just for fun

i just had to post this photo from last summer--a year ago! she is so big now and was so chubby back then!

question!

Hi everyone, I decided to open the blog up for discussion and just get some ideas on what you do with your kids each day, because I am running out of ideas! It seems like we spend most of the day either doing Mr. Potato Head, Colorforms, Playdough, or going to the park or grocery store. I would love to hear what the rest of you all are doing, just to get some new ideas! She is really asking for a whole bunch of my time lately, and doesnt much like to play alone, although I steal the occasional 10 minutes or so to myself. She prefers interacting, I suppose because there still isnt a lot she can do on her own. Any fun stuff I should know about but dont? Im bored. My husband said, "You cant live the life of a two year old!" and I completely agree! But somehow I find myself doing it each day!

"stinkers"

I found a great deal at the thrift store a couple of days ago--Tinker Toys! It wasnt a full barrell, but there were enough to have some fun with, so I got them. But at our house we use a word similar to "Tinker" to describe that funny sound that comes from our daughter's diaper on occasion. The word we use is "stinker." So here is the conversation that transpired when I introduced the Tinker Toys to Luxie:

"Look!"
"Oh!" said Luxie.
"We can build with them. They're called Tinker Toys"
"noooooooo!" (with a "you're so silly mommy" sound.)
"Yes! They are called Tinker Toys"
"nooooooo! dees not tinker (her pronounciation of stinker) toys!"
"Not 'stinker' toys, Tinker Toys" I said.
"Not 'tinker' toys, TINKer toys!"
"Right!"

I cant believe it

My daughter ate an entire Strawberry frosted PopTart for breakfast this morning. This, my darling little girl who was raised completely on Whole Foods the first 18 months of her life. She has had macaroni and cheese for the last three days for lunch, as well as McDonalds and a Taco Bell burrito for dinner. (ok, part of that was due to the fact that 1, Im pregnant and cannot cook at this time. and 2, we were desperately in need of groceries). But what has happened? Have I gotten lazy? Am I too cheap now? Do I think she is mature enough to handle it? Part of the reason is she just wont eat some of the stuff I used to fix and has become sooo picky. Ive somewhat resorted to giving her whatever she will eat. Second, I am not a good cook. Ive never had any interest in it, and I dont enjoy it much. For this reason I have not developed a good basket of recipes to pull from each evening. So there are about three meals I typically make and she is sick of them. (Heck, Im sick of them too!) Oh well, I know worse things have happened, and Im hardly ruining her life by feeding her PopTarts. But it's another one of those things that I am doing where I struggle with feeling like a "bad mom," but dont plan to change it. Like eating three Krispy Kreme donuts then sitting on the couch and watching a few hours of tv.

"Cookies."

It was our first time back at church since vacation, and I wondered how Luxie would do in the nursery after an almost three week absence. She did really well, actually, and I asked her about it once we got home.

"Did you have fun at church today?"
"Yeah!"
"Did you get to see Miss Anne?"
"Yeah!"
"Did you play with lots of toys?"
"Yeah!"
"Does Miss Anne understand your words?" (Ive wondered if they understand what she says like we do...)
(stares at me in silence)
(I decided to rephrase the question...) "Does Miss Anne know what you are saying?"
(still stares at me in silence)
(I give it one more try...) "When you talk, does Miss Anne know your words?"
(another long pause....stares at me in silence...then answers)

"Cookies."


I guess Miss Anne understands that one!