tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84953705971149246142024-03-12T20:50:55.539-07:00Confessions of a Radical MommaLiving life. Diving in. Parenting with conviction. Often going against the flow. Finding what works for our growing family. Sharing my journey... ... in case you are curious.Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-43867509853376294692015-09-22T20:47:00.000-07:002015-09-22T20:47:39.169-07:00Rainbow Rice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkcwYg_Ussx2rKTo8vbfV1rJf4jofJ6EED-cMzJlmZDdn_8pj06ccpwVHzG9OxPcgoftahLfkpJKkjvzfVNVxZoXd1aQCUYtCuK9pe3u-Yp76ONGTSrL9jpvA0HPjlrlNSbk0c9w68nhe/s1600/Making+Rainbow+Rice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkcwYg_Ussx2rKTo8vbfV1rJf4jofJ6EED-cMzJlmZDdn_8pj06ccpwVHzG9OxPcgoftahLfkpJKkjvzfVNVxZoXd1aQCUYtCuK9pe3u-Yp76ONGTSrL9jpvA0HPjlrlNSbk0c9w68nhe/s640/Making+Rainbow+Rice.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-16104023039474528092014-05-17T12:57:00.000-07:002014-05-17T12:57:43.111-07:00Stuffed Animal "Cage"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDisaGbJuP814Rq03n288VgrZSZ9z-_pkYprxka4h8gw2RzKpNREl0GRsTfh6zTiLL3tOX9KvhjUU2TOq_KD0yI2Wv2feVjpPniJrWg_QbVlskfN2UZz14DfUtkUWy0VzVIP_ifiGBmavD/s1600/stuffie+cage+(14).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDisaGbJuP814Rq03n288VgrZSZ9z-_pkYprxka4h8gw2RzKpNREl0GRsTfh6zTiLL3tOX9KvhjUU2TOq_KD0yI2Wv2feVjpPniJrWg_QbVlskfN2UZz14DfUtkUWy0VzVIP_ifiGBmavD/s1600/stuffie+cage+(14).JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
In an effort to keep my kids' small room clean and not cluttered with toys, I created a stuffed animal "cage" with an existing bookcase that was not being utilized to its full potential with books (toddlers are not particularly gentle with regular books, so we are only keeping board books in their room at the moment). I liked this idea better than a mesh hammock, because it is completely accessible to the children (my crazy monkey would try and climb into the hammock, I'm sure of it, or it would have to be so high she couldn't reach it, and then what is the point of keeping the stuffed animals?) And yet, it takes up no more floor space than is already being used. I got the inspiration from <a href="http://akgriffiths.blogspot.no/2012/03/you-are-my-inspiration-pinterest.html" target="_blank">another blog</a>, and modified it to suit our needs. Its really quite simple, I completed ours in less than an hour, including time to recharge the drill battery! <br />
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I didn't take good "step by step" pictures, so I hope you get the gist of it. You can make the cage as big or as small as you need, using the entire bookcase, without any shelves, or as I did, just securing a shelf at the desired height with "L" brackets. <br />
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<br />Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-43955383199024230322014-04-03T21:04:00.000-07:002014-04-03T21:04:42.037-07:00Sorting games<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those moments where you open the door, <br />witness the mess, say "Yup" <br />and just close the door again... </td></tr>
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Smooch loves to sort things. She loves to sort by colour, by shape, by size, and sometimes, by some other pattern that I can't always figure out. As patterns and size comparisons are the beginnings of math, I encourage this exercise as often as possible. She loves to put small things into different containers, so I'll often grab 3 or 4 plastic tubs from my Tupperware drawer and a bag of chip clips and she'll sit on the floor in the kitchen while I'm cooking dinner and sort, and resort, and then make a tremendous mess by dumping them all out on the floor, while laughing infectiously. She also loves to distribute things in muffin pans. She'll use her mini muffin pan from her kitchen, and will organize her rocks/ marbles, buttons, puff balls, or any other small objects she can find. It is often incredibly spontaneous, like in the bathroom with her hair clips. She'll make what looks like a huge mess, but just as I'm getting frustrated for the mess, I notice the bath mat, and how she's started sorting them by colour. I usually just take a deep breath, and let it happen, and deal with cleaning it up later. However,we do have to be careful to keep the small stuff up off the floor, now that WeeMan is mobile & constantly putting everything in his mouth, but I give her free reign to sort as she pleases most of the time. Recently, while WeeMan was napping, we sat on the floor together with her muffin pan and her rocks, and she put one in each cup. Jumping on the chance to count with her, I put a second one in a few of the cups, and asked her which ones needed another rock. She surveyed the pan, then pointed to a cup that had only 1 rock, and I placed a rock in that cup. She seemed to catch on quickly. Once each cup had 2 rocks, I added a third to one cup, then handed her a rock, and said, "Where does this one go?" She placed it in a cup that only had 2 rocks. I repeated this, and she continued filling the cups one by one, until all 12 had 3 rocks. I attempted to do four, but then she decided all the rest needed to go into one cup, and then they all needed to be dumped out. Ah, well. Such is the attention span of a 2 1/2 year old! Maybe we'll try again tomorrow. These activities are especially good on rainy days, when we cannot go outside. It requires a different kind of energy, mental instead of physical, but it helps keep her from bouncing off the walls by dinnertime. <br />
Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-24615350836780660812014-03-07T10:39:00.001-08:002014-03-07T10:39:36.849-08:00Linen Closet Organizer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIsSCMR1OUdX8Y_q_TU3FTEz9X4aWkhZUcHJx7w_8EQdWbzqY-zNwRjX7FPsaVD3n-UnopUZOmNmW-ZIR8fJiYaPAevR-kSOvq_us6yuTVDtxAxbtAG_mRAcFiiLzFHXn0cEoEpTw9rVb/s1600/sheets+bundle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIsSCMR1OUdX8Y_q_TU3FTEz9X4aWkhZUcHJx7w_8EQdWbzqY-zNwRjX7FPsaVD3n-UnopUZOmNmW-ZIR8fJiYaPAevR-kSOvq_us6yuTVDtxAxbtAG_mRAcFiiLzFHXn0cEoEpTw9rVb/s1600/sheets+bundle.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-3481078702866591792014-02-21T22:01:00.000-08:002014-02-21T22:01:04.516-08:00Tissue Paper Art<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAJvjaL-gzPjxy95DoT7GzKfVbseLbcWRPq6gfWyB3Jlq8Pm4ZN_fFnxUhXQIry4siGR_hhQgEeCnssiureyTg5QamME1Hrpz2XiL7DQr-ebClML2hVt6oTyTFKnIX4E6XjD_mXBZzJHE/s1600/art-+tissue+paper1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAJvjaL-gzPjxy95DoT7GzKfVbseLbcWRPq6gfWyB3Jlq8Pm4ZN_fFnxUhXQIry4siGR_hhQgEeCnssiureyTg5QamME1Hrpz2XiL7DQr-ebClML2hVt6oTyTFKnIX4E6XjD_mXBZzJHE/s1600/art-+tissue+paper1.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClRE7HB5-UP3CaMeW5Vz8vXuFtlyFRh1LpCYqbNQT88DtjcA1rWs1Io9luDFchRUcMoEoyBC-d0nh_lmnnL9MqvVzlLP7adBJc8WILhCg4nXa6KTrtDTooBdG4g4bZIQsxNFIvP_V93Q8/s1600/art-+tissue+paper+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClRE7HB5-UP3CaMeW5Vz8vXuFtlyFRh1LpCYqbNQT88DtjcA1rWs1Io9luDFchRUcMoEoyBC-d0nh_lmnnL9MqvVzlLP7adBJc8WILhCg4nXa6KTrtDTooBdG4g4bZIQsxNFIvP_V93Q8/s1600/art-+tissue+paper+(4).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Little pieces of tissue paper </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Glue stick</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Construction paper</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>+</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>=</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Fridge-worthy art projects</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Since she loves to tear paper, I gave Smooch the task of making up her supplies before she started. The glee as she realized she was allowed to rip up the paper -- priceless. (Coincidentally, this is also very good for dexterity development at this stage of toddlerhood.)</span></div>
Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-79619316803838907442014-02-21T21:38:00.000-08:002014-02-21T21:38:16.732-08:00Salt DrawingHere's a super simple activity that Smooch loves. For those moments when I just need her to sit still for a few minutes. So I can attend to WeeMan, or start dinner, or just take a little sanity break. <br />
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Items needed: <br />
1 jelly roll pan (or other large pan with sides)<br />
Salt<br />
dry hands or Q-tips for drawing<br />
IMAGINATION!<br />
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Just doodle in the salt with fingers or Q-tips, then shake the pan to erase and start again! Voila -- quiet toddler! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJMvobxIfSEri1Cdn6kTVQx_EyT3sdL8NlGNBshESPFFc2VXXQOjfNNyI4Z89hBpg5eT_X0mNrLOydAkP5ERSZvHK0VqZxC8IH06ehwQU0V0HbbehzARAsJkSW8hbCUR7FLOMDtNdJQXK/s1600/salt+drawing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJMvobxIfSEri1Cdn6kTVQx_EyT3sdL8NlGNBshESPFFc2VXXQOjfNNyI4Z89hBpg5eT_X0mNrLOydAkP5ERSZvHK0VqZxC8IH06ehwQU0V0HbbehzARAsJkSW8hbCUR7FLOMDtNdJQXK/s1600/salt+drawing.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">as you can see, wet/ damp hands = a little more clean-up</td></tr>
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<br />Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-22287009960010783532014-02-21T21:23:00.001-08:002014-02-21T21:23:11.724-08:00Ring Cleaning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-58942608167742497562014-02-10T00:17:00.000-08:002014-02-21T21:28:05.275-08:00Why I love my Ergo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Zfg_mqS6GMiTIUL-A6LRBJiFiMgEGHqKeCSnSDClbVyosgHfpt6PCyrSk5Tiz7Mpdc71FqoGYKv7ibl_0Vse8mUhTtwKLIX8oPLwR1r7EedQX1KSLzJ6hsM2RaPF6rs-JpRSgmeJFnax/s1600/ERGObaby-Logo-with-TM-PNG.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Zfg_mqS6GMiTIUL-A6LRBJiFiMgEGHqKeCSnSDClbVyosgHfpt6PCyrSk5Tiz7Mpdc71FqoGYKv7ibl_0Vse8mUhTtwKLIX8oPLwR1r7EedQX1KSLzJ6hsM2RaPF6rs-JpRSgmeJFnax/s1600/ERGObaby-Logo-with-TM-PNG.png" height="200" width="146"></a></div>
I got my Ergobaby Carrier right before Smooch was born. I did extensive research into different carriers/ slings because I planned to use one instead of the "traditional" transportation system of an infant bucket seat & stroller. There are a bunch of reasons for this decision: 1) I have carried the bucket seats and they are heavy, bulky, and extremely inconvenient to carry. 2) we had a small 2-door hatchback with limited storage space that was our exclusive mode of transportation, so a big stroller wouldn't fit. 3) I saw the developmental benefits of carrying Smooch as opposed to transporting her. 4) I'd like to think of myself as a fairly active individual, and I loved the idea of bringing Smooch along, particularly hands-free.<br>
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Here are the top 5 reasons why I chose the Ergo:<br>
<a href="http://incaseyouarecurious.blogspot.com/2014/02/why-i-love-my-ergo.html#more">Read more »</a>Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-61989400623589543282013-10-09T20:23:00.000-07:002013-10-09T20:23:06.767-07:00Just one of those days...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Ever had one of those days where you're so tired you realize that partially full dishwasher you're loading dishes into was actually a partially cleaned out dishwasher that got interrupted earlier when your toddler decided to "peekup" the baby & you looked up in time to see nothing but the baby's head still on the floor -- and now you can't tell what's clean & what's dirty, so you decide to just run it all through again, but there's not room for everything, so you've still got a sink full of dirty dishes that are just going to have to wait because the baby is screaming in the bedroom with his 3rd poopy diaper and the toddler is melting down in the kitchen about not being able to scoop her own spoonful of peanut butter?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Yeah, me neither. </span>Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-85661378335323600782013-05-25T14:11:00.000-07:002013-06-06T15:34:28.006-07:00Reading Aloud<i>Before Smooch came along, I was an ESL tutor for about a year. I worked with Korean students who were brand new to the country, sometimes brand new to the language. Without 'formal' ESL training, I relied on my own experiences growing up, and on my tools and strategies from my teaching days back before I got married. One thing I insisted on doing was reading out loud to the children. Several of the mothers were concerned that this was a waste of time, so I compiled a few quotes on the benefits of reading out loud, as well as a list of books we read, adding on as we went along. I thought I'd share it with you here. It is not a complete list, but reflects about 2 or 3 months of lessons. </i><br>
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</div><a href="http://incaseyouarecurious.blogspot.com/2013/05/reading-aloud.html#more">Read more »</a>Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-85393961322708610432013-04-30T20:41:00.000-07:002013-05-02T21:40:59.840-07:00Play Dough!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJYIB_1yQrED4IoqWT7rczR5_qMP4vt1WOk29VT0AZHnNMe8WYFvQgdkkxh7rpkSqCyhZ4WoqnthM_SBAcPVkIndAinwQCfPeeRnDLYk-1KCXDvmhV1sEj7UsKsU-DPan5F1D9YFqW86hy/s1600/IMG_0831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJYIB_1yQrED4IoqWT7rczR5_qMP4vt1WOk29VT0AZHnNMe8WYFvQgdkkxh7rpkSqCyhZ4WoqnthM_SBAcPVkIndAinwQCfPeeRnDLYk-1KCXDvmhV1sEj7UsKsU-DPan5F1D9YFqW86hy/s400/IMG_0831.JPG" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smooch's first encounter with play dough</td></tr>
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<i>Making your own play dough is so easy and cheap, I can't imagine ever buying it again! Smooch and I had great fun making this together, and she had a blast playing with it for the first time. At first, she wasn't really sure what to do with it, but as I showed her how to press in the cookie cutters, and use the rolling pin to flatten it, she began to try and do it herself. Of course, she also tried to eat it, but it is so salty, that she was completely put off and didn't try again!</i><br>
<i>Here is the recipe my mom used for us kids growing up. </i><br>
<a href="http://incaseyouarecurious.blogspot.com/2013/04/play-dough.html#more">Read more »</a>Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-6310068346348420522013-04-19T22:35:00.003-07:002013-04-19T22:40:21.795-07:00Texture Bowl<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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One of our new playtime activities is a 'Texture Bowl' for Smooch. I found a big bag of dried beans in the back of a cupboard, that are probably 4-5 years old. Realizing that-- 1) there's probably been some breakdown in the composition and flavour over that period of time and 2) if I haven't used them in that long, I'm probably not going to use them-- I decided to put them to a new use. I put them in a big bowl (with a tight fitting lid) and added a few 'accessories' like an egg cup, a spoon, and a silicone egg poacher. Smooch seemed to know immediately what it was for. She dug her hands into the bowl, and let the beans slide through her fingers. She scooped up beans with the egg cup and poured them back into the bowl, trying to fill up the squishy egg poacher. She used the spoon to stir the beans in the bowl. She took out handfuls of beans, then said "uh oh" when they fell on the floor, and proceeded to pick them up one at a time and put them back in the bowl. She was delighted. <br>
<a href="http://incaseyouarecurious.blogspot.com/2013/04/texture-bowl.html#more">Read more »</a>Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-1289102001910388182013-04-19T22:14:00.001-07:002013-04-19T22:39:59.906-07:00Blanket Time<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0eDR_Jhxs-T6muYY3u-68PWYdNH3Kv_m6gEk8Mba7LlVVu7QqEIZMVHruwj4jfqOeKiJb_Ttou5_9YbC4nNRYcFe2OohFnpujVGEGMtpxec2p_AuqDG1MNqIyhNrr_lpdQOfwGn-Lots/s1600/IMG_0674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0eDR_Jhxs-T6muYY3u-68PWYdNH3Kv_m6gEk8Mba7LlVVu7QqEIZMVHruwj4jfqOeKiJb_Ttou5_9YbC4nNRYcFe2OohFnpujVGEGMtpxec2p_AuqDG1MNqIyhNrr_lpdQOfwGn-Lots/s400/IMG_0674.JPG" width="266"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smooch reading on her pink blanket</td></tr>
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As Smooch is entering into that magical period called Toddlerhood, I'm finding a brand new set of challenges. One of the gems I got out of "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/On-Becoming-Toddlerwise-Gary-Ezzo/dp/0971453225" target="_blank">On Becoming Toddlerwise</a>" was the importance of creating and maintaining a schedule for the day, broken up into segments of different activities. One suggested 'activity' was "Room Time" where your child spends up to 30 minutes or more playing by herself in her room. They suggested that if this is a new concept for your child, to start with "Blanket Time" for short intervals, like 5 minutes at a time, and gradually increase the interval, then graduate to Room Time. The concept is simple. I'm establishing time that Smooch is required to entertain herself, but it also reinforces the skill of sitting still and focusing on one thing, which at 18 months, seems to be nearly an impossibility. I put her on the blanket with her favourite books, or some fun toys, and set the timer. I tell her that she must stay on the blanket until Mommy says its time to get up. And then I leave her alone, and do my best to not interact with her, even so much as making eye contact. <br>
<a href="http://incaseyouarecurious.blogspot.com/2013/04/blanket-time.html#more">Read more »</a>Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-33229283728185223832013-03-08T14:39:00.000-08:002013-05-14T15:27:04.486-07:00Roots & WingsMy daughter sat on the top step of the landing, halfway down the stairs at Granny's house. She idly kicked her feet and smiled as she looked up at us. I stood at the top of the stairs, gently reminding her to 'turn around and go feet first' the way she knows how. My mother-in-law stood behind me, in a state of panic, flustered and bothered, saying "Oh! Stop, stop! Oh! Go get her! Go to her! Oh! I'm going to have a heart attack!" I watched Smooch carefully turn herself around and slide down the steps on her belly, and hollered to my husband that she was on her way down. In that moment, I should have turned to my mother-in-law and asked, "Mum, what are you afraid of?" I know what her answer would have been, because she's said it so many times.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3yl3FJLIosoqXxZ8gWeKSJ1vaPWm-bGl_ItSebco5kUqsjmPqrdtI2zCYUVDD874aqAwzUM6V0fFr6v0TUqsNmqcNPiATmsGsX1mFg32HJ8QeC43MWrr0eGFiPkcZg63UTz8lu0VgOt5U/s1600/roots+&+wings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3yl3FJLIosoqXxZ8gWeKSJ1vaPWm-bGl_ItSebco5kUqsjmPqrdtI2zCYUVDD874aqAwzUM6V0fFr6v0TUqsNmqcNPiATmsGsX1mFg32HJ8QeC43MWrr0eGFiPkcZg63UTz8lu0VgOt5U/s320/roots+&+wings.jpg" width="320"></a>"I'm just afraid she's going to get hurt."<br>
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Yes. She <i>is</i> going to get hurt. And if we try and protect her from ever experiencing pain, we are preventing her from growing. Because pain is an inevitable part of growth. She is going to get physically hurt as she explores her world, and takes risks, and attempts new tasks. She is going to get emotionally hurt as she learns to give her heart away to friends and later, boyfriends. She is going to trip and bust her lip as she learns to run in rainboots. She is going to fall and bump her head as she gains the strength and desire to climb. She is going to have to learn about gravity, so that she learns her limits. She is going to get knocked over, she is going to skin her knee. She is going to have her heart broken, and she is going to be betrayed. She is going to fail in some of her attempts, she is going to struggle to accomplish some things. These things are inevitable, but they are not bad. They are an important part of the growing up process.<br>
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<a href="http://incaseyouarecurious.blogspot.com/2013/03/roots-wings.html#more">Read more »</a>Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-59787088623969348382013-03-06T13:30:00.000-08:002013-05-17T14:31:28.298-07:0015 Months<br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Q:</b> <i>do you remember where Smooch was at at the beginning of 15 mos. with sleep/naps?</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>A:</b> Beginning of 15 months for Smooch would have been early January... she is apparently quite an anomaly, because she is STILL (!) taking 2 naps and sleeping 11-13 hours at night. Her routine hasn't changed much from then-- </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">She is up usually around 7am, and goes back down for a morning nap between 9 & 9:30, sleeps for 1.5- 2+ hours (depending on what's going on), then is up and BUSY until anywhere from 1:30-3 (more variance for when she's ready for her afternoon nap). If she goes down earlier, it is usually a longer nap, like 2 hours. If its later, its usually more like 45 min- 1 hour. If, for some reason, I can't get her down for a nap before 4, she usually won't go down, and then is pretty much miserable for the rest of the evening, hardly eats dinner, and ends up in bed earlier than normal, because I'm tired of her crabbiness, and she can barely keep her eyes open. Normal nights she is in bed between 7 and 7:30 pm.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">But I've been told by I-can't-tell-you how many people that this is highly unusual, that usually by 12-14 months, their kids were down to one 2-3 hour nap in the afternoon (and also that they are sleeping 9-11 hours at night). Not sure if I could handle that! Smooch seems to need her morning nap even more than her afternoon one. And I've tried holding her off, to see if its time to transition to one afternoon nap, but she doesn't sleep any longer in the afternoon if she misses her morning nap (still 1.5-2 hours), and is just a cranky mess. So for right now, I figure its not worth it. My mom reminded me the other day that I was a child who needed more sleep than most, so part of this is probably genetics too... (she also reminded me that Smooch has been getting more sleep than her peers from the get-go, so its not actually that unusual for her to still be getting more...) </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">I cherish those 2 naps though, because I'm expecting again, and this first trimester has been harder than it was with Smooch, and I'm exhausted (maybe its because I'm chasing a wild 16-month old! LOL!) so I often nap when she does.</span></span><br />
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Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-26009530408164686962013-03-02T21:37:00.000-08:002013-05-02T21:44:08.002-07:00Book Review: Around The Farm<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/The-World-Eric-Carle-Around/dp/1450805752" target="_blank">Around the Farm</a> by Eric Carle</span> <span style="font-size: large;">(a "Play a sound" book)</span><br />
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This is a fantastic book! As do ALL of Eric Carle's books, this gem has beautiful, colourful, engaging pictures. Each animal has a sentence about it, and when you press the button, it says the name of the animal, then the sound it makes. You'll recognize several of the pictures as they are borrowed from his other books, which I think is great. The turtle, rabbit, butterfly and caterpillar (yes, that one!) have a little tune or sound effect -- the rabbit one is a 'boing, boing' bouncing sort of sound, the turtle's is a low, slow melody, and the butterfly and caterpillar's are bright upbeat little tunes. </div>
Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-77785085195115201172013-03-01T22:07:00.000-08:002013-04-30T22:10:07.143-07:00Book Review: Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fingers-Thumb-Bright-Early-Books/dp/0394810767/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351829159&sr=1-11&keywords=bright+baby+animals" target="_blank">Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb</a> by Al Perkins</span><br />
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This is such a fun book. I read it to Smooch at Granny & Granda's house, and she just giggles all the way through it, so when I saw it for 50 cents at a thrift store, I had to get it! <br />
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It is rhythmic and rhyming, and the monkeys are a lot of fun. You can't help but read this with a steady beat! Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-27529805685255432792012-12-12T23:37:00.001-08:002013-04-19T22:41:54.360-07:0020 Minutes of Grace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm a Babywise mom. Did I tell you that before? I am. I believe in the concept of sleep training, even though it is a phrase that is 'out of vogue' in mainstream conversations. I believe that its okay to allow a baby to fuss for a little while as she falls asleep. I believe that giving her that time allows her the chance to figure out how to put herself to sleep. And I believe this is one of the most important gifts you can give your child. A very wise doctor told my mom about the "20 Minute Rule," when her first (my big brother) was 6 weeks old. She used it for all 5 of us. And it still works. I call it "20 Minutes of Grace."<br>
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So here's what "20 Minutes of Grace" looked like in our house. If Smooch was in need of sleep -- acting tired, fussy, etc -- I would make sure that she had a clean diaper, and that she had been fed recently, then I would put her down for her nap or bedtime <u>awake</u>, but <i>drowsy</i>, on her tummy. Then I'd close the door and if she started fussing, I'd set the timer for 20 minutes. And I'd spend that time praying for her, praying for me, thanking God for his grace. <br>
<a href="http://incaseyouarecurious.blogspot.com/2012/12/20-minutes-of-grace.html#more">Read more »</a>Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-21301086919524366782012-12-12T14:57:00.000-08:002012-12-12T23:45:27.967-08:00Responsibility Training<br>
<i><b>"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."</b> Proverbs 22:6 (ESV)</i><br>
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Our God-given role as parents is to use the 18 or so years that He has given us with our children under our care, and train them up to be fully functioning, independent, responsible adults. In my family, we call this Responsibility Training. As a child becomes developmentally capable (both physically and emotionally) of handling a task related to her own care, we give her the responsibility for that task, even if it means messes and tears and mistakes that require correction and redirecting along the way, as she learns to master the task required of her. It takes a lot more work to parent this way, but in the long run, I believe you end up with a well-adjusted, high functioning child who is better prepared to face the world beyond the protection of home.<br>
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A general timeline for some aspects of Responsibility Training:<br>
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1) <u>Sleep</u> -- one of the first things you can give your child is the responsibility of putting herself to sleep. We started this from the very beginning with Smooch. Of course, those first few days, all she did was sleep (we had to wake her up to feed her), but once she started having more active 'awake' time, then we instituted the Babywise sleep training method of feeding, awake time, then sleep. We would put her to bed, drowsy, but awake, and allow her to work out whatever she needed to in order to fall asleep, even if it meant fussing for a little while. I explain this in more detail in "<a href="http://incaseyouarecurious.blogspot.ca/2012/12/20-minutes-of-grace.html">20 Minutes of Grace</a>."<br>
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<a href="http://incaseyouarecurious.blogspot.com/2012/12/train-up-child-in-way-he-should-go-even.html#more">Read more »</a>Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-18942864702881167272012-12-02T21:20:00.001-08:002012-12-02T21:20:18.403-08:00A Mother's Heart -- finding grace in transitions<br>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Its the end of an era. Well, perhaps Era is too strong a word -- it was only 1.125 years. But it feels like the end of an era. My little pumpkin is growing up, becoming independent of me. It was a bittersweet moment tonight when I laid her down for bed, as I said her prayers and sang "Jesus Loves Me" with her, it dawned on me that I had not nursed her in a week. No early morning "go back to sleep for a few more hours" nursings, no "its well past your normal bedtime" nursings. No more "this is part of our normal routine." The 'bitter' was in losing those sweet cherished moments we shared together this past year -- as we struggled through those first few days while we were both figuring out how this whole thing works, as we found a rhythm, became a 'nursing couple', and then as that rhythm changed with the months of growth, then nursing priority giving way to solid foods supplemented by nursing. </span><br>
<a href="http://incaseyouarecurious.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-mothers-heart-finding-grace-in.html#more">Read more »</a>Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-13151978035291534852012-11-01T22:12:00.000-07:002013-04-30T22:13:04.533-07:00Book Review: God Made Time<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Made-Time-Christian-Focus/dp/184550657X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_z" target="_blank">God Made Time</a> by Catherine MacKenzie</span><br />
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This is a simple little book that puts a concept like Time into a godly perspective. There are several others like this one, in the same series-- God Made: Me, Food, Weather, Colors, the World, Animals, Water<br />
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Smooch really likes it. Its small, so she can hold it easily. And the pictures are simple, but easy for her to identify and relate to. Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-25124961413512736112012-11-01T20:46:00.000-07:002013-04-30T22:11:19.164-07:00Book Review: Beautiful Babies<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Babies-Touch-Feel-Book/dp/1416919082" target="_blank">Beautiful Babies</a> by Karma Wilson</span><br />
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This touch-and-feel book is very well done. It has photographs of animals in vivid colours, with different textures to represent the different animals' characteristics. This was one of the first touch-and-feel books that Smooch encountered, and it is still a favourite of hers. She particularly loves the "ducklings swimming in a row." Its very clever, as it has the phrase "oh you beautiful babies" repeated throughout, and ends with a mirror and the line "they're sweet as sweet can be, its true. But none are as sweet as baby you! oh you beautiful baby!" Smooch loves the mirror, and loves to give herself smooches! :-) Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-65113707072827514312012-11-01T20:38:00.001-07:002013-04-30T22:11:37.605-07:00Book Review: Ten Little Ladybugs<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/TEN-LITTLE-LADYBUGS-GERTH-MELANIE/dp/1581170912" target="_blank">Ten Little Ladybugs</a> by Melanie Gerth</b></span><br />
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This is a great little book that counts backward from 10 to 1, with colourful pictures and tactile ladybugs. Smooch loves this book. We read it at least once every day. She loves to sit on my lap, and I'll take her fingers and count the bugs on each page. Smooch also enjoys the holes for each bug. She loves to put her fingers into the holes. The premise is simple. As you turn the pages, the bugs disappear one by one. The first time I read through it, I thought they were getting eaten or something, because it would say 'along came a fish, then there were...' (one less on the next page)... but in the end, they all end up home together with their animal friends! Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-63337512884821993902012-10-25T16:17:00.000-07:002012-12-02T21:20:50.607-08:009 MonthsFrom a friend:<i> "I wondered how many times per day you were nursing Smooch at the end of 9
months. Also would love to know the same thing nap-wise"</i><br>
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My response:<br>
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<br>
At the end of 9 months, we were at 3-4 nursings a day, depending on our
schedule. Our 'general' schedule going into 10 months was:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://incaseyouarecurious.blogspot.com/2012/10/9-months.html#more">Read more »</a>Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8495370597114924614.post-54944284681418420992012-10-25T12:13:00.000-07:002013-06-06T15:36:54.965-07:002 Months<i>I had a friend ask me about Smooch's schedule when she was 2 months old, and what to do with her own Sweetpea during the day, to keep her from getting bored. Here is my response... ... in case you are curious.</i> <br>
<br>
At 2 months, Smooch was still sleeping more than she was awake. Her
awake times were becoming extended, but she was still napping at some
point between every feed, and then sleeping 8-10 hours at night.
I highly recommend picking up a copy of the book "<a href="http://www.amazon.ca/ON-BECOMING-BABYWISE-Gary-Ezzo/dp/0971453209" target="_blank">On Becoming Babywise</a>," either from the
library, or from the bookstore. I've used it all the way through so
far, (I'm currently reading Babywise II: 5-15 months, and then there's
Toddlerwise, etc.) and find I often refer back to it.<br>
<a href="http://incaseyouarecurious.blogspot.com/2012/10/2-months.html#more">Read more »</a>Erin Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270220428959285972noreply@blogger.com0