Elliott and my mom always ask me for a Christmas list for myself, and I always have a hard time thinking of anything to go on it. It wasn't too hard this year because I had a few things in mind :) Here it is:
a thermos with a pop-up top and straw from Target (I LOVE my kleen kanteen, but the top is annoying. A straw top would be so much easier to use, and I'm sure I would drink more water if I weren't so annoyed by the top!)
laminating paper
Dr. Sears Vaccine Book O is selectively vaccinated on a delayed schedule. She's actually almost caught up with her shots, but I'd like to have this book as a reference, especially if we ever have any more children.
Kids Knitting One of my New Year's resolutions for last year was to learn how to knit. It hasn't even come close to happening, so I'm hoping this book will help me come closer to this goal for the next year :) It has great reviews, and since it's written for children maybe it will be easy enough for my old brain to understand :)
a sticker maker I have big plans for this sticker maker! I plan to make stickers for O using photos, illustrations from old books, pictures from magazines, etc. However, I need to make sure the sticker cartridge has repositionable adhesive in it instead of permanent, so I won't have stickers permanently decorating every surface of my house!
That's it! Yes, I'm boring :) So...what's on your list?
Friday, November 28, 2008
O's Christmas List
I have to admit that while I try to minimize the amount of "stuff" that O has, and I strive to give her more handmade gifts than bought gifts, I do LOVE toys. I have a great time making O's Christmas wish list each year, and I'm so glad that her grandparents always request a list (otherwise I wouldn't make one). I enjoy researching toys and reading reviews. I have pretty strict criteria for the toys that go on O's list...no plastic, no batteries, no characters, made of wood, heirloom quality, open-ended, inspires creativity, etc. However, their are ALWAYS exceptions to my rules :) I make a LONG list so that O's grandparents can choose something that they like, and so they, hopefully, don't feel like I am just telling them what to buy :) Her grandparents usually buy 3 or 4 things off her list. We are VERY lucky that O's grandparents are respectful of our "criteria" for O's toys :) So here it is: (I'm copying and pasting from the email that I sent to O's grandparents. Although I have edited it a bit within the last week.)
Toys and Puzzles
rainbow blocks O loves her unit blocks so much that I think these will be a welcome addition to her open ended, creative block play!
Just Like Me Toddler Photo Doll Girl/Boy Set with Terrific Twins Clothes (felt paper doll made using O's picture) I think O will be thrillled to see herself as a paper doll! This is such a neat idea, and I think that since O loves to play dress up so much that it will be neat for her to dress up a doll that looks just like her!
block buddies
These blocks are so cool, and it's a great brain building exercise. I don't think amazon has a very good picture of the blocks, but www.mindware.com has better pictures if you are interested.
body puzzle Since O is very interested in veins and bones, I think this puzzle will be thrilling for her. I am sure she will learn so much from it.
yoga kit for kids O loved doing yoga months ago when we had a kids yoga library book, so I think it will be a fun addition to our morning routine to do yoga. I especially think she'll like pretending to be the different animals.
kids PVC free yoga mat
dollhouse nursery furniture
dollhouse accessory set
dollhouse furniture playground
marble runaround
All-in-One castle This is such an amazing toy. I wish I could see it in person! I think this is one that could definitely be passed down to O's children!
Nesting water waves
rainbow glockenspiel
magnetic labyrinth
Paint cups
Stories on CD
Jim Weiss Sweet Dreams cd
Jim Weiss Animal Tales
*Jim Weiss Good Night
Jim Weiss Fairytales
Montessori Materials
binomial cube
http://www.montessorioutlet.com/cgi-bin/item/S-021-1/search/Montessori-Outlet-Binomial-Cube
third box of color tablets
http://www.montessoriequipment.com/Color-Tablets-p/s.006.1.htm
baric tablets
http://www.montessoriequipment.com/Baric-Tablets-p/s.008.2.htm
thermic tablets
http://www.montessoriequipment.com/Thermic-Tablets-p/s.009.1.htm
metal insets with 2 stands http://www.montessoriequipment.com/Metal-Insets-p/l.411.1.htm
Games
Hello from around the world memory game O LOVES matching games, and I really like that this game uses actual photographs. I think it will be fun for her to learn how to say "hello" in so many different languages!
soundtracks game
Tell Me a Story cards
Toys and Puzzles
rainbow blocks O loves her unit blocks so much that I think these will be a welcome addition to her open ended, creative block play!
Just Like Me Toddler Photo Doll Girl/Boy Set with Terrific Twins Clothes (felt paper doll made using O's picture) I think O will be thrillled to see herself as a paper doll! This is such a neat idea, and I think that since O loves to play dress up so much that it will be neat for her to dress up a doll that looks just like her!
block buddies
These blocks are so cool, and it's a great brain building exercise. I don't think amazon has a very good picture of the blocks, but www.mindware.com has better pictures if you are interested.
body puzzle Since O is very interested in veins and bones, I think this puzzle will be thrilling for her. I am sure she will learn so much from it.
yoga kit for kids O loved doing yoga months ago when we had a kids yoga library book, so I think it will be a fun addition to our morning routine to do yoga. I especially think she'll like pretending to be the different animals.
kids PVC free yoga mat
dollhouse nursery furniture
dollhouse accessory set
dollhouse furniture playground
marble runaround
All-in-One castle This is such an amazing toy. I wish I could see it in person! I think this is one that could definitely be passed down to O's children!
Nesting water waves
rainbow glockenspiel
magnetic labyrinth
Paint cups
Stories on CD
Jim Weiss Sweet Dreams cd
Jim Weiss Animal Tales
*Jim Weiss Good Night
Jim Weiss Fairytales
Montessori Materials
binomial cube
http://www.montessorioutlet.com/cgi-bin/item/S-021-1/search/Montessori-Outlet-Binomial-Cube
third box of color tablets
http://www.montessoriequipment.com/Color-Tablets-p/s.006.1.htm
baric tablets
http://www.montessoriequipment.com/Baric-Tablets-p/s.008.2.htm
thermic tablets
http://www.montessoriequipment.com/Thermic-Tablets-p/s.009.1.htm
metal insets with 2 stands http://www.montessoriequipment.com/Metal-Insets-p/l.411.1.htm
Games
Hello from around the world memory game O LOVES matching games, and I really like that this game uses actual photographs. I think it will be fun for her to learn how to say "hello" in so many different languages!
soundtracks game
Tell Me a Story cards
A Lesson for O
Just in case there is any confusion...this post was written last Friday :)
We think it's important to teach O from an early age that it's better to give than receive. Last year, we filled a shoe box with goodies for Operation Christmas Child. This year we've (us and our extended family) adopted a family with 7 children under the age of 7. I told O about the family today, and I explained to her that we are buying toys and clothes for these children because they don't have many toys or clothes. Elliott gave O a few dollars, and O, my mom, and I went to town to quickly shop at the 3 dollar stores (this is a small town, and the only stores they have are Family Dollar, Dollar General, and Super 10. At least we didn't have to worry about Black Friday craziness!) O was not excited about buying toys that she did not get to keep at first. She picked out a doll that she felt like she just HAD to have. Luckily, we convinced her easily that she didn't need it since Baby Emma was waiting for her at home :) O was proud to show our purchases to my sister when we got home, and she said they were for the "other children and not O." Phew! I was afraid she wouldn't understand and would think that she got to keep the toys once we got them home. She also donated 2 dollars to St. Jude's, but I don't think she really understood that concept. Oh, well. At least we've started young :) I've also told her that when we get home (we are still at G & G's house) that I want her to go through her toys and books and choose some items to donate to kids who don't have as much as she does. She did not like this idea AT ALL, so we'll see how it goes!
We think it's important to teach O from an early age that it's better to give than receive. Last year, we filled a shoe box with goodies for Operation Christmas Child. This year we've (us and our extended family) adopted a family with 7 children under the age of 7. I told O about the family today, and I explained to her that we are buying toys and clothes for these children because they don't have many toys or clothes. Elliott gave O a few dollars, and O, my mom, and I went to town to quickly shop at the 3 dollar stores (this is a small town, and the only stores they have are Family Dollar, Dollar General, and Super 10. At least we didn't have to worry about Black Friday craziness!) O was not excited about buying toys that she did not get to keep at first. She picked out a doll that she felt like she just HAD to have. Luckily, we convinced her easily that she didn't need it since Baby Emma was waiting for her at home :) O was proud to show our purchases to my sister when we got home, and she said they were for the "other children and not O." Phew! I was afraid she wouldn't understand and would think that she got to keep the toys once we got them home. She also donated 2 dollars to St. Jude's, but I don't think she really understood that concept. Oh, well. At least we've started young :) I've also told her that when we get home (we are still at G & G's house) that I want her to go through her toys and books and choose some items to donate to kids who don't have as much as she does. She did not like this idea AT ALL, so we'll see how it goes!
A Lesson Learned...
I'm learning more and more about sewing everyday. Last night, I learned a very valuable lesson...it's sometimes a good idea to turn the sewing machine off before threading the needle! I was threading the needle while O was standing beside me drawing on a piece of paper. Somehow she stepped on the presser foot without realizing what it was, and that needle started moving FAST! It scared me too death, and we all screamed, but luckily I wasn't hurt :)
O's Handmade Doll Carrier
One our major projects for O's Christmas is a baby carrier that is modeled after my Beco. O loves to ride on my back in the Beco, so I hope that she'll love to carry her babies on her back, too.
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After we finished the carrier, we decided to make a drawstring bag to store the carrier in. O is going to have a very organized diaper bag! I actually had nothing to do with the making of this bag. My mom made it while babysitting O and my niece. She's a busy lady! Thanks, Mom!
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To make this carrier, I looked at my Beco for inspiration. O was asleep (and I didn't want her to see the carrier), so I used one of her shirts to figure out the size of the pattern. I cut the pattern from newspaper (and, of course, I almost forgot to allow for the seam. Luckily, my mom reminded me). I cut the fabric, sewed it front to front, leaving openings for the straps. To make the straps, I measured around O's waist with a ribbon and over her shoulders. I cut strips of the fabric, folded it front to front, and ironed it. Then I pinned it and sewed it. Once the straps were sewn, I pinned them in the carrier and sewed all around, leaving a small opening to turn it. I tacked the velcro onto the straps and left it for my mom to finish :) I was surprised by how quickly we made the carrier. I didn't even try to do the top stitching :) That was definitely a job for my mom, and she did a GREAT job! It's amazing how the top stitching changes the whole look of a project and makes it look SO MUCH better! Thanks, Mom!
Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing
Another fun thing about this carrier is that it is reversible. Also, we used velcro on the straps, so she will have lots of room to grow. I hope she won't grow out of this carrier for at least 3 or 4 years :)
Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing
After we finished the carrier, we decided to make a drawstring bag to store the carrier in. O is going to have a very organized diaper bag! I actually had nothing to do with the making of this bag. My mom made it while babysitting O and my niece. She's a busy lady! Thanks, Mom!
Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing
To make this carrier, I looked at my Beco for inspiration. O was asleep (and I didn't want her to see the carrier), so I used one of her shirts to figure out the size of the pattern. I cut the pattern from newspaper (and, of course, I almost forgot to allow for the seam. Luckily, my mom reminded me). I cut the fabric, sewed it front to front, leaving openings for the straps. To make the straps, I measured around O's waist with a ribbon and over her shoulders. I cut strips of the fabric, folded it front to front, and ironed it. Then I pinned it and sewed it. Once the straps were sewn, I pinned them in the carrier and sewed all around, leaving a small opening to turn it. I tacked the velcro onto the straps and left it for my mom to finish :) I was surprised by how quickly we made the carrier. I didn't even try to do the top stitching :) That was definitely a job for my mom, and she did a GREAT job! It's amazing how the top stitching changes the whole look of a project and makes it look SO MUCH better! Thanks, Mom!
Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing
Another fun thing about this carrier is that it is reversible. Also, we used velcro on the straps, so she will have lots of room to grow. I hope she won't grow out of this carrier for at least 3 or 4 years :)
A Handmade Tissue Holder
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Since I don't want O's doll diaper bag to be disorganized, I thought this handmade tissue holder would be the perfect place for her to store her doll's cloth wipes :) I followed the tutorial on Skip to My Lou, and the tissue holder was incredibly easy to make! It's the first thing I've EVER sewn completely independently (on the sewing machine)! I'm very proud :)
More Handmade Gifts
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Regular readers of this blog probably know that my mom and I are making a doll diaper bag full of handmade items for O for Christmas. Here are a few recent projects. Last night I made 2 cloth baby wipes and a burp cloth. They are so tiny and soft :) My mom did the top stitching...I tried to do it and almost ruined them. I'm getting better at this sewing thing, but I still need a lot of practice :)
Floam is Fun!
My friend, Becca, has been telling me about floam for a while, and we finally tried it! I planned on making homemade floam eventually, but when I saw it in the dollar store, I decided to go ahead and buy it. It's fun and a nice change from playdoh (although we still prefer playdoh). It's a bit more firm than playdoh, and it's somewhat difficult for O to roll flat, but she still has fun with it :)
Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing
Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing
Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing
Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Story Time Felts
We LOVE the Terrific Twin Toddler Felt Dolls! My 4 year old niece, M, and O (28 months) were very excited when I told them that I had a new toy for them to try out this morning. They played with the dolls for quite a while. I love how focused and quiet they were while playing! My sister tried to get M to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade on tv, but she didn't want to stop playing with the dolls. She finished her dinner quickly and immediately went back to playing with the dolls :) O and I had fun playing together, and I really like that the dolls are thick enough that you can dress them and then walk them around like they are figurines. We had so much fun!
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I really like that the dolls are made of VERY thick felt. This makes it easier and more fun to play with them like figurines instead of on a felt board.
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This is the tote that the dolls are stored in.
Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing
M LOVES the dolls even more than O does. My sister is definitely getting her a set of the dolls for Christmas! I love buying gifts for O that are well-made, open ended, and inspire creative play. These dolls definitely meet all of my criteria :) I also really like the photo dolls in felt. These dolls would be a fun keepsake :)
Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing
I really like that the dolls are made of VERY thick felt. This makes it easier and more fun to play with them like figurines instead of on a felt board.
Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing
This is the tote that the dolls are stored in.
Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing
M LOVES the dolls even more than O does. My sister is definitely getting her a set of the dolls for Christmas! I love buying gifts for O that are well-made, open ended, and inspire creative play. These dolls definitely meet all of my criteria :) I also really like the photo dolls in felt. These dolls would be a fun keepsake :)
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
An Upcoming Review
I just received a set of the Terrific Twins Toddler Felt Dolls from Story Time Felts, and I can't wait to write a review on them for all of you. I've been very interested in getting these dolls for O because I love paper dolls, but I'm afraid that she is a little young for them (28 months). Felt paper dolls are the perfect solution! I emailed the owner of the company asking if she would send a set of dolls for me to review. I wasn't really expecting to hear back from her at all, so imagine my surprise when she emailed me back within 10 minutes and said she'd love to send the dolls!!! I was shocked and happy :) The dolls arrived while we were at Disneyworld, but Elliott brought them to us tonight (we are still at O's Guh-guh and Grandpa's house). I was immediately impressed by several things: the dolls and their accessories are packaged in a see through bag (I love it when toys come with storage bags!); I was expecting the dolls to be made of regular felt, but they are actually VERY thick and sturdy; and the clothing and accessories are adorable and very well made (read here to see more about the product and process). I can't wait until tomorrow when I show the dolls to the girls (my niece and O). I hope they love them as much as I do. I'll let you know!
A Few Musical Instruments
I always try to buy musical instruments when we travel, and I was very pleased with the instruments I found at Disneyworld. Most of them had tags stating that they were handmade in places such as Ghana and Indonesia, and that a portion of the proceeds are donated to the communities in which they are made. Hopefully, that's true and not just a gimmick to get people to buy them! I was especially excited about the thumb drum! I've been looking at these online and in catalogs for a long time, but I'd never seen one IRL. I think we are going to have lots of fun making music soon. O might wake up to a stocking full of musical instruments on Christmas morning!
A Few Souvenirs
I was really excited to get O some neat items for her dress-up suitcase while we were at Disneyworld. I was looking forward to buying souvenirs in the World Showcase at Epcot, but I was disappointed at 1st. Then I found a hat and parasol in China. They were both reasonably priced, and I think she'll love them. The red hat came from Africa in the Animal Kingdom. I was surprised by how reasonably priced everything was. I was expecting outlandish prices for souvenirs since it's Disneyworld :)
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
O's Doll Carrier- In Progress
We are back from our vacation, and O and I are spending the week at Guh-guh & Grandpa's house (Elliott will be here with us tomorrow). My mom and I have been working nonstop on O's handmade Christmas gifts. Here is her baby doll carrier. We have all of the pieces, and now we just need to sew them together. So far, I've done all of the sewing, which is pretty surprising :) I'm going to let my mom do the top stitching, so it will look nice and neat instead of crooked :) Hopefully, we'll finish it tonight and start on the doll diaper bag. We are using my Beco as inspiration, and I'm hoping O's doll carrier will turn out the way I have imagined it!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
O's Favorites
Lately, I've been working on O's Christmas wish list (that her grandparents requested), and I've been thinking a lot about the toys that she plays with very frequently. I'd thought I'd share these things in case anyone else interested :)
1) playsilks- O was not very interested in her playsilks until I hung them on the wall. Ever since then, she has played with them EVERY day! I love the playsilks because they are so versatile and open ended. She uses them as hats, scarves, dresses, skirts, capes, doll blankets, as wrapping paper, to make forts, etc. The possibilities really are endless :) I ordered the silks from Dharma Trading Company about a year ago, and my mom and I dyed them using kool-aid. This is definitely one of O's most loved handmade gifts!
2) Unit blocks- O's grandparents gave her a set of unit blocks made by Melissa and Doug for her 2nd birthday. She only played with them once or twice a week at first, but then I moved them to a different, more accessible location in the room. Now she plays with them daily. She loves to make doll beds, hospitals, playgrounds, towers, etc.
3) kitchen set and play food- I've noticed lately that O stays away from her play kitchen if it is not neat and clean, so I am trying to get her to clean her kitchen after she plays instead of leaving food in the sink, etc. She usually plays with her kitchen at least once a day. She loves to fix pretend water with mustard and ketchup in it :)
4) books- We have a vast library of children's books! Mainly because I can't resist stopping by the thrift store every Thursday after work, and I usually buy at least 3 or 4 books. I'm trying to be more choosy lately :) We spend hours reading each day, and O loves to pretend to read by herself.
5) playdoh- O plays with her playdoh every day. This is her most popular toy right now! Her ice-cream maker is very cool, but she only uses it about once a day. She usually prefers to make cookies with the playdoh.
6) arts and crafts- Ever since I set up O's art shelf, she's been making "art" several times a day. This is thrilling for me because before I set up the shelf she never asked to color or paint. We only colored or painted if I iniated it. It's very exciting that she can color or paint (with dot painters) whenever she chooses, and she chooses to do so several times each day :) Yay!
7) baby dolls- Right now Baby Emma is O's favorite doll. O is a very nurturing, loving little mama, and she LOVES her babies.
8) bandaids- O LOVES bandaids!!! She usually has at least 3 or 4 bandaids randomly placed on her body. She also loves giving us bandaids. Luckily, my mom buys bandaids at the Dollar Tree, and we always keep several boxes on hand :) I think Santa may fill O's stocking with boxes of bandaids!
9) Rainbow Nesting Tunnel- My dad gave O this rainbow nesting tunnel for Christmas last year, and it is such a beautiful, well made toy. She's been playing with it very frequently for almost a year, and we love to play with it, too :) She uses it as a tunnel, bracelets, anklets, cave, dog house (for miniature dogs), etc.
1) playsilks- O was not very interested in her playsilks until I hung them on the wall. Ever since then, she has played with them EVERY day! I love the playsilks because they are so versatile and open ended. She uses them as hats, scarves, dresses, skirts, capes, doll blankets, as wrapping paper, to make forts, etc. The possibilities really are endless :) I ordered the silks from Dharma Trading Company about a year ago, and my mom and I dyed them using kool-aid. This is definitely one of O's most loved handmade gifts!
2) Unit blocks- O's grandparents gave her a set of unit blocks made by Melissa and Doug for her 2nd birthday. She only played with them once or twice a week at first, but then I moved them to a different, more accessible location in the room. Now she plays with them daily. She loves to make doll beds, hospitals, playgrounds, towers, etc.
3) kitchen set and play food- I've noticed lately that O stays away from her play kitchen if it is not neat and clean, so I am trying to get her to clean her kitchen after she plays instead of leaving food in the sink, etc. She usually plays with her kitchen at least once a day. She loves to fix pretend water with mustard and ketchup in it :)
4) books- We have a vast library of children's books! Mainly because I can't resist stopping by the thrift store every Thursday after work, and I usually buy at least 3 or 4 books. I'm trying to be more choosy lately :) We spend hours reading each day, and O loves to pretend to read by herself.
5) playdoh- O plays with her playdoh every day. This is her most popular toy right now! Her ice-cream maker is very cool, but she only uses it about once a day. She usually prefers to make cookies with the playdoh.
6) arts and crafts- Ever since I set up O's art shelf, she's been making "art" several times a day. This is thrilling for me because before I set up the shelf she never asked to color or paint. We only colored or painted if I iniated it. It's very exciting that she can color or paint (with dot painters) whenever she chooses, and she chooses to do so several times each day :) Yay!
7) baby dolls- Right now Baby Emma is O's favorite doll. O is a very nurturing, loving little mama, and she LOVES her babies.
8) bandaids- O LOVES bandaids!!! She usually has at least 3 or 4 bandaids randomly placed on her body. She also loves giving us bandaids. Luckily, my mom buys bandaids at the Dollar Tree, and we always keep several boxes on hand :) I think Santa may fill O's stocking with boxes of bandaids!
9) Rainbow Nesting Tunnel- My dad gave O this rainbow nesting tunnel for Christmas last year, and it is such a beautiful, well made toy. She's been playing with it very frequently for almost a year, and we love to play with it, too :) She uses it as a tunnel, bracelets, anklets, cave, dog house (for miniature dogs), etc.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
We Survived 6 Days at Disneyworld...
We have had a great time this week, but we are TIRED! I think we'll need at least 2 more weeks of vacation to recover :) I can't wait to get home and take the time to look at all of the pictures. Between my mom, my sister, and me, we probably took at least 200 to 300 pictures a day. I'm planning on making a Snapfish book of the week, and I'm sure that choosing the pictures for the book is not going to be easy. I'm so proud of O for having such great behavior even when she was tired. She was very excited to choose a prize today. She chose a set of Cinderella figurines, and she has had fun playing with them. Although, she's been a little concerned that there is no pumpkin with the set, and Cinderella doesn't have shoes. After playing with her figurines for a while, she spent an hour or more playing with a stack of hotel towels. Who new that towels could be so much fun??? She spread them out, stacked them, made a path with the washcloths, and wrapped a towel around her leg when she was pretending that her leg was broken. Who needs toys when you have towels?! She's also really enjoyed playing with quarters, nickels, and dimes this week. On the bus rides, she played with her fingers...making a church, steeple, and then all the people (you know the rhyme, right?). So...I'm realizing more and more that the toys I buy her are more for me than her, but it's still so much fun :) I've spent way too much on souvenirs this week, but I did get some really cool things for O's dress-up suitcase and her musical instrument collection. Hopefully, I'll be able to get these things home intact and unseen by O :)
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Time-out at Hollywood Studios
O was so excited that Elliott put her in time-out at Hollywood Studios this afternoon! My girl is an interesting kid, and she loves time-out :) She playfully bit Elliott on the shoulder. He wasn't mad, but she wouldn't say she was sorry, so he put her in time-out. She was thrilled, of course (and we are sure she intentionally wouldn't say she was sorry because she wanted to go in time-out). After a few minutes, she still wouldn't say she was sorry, so I went to talk to her. After I told her that she didn't have to get out of time-out if she apologized, she ran to Elliott, hugged him, and told him she was sorry. Then she was ready for more time-out. The poor kid probably just needed a break from this action packed vacation :)
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Wow! I am SO tired :)
Vacationing is Disneyworld is certainly not a relaxing vacation! We are having a fantastic time, but we are exhausted. It's 9:00 and almost everybody is asleep for the night (Guh-guh, Grandpa, Elliott, Mem, etc.). My mom wore a pedometer the 1st 2 days, and we are averaging about 5 to 6 miles a day. I'm hoping to lose the baby weight that I gained during my 11 weeks of pregnancy (I'm sure those of you who have lost a baby can sympathize with how much it sucks to have baby weight, but no baby). Hopefully, I'll be able to fit into my clothes again after this trip. Anyway...we've had 1 day at Epcot, 2 days at Magic Kingdom, and we are planning on going to Hollywood Studios tomorrow. O has been a trooper. She got scared yesterday during the Winnie-the-Pooh ride, and then we believed the guidebook when it said that the Haunted Mansion wasn't scary...mistake! It IS scary if you are 2 years old :( I sang "You are my sunshine" quietly into O's ear about 100 times as we went through the ride to help her feel less scared. Later, she told us that she was scared of the aliens in the Haunted House. She said they were tall and might get her. Poor baby! So, now she is scared of every indoor ride, but she loves the outdoor rides. She especially loves the carousel and the teacups. While we were spinning VERY fast on the teacups, she yelled "Ock and Oll!" (rock and roll). Now it's time for me to go to bed :)
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Using Her Best Manners :)
We were lucky enough to get last minute reservations for lunch at Cinderella's Royal Table (Thanks, Mem!), and we had a great time. O says that meeting Snow White was her favorite part, but I think that eating ice-cream was the highlight of her afternoon :)
Dancing in Italy
When she hears music, O dances! O was so excited everytime she heard music yesterday in Epcot. She danced in Morocco, Italy, Germany, etc. She almost jumped out of my arms when I showed her this stage in Italy :) She loves to perform!
Monday, November 17, 2008
We're at Disneyworld!
We spent the day at Epcot, and we're having a great time. O was unbelievably well-behaved today, and I am so proud of her :) She loved making a mask in Itally. We are going to the Magic Kingdom tomorrow, and I hope she'll be well rested enough to have fun. Today was a busy day, but tomorrow will be even busier!
The Elf on the Shelf
This little elf has been watching O for about a week. My mom bought this elf and 2 others last year after Christmas, and she gave one to O. O was a little nervous about the elf watching her at 1st, and she didn't want to touch him, but now she loves him :) She likes to give him hugs and makes sure that he can see her when she is playing. We told her that he is watching her to make sure she uses her nice manners, and he tells Santa Claus what he sees. The elf moves to a different location each night while O is sleeping, so it's fun to find him each morning. This is a fun tradition that we are excited to start this year :)
Saturday, November 15, 2008
So I've Spent A Lot of Time...
looking at toys on the internet lately. I love to find and research great, heirloom toys year around, but it's especially fun at Christmas time :) I worked for several weeks on a Christmas list for O that her grandparents requested (and I'll post it eventually in case anyone is interested). I'm not looking forward to the day that O wants to choose her own toys :) Anyway...I love this tree house. O is too young for it, and I don't think she'd be especially impressed with it now. Also, it cost much more than we spend at Christmas, but I REALLY want to get it for her...maybe next year! What are your dream toys or games for your children?
Little Ladybug
Here is the back view of Baby Emma in her ladybug costume for dogs :) I also bought a witch costume for her, but I haven't tried it on her yet.
Dog Costumes for Baby Dolls
I found this cute ladybug costume for Baby Emma for only 1.75! It's a dog costume, and it fits Baby Emma perfectly! Now she and O can play dress-up together :)
An Easy Silhouette
Since I've been posting about our handmade gifts lately, I thought I'd include this silhouette of O that I made last year. It was very easy, and her grandparents loved them. To make this silhouette I took a profile picture of O, printed it as an 8 x 10, cut out around her profile, and painted it black. Cutting the hair was a little difficult, and I'm still not happy with how it turned out. I think it will be a little easier to do now that her hair is longer :) I think this idea came from here. Enjoy!
The VERY best indoor playhouse
All you need for the very best indoor playhouse is a few blankets or a couple of yards of fabric and a couple of chairs! My sister, brother, and I used to build these playhouses all the time, and it was so much fun. My mom and O had a great time building and playing in this fantastic playhouse on Thursday. O also really likes to play with placemats (she likes to spread them out and pretend they are hospitals, etc.), and she insisted on decorating the inside of her playhouse with them. My mom said that O asked to decorate her house with markers, but mom convinced her that colorful beanbags would be much prettier :) O was very excited and proud to show Elliott and I her house when we got home on Thursday.
Friday, November 14, 2008
The 3 Little Pigs
O has really enjoyed hearing the story of the 3 Little Pigs lately. After she finished putting the popsicle sticks in the cup a few days ago, she asked me to build a house around her with sticks. I then pretended to be the big bad wolf and she was a little pig :) Notice her beautiful ruby, red shoes and her mama drawn tattoos on her arms :)
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Playdough Shelf- Revised
I quickly realized that the playdough shelf wasn't suiting O's needs, and I needed to revise it. I planned on her playing with her playdough at the shelf since she does her artwork at the shelf (it's the perfect height), but she was not interested in that at all! However, she only likes to play with playdough at the table, and she was carrying everything across the room to her frog table. That really didn't make any sense since there is a shelf right next to the frog table. So...I rearranged things and put the playdough and accessories on the IKEA shelf. This is much better, and she is almost constantly playing with playdough (although she's mainly interested in cutting out cookies with "duhkie cutters" instead of playing with her ice-cream maker).
A Felt Snoman Activity
This felt snowman activity was also inspired by Itty Bitty Love and Starfall. I actually made the snowman before the turkey, and I really love him :) I've really enjoyed making these felt activities because they are so quick and easy. It's great to be able to start and finish something in the same night! I hope that O is going to have fun playing with him!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Another Oldie but Goodie :)
O enjoyed putting popsicle sticks in to the slot of an insulated mug today. This was another activity that we haven't done in a while, and she was excited to see it again.
What's Inside?
O has not been very interested in the activities on her Montessori shelf lately, so I decided to spice things up by adding a couple of new work and bringing out a few that she hasn't seen in a while. We first did the activity about a year ago, and it is a lot of fun! To do this activity you need a container that rolls (a small oatmeal container is perfect). We had several objects- shell, golf ball, marble, block, sponge, and we took turns putting in one object at a time while the other person closed her eyes. Then we rolled the container, and we took turns guessing what was inside. Fun and easy!
Felt Turkey Activity in Action
I introduced this activity to O this morning, and she was very excited. I let her choose the picture, and I showed her how to make the turkey match the picture. The turkey's body, face, and legs were already put together on the felt board, so the only parts we added/changed were the feathers and hats. She needed help with this, but I think she'll be more independent next time :) Check back tomorrow for another fun felt activity!
Just in case anyone noticed... yes, O does have a green ball down her shirt! Her daddy gave her the ball when we were at his office yesterday, and she does not like to let it out of her sight. So, obviously the best place to keep it is in her shirt! (it won't fit in her pocket) After we finished the activity, she said the nurse had to take the ball out. Then we played nurse/dr for a while. That's always a popular activity lately!
A Fun Felt Turkey Activity
The idea for this activity came from Itty Bitty Love's jack o'lantern activity. I didn't get around to making that one, so I decided to make a turkey. I couldn't really get a good picture of a turkey in my mind until I saw Laura's turkey, so that turkey was the inspiration. I also got ideas for the feathers and hats from Starfall. To make this activity, I just cut the shapes out from felt, took pictures of the different turkey arrangements, printed the pictures (wallet sized), laminated the pictures, and we were ready to go! I spread all of the pieces out on a bigger felt board, so O could see them easily. To make the small felt board, I just glued a piece of felt to a piece of a cardboard box. I think we are going to have LOTS of fun with this one!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Pouring Water
I found this tiny little teapot and cup at the thrift store for 50 cents and introduced O to pouring water. She LOVES it! She loves anything tiny, so this was perfect for her. She drank all the water, and I had to keep refilling the teapot :)
O's Handmade Color Book
It's finished!!! I started taking pictures for this book in April and planned on finishing for O's birthday in July. I worked on it and thought I'd finish it in August. Then I put it down and didn't pick it back up until Sunday. I'm so happy to be finished with it, and O loves it! Yay!!!!
Multi-age Grouping with an Only Child
How do you do mult-age grouping when you are using Montessori methods to homeschool an only child? With baby dolls, of course! Every time O does her puzzles, she makes sure that Tiny is nearby to watch. Yesterday, she even did hand over hand to teach Tiny how to do the puzzle.
Pipe Cleaner Work
The idea for this activity came from Montessori Mama's blog. We've done something similar using toothpicks, but this was a little more challenging. I cut the pipe cleaners long enough to stick out of the container, so she could pull them out after she finished putting them in. She really enjoyed this work!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Geometric Solids
I introduced the geometric solids to O today. I expected her to like them more than she did. I am following Gettman's instructions as to how to how to introduce them, so today we just felt them and experienced them. She was mainly interested in building a castle :)
Baby Doll Diapers
My mom and I have been working hard on O's handmade Christmas gifts :) We were glad to finish these baby doll diapers for Baby Emma. I made the small striped on by myself (except for the velcro. My mom sewed it on with the sewing machine after I tacked it). Unfortunately, I always forget about the seam allowance, so it's a tight fit. Fortunately, Baby Emma doesn't mind :) While we were working, my mom tried one of the diapers on Baby Emma, and she was concerned that it gapped a little in the back. I reminded her that we don't have to worry about leaks with these diapers :) I guess she was remembering our days (about 2 years ago) when we made diapers for O. These were MUCH easier, but we both enjoyed making the quilt much more than the diapers :)
Sunday, November 9, 2008
O's Doll Cradle...In Progress
Elliott and I have been working on O's doll cradle today. He was not at all excited about it, but he worked hard once we got started :) I drew out a pattern on a grocery bag and then traced it onto the board. Then Elliott cut everything out. It's a bit assymetrical, but hopefully O won't notice the imperfections :) I sanded it tonight, and I'm hoping to prime and paint it tomorrow.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
A Handmade Christmas
It's finished!!! Well...it's almost finished. We still haven't actually quilted it yet :) This baby doll quilt is a big part of O's handmade Christmas this year. We made it to match her "I Spy" quilt that we made for her last year. I am so happy with how it turned out, and I have to give the vast majority of the credit to my mom. Thanks, Mom! Unfortunately, O has already seen it, but I'm hoping she'll somehow forget about it before Christmas (not likely). We suggested that maybe we were making it for my niece, and O didn't like that idea at all! She said "Guh-guh make kilt for O!" We reminded her that she already had a quilt, and she said "O needs 2!" Now, I just have to convince Elliott to help me make her baby doll cradle!
Friday, November 7, 2008
O's Stage
O asked me to help her spread out her silks to make a stage. She had lots of fun dancing on her stage. I was just glad that she's feeling better (she's had a cold with a low grade fever all week). These playsilks are the best *toys* ever!!!
Costumes for O's Dress-up Suitcase
I also got great deals on several costumes. I was very excited to find the butterfly, cat, and poodle at Old Navy for 5 dollars each (regularly 22.50). The Cinderella dress came from Target, and it was not such a great deal even though it was 50% off. However, a "buh-loo dess ike Cindah-ella" is the only thing that O has ever really requested," so I couldn't really refuse that :) (we've been reading Cinderella very frequently in preparation for our upcoming Disneyworld trip). I can't wait to see her face when she opens it on Christmas morning.