "Hair!"

Yes. Mommy needs to shave.

Toy Recall

About 15,000 toy blocks and train sets are being recalled due to excessive lead levels found in the surface paint.

The toys were sold at Christmas Tree Shops stores throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions between October 2006 and November 2007, and were manufactured by First Learning Company, Ltd. (Hong Kong)

The Toy Circuit

Interested in having different toys in your house every few weeks without having to dip into your child's college fund?

Start swapping!

We all know what it's like to see a heap of toys sitting around while our toddler seems absolutely bored out of his mind. But we can't just keep buying new toys all the time. Toys are expensive and that would quickly add up to big $$$.

One option to bust the boredom is to rotate toys. We have some toys that we bring out on the weekends, and others that we keep in bins to be changed out every few weeks.

You can add more variety, however, if you enlist some of your friends with young children to join into the rotation with their own toys. You trade your kid's toys for theirs and everybody gets to play with new stuff every few weeks without having to spend a dime!

Please keep in mind however that swapping toys can also mean swapping germs and other goodies, so it's a good idea to establish an agreement among your fellow swappers to clean up the toys a bit before the exchange.

Happy swapping!

Goin' Clubbin'

Butts bouncing. Arms flailing. Legs in a fit of uncontrollable exuberance. This is the stuff baby-dancing is made of.

So what's better than getting to watch your little munchkin groove to the beat of Stayin' Alive in the middle of your living room?

Watching her groove alongside a few dozen other pint-sized disco divas in a baby-proofed nightclub.

Kids love to dance. So combining dancing with bubbles, tents, scarves, and snacks is a sure hit. What more could a toddler ask for in an afternoon?

Baby Loves Disco is a monthly event held at nightclubs in more than 20 US cities. Tickets run $12-15 "per walking human," depending on the location. For a few hours in the afternoon (2-5), the clubs open their doors to families of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Real DJs spin music from the 70s and 80s. Babies dance. Parents reminisce of times gone by.

To Bite or Not to Bite?

So one day that sweet little angel you've been caring for suddenly decides that the best thing to do with those brand new pearly whites is to chomp down directly onto your arm. How do you respond?

Your first reaction may be some indecipherable vocalization signifying pain. Some would immediately follow this vocalization with a swift return of one's teeth onto the predator.

But don't be too quick to react on impulse. The messages we send to our children regarding aggressive behaviors can have lasting impacts.

Drs. B. Terry Brazelton and Joshua Sparrow recently responded to a grandmother's recommendation to use the "fight-fire-with-fire" approach when addressing bighting (article). I can relate all to well with this woman, who for all intensive purposes could very well be my mother.

In fact, just a few years ago my mother did that very thing, only not on her own grandchild. It was my niece who was the victim of a biting toddler, and my mother took it upon herself not to confront the child's parent about the incident, but to go straight to the horses mouth, so to speak. Yes, she actually bit this little girl in an effort to teach her a lesson: biting hurts.

Sure, the little girl may, indeed, never bite again. But for what reason? What has she learned? Has she learned that biting is an inappropriate outlet for anger or frustration?  Or, as the doctors point out, has the child perhaps learned that the adult is out of control, unpredictable, and untrustworthy? Has she learned an acceptable way to express her emotions?

According to the article:

Learning self-control is a major goal for childhood, never more than now in our world of schoolyard shootings, road rage and orange alerts. This is a much more important goal than just teaching a child that parents can hurt back, and to suppress his stunned and violated feelings. Suppressing angry, hurt feelings just postpones them — until the time that the child is bigger and more powerful than the parent.

So what does one do? Well, it depends on what is driving the behavior to begin with.

When our toddler acts out for attention, we put a stop to the behavior by diverting her energies elsewhere. We then try to attend to her while she is playing nicely, thus reinforcing the appropriate behavior.

When she acts out because she simply doesn't have the resources she needs to express herself, we explain to her that what she did was not nice and we show her a better way to respond to the situation.

Kids act out. That's how they learn about the world around them. Teach them the tools that will help them throughout life rather than just focusing on stopping the behavior.

Scrumptious Snacking: Berry Grahams

Here's your chance to break out that KidCo Food Mill you bought when you swore you would make every ounce of baby food from scratch. This tasty little treat will satisfy your toddler's sweet tooth without making you feel like you're dooming him to a life of obesity. And, the best part is that it is incredibly easy to make!

Ingredients

1/3 cup cream cheese

1/3 cup fresh blueberries

1 tsp sugar

Handful of graham crackers or graham cracker sticks

Scoop cream cheese into small bowl. Grind blueberries in food mill and add to cream cheese. Add sugar and mix until well blended. Use sticks to dip or spread onto crackers. Enjoy!

Beyond "Our Father"

We all want our children to develop a loving relationship with the Lord. And they will, provided we offer them plenty of opportunities to explore and practice living a faith-based life. One of the most meaningful ways we, as parents, can provide an atmosphere of devotion is to model our own relationship with Him through prayer.

Traditional prayers such as The Lord's Prayer are important, but a strong bond between our little ones and our Lord can be better established by incorporating prayer into our daily goings on.

For example, with your baby's first diaper change of the morning say a simple prayer like,

Dear Lord, thank you for this day, and thank you for Mommy and Daddy and Brother and Sister. Amen.

Or, when your toddler starts testing your reaction to her teeth on your skin:

Dear Lord, I'm sorry for hurting Mommy. Please help me to make better choices. Amen.

Here are some sweet and fun prayers that your child can learn:

Thank you God for a world so sweet,

Thank you God for the food we eat,

Thank you God for the birds that sing,

Thank you God for everything!

And (to the Happy Birthday tune)

Thank you, thank you dear God,

Thank you, thank you dear God,

Thank you for families and friends,

Thank you, thank you dear God!

Finally, to really liven things up, try some of these dinner prayers:

Superman Prayer (to the tune of Superman)

Thank you God - for giving us food!
Thank you God - for giving us food!
For the food that we eat
For the friends that we meet
Thank you God - for giving us food ! Amen!

Jaws Prayer (said with hands on top of your head like a shark fin and in the same manner as the Jaws theme, starting slow then speeding up)

God is
Great and
God is
Good and
(faster)
So we
Thank Him
For Our
Food and
AMEN! (clothes hands together like a big mouth)

Here are some books with more prayer ideas:

Baby's First Book of Prayers

Prayers for Children (Little Golden Book) 

Thank You for This Food: Action Prayers, Blessings and Songs for Mealtime

My First Book of Prayers

 

Follow these links for more great ideas for prayers:

• CBN
• Meals
• Bedtime
• Variety

Recommended Toddler Reading: I Aint Gonna Paint No More

A mischievous child vows never to paint again when his mother discovers he has painted all over the walls. Unfortunately, after having a bath this budding artist quickly succumbs to his desire to doodle. He makes his way to the top of the closet where the paints were deposited and begins painting all over himself.

The story is told to the tune of "Ain't Gonna Rain No More," but what really makes this book exciting is David Catrow's humorous illustrations. The child's enthusiasm is contagious and the book will surely elicit smiles from whomever gets to read this delightful story!

I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! (Ala Notable Children's Books. Younger Readers (Awards))

Written by Karen Beaumont.

Friday's Fun: Go to the Zoo! (Video)

Zoos make an ideal field trip. They're generally interesting to kids and adults alike. They usually have a play zone for the kids to get their wiggles out in between strolling from animal to animal. And, as we all know, it's all happening at the zoo!

Can't make it to your local zoo? Don't have a local zoo? Too lazy to pack up the kids and leave the house for a few hours?

Here's an idea...

Round up all of those little stuffed animals that nobody plays with and make your own zoo!

The kids will love making all of the animal sounds and you can also sing songs like Old McDonald Had a Zoo with them.

It'll be a blast, and you can still hang out in your jammies!

This is the first in what I hope will be a weekly post offering parents ideas for fun activities.

Unfortunately, I'm not clever enough to come up with cool ideas on my own. The inspiration behind today's Friday's Fun activity is from Fisher-Price.

Paint in the Tub!

No...not with the water in it.

For Christmas some friends of ours got our 19 month old a pack of 10 ct. 2 oz. Bottles - Assorted Color Washable Kid's Paint by Crayola. They explained to us that they let their little guy complete his finger painting masterpieces in the tub before his bath.. that way clean up is fast and easy.

We thought it was a great idea and tried it ourselves. Our daughter painted all over the construction paper, the tub, and herself, and we didn't have to worry about the paint getting everywhere. She had a blast!

Toy Review Tuesday: Play Gyms

Play gyms (a.k.a. play mats)are a huge part of a baby's playtime. They're great for letting Baby practice kicking, batting and grasping toys. They usually have a component that promises to make the dreaded tummy time more enjoyable for your little one. And, these mats can also be helpful when the baby starts to try to roll over.

I've gone through a few of these things already, and they are definitely not all created equal.

The first play mat we owned was the Baby Einstein Play Gym. With vivid contrasting colors, simple images, and a wide base for rolling, this mat had the makings of a great gym from the start. It comes with a myriad of toys to hang from it and many connection points to choose from. It also includes a mirror, which babies love, and a crescent-shaped pillow to help make tummy time more enjoyable for your little one. We instantly removed the musical star and replaced it with a toy hanging from several links so that our baby could bat at it. We felt this mat was perfect for what it was intended and it has lasted far beyond what we could have hoped. We have removed the arched poles that keep the mat taut and our toddler still likes to use it sometimes as her designated play area.

  Baby Einstein Play Gym

Another gym that we currently own has a very interesting design. The Sassy Circus Ring Playmat has one flexible pole that reaches from one corner to the other. Because the pole is flexible, it can be flattened or raised. In addition, it can be bent so that the toys hang over Baby's head, midsection, or feet when laying on her back, or bent so that the toys hang in front of her face when she's laying on her tummy. It comes with very entertaining toys, including a mirror, some spinning toys, and little animal heads that jingle. The downside to this gym is that it has two metal poles running along sides adjacent to one another inside the mat to help keep it flat. When or baby starts rolling over, I'm afraid the poles may be very uncomfortable for her.

Sassy Circus Ring Playmat

Our least favorite has been the Fisher-Price Rainforest 123 Musical Gym." This long, thin mat is very colorful and is flanked by a giraffe and a palm tree with dangling butterflies. The front has an angled mirror for Baby's tummy time, and a couple of hanging toys for batting. One of the toys that hangs is a tiger that plays music when you hit it. I thought the mirror was a great idea for helping to make tummy time more enjoyable, but the musical tiger got annoying and I prefer more natural sounds over synthetic music. Another drawback to this mat is how greatly it limits the baby's movement. Because it is so thin, a child basically just has the option of laying flat on his or her back or tummy, rendering it useless once the child begins to practice rolling over

Fisher-Price Rainforest 123 Musical Gym

When buying a playmat one of the most important things to consider is whether or not it will grow with your baby. While the various bells and whistles may be nice, all your baby needs is dangling toys to bat and kick, room to roll, and something engaging to look at while on his tummy. The rest is just gravy!

Funny Kid Video: Kids and Pets

Kids and animals are always a hoot to watch. Check it out with your volume on!  

I love the ones where you can hear them laughing...too cute!

Never Pay Retail Again!

Very few things in this world feel better than knowing you got a great deal on something. I got that feeling today when I went to my favorite consignment shop, Wallabie's Kids, for their Winter Clearance Sale and Spring Preview.

Babies can be so expensive...upwards of $10,000 in just the first year, so it's important to save where you can. I have found that I can find pretty much anything I want and need for my kids without paying full price for it.

How do I save money on baby and toddler stuff? Shop around!

• eBay- Great for buying new or used baby clothes if you want a huge selection and don't mind buying without seeing. As with most things, you’ll pay less per item when you buy from larger lots.

Most sellers provide pictures and detailed descriptions, but I've still had my share of
disappointments. Sometimes the clothes just don't look the same in person. It's hard to see
pilling and fraying in photos and some stains go unnoticed by the sellers.

Finally, there's the matter of shipping. Unless you happen to buy from a local seller, you
have to wait for your clothes to ship which could take up to a couple of weeks. I actually
won an auction for my youngest shortly after she was born, but by the time the clothes
came she was almost too big for them.

• Craigslist- My local Craigslist is my “go to” site for gear, toys, and furniture. You can expect to pay about half of an item’s retail price. Sometimes more, sometimes much less…depending on the item.

I love Craigslist because it’s local, there are often pictures of the item posted, and the prices are always great.

The problem, however, is that sometimes you have to be really quick when inquiring about an item. There have been several occasions when I’ve emailed a seller about an item within just a few hours of it being listed only to learn that they’ve already sold it.

Also, if you have something specific in mind, you may not find it right away. It took me about a month of checking the site several times per day to find someone selling an Arm’s Reach Co-Sleeper at a price I thought was reasonable ($75).

• Consignment Shops- Local consignment stores are great for clothes, gear, and toys. Prices here also usually fall at around half of what you would pay retail.

Consignment stores are fun and feel more like “real” shopping". There are a few in my area that I visit every few weeks and they always have new goodies. Chances are, even if you have a specific item in mind, you’ll still walk out with some adorable outfit or cool toy that you had no idea you wanted.

• Garage/Yard Sales- Yard sales have great prices. Most of the time the sellers want the stuff gone and are just looking to make a few bucks in the process. Baby clothes are often around only $1 a piece and there are usually a ton of toys lined up that are ready to move on to a new family.

Unfortunately, yard sales are hit or miss. Sometimes you can find the deal of the century (a couple weeks ago I bought a Cozy Coupe that was in great shape for just $3), and other times you may drive around for a few hours with nothing to show for it at the end of the day.

• Freecycle- As the name suggests, this is where you can find stuff that’s being given away for free. Can’t beat that!

Similar to Craigslist, if you see something you want, you have to be fast. Sometimes things are just left at the curb and you can simply drive by and pick it up. I actually haven’t used Freecycle since I found Craigslist, but in the past I regularly scoped for miscellaneous items my family was looking for. You’d be surprised by what people are willing to give away.

Raising kids is expensive...that's a no-brainer. Between childcare, health insurance/medical bills, food, clothing, field trips, camps, extracurricular activities, and not to mention saving for college, having kids makes a pretty significant dent in your wallet. Considering all of these expenses, it's important to save wherever you can. With all of the second-hand sources out there, there’s really no reason to have to pay full price for something that you can get for less!

How to Eat Fried Worms (in Baby Food)

According to a Mercury News report, parents of an 8 month old in Pittsburg, California found maggot-like worms in a jar of Gerber's "Sweet Potato and Turkey" baby food. (article)

Yuck! That grosses me out just thinking about it. I am so sorry for anyone who has to see that when they are preparing to feed their precious baby.

Obviously these things happen every so often, even for a company as trusted as Gerber. All the more reason to make your own baby food at home. It's easy to do, and really not that time-consuming. In fact, with a good grinder and/or food processor, you can simply mash up portions of whatever is on the menu for the rest of the family.

By making your baby's food yourself, you'll have the peace of mind from knowing exactly what your child is eating, you'll save money, and you'll likely incur less waste since you'll be able have more control over serving sizes.

If you're interested in making your own baby food, check out the folks over at wholesomebabyfood.com. They've got recipes, instructions on how to prepare baby food, and recommendations on which foods to introduce when!

The School of Experience

This has pretty much been my mantra ever since my toddler was old enough to experiment with things. We try to maintain an open environment around the house so that our children can (safely) explore and learn as they go about their day. Boredom is dispelled by engaging in a wide range of activities from playing in their playroom, to pulling out and opening every DVD case in the entertainment center, to crawling under our cabinets and emptying out pots and pans which stack, nest, and have great sound qualities.

I try to afford my children with opportunities to discover their surroundings because that's how they learn, entertain themselves, and exercise their respective imaginations.

Gever Tulley seems to also embrace this notion and has developed Tinkering School for kids aged 7-17 to learn a host of lessons while "tinkering" on his property in Montara, California. He is currently working on a book entitled, "50 Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Kids Do." Last year Tulley introduced 5 of those things in a humorous and thought-provoking talk. Check it out!

Bye Bye Plastic!

According to a recent Newsweek article, more and more parents are opting for "greener" bottling alternatives, such as glass, rather than the popular plastic ones used most often today. A major concern is that Bisphenol A (BPA), which is found in many plastics, may have long-term health consequences in young children.

Manufacturers and retailers are responding to this new demand by including more bottling options in their product lines and on their shelves. Evenflo and Dr. Brown's are both currently offering glass bottles. Or, if you can't get passed the idea of using something as old-fashioned as glass, BornFree bottles are plastic bottles made without BPA. Not surprisingly, these alternatives come with a higher price tag (not that you can really put a price tag on the safety of our little ones).

So far, the jury is still out on whether or not the levels of BPA exposure from using plastic bottles are high enough to do any harm, but the CDC has found that children incur the greatest amount of exposure to the chemical, followed by adolescents and then adults.

I'm not usually one to run out and follow the latest trends, but suddenly glass bottles don't seem like such a bad idea.

New Toddler Sleep Study

Scientists at Brown University are researching the sleep habits of children aged 2 to 5. Because this is the time when most young children stop taking a nap during the day, the researchers are interested in how the kids will function without one. Apparently some are wondering if preschoolers and kindergartners would be better off not having nap-time at all. After all, that's time taken away from learning.

So far they have found that while children tend to differ in what time of day they need their sleep, most respond similarly to missing a nap or staying awake past their bedtime: they become disengaged.

Kids grow up so quickly and it saddens me that anyone would want to rush things along even more by taking away their nap. I'm sure there are some three or four-year-olds out there who would function just fine without a mid-afternoon snooze, but there's still so much going on in their little worlds at this age that I think a little down time in the middle of the day is very appropriate.