First Art- Art Experiences For Toddlers & Twos by MaryAnn Kohl
I had this fantasy for the summer that I was going to do weekly art projects with Red Fish and introduce her to all sorts of new media and ideas. The summer seems to have gotten away from me. We have painted a few times, colored a lot, done sidewalk chalk and used a lot of stickers. That's about it. This book has great recipes and ideas for toddler art projects. I'm trying to set a goal to actually use some of them by the end of the summer.
The Creative Family by Amanda Soule- A great reminder of the things I truly believe about the importance of family, love, creativity and imagination in parenting. I wish there had been a few more project ideas but I love the sentiments in the book. My ideal parenting would be full of creative projects, family traditions, and a lot of imaginative playtime. I totally agree with Soule's ideas about toys and art supplies. Kids need a few quality toys that can create an imaginary world. Art supplies should be readily available and high quality. Kids should be given tools to explore the world around them rather than distractions like television and video games. Now if I can just find the energy to implement these ideas in my family.
Other than reading I've been starting to nest quite a bit. Before Red Fish was born I went crazy reorganizing the house and getting the perfect nursery ready. I feel the same urge to do that now but I'm having a hard time getting anything done. Turns out it's much harder when I have a toddler and my energy disappears at a shocking rate. I did manage to make a set of curtains for Red Fish's new room (I love my nursery too much to change it for the next baby and I just barely finished repainting
the fish) Her room is coming together at a snail's pace. Good thing I don't plan to move her over until New Fish gets a little bigger and needs the crib instead of the cradle. Maybe I should plan on her room being done for Christmas instead of September. (My plans turned out to be more expensive than I planned so everything was put on hold until I could save up more money.)
I've also gotten to about 1/100th of my organization projects I wanted done by September. The fridge has been scrubbed this week, the pantry reorganized and all of the kitchen cabinets have been reorganized. That just leaves... the rest of the house including the scary garage and basement that never really got totally moved into. Wish me luck!
Red Fish just can't get enough of the water. Just taking a bath is a great time for her. We've pretty much filled the summer with water activities at least three times a week. We've been boating, swimming, wading pool, splash parks etc. This is going to be one sad baby when the cold weather hits. Today we went to the zero entry pool at my Mom's athletic club. Red Fish loved that she could walk, crawl, run, and lay on her back in the water.
What could be more fun on a summer day than making a big bowl of pudding and heading outside for a little art, toddler style? Red Fish started out very serious and careful.
Then she started to think squishing the pudding was awfully fun.
So she threw caution to the wind.
And really started to enjoy herself.
She had almost as much fun cleaning up the mess. She had a blast hosing herself and the table down. She even scrubbed down her highchair I had brought out to hose off. Apparently anything that involves squirting something off with the garden hose is fun. We need to buy a sprinkler.
Lovely L was able to stop by for an hour a couple weeks ago. We're working hard to make sure our girls get a chance at the same kind of friendship we have.
And we are excited to add another girl to the bunch. Now there can be three little buddies.
Red Fish was trying to teach baby C where her nose is. For some reason Red Fish always wants to show babies where their nose is.
First Art- Art Experiences For Toddlers & Twos by MaryAnn Kohl
The Creative Family by Amanda Soule- A great reminder of the things I truly believe about the importance of family, love, creativity and imagination in parenting. I wish there had been a few more project ideas but I love the sentiments in the book. My ideal parenting would be full of creative projects, family traditions, and a lot of imaginative playtime. I totally agree with Soule's ideas about toys and art supplies. Kids need a few quality toys that can create an imaginary world. Art supplies should be readily available and high quality. Kids should be given tools to explore the world around them rather than distractions like television and video games. Now if I can just find the energy to implement these ideas in my family.
This book is basically a collection of thoughts on moving back to the US after living abroad most of his adult life. Bryson comments on everything from the mundane to the bigger questions of liberty. I started out totally in love with this book. The first quarter of it made me laugh out loud literally. I enjoy Bill Bryson's droll humor and observations on American life. It cracks me up that he writes about the joy of having a garbage disposal and the annoying questions on the immigration paperwork. The chapter on all of the bizarre accidents Americans get into, including 142,000 visitors to the ER as a result of "clothing injuries," is hysterical. I liked his quips about the war on drugs and the cost of the FBI. His writing on the legality of snooping on people in dressing rooms, stores and work places was downright disturbing.
Well it's official. I've got a new little sister and I couldn't be more thrilled. They had a beautiful sealing this morning. I just got a few snapshots afterward because it was too hot for me to handle outside. I'll post more from their reception.
Our growing family
My "little" brothers
