Thursday, February 28, 2013
Lincoln's Reading Corner February 2013
Good news - even with all of the birthday craziness this month, Lincoln seemed to enjoy reading again! He's still very busy most of the time and doesn't want to sit still for long - but a few of these have been important enough to him that he has brought them to us repeatedly. I love reading time - since it is one of the few times he is actually calm!
1. Hippo Says Excuse Me. All right, this one is a stretch. He's let me read it to him once - because it has a "BUS!!!!" We have checked out this books and others in the series from the library several times - great set of chunky board books on manners! Adelaide really enjoyed looking at the pictures in Mouse Says Sorry.
2. Things That Go. Our favorite thing to do with this book is have Lincoln name all the vehicles. He knows train, truck, bus, choo-choo, boat, balloon, and bike. We're still working on scooter, blimp, rollerskates, motorcycle, and trolley. This particular book is fun because it features more than just the typical car, truck, and train.
3. Little Blue Truck Leads the Way. We gave Lincoln the board book edition of this favorite for his birthday - and while he's really too busy playing with all the new toys most of the time, he does seem to really enjoy this one. Whenever we can get him to sit still for twelve seconds, that is.
4. Maisy's Train. This book has a duck, and a choo-choo, and a clock. So he is thrilled with it!
5. The Pigeon Loves Things That Go. I checked this book out from the library because I love Pigeon. When I worked as a library clerk, I always stopped to read the Pigeon books when they came by my desk. Hilarious! And this title has vehicles for my little man - perfect.
6. The Wheels on the Truck. A little variety on the Wheels on the Bus song - fun book to use for a sing along with your kiddo.
7. Red Truck, Yellow Bus: A Book of Colors. Another fun book filled with vehicles! You are probably noticing a theme.
8. Mickey's Play & Learn Piano Songs. My grandparents gave Lincoln this awesome book for his birthday, and he is really enjoying it. He doesn't grasp the concept of reading the notes or understanding which key is which yet - but it's a good start to just play with a piano. And when we eventually start lessons in a few years, we'll pull this book out again for some easy key recognition practice!
9. Storybook Rhymes. This is a book that's been in our collection for over a year - it's been riding in the van until very recently. Lincoln looked at it during a car ride and realized that it features the song "Hickory Dickory Dock" - which is used in one of his favorite Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episodes - Clarabelle's Clubhouse Mooo-sical. I don't know why, but he is obsessed with clocks right now! So he now carries this big storybook around, pushing the buttons over and over until he gets to hear the clock song again.
February definitely had more favorite books than the last few months - yay! If you're looking for more reading ideas, you can check out all our recent favorites here!
Simple Moments v.11 - Snow Day Edition
I didn't get a simple moments post up last week...because we were in the middle of a crazy late winter snowstorm! My blogging schedule has been thrown off because of all the snow days - even if we are home every day, when there is snow coming down out the window, it makes more sense to do out-of-the-ordinary things.
The first snow day, we spent some time doing Pinterest activities - playing with beans and measuring spoons was first. While it really is a good idea, it turns out that a two-year-old boy will have far more fun by tossing handfuls of beans in the air and across the kitchen. After about five minutes, it became clear that he was not going to use the nice measuring cups, muffin tin, and bread pan that I had for him to play with. Oh well.
After that semi-fail, we decided to try another idea that my friend Stephanie posted last week - toddler science experiments. This one also didn't go quite as well. Lincoln mostly wanted to eat the baking soda and vinegar - yes, even after trying it several times, he kept eating it. Gross. We found that he wanted nothing to do with dropping vinegar in the pan of baking soda - but he did enjoy dumping baking soda in the paper cups to make mini volcanoes. This entertained him until we ran out of vinegar - which was pretty quickly.
We were stuck inside, but I had fun finding some simple moments throughout the day - my OCD hubby had to organize all the Mega Bloks by color, my also awesome hubby made us some banana pancakes and Apple Pie Oatmeal for dinner (and it was delicious), and my sweet baby spent a lot of time being snuggly.
There was, of course, lots of napping and nursing by the littlest family member. What is it about snow days that make you sleepy?
We got a lot of snow and decided it was worth the time Andrew would save to just pay someone to clear our driveway! Turned out to be great entertainment for Lincoln, when it was accomplished with a Bobcat. He was absolutely thrilled - a truck in his own front yard!
While snow days are fun, I'm kind of ready to get back into a "normal" routine. What simple moments made you smile this week?
The first snow day, we spent some time doing Pinterest activities - playing with beans and measuring spoons was first. While it really is a good idea, it turns out that a two-year-old boy will have far more fun by tossing handfuls of beans in the air and across the kitchen. After about five minutes, it became clear that he was not going to use the nice measuring cups, muffin tin, and bread pan that I had for him to play with. Oh well.
After that semi-fail, we decided to try another idea that my friend Stephanie posted last week - toddler science experiments. This one also didn't go quite as well. Lincoln mostly wanted to eat the baking soda and vinegar - yes, even after trying it several times, he kept eating it. Gross. We found that he wanted nothing to do with dropping vinegar in the pan of baking soda - but he did enjoy dumping baking soda in the paper cups to make mini volcanoes. This entertained him until we ran out of vinegar - which was pretty quickly.
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We were stuck inside, but I had fun finding some simple moments throughout the day - my OCD hubby had to organize all the Mega Bloks by color, my also awesome hubby made us some banana pancakes and Apple Pie Oatmeal for dinner (and it was delicious), and my sweet baby spent a lot of time being snuggly.
There was, of course, lots of napping and nursing by the littlest family member. What is it about snow days that make you sleepy?
He called it a "track-ey" - tractor. |
We got a lot of snow and decided it was worth the time Andrew would save to just pay someone to clear our driveway! Turned out to be great entertainment for Lincoln, when it was accomplished with a Bobcat. He was absolutely thrilled - a truck in his own front yard!
While snow days are fun, I'm kind of ready to get back into a "normal" routine. What simple moments made you smile this week?
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Interview with Lincoln: 2 Years Old
A growing trend I've noticed in the Pinterest and blogging world is to interview your children on their birthday each year, so that you can mark all their favorite things and how they change from year to year. As a somewhat obsessive memory-keeper, I really wanted to start this tradition this year. However - while Lincoln's vocabulary is improving, it's nowhere near ready for something this detailed. So this year? I'm writing the "mommy version" - or what I am pretty confident he would answer if he knew all of the words. I can't wait until next year to hear his real answers!
Also...I know it's really long. But I know I will love being able to look back at his answers through the years and remember so many little details about who he was at each stage of life.
How old are you? Two!
What makes you happy? Mama, Dada, Baby. But mostly, trrrrrrucks and cars and buses and boats and planes. And Mickey Mouse.
What is your favorite toy? Remote Control Car, Ride-on Toys (Mickey train, Dinosaur, scooter, and derby car), and most of all, my giant collection of Hot Wheels cars!
What is your favorite stuffed animal? My puppy or Mario star.
What is your favorite real animal? Dogs!
What is your favorite thing to sleep with? A blankie (not a particular favorite - any will do) and Mommy. I don't like to snuggle with toys or pillows while sleeping.
What is your favorite color? I don't have one yet.
What is your favorite fruit? How to pick just one? Bananas, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, apples, grapes.
What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Half a banana and probably other fruit, yogurt, scrambled eggs, "chos" (Cheerios) or "chick" (Chex).
What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Cheese - string, sliced, cubed, doesn't really matter. Crackers, grapes, mac and cheese, yogurt.
What do you want to eat for your birthday dinner? Mac and cheese or chicken nuggets or pizza!
What is your favorite drink? I really only drink water from my sippy cup, but sometimes mommy lets me have "chuice" (juice) and it is awesome. I also still want milkies (nursing) a few times a day.
What is your favorite dessert? I don't eat a whole lot of sugar, but beg mommy for "cooks" (cookies) whenever I see her sneaking an Oreo. It's like she thinks I won't notice!
What is a food that makes you want to puke? Most vegetables and especially those that are green (broccoli, green beans, peas, etc).
What is your favorite thing to do? Play with trucks and RUN AS FAST AS I CAN. Especially outside.
What is your favorite TV show? Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Pocoyo, Chuggington, various re-runs of Mickey Mouse cartoons on YouTube. And the All About video series - especially the car, truck, and monster truck episodes.
What is your favorite movie? Cars, Winnie the Pooh, Lady & the Tramp.
What are you really good at? Running, throwing, arranging cars in perfect formation.
What is your favorite song? The Mickey Mouse Hot Dog song!
Who is the Coolest Person on Earth? Probably Mommy. Daddy is a close second.
What do you and your mom do together? Hang out all day, visit friends or the park, laundry, play with cars and trucks, read books, snuggle.
What do you and your dad do together? Play really really rough, chase each other around the house, go for walks, go to Walmart, read books, watch DuckTales.
When you were little, what did you do? Play with balls and cars! And I ate more vegetables.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? The Choo-Choo Restaurant (Fritz's), the park, and anywhere else that I can run!
What do you think your parents are too strict about? They think I should sleep at night! How silly of them! Also, why can't I just eat cheese and drink juice all day every day?
Who is your best friend? Grace. But I also still love Mommy an awful lot.
What are some of your favorite words to say? No-no-no-no-no!, uh-oh, cars, trucks, bus, "chuice" (juice), "coze" (clothes), "dee-wah" (means milk, Mickey, and for a long time, mommy), baby, dog, cheese, "nack" (snack), hot (usually said with the O very drawn out - "hooooooot!"), nose, eyes, ears, mouth, "nummy" (yummy), "uckies" (yucky), "wone" (phone), "die" (diaper), "howsssse" (house).
What is your favorite thing to do outside? RUN.
What is your favorite book? Little Blue Truck Leads the Way.
What do you want to be when you grow up? A car mechanic!
I can't believe how big you are at two years old, Lincoln - and I cannot wait until next year to hear how your favorite things have changed!
Questions compiled from A Beautiful Ruckus, Ali Edwards, and Paper Nook. Thanks!
Also...I know it's really long. But I know I will love being able to look back at his answers through the years and remember so many little details about who he was at each stage of life.
How old are you? Two!
What makes you happy? Mama, Dada, Baby. But mostly, trrrrrrucks and cars and buses and boats and planes. And Mickey Mouse.
What is your favorite toy? Remote Control Car, Ride-on Toys (Mickey train, Dinosaur, scooter, and derby car), and most of all, my giant collection of Hot Wheels cars!
What is your favorite stuffed animal? My puppy or Mario star.
What is your favorite real animal? Dogs!
What is your favorite thing to sleep with? A blankie (not a particular favorite - any will do) and Mommy. I don't like to snuggle with toys or pillows while sleeping.
What is your favorite color? I don't have one yet.
What is your favorite fruit? How to pick just one? Bananas, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, apples, grapes.
What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Half a banana and probably other fruit, yogurt, scrambled eggs, "chos" (Cheerios) or "chick" (Chex).
What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Cheese - string, sliced, cubed, doesn't really matter. Crackers, grapes, mac and cheese, yogurt.
What do you want to eat for your birthday dinner? Mac and cheese or chicken nuggets or pizza!
What is your favorite drink? I really only drink water from my sippy cup, but sometimes mommy lets me have "chuice" (juice) and it is awesome. I also still want milkies (nursing) a few times a day.
What is your favorite dessert? I don't eat a whole lot of sugar, but beg mommy for "cooks" (cookies) whenever I see her sneaking an Oreo. It's like she thinks I won't notice!
What is a food that makes you want to puke? Most vegetables and especially those that are green (broccoli, green beans, peas, etc).
What is your favorite thing to do? Play with trucks and RUN AS FAST AS I CAN. Especially outside.
What is your favorite TV show? Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Pocoyo, Chuggington, various re-runs of Mickey Mouse cartoons on YouTube. And the All About video series - especially the car, truck, and monster truck episodes.
What is your favorite movie? Cars, Winnie the Pooh, Lady & the Tramp.
What are you really good at? Running, throwing, arranging cars in perfect formation.
What is your favorite song? The Mickey Mouse Hot Dog song!
Who is the Coolest Person on Earth? Probably Mommy. Daddy is a close second.
What do you and your mom do together? Hang out all day, visit friends or the park, laundry, play with cars and trucks, read books, snuggle.
What do you and your dad do together? Play really really rough, chase each other around the house, go for walks, go to Walmart, read books, watch DuckTales.
When you were little, what did you do? Play with balls and cars! And I ate more vegetables.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? The Choo-Choo Restaurant (Fritz's), the park, and anywhere else that I can run!
What do you think your parents are too strict about? They think I should sleep at night! How silly of them! Also, why can't I just eat cheese and drink juice all day every day?
Who is your best friend? Grace. But I also still love Mommy an awful lot.
What are some of your favorite words to say? No-no-no-no-no!, uh-oh, cars, trucks, bus, "chuice" (juice), "coze" (clothes), "dee-wah" (means milk, Mickey, and for a long time, mommy), baby, dog, cheese, "nack" (snack), hot (usually said with the O very drawn out - "hooooooot!"), nose, eyes, ears, mouth, "nummy" (yummy), "uckies" (yucky), "wone" (phone), "die" (diaper), "howsssse" (house).
What is your favorite thing to do outside? RUN.
What is your favorite book? Little Blue Truck Leads the Way.
What do you want to be when you grow up? A car mechanic!
I can't believe how big you are at two years old, Lincoln - and I cannot wait until next year to hear how your favorite things have changed!
Questions compiled from A Beautiful Ruckus, Ali Edwards, and Paper Nook. Thanks!
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Just Throw That Type-A Personality Out the Window
Yeah, that's easier said than done.
I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it many, many more times before my career as a stay-at-home mom is done. This job is hard.
Before I had my sweet little ones, I was a very productive person. Sure, I still might have never had everything done, but at least I made progress. I could stay up until 4am and survive a full day at work on two hours of sleep if I had to, and I was glad that I could if it meant I had accomplished something. But these days, I am spending hours and hours awake every night with my toddler who still won't sleep through the night. Where is the productivity in that lost sleep? I sure can't find it. And when I drag my groggy, sorry self out of bed when he is again awake at 6am, I can't find any motivation to wipe the kitchen counter clean, much less do the 47 piled-up sewing projects, scrapbooking inspirations, and thank you notes and memory journals and meal plans.
And it is driving me absolutely crazy.
Maybe some stay-at-home moms feel content or even proud when their day is done and everyone in their house is alive. I have days like that, occasionally. If it's bedtime and I have managed to nurse the baby twelve times, change sixteen diapers, take a shower, feed the toddler something other than cheerios or crackers, run the dishwasher, wash four loads of laundry and get the clean clothes upstairs - even if not put away, and bathe at least one of the kids.... I probably should feel proud, right?
But most of the time, I don't. Most of the time I go to sleep at or after midnight, frustrated because all I wanted to do that day was write three blog posts, order photos for my scrapbook and all the grandparents, clean out the office closet, tag 246 items for the upcoming consignment sale, meal plan things that we will all enjoy even with my dairy restriction, grocery shop, and oh, you know - do a dozen Pinterest-worthy children's craft projects every day and keep the toilets clean and the floors vacuumed and have a hot meal on the table when Daddy walks in the door. Mom confession time: Daddy does 98% of the cooking in this house. And that is not an exaggeration.
The worst thing about all this is that people are constantly telling you to cherish these days, because they won't last and you'll wish you had them back. That's the problem. I know this - and I really do try to always appreciate the time that I have with my kids. But what am I supposed to do when the toddler is running circles around my kitchen after I've asked him to stop eight times, but I'm busy changing the baby's fourth poopy diaper in ten minutes so I can't catch him as he lands headfirst in the door frame? Giant scratch on his head? Check. Feelings of mom failure? Double check. And then heap on the guilt because I'm not enjoying that particular moment of my life.
This stage of parenting is hard because my kids aren't old enough to help me yet. I have to take care of two other people, so caring for myself falls by the wayside. Lincoln's one chore of throwing away pieces of trash or dirty diapers is only successful about 75% of the time. I should look on the bright side though, because today I asked him to bring me the box of wipes while Addie was nursing and he gave me the brightest grin and did it immediately. It's moments like that one that are most helpful to the survival of a mom of tiny kids. I have great hope that a year or two or five from now, things will be at least a little easier. Maybe I'm nuts. But if I'm wrong, please don't tell me. I think I'll handle it better if I find out these things as I go.
And hopefully, by that time I'll be a little more okay with having days that are not up to my productivity standard. Until that day comes... I guess I am a work in progress.
I am also very, very tired.
I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it many, many more times before my career as a stay-at-home mom is done. This job is hard.
Before I had my sweet little ones, I was a very productive person. Sure, I still might have never had everything done, but at least I made progress. I could stay up until 4am and survive a full day at work on two hours of sleep if I had to, and I was glad that I could if it meant I had accomplished something. But these days, I am spending hours and hours awake every night with my toddler who still won't sleep through the night. Where is the productivity in that lost sleep? I sure can't find it. And when I drag my groggy, sorry self out of bed when he is again awake at 6am, I can't find any motivation to wipe the kitchen counter clean, much less do the 47 piled-up sewing projects, scrapbooking inspirations, and thank you notes and memory journals and meal plans.
And it is driving me absolutely crazy.
Maybe some stay-at-home moms feel content or even proud when their day is done and everyone in their house is alive. I have days like that, occasionally. If it's bedtime and I have managed to nurse the baby twelve times, change sixteen diapers, take a shower, feed the toddler something other than cheerios or crackers, run the dishwasher, wash four loads of laundry and get the clean clothes upstairs - even if not put away, and bathe at least one of the kids.... I probably should feel proud, right?
But most of the time, I don't. Most of the time I go to sleep at or after midnight, frustrated because all I wanted to do that day was write three blog posts, order photos for my scrapbook and all the grandparents, clean out the office closet, tag 246 items for the upcoming consignment sale, meal plan things that we will all enjoy even with my dairy restriction, grocery shop, and oh, you know - do a dozen Pinterest-worthy children's craft projects every day and keep the toilets clean and the floors vacuumed and have a hot meal on the table when Daddy walks in the door. Mom confession time: Daddy does 98% of the cooking in this house. And that is not an exaggeration.
The worst thing about all this is that people are constantly telling you to cherish these days, because they won't last and you'll wish you had them back. That's the problem. I know this - and I really do try to always appreciate the time that I have with my kids. But what am I supposed to do when the toddler is running circles around my kitchen after I've asked him to stop eight times, but I'm busy changing the baby's fourth poopy diaper in ten minutes so I can't catch him as he lands headfirst in the door frame? Giant scratch on his head? Check. Feelings of mom failure? Double check. And then heap on the guilt because I'm not enjoying that particular moment of my life.
They are hard work, but at least they're the cutest kids ever. Photos from Instagram last week. |
This stage of parenting is hard because my kids aren't old enough to help me yet. I have to take care of two other people, so caring for myself falls by the wayside. Lincoln's one chore of throwing away pieces of trash or dirty diapers is only successful about 75% of the time. I should look on the bright side though, because today I asked him to bring me the box of wipes while Addie was nursing and he gave me the brightest grin and did it immediately. It's moments like that one that are most helpful to the survival of a mom of tiny kids. I have great hope that a year or two or five from now, things will be at least a little easier. Maybe I'm nuts. But if I'm wrong, please don't tell me. I think I'll handle it better if I find out these things as I go.
And hopefully, by that time I'll be a little more okay with having days that are not up to my productivity standard. Until that day comes... I guess I am a work in progress.
I am also very, very tired.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Adelaide: 3 Months Old
I am late posting updates on the kids this month - maybe because I have two of them to accomplish since Lincoln turned two on February 19, or because I had a mousekebirthday party last weekend, or because our internet was out for three days, or because we had a massive snowstorm and have been mostly just playing and taking a lot of naps lately? :)
Milestones: Sweet baby Adelaide, you are growing so quickly! Your head control has improved a lot this month! You can pick up that chubby little face and look all around the room. You are not rolling yet (Lincoln rolled both directions at 3 months and 6 days), but are starting to crane your neck around and I think it won't be long before you figure out you can propel yourself over. We haven't done a whole lot of tummy time, but the few times I've tried this week, you have excitedly held your head up to look around for quite awhile before burying it in the floor! Your little legs are getting stronger and you love to kick! Best of all - you are sleeping 7-9 hours a night regularly! This is a wonderful, wonderful new development. Mommy is so much happier when she has had a fair amount of rest!
Loves: Bathtime - you have the grandest time splashing with your crazy kicking. Nursing - there is no doubt that you love to eat. When it's time to nurse, you get the biggest smile on your face. Interacting with people - you are the happiest when you are looking someone else in the eyes - you are full of grins and giggles for everyone, especially your big brother. Snuggling with Daddy - I think you will be a daddy's girl for sure. So often when he holds you, I look over to see your head just resting on his shoulder and you seem so content. It is precious to watch!
Hates: Honestly, there is not much that makes you unhappy. Only a few things cause your sweet little face to crumple. They include: being put down from 7-10pm, laying flat in someone's arms, and wet and dirty diapers. Lincoln never really cared much when his diaper was wet, but you freak out and must be changed right away!
Weight/Height: You were last weighed about a month ago, and you were 14 pounds 5 ounces! I am guessing you are somewhere in the 15-17 pound range now. Your 3-6 month clothes fit pretty well - but I don't think it will be terribly long before we have to move up to the next size. I can't believe how quickly you are growing!
To be honest, baby girl, I have no idea how you are already over three months old. It is truly unbelievable how quickly time is passing. I love you so, so much!
Milestones: Sweet baby Adelaide, you are growing so quickly! Your head control has improved a lot this month! You can pick up that chubby little face and look all around the room. You are not rolling yet (Lincoln rolled both directions at 3 months and 6 days), but are starting to crane your neck around and I think it won't be long before you figure out you can propel yourself over. We haven't done a whole lot of tummy time, but the few times I've tried this week, you have excitedly held your head up to look around for quite awhile before burying it in the floor! Your little legs are getting stronger and you love to kick! Best of all - you are sleeping 7-9 hours a night regularly! This is a wonderful, wonderful new development. Mommy is so much happier when she has had a fair amount of rest!
Loves: Bathtime - you have the grandest time splashing with your crazy kicking. Nursing - there is no doubt that you love to eat. When it's time to nurse, you get the biggest smile on your face. Interacting with people - you are the happiest when you are looking someone else in the eyes - you are full of grins and giggles for everyone, especially your big brother. Snuggling with Daddy - I think you will be a daddy's girl for sure. So often when he holds you, I look over to see your head just resting on his shoulder and you seem so content. It is precious to watch!
Hates: Honestly, there is not much that makes you unhappy. Only a few things cause your sweet little face to crumple. They include: being put down from 7-10pm, laying flat in someone's arms, and wet and dirty diapers. Lincoln never really cared much when his diaper was wet, but you freak out and must be changed right away!
Weight/Height: You were last weighed about a month ago, and you were 14 pounds 5 ounces! I am guessing you are somewhere in the 15-17 pound range now. Your 3-6 month clothes fit pretty well - but I don't think it will be terribly long before we have to move up to the next size. I can't believe how quickly you are growing!
To be honest, baby girl, I have no idea how you are already over three months old. It is truly unbelievable how quickly time is passing. I love you so, so much!
Friday, February 22, 2013
David Sticker Book by Karen Williamson {Book Review}
I'm constantly on the lookout for ways to entertain my toddler. If I happen to find something exciting for him to enjoy which also contains a good lesson or teachable moment, that's all the better! I'm especially fond of good Bible storybooks to read with him - but if I am honest, it's kind of a challenge because most of them don't feature his great obsession: cars and trucks.
Enter a fun new book we recently discovered: David Sticker Book! Based on the Biblical story of David and Goliath, and written by author Karen Williamson, this short book recounts the tale in just twelve pages (a perfect length for a very young reader or listener). The illustrations have a friendly and somewhat whimsical flair and are sure to capture the attention of a child.
The fun element of this book is that it comes with four pages of stickers for the reader to add to the story! The sticker design is great - each sticker has a specific place in the book, and these spots are printed lightly so that children can easily match the correct sticker to its place. Our two year old loved looking at the photos, but didn't quite grasp the concept of stickers yet. I imagine he will have a grand time finding the right place to place each one when he is just a little bit older.
The book contains enough stickers to keep a little one entertained for quite some time - and even after all the stickers have been placed, the book can be read over and over again! One of the best features is that the story includes the Biblical reference to David's story. I don't recall seeing this often in children's Bible books, and I think it is a wonderful addition.
You can purchase the David Sticker Book from Amazon (current price is $5.39).
Thanks to Kregel Publications for my review sample. I received no compensation for writing this review and all views expressed are my own. For more information, you can read my Disclosure Policy.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Lincoln: 2 Years Old
Lincoln,
Oh, my little man. Where have the past two years gone? It seems like just yesterday we were welcoming you to the world. The past year, we have watched you learn and grow so much! This year, you said your first word (ball), went on your first trip to the zoo, learned to love cars and trucks.
We played at the park, spent hours upon hours outside on the deck and on walks through the neighborhood. We went swimming with friends. We had a lot of playdates with your friend, Grace. We traveled to Omaha to visit the zoo. You flew on a plane for the first time, for Uncle Andy and Aunt Rachel's wedding. We went to the pumpkin patch, the Enchanted Forest and a local festival.
You discovered Cars (the movie). You dressed as Link for Halloween. You moved into a big boy toddler bed. Got your first haircut. You are learning so many new words every day. You don't hesitate to tell us what you like and what you don't. You change so quickly, it scares me.
We somehow survived mommy's pregnancy and welcomed your little sister, Adelaide, in November. We made it to two full years of nursing,which was something I never expected when we started our breastfeeding journey.
You are big and strong and so very fast. Sometimes, I can hardly catch you! You live life with absolute exuberance. You weigh about 31 pounds and are somewhere close to 35 inches tall.
You are the sweetest big brother. Every day, Addie gets hugs or kisses and sometimes you ask to hold her. When she starts moving around, I know you two are going to be the best of friends.
You have so much hair - and most of it has shown up within the last couple of months. It's so blonde! I love it.
The one issue we have is your sleep. I don't know why, little boy, but you do not like to sleep. We spend an hour or two every night rocking you to sleep or sitting at the side of your bed, waiting for you to fall asleep. Once you are sleeping, you stay down for a few hours before crawling into bed with mommy and daddy.
I can't wait to see what this year of being TWO will bring our way.
Sweet, sweet boy - we love you to the moon and back, forever and always, and no one can ever replace you in our hearts. Thank you for entering the world by storm, for making us parents, for bringing so much joy into our lives. A lot of things about being a grown up are hard, but you make every single moment worth it.
Our hopes and prayers are that you continue to grow and learn and turn into the most awesome little man you can possibly be. Happy 2nd Birthday, Lincoln. You are the most wonderful boy in the whole wide world.
Love,
Mommy & Daddy
Oh, my little man. Where have the past two years gone? It seems like just yesterday we were welcoming you to the world. The past year, we have watched you learn and grow so much! This year, you said your first word (ball), went on your first trip to the zoo, learned to love cars and trucks.
We played at the park, spent hours upon hours outside on the deck and on walks through the neighborhood. We went swimming with friends. We had a lot of playdates with your friend, Grace. We traveled to Omaha to visit the zoo. You flew on a plane for the first time, for Uncle Andy and Aunt Rachel's wedding. We went to the pumpkin patch, the Enchanted Forest and a local festival.
You discovered Cars (the movie). You dressed as Link for Halloween. You moved into a big boy toddler bed. Got your first haircut. You are learning so many new words every day. You don't hesitate to tell us what you like and what you don't. You change so quickly, it scares me.
We somehow survived mommy's pregnancy and welcomed your little sister, Adelaide, in November. We made it to two full years of nursing,which was something I never expected when we started our breastfeeding journey.
You are big and strong and so very fast. Sometimes, I can hardly catch you! You live life with absolute exuberance. You weigh about 31 pounds and are somewhere close to 35 inches tall.
You are the sweetest big brother. Every day, Addie gets hugs or kisses and sometimes you ask to hold her. When she starts moving around, I know you two are going to be the best of friends.
You have so much hair - and most of it has shown up within the last couple of months. It's so blonde! I love it.
The one issue we have is your sleep. I don't know why, little boy, but you do not like to sleep. We spend an hour or two every night rocking you to sleep or sitting at the side of your bed, waiting for you to fall asleep. Once you are sleeping, you stay down for a few hours before crawling into bed with mommy and daddy.
I can't wait to see what this year of being TWO will bring our way.
February 2011 - Lincoln's BIRTHday! |
January 2012 (11 months old) |
February 2012 (Lincoln's 1st Birthday) |
February 2013 - Age 2 (Photo by Lisa B Photography) |
Sweet, sweet boy - we love you to the moon and back, forever and always, and no one can ever replace you in our hearts. Thank you for entering the world by storm, for making us parents, for bringing so much joy into our lives. A lot of things about being a grown up are hard, but you make every single moment worth it.
Our hopes and prayers are that you continue to grow and learn and turn into the most awesome little man you can possibly be. Happy 2nd Birthday, Lincoln. You are the most wonderful boy in the whole wide world.
Love,
Mommy & Daddy
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Simple Moments v.10
We seem to be on the brink of the age where imaginative play takes flight.
I am so excited.
The greatest memories I have from childhood are filled with imagination and wonder and creative play, and I really just can't wait to experience it all over again with my kids.
So if they want to play in cardboard boxes (you should have seen the fit he threw when I tried to take her out of that box), or wear blanket capes all day, I'm all for it.
They make my heart so happy!
What simple moments made you smile this week?
I am so excited.
The greatest memories I have from childhood are filled with imagination and wonder and creative play, and I really just can't wait to experience it all over again with my kids.
So if they want to play in cardboard boxes (you should have seen the fit he threw when I tried to take her out of that box), or wear blanket capes all day, I'm all for it.
They make my heart so happy!
What simple moments made you smile this week?
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
12 on 12 Photo Challenge {February 2013 Edition}
Every month, I have great intentions to participate in this fun photo challenge from Dear Lizzy - 12 on 12. I never seem to remember, but today I thought of it halfway through the day and thought it was worth a shot (or twelve)! The idea is to take a photo every hour of your day - or if like me your brain can't handle that much remembering, just take a dozen photos throughout your day, on the 12th day of the month. It's so much fun to do things like this...I know it always makes me look at the smaller details of a day, which will likely be what I want to remember in twenty years.
Anyway! Enough rambling - on to the photos!
I was up so late last night working on the busy bags for the swap I participated in today. Shout out to my hubby, who did just as much work as me and is now just as tired! Another shout out to my mom, who came over this morning when I had to go re-laminate some things that I accidentally ruined last night...
Everything was finally put together in time to run out the door for the swap!
My kids obviously had different views about the whole swap event. Lincoln was mad that I wouldn't let him down to run around wildly while I was distributing bags. Adelaide thought the whole thing was overrated and promptly fell asleep. Thank goodness for babywearing.
Back at home, everyone was tired and both kids took a lovely long nap. First Lincoln wanted to hide under a blanket though.
Achievement of the day: sneaking in to get a picture of him actually sleeping in the toddler bed. If only he could learn to fall asleep in it by himself!
When Lincoln got up, we watched Cars. Addie was still asleep, and we were all waiting for Daddy to come home!
Sigh. Waiting piles of laundry. At least there are only a few piles at the moment.
Night owl princess loves this play mat. I was waaay too zoned out tonight to do anything productive, even though I need to be planning a birthday party!
Thanks for the photo challenge, Dear Lizzy!
Anyway! Enough rambling - on to the photos!
Race Car Shapes Busy Bags |
I was up so late last night working on the busy bags for the swap I participated in today. Shout out to my hubby, who did just as much work as me and is now just as tired! Another shout out to my mom, who came over this morning when I had to go re-laminate some things that I accidentally ruined last night...
Everything was finally put together in time to run out the door for the swap!
The Busy Bag Swap! |
My kids obviously had different views about the whole swap event. Lincoln was mad that I wouldn't let him down to run around wildly while I was distributing bags. Adelaide thought the whole thing was overrated and promptly fell asleep. Thank goodness for babywearing.
Back at home, everyone was tired and both kids took a lovely long nap. First Lincoln wanted to hide under a blanket though.
Achievement of the day: sneaking in to get a picture of him actually sleeping in the toddler bed. If only he could learn to fall asleep in it by himself!
Typical Toy Destruction. |
When Lincoln got up, we watched Cars. Addie was still asleep, and we were all waiting for Daddy to come home!
Sigh. Waiting piles of laundry. At least there are only a few piles at the moment.
Night owl princess loves this play mat. I was waaay too zoned out tonight to do anything productive, even though I need to be planning a birthday party!
Thanks for the photo challenge, Dear Lizzy!
Monday, February 11, 2013
Monday Around Our House & A Busy Bag Swap
It's Monday. In the working world, that means a new week or meetings and planning and projects. Here, it just means we don't have Daddy around to help entertain everyone, and somehow the laundry has multiplied about 100x.
Both kids are asleep at the same time and I am hard at work, prepping for a super fun Busy Bag Swap that is taking place here in the KC area tomorrow afternoon. I signed up over a month ago and I am just making my bags today. This seems typical, right?
I hope to share more info about this fun event once it is over, but wanted to share a sneak peek of what I am doing today!
I am making two different busy bag activities to swap. Both are based on ideas that I found on Pinterest (you can check out my Busy Bag Board for more inspiration). The first is an Apple Tree Counting Game Busy Bag, which I am making out of felt, cardstock, and pom poms. It's nowhere near complete yet. And keeping Lincoln away from my paper slicer is proving to be quite a trial.
I can tell that they are going to be really cute! I just may be up all night. Story of my life.
The second bag set I am making are these Race Car Shape Busy Bags. I am pretty sure Lincoln is going to be obsessed with them, so my hope is that other kids will enjoy as well. I'm including a race car for driving, and a dry erase marker to trace the shapes as well.
Once I get everything cut, I still have to go out to laminate all the paper. Maybe next time I will prepare sooner? Well...I doubt it, but it's a dream.
I'm so excited! I'm hoping to gain lots of new, fun games that will help me entertain my little ones - and meet other moms in the area, too. It's an awesome idea. Huge thanks to Brookie-Lee for setting it up for all of us!
Have you ever participated in a busy bag swap? I'd love to hear your experience and which bags your kiddos love!
Both kids are asleep at the same time and I am hard at work, prepping for a super fun Busy Bag Swap that is taking place here in the KC area tomorrow afternoon. I signed up over a month ago and I am just making my bags today. This seems typical, right?
I hope to share more info about this fun event once it is over, but wanted to share a sneak peek of what I am doing today!
Number cards for counting. |
I am making two different busy bag activities to swap. Both are based on ideas that I found on Pinterest (you can check out my Busy Bag Board for more inspiration). The first is an Apple Tree Counting Game Busy Bag, which I am making out of felt, cardstock, and pom poms. It's nowhere near complete yet. And keeping Lincoln away from my paper slicer is proving to be quite a trial.
Felt Apple Trees. |
I can tell that they are going to be really cute! I just may be up all night. Story of my life.
Race Car Shapes. |
The second bag set I am making are these Race Car Shape Busy Bags. I am pretty sure Lincoln is going to be obsessed with them, so my hope is that other kids will enjoy as well. I'm including a race car for driving, and a dry erase marker to trace the shapes as well.
Once I get everything cut, I still have to go out to laminate all the paper. Maybe next time I will prepare sooner? Well...I doubt it, but it's a dream.
I'm so excited! I'm hoping to gain lots of new, fun games that will help me entertain my little ones - and meet other moms in the area, too. It's an awesome idea. Huge thanks to Brookie-Lee for setting it up for all of us!
Have you ever participated in a busy bag swap? I'd love to hear your experience and which bags your kiddos love!
Friday, February 8, 2013
Holy Toddler Mood Swings, Mrs. Noah!
I'm trying very hard to anticipate the things that will frustrate him and try to help him figure out a better solution before he becomes inconsolable. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes I utterly fail. But I'm at least trying.
And thankfully, there are moments of ridiculous cuteness to get me through the hard days. I can battle the shriek of "No! No-no-no-no-no!" much more easily when thinking about how he likes to tromp around in my shoes, whenever I
And there are little things that would have to make anyone smile in the midst of chaos. Like when you look over and spy Mrs. Noah driving the Batmobile.
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na MRS. NOAH! |
Obviously she's overcoming the stereotypes set forth by her manufacturer, so I have hope that maybe - just maybe - we can make it through this toddler stage without too many tears, too many screaming tantrums, or any major catastrophes.
Whoops. Better run. He found the fishing line in a toddler-proofed drawer and is unrolling it all over my kitchen!
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse DIY Birthday Party Invitations Tutorial
Planning a Mickey or Minnie Mouse party? Make sure you check out my Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Birthday Party Banner Tutorial, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Free Printable Sign Decorations, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Toddler-Friendly Party Food Ideas, and Easy DIY Mickey Mouse Treat Bag Tutorial! This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting this blog and my family!
After Lincoln's first birthday bash last year, I knew I was going to want to plan another elaborate theme with tons of decorations and pretty food and all of the other good things that come along with birthday parties. I'm about a week out from the party and the things I have done so far include: send invitations and order balloons. That's it. I'm in trouble.
The weekend promises to be busy, as we are having Lincoln's 2-year-old portraits done tomorrow (by Lisa B. Photography here in KC) and then I will be trying to get everything in order while I have Daddy at home to help!
In the meantime, I thought I would share about the invitations I made for Lincoln's party this year! We are doing a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme (in spite of how I'm sometimes weirded out by the mouse and friends) and I had so much fun putting together these invites!
I started off looking at some standard Mickey Mouse party invitations, but couldn't find anything that I loved. I browsed Etsy and various websites and blogs for a long time before I came up with this simple plan. Thankfully we had a Mickey Mouse cookie cutter / pancake maker from our trip to Disney in 2010 - it made everything easier! If you don't have one, don't worry! At the end of this post, I've included a printable template!
DIY Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Birthday Party Invitations
Supplies:
-Black Cardstock
-Red Cardstock
-White Cardstock
-White Buttons (2 for each invitation)
-Adhesive of choice (glue stick, glue dots, roller, etc)
-Hot Glue Gun
-A Printer
1. Print Mickey Mouse Template on Black Cardstock. You can fit four Mickey heads on one sheet of paper. You should probably be able to print on black cardstock and cut along the lines - but if they don't show up well enough to cut, you can always cut just one from white paper and use it as a stencil. Cut out as many mouse heads as you need; 1 per invite.
2. Print and Cut 2.75" Circles on Red Cardstock If you're lucky enough to have a die cut machine like a Cricut or a Silhouette, you can complete avoid cutting these by hand! If, like me, you don't have a fancy machine - I promise it didn't take long to cut them. You only need to print HALF as many circles as the number of invites you are making. Why? Check the next step!
3. Cut Red Circles in half and adhere to one side of invite.
4. Add Party Details. The way I did this was to create a circle shape in Microsoft Word sized at 2.75". I centered it over my text area and made sure I could fit all the information I needed, then duplicated the circle several times to print multiples on one page. If this sounds like too much work, you can always write hand write the party info instead!
And now, the freebies:
Here is the 2.75" circle!
I hope you enjoyed this invitation idea. Please leave me a comment or repin this post - I would love to hear what you think!
Planning a party for a Minnie Mouse fan? I have a couple of Minnie inspired headbands available in my Etsy shop!
Happy party planning!
After Lincoln's first birthday bash last year, I knew I was going to want to plan another elaborate theme with tons of decorations and pretty food and all of the other good things that come along with birthday parties. I'm about a week out from the party and the things I have done so far include: send invitations and order balloons. That's it. I'm in trouble.
The weekend promises to be busy, as we are having Lincoln's 2-year-old portraits done tomorrow (by Lisa B. Photography here in KC) and then I will be trying to get everything in order while I have Daddy at home to help!
In the meantime, I thought I would share about the invitations I made for Lincoln's party this year! We are doing a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme (in spite of how I'm sometimes weirded out by the mouse and friends) and I had so much fun putting together these invites!
I started off looking at some standard Mickey Mouse party invitations, but couldn't find anything that I loved. I browsed Etsy and various websites and blogs for a long time before I came up with this simple plan. Thankfully we had a Mickey Mouse cookie cutter / pancake maker from our trip to Disney in 2010 - it made everything easier! If you don't have one, don't worry! At the end of this post, I've included a printable template!
DIY Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Birthday Party Invitations
Supplies:
-Black Cardstock
-Red Cardstock
-White Cardstock
-White Buttons (2 for each invitation)
-Adhesive of choice (glue stick, glue dots, roller, etc)
-Hot Glue Gun
-A Printer
1. Print Mickey Mouse Template on Black Cardstock. You can fit four Mickey heads on one sheet of paper. You should probably be able to print on black cardstock and cut along the lines - but if they don't show up well enough to cut, you can always cut just one from white paper and use it as a stencil. Cut out as many mouse heads as you need; 1 per invite.
2. Print and Cut 2.75" Circles on Red Cardstock If you're lucky enough to have a die cut machine like a Cricut or a Silhouette, you can complete avoid cutting these by hand! If, like me, you don't have a fancy machine - I promise it didn't take long to cut them. You only need to print HALF as many circles as the number of invites you are making. Why? Check the next step!
3. Cut Red Circles in half and adhere to one side of invite.
4. Add Party Details. The way I did this was to create a circle shape in Microsoft Word sized at 2.75". I centered it over my text area and made sure I could fit all the information I needed, then duplicated the circle several times to print multiples on one page. If this sounds like too much work, you can always write hand write the party info instead!
5. Use Hot Glue to Attach White Buttons to Front of Invite. A word of caution: do this while your toddler is napping, or he may get tangled up in the cord. Scary.
And that's it! Super easy, right? These are sized to fit in a 4x6 envelope - I found a box of 50 at Walmart for around $5 or you can grab them on Amazon.
And now, the freebies:
Here is the Mickey Mouse printable template/stencil.
Here is the 2.75" circle!
I hope you enjoyed this invitation idea. Please leave me a comment or repin this post - I would love to hear what you think!
Planning a party for a Minnie Mouse fan? I have a couple of Minnie inspired headbands available in my Etsy shop!
Pink Minnie Headband |
Red Minnie Headband |
Happy party planning!
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