Toddler Joy School

Just this week a couple friends and I started an exchange for our toddlers to play once a week and the other 2 moms to take a break (or get something done). We started out at our house. Although its a little advanced for any of them to sit and listen to a lesson I still had a theme and we talked about the body this week. In the pics, we traced thier hand and foot and they got to decorate them. Below are thier drawings. The bottom is a failed attempt at basic math skills. I tried to see if they could sort body parts into different bowls. Each of them ended up taking a bowl and as many of the laminated eyes, mouths and hands as possible. We can keep trying though.

I'm including what we did- more as a reference for myself incase I need to come back and do it again, I'll know where to look.

 

The Body:

Song: Head Shoulders Knees and Toes

Book: Parts by Tedd Arnold

Craft: Trace and Color Hands and Feet

Math Activity: Sorting Body Parts (eyes, mouths and hands)

Song: The Hokey Pokey

 

I don't know how much they really got out of it. Although they sometimes looked at me, there was little song participation, no one paid any attention to the book and the sorting went wrong. They did like the craft and had loads of fun playing together. We focused most on learning to share, take turns and not hit, which at this age is probably the most important and what they will likely take away from the experience.

E's Baby Blessing

We blessed Miss E over Thanksgiving weekend. Lots of family and lots of love.

 J and Nana sharing a laugh. He has his hands up because he is about to grab both sides of her face and kiss her. Its something he has been doing lately and its adorable.

 My Boys

The whole family. Her blessing dress is made from the fabric of my wedding dress. Made by family friend Barbara George- she does blessing gowns as a home business and she did a wonderful job.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was fun this year. E was there for the fun (two whole weeks old). Most of my family came in town and we ended up blessing E on that Sunday. R's sister blessed thier new baby- 3 weeks older than E in our ward too. We had a great time together, ate yummy food, watched some funny shows, shared media on Iphones (not R and I but everyone else), played football, golf and shopped a ton.

Nana and Grandpa and the kids went on atleast 2 walks a day! J loved it, he was in heaven!

We also went to Old McDondalds Farm on Saturday. Rode the train, played on the playground sets, petted and feed the animals, and rode on a pony. Great fun. R and J especially liked it.

E's So Pretty

Just home from the hospital

Big as a football (ready for the TurkeyBowl)

In her pretty dress ready for church

E with gas the day after she got home from the hospital.

Halloween

Here is our only pic of J's Halloween costume. He was Clark Kent ( I Like the tie in his hand- he didn't want to wear that part or the lensless glasses). We celebrated by going to our ward's Trunk-or-Treat and then coming home and watching a movie in bed while trying to pretend we were not home.

Miss E

 First time holding my sweet girl

First family photo

First photo with Nana

First time for J to hold E. He is a good big brother. He likes to help put her paci back in and rock or bounce her in her swing or bouncer. Sometimes he just likes to sit or stand right next to her as he watches his letters show. (He is sometimes jealous when he wants something or to be held and Dad  is holding E).

This is one of the only pics of my belly near the end. Here we are playing in the backyard the afternoon before E showed up.

We showed up at the hospital on Thursday at 5:30am to get induced. Nothing happened until 7, but once they started hooking everything up, things progressed quickly. At 8 I finally got the pitocin and felt pretty good until 10:30. I asked for the good drugs and once I was hooked up around 11- 11:15 I felt great. There wasn't a lot of time to relax as at 12 we were almost ready. My mom made it in time cause R said to just come on over a little early. We had to start the pushing a little before I was all the way dialated (not long before) as E's heart rate plummeted everytime I had a contaction. After pushing 3/4 times over 1/2 contractions E's head was out- A minor emergency happened as the cord was wrapped fair tight around her neck, I say minor because Dr. Bernell was super quick and calm as she freed E then after one more quick push she was being rubbed and cleaned up. E pinked up and cried and was doing great within a minute though. (her apgars were 9 and 9). We spent the next two days in the hospital gazing sweetly at E and learning/relearning how to breastfeed and trying to sleep a little with a nurse coming in at least every hour for something or other along with E waking up and eating all night (thats the bad part of the hospital- oh and the needles). Once we got home everything was smooth sailing. Mom was there for the week so we took turns at night I'd feed her and she would put her back to bed (I just need her here all the time!). J had a really good time with his Nana and did really well with his new sister. I forgot how glamorous having a baby is, what with the gushing water, blood, soreness, immodesty, peeing, etc. (hope Jolene isn't too grossed out- but I can hear you in my head as I wrote that) My favorite was when feeding E and people would knock on the door- everyone got a good view as I wasn't about to stop feeding her. I'm sure the food delivery lady really enjoyed that! E was 7lbs 5 oz. 19 3/4 inches long and looked more this J than either R or I initially.

Some Christmas Toddler Activities

Decorating Sugar Cookies

Putting stickers on a foam tree we got at Target (he puts them on and takes them off- over and over and over)

Snowman window clings from the dollar spot in Target. He played with this quietly for about 25 minutes! Of course by the end they were all mangled and ripped up- but I didn't think it was that bad and it was only a dollar.

A Few J Toddler Activities

Playing with "Moon Sand". I made a mix from 4 cups flour and 1 cup baby oil- I have never played with real moon sand so I have no clueif this is a good cheap diy substitute. J enjoyed playing with his littled people in it.

This is probably J's favorite activity, although he will only color with markers. Luckily he is pretty good at putting the caps back on.

We built a fort and played in it. J wanted to climb on it so I think we will have to try this again when he is older.