I'm reading blogs to figure out how to keep Anna Claire seated during her bath. She wants to walk on her knees from one side of the tub to the other. I see this as unsafe, not to mention how difficult it is to bathe a moving target.
However, what I am reading is to let her be wherever/however she likes and bathe her there, that insisting she sit could be more dangerous and result in a tantrum. One lady also commented that she would calmly but firmly say, "when you stand you are letting Mommy know you are done," then remove her from the bath.
I am certainly open to suggestions after tonight. I must have retrieved and seated her 30 times. I'm pooped!
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Our little miracle
Most nights I either read Goodnight Moon or Lullaby Little One to Anna Claire for bedtime story. I forget about Sleep Baby Sleep. She reminded me of it tonight, pointing to it (sitting on the bookshelf) when I held up our two usuals. I always get misty-eyed when I read the last page:
Sleep, Baby, Sleep
Our promises we'll keep
Be the miracle you are
A wish come true on a shooting star
Sleep, Baby, Sleep.
Each time I read those lines, I'm reminded of how true this is. How long we wanted and prayed for Anna Claire and what a blessing she is to our lives...which leads me to Thanksgiving.
Both went well. Anna Claire had a blast at her Aunt Kathy's. She loved eating cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and ice cream. She REALLY loved Aunt Kathy's homemade bread. She had so much fun playing with her cousins and with metal bowls and spoons. She did more walking Thanksgiving night than we have ever seen before. Here's a clip from that night:
Last night we went to Cracker Barrel with Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Clint and Aunt Lisa (yes Lisa, you are earning the title!) She enjoyed looking around the gift shop, where she had fun playing with a ball that lights up. The candy was a point of excitement and drama. At dinner, she loved playing with a pair of metal spoons, coloring her kid's menu, and eating lemons. She really loved her mac n'cheese and corn - it was really good. I tried some. Larry and I spent most of the evening playing goalie, retrieving crayons, spoons, and ColorWonder markers from her high chair and floor, but all in all she (and we) had a GREAT time. Just wish I had more time to talk to Grandma. ;)
Here is a little video clip from Thanksgiving dinner last night with Larry's fam - her debut playing spoons.
Sleep, Baby, Sleep
Our promises we'll keep
Be the miracle you are
A wish come true on a shooting star
Sleep, Baby, Sleep.
Each time I read those lines, I'm reminded of how true this is. How long we wanted and prayed for Anna Claire and what a blessing she is to our lives...which leads me to Thanksgiving.
Both went well. Anna Claire had a blast at her Aunt Kathy's. She loved eating cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and ice cream. She REALLY loved Aunt Kathy's homemade bread. She had so much fun playing with her cousins and with metal bowls and spoons. She did more walking Thanksgiving night than we have ever seen before. Here's a clip from that night:
Last night we went to Cracker Barrel with Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Clint and Aunt Lisa (yes Lisa, you are earning the title!) She enjoyed looking around the gift shop, where she had fun playing with a ball that lights up. The candy was a point of excitement and drama. At dinner, she loved playing with a pair of metal spoons, coloring her kid's menu, and eating lemons. She really loved her mac n'cheese and corn - it was really good. I tried some. Larry and I spent most of the evening playing goalie, retrieving crayons, spoons, and ColorWonder markers from her high chair and floor, but all in all she (and we) had a GREAT time. Just wish I had more time to talk to Grandma. ;)
Here is a little video clip from Thanksgiving dinner last night with Larry's fam - her debut playing spoons.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Easier and Easier
Every day I think being a mommy gets easier. Today Anna Claire was an absolute joy.
Anna Claire loves to color so much - we fingerpainted a turkey yesterday using her handprint. I added the beak, waddle, and feet and glued on a googly eye. She really likes that googly eye. She spent a lot of time this morning coloring over and around it (the turkey, not the eye) with her crayons.
Today I thought about taking her by Walmart to pick up the supplies to make turkey- hand cookies like they've been showing on NickJr, but I felt so weak and sick, I will hold off til tomorrow. I also need to return and renew some of her library books over the weekend. Wonder if they are open on Friday.
During her nap I spent some time online shopping for her for Christmas. I'm wanting to get her her first doll, and some kitchen accessories. I am thinking about getting the Baby Stella doll, which has a magnetic paci, you can get magnetic bottles, feeding set and bathing set for her. I absolutely love this doll. But I told Larry maybe that is not the best doll for her if we are trying to break her of having a paci.
Watching her learn how to talk is so much fun. She is trying to say everything, and we always make a point to repeat back to her what she said, correctly. Then she makes a second attempt. It's important to her that it's right! She has some letter sounds that she isn't able to make yet, so she's substituting other letter sounds or omitting the sound altogether.
Right now I am listening to and watching her sleep on the monitor. I think her paci must have water in it. It's making a crazy squeaking noise. Funny.
11/27/2010: We did end up making the Turkey Hand cookies. Here's how they turned out.
Anna Claire liked the candy corn and the red frosting (waddle) the best. Now when they play that segment and the man asks, "What is our turkey missing?" she says "waddle! waddle! waddle!"
Anna Claire loves to color so much - we fingerpainted a turkey yesterday using her handprint. I added the beak, waddle, and feet and glued on a googly eye. She really likes that googly eye. She spent a lot of time this morning coloring over and around it (the turkey, not the eye) with her crayons.
Today I thought about taking her by Walmart to pick up the supplies to make turkey- hand cookies like they've been showing on NickJr, but I felt so weak and sick, I will hold off til tomorrow. I also need to return and renew some of her library books over the weekend. Wonder if they are open on Friday.
During her nap I spent some time online shopping for her for Christmas. I'm wanting to get her her first doll, and some kitchen accessories. I am thinking about getting the Baby Stella doll, which has a magnetic paci, you can get magnetic bottles, feeding set and bathing set for her. I absolutely love this doll. But I told Larry maybe that is not the best doll for her if we are trying to break her of having a paci.
Watching her learn how to talk is so much fun. She is trying to say everything, and we always make a point to repeat back to her what she said, correctly. Then she makes a second attempt. It's important to her that it's right! She has some letter sounds that she isn't able to make yet, so she's substituting other letter sounds or omitting the sound altogether.
Right now I am listening to and watching her sleep on the monitor. I think her paci must have water in it. It's making a crazy squeaking noise. Funny.
11/27/2010: We did end up making the Turkey Hand cookies. Here's how they turned out.
Anna Claire liked the candy corn and the red frosting (waddle) the best. Now when they play that segment and the man asks, "What is our turkey missing?" she says "waddle! waddle! waddle!"
Monday, November 22, 2010
Gaining Confidence
Anna Claire is gaining confidence everyday in her ability to walk independently. This weekend, every time she wanted to get up on her knees to cross the room, I've asked her if she wants to walk and offer my fingers. She pulls up, and we cross the room. Today at "school", her teacher said she would pull to standing when asked and walk holding just one finger. I expect to walk into her class any day now, and for them to tell me she has been walking all over the place.
She also became extremely attached to her paci and blanket during her two week illness earlier this month. We allowed her to have them nonstop, and are now paying the price. We have gone back to only allowing them at bedtime, which is resulting in tears in the car, when snuggling, and during Mommy/Anna Claire reading time. I know it will get easier, but the past two days have been rough.
Today she enjoyed playing in her kitchen, stirring good things to eat and having Mommy taste them. She had fun coloring and fingerpainting. Since reading Harold and the Purple Crayon, she has a definite preference for her purple crayon.
I am looking forward to spend this long weekend with my precious girl and to share traditions and excitement of the holiday season with her!
She also became extremely attached to her paci and blanket during her two week illness earlier this month. We allowed her to have them nonstop, and are now paying the price. We have gone back to only allowing them at bedtime, which is resulting in tears in the car, when snuggling, and during Mommy/Anna Claire reading time. I know it will get easier, but the past two days have been rough.
Today she enjoyed playing in her kitchen, stirring good things to eat and having Mommy taste them. She had fun coloring and fingerpainting. Since reading Harold and the Purple Crayon, she has a definite preference for her purple crayon.
I am looking forward to spend this long weekend with my precious girl and to share traditions and excitement of the holiday season with her!
Monday, November 15, 2010
October/November Update
Not sure where to begin, but Anna Claire and I have both been through our fair share of health-related issues this month (stomach virus for her and kidney infection and sciatic nerve pain for me). It has been a physically tiring month, but also exciting watching this sweet baby girl learn so many new things every day.
Anna Claire is now able to read the majority of the YBCR words, and many other words, simply from repeated exposure to them in books. I just finished editing a video for her in iMovie, using the same format as YBCR, but with words that are important to her in her world. I can't wait for her to see it. She is also the star of the video, along with Kitty and many of her toys. I think she will be very excited.
We have wanted a toy kitchen for Anna Claire for several months now. We were so blessed that our friend Gan's daughter had no interest in her toy kitchen, he offered it to us for Anna Claire. We drove to Brentwood last weekend to pick it up, and she absolutely loves it. She is not able to reach the microwave or open the top cabinets yet, but there are so many other features she can enjoy, that she does not care.
We are currently working on good manners and nice hands. She wants to throw her toys (and food at mealtime). She also wants to pull Kitty's tail and grab faces. She REALLY loves praise, wants to please, and seems remorseful right away when scolded, so it is getting better.
Walking. Not yet. She does not want to, but will walk for long distances holding mine or Larry's fingers. After talking to my cousin last week, who is a physical therapist, I became concerned. He said that walking on her knees for so long will cause her to walk on her tip toes and not properly develop the muscles in her legs that children use naturally by walking flat-footed. He said she may need PT if she doesn't start walking soon. But he also suggested an exercise I can do with her after bathtime each night to help her develop those muscles. She really likes the exercise. It's sort of a massage and stretch similar to some we do in yoga class. In fact, after I put on her Baby Aquaphor she sticks her feet in the air for me to do the exercise. It's cute.
Don't get me wrong. I am HIGHLY motivated to get this kiddo walking. My doctor suggested that carrying a 23 lb. baby, who isn't walking yet, could be part of reason I'm experiencing the sciatic pain. I fully intend on pushing through this pain, because I plan on being a very physically active Mommy.
Anna Claire is now able to read the majority of the YBCR words, and many other words, simply from repeated exposure to them in books. I just finished editing a video for her in iMovie, using the same format as YBCR, but with words that are important to her in her world. I can't wait for her to see it. She is also the star of the video, along with Kitty and many of her toys. I think she will be very excited.
We have wanted a toy kitchen for Anna Claire for several months now. We were so blessed that our friend Gan's daughter had no interest in her toy kitchen, he offered it to us for Anna Claire. We drove to Brentwood last weekend to pick it up, and she absolutely loves it. She is not able to reach the microwave or open the top cabinets yet, but there are so many other features she can enjoy, that she does not care.
We are currently working on good manners and nice hands. She wants to throw her toys (and food at mealtime). She also wants to pull Kitty's tail and grab faces. She REALLY loves praise, wants to please, and seems remorseful right away when scolded, so it is getting better.
Walking. Not yet. She does not want to, but will walk for long distances holding mine or Larry's fingers. After talking to my cousin last week, who is a physical therapist, I became concerned. He said that walking on her knees for so long will cause her to walk on her tip toes and not properly develop the muscles in her legs that children use naturally by walking flat-footed. He said she may need PT if she doesn't start walking soon. But he also suggested an exercise I can do with her after bathtime each night to help her develop those muscles. She really likes the exercise. It's sort of a massage and stretch similar to some we do in yoga class. In fact, after I put on her Baby Aquaphor she sticks her feet in the air for me to do the exercise. It's cute.
Don't get me wrong. I am HIGHLY motivated to get this kiddo walking. My doctor suggested that carrying a 23 lb. baby, who isn't walking yet, could be part of reason I'm experiencing the sciatic pain. I fully intend on pushing through this pain, because I plan on being a very physically active Mommy.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Fall Break
Today is Thursday, and we have already had quite an eventful Fall Break. Anna Claire hasn't felt 100% due to teething, but I feel like she has had a lot of fun and that she is very excited about everything she's been able to experience.
We began with a trip to the farm on Saturday. We didn't stay as long as I would have liked, because temps were in the 80s. I do feel like we saw everything we wanted to see and had a good visit. Anna Claire was able to see and pet baby animals. We swang on the swings. We looked at and felt different types of pumpkins and gourds. What was really neat was watching the magician make animal balloons and making coins disappear. I really don't get how he did it. Anna Claire looked surprised too. I loved hearing her try to say the names of the animals we saw, or make their sounds.
Monday I took her to the Red Barn to give me time to REALLY clean her room and toys. I bleached every single solitary plastic toy she owns, Murphy's oiled all the wood surfaces, washed all linens, and caught up on all of her laundry. The big job was going through her toys and deciding what to sell and what to give away. I ended up taking a bunch to Once Upon a Child and faired pretty well.
Tuesday Anna Claire and I went to the pool at the YMCA. She loves swimming so much. I try to emulate the structure of the classes she had with Miss Nicole this summer as much as possible. I wish she did classes year round: envision a college age girl who looks just like a young Katie Holmes, full of energy and lots of fun. She was so great with the babies and knew what they liked.
After swimming, we have to get our diaper changed and go home. This never bodes well. She does NOT want to leave the pool! And she has NEVER liked getting her diaper changed in public. This has not changed.
After lunch and nap, we ventured back out to look at leaves. I highly recommend a drive down Ussery Road. I heard lots of "Oooooh Mama"'s from the back seat. After our tour of leaves we stopped off at the public library to renew her favorites and to pick a few others. I can totally trust her with paper books now, so this really has broadened our options. After the library, we headed to Lowes to get a new filter for the refrigerator, only Mommy forgot to check the model number before she left the house, so had no idea which one to get. Anna Claire loves riding in their race car shopping cart though, so that was a win. After Lowes, was Cupcake Connection. We had yummy strawberry and they gave us a free sweat potato to try. Those are the best. I am sold on Cupcake Connection! So is Anna Claire. Lots of "Mmmmmm Mama"'s.
Wednesday Anna Claire went to play with her friends at the Red Barn while I went shopping for fall and winter clothes and gear for her. I found such cute things at Once Upon and Child, and with the credit from the toys I sold, I paid next to nothing for it. I am so excited to see it all on her. I also found some dress up items which she is already really enjoying: feather boa, large mardi gras beads, pirate hat, cowboy hat, and tutu. I bought a big Rubbermaid container to put it all in. She loves going through all of it, trying it on, having me try it on, and putting it back in.
Today - Pumpkin Patch! Perfect weather. Upper 60s, just cool enough that a sweater feels good. Hardly any people there, but enough kids there so that Anna Claire was excited. They each had a pumpkin, so it was important to get her a tiny baby pumpkin that she could carry. Maybe they had cotton picking last year, but I don't remember it. This year, they do! We walked down and picked cotton. I opted not to take her on through the corn maze. I'm thinking next year. We did, however, swing on the swings, where we enjoyed looking at and talking about all the beautiful leaves and pumpkins.
After we left the patch, we stopped by the Barn to see if we could find her Monkey sweater and to get her laundry to wash for Monday. After lunch and nap, we got out again. We hit the pet store, the party store and Walmart. Anna Claire loved looking at and talking to the guinea pigs and birds. She tried to feed them some of her cereal through the glass. It was so cute. At the party store she loved looking at all of the balloons and was really excited to see the balloons that look like soccer balls and baseballs. She LOVES balls.
We began with a trip to the farm on Saturday. We didn't stay as long as I would have liked, because temps were in the 80s. I do feel like we saw everything we wanted to see and had a good visit. Anna Claire was able to see and pet baby animals. We swang on the swings. We looked at and felt different types of pumpkins and gourds. What was really neat was watching the magician make animal balloons and making coins disappear. I really don't get how he did it. Anna Claire looked surprised too. I loved hearing her try to say the names of the animals we saw, or make their sounds.
Monday I took her to the Red Barn to give me time to REALLY clean her room and toys. I bleached every single solitary plastic toy she owns, Murphy's oiled all the wood surfaces, washed all linens, and caught up on all of her laundry. The big job was going through her toys and deciding what to sell and what to give away. I ended up taking a bunch to Once Upon a Child and faired pretty well.
Tuesday Anna Claire and I went to the pool at the YMCA. She loves swimming so much. I try to emulate the structure of the classes she had with Miss Nicole this summer as much as possible. I wish she did classes year round: envision a college age girl who looks just like a young Katie Holmes, full of energy and lots of fun. She was so great with the babies and knew what they liked.
After swimming, we have to get our diaper changed and go home. This never bodes well. She does NOT want to leave the pool! And she has NEVER liked getting her diaper changed in public. This has not changed.
After lunch and nap, we ventured back out to look at leaves. I highly recommend a drive down Ussery Road. I heard lots of "Oooooh Mama"'s from the back seat. After our tour of leaves we stopped off at the public library to renew her favorites and to pick a few others. I can totally trust her with paper books now, so this really has broadened our options. After the library, we headed to Lowes to get a new filter for the refrigerator, only Mommy forgot to check the model number before she left the house, so had no idea which one to get. Anna Claire loves riding in their race car shopping cart though, so that was a win. After Lowes, was Cupcake Connection. We had yummy strawberry and they gave us a free sweat potato to try. Those are the best. I am sold on Cupcake Connection! So is Anna Claire. Lots of "Mmmmmm Mama"'s.
Wednesday Anna Claire went to play with her friends at the Red Barn while I went shopping for fall and winter clothes and gear for her. I found such cute things at Once Upon and Child, and with the credit from the toys I sold, I paid next to nothing for it. I am so excited to see it all on her. I also found some dress up items which she is already really enjoying: feather boa, large mardi gras beads, pirate hat, cowboy hat, and tutu. I bought a big Rubbermaid container to put it all in. She loves going through all of it, trying it on, having me try it on, and putting it back in.
Today - Pumpkin Patch! Perfect weather. Upper 60s, just cool enough that a sweater feels good. Hardly any people there, but enough kids there so that Anna Claire was excited. They each had a pumpkin, so it was important to get her a tiny baby pumpkin that she could carry. Maybe they had cotton picking last year, but I don't remember it. This year, they do! We walked down and picked cotton. I opted not to take her on through the corn maze. I'm thinking next year. We did, however, swing on the swings, where we enjoyed looking at and talking about all the beautiful leaves and pumpkins.
After we left the patch, we stopped by the Barn to see if we could find her Monkey sweater and to get her laundry to wash for Monday. After lunch and nap, we got out again. We hit the pet store, the party store and Walmart. Anna Claire loved looking at and talking to the guinea pigs and birds. She tried to feed them some of her cereal through the glass. It was so cute. At the party store she loved looking at all of the balloons and was really excited to see the balloons that look like soccer balls and baseballs. She LOVES balls.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Groovin' and Readin'
We are raising quite a little ham, which I love. Larry has taught her to "groove" and raise the roof. If you ask Anna Claire to groove, she will bob her head side to side, usually with closed eyes and a big smile. It all started when listening to the jazz theme intro to Little Bill. She kind of started grooving on her own, now that I think of it. Daddy just assigned a name to it so now we can ask her and she will do it on cue. Either way, it's too darn cute.
Her reading vocabulary is upwards of 30 words now. She can read and say cup (up), keys, eyes, no (na na), moon (moo), diaper (dot da), ball (baa), bubble (bubba), hi, hat, green (geen), and duck. She opens her mouth and says "ahhhh" for mouth. She says "ahhh and sticks out her tongue for tongue. She moos for calf and waves for wave. These are all YBCR words. She can say many, many more words than this, but these are the ones she can read AND say.
She can also say Miss Jeannie, Miss Leah, and Miss Keisha's names at Red Barn. She also attempts to say many large words that I would not expect a baby to say, many of them correctly, and others she is getting the syllabication right.
I am not sure how common it is for babies to orient a book the correct way, get front to back, left to right, and carefully turn paper pages without tearing, but she is there.
Her reading vocabulary is upwards of 30 words now. She can read and say cup (up), keys, eyes, no (na na), moon (moo), diaper (dot da), ball (baa), bubble (bubba), hi, hat, green (geen), and duck. She opens her mouth and says "ahhhh" for mouth. She says "ahhh and sticks out her tongue for tongue. She moos for calf and waves for wave. These are all YBCR words. She can say many, many more words than this, but these are the ones she can read AND say.
She can also say Miss Jeannie, Miss Leah, and Miss Keisha's names at Red Barn. She also attempts to say many large words that I would not expect a baby to say, many of them correctly, and others she is getting the syllabication right.
I am not sure how common it is for babies to orient a book the correct way, get front to back, left to right, and carefully turn paper pages without tearing, but she is there.
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