Category Archives: Baby Milestones

What Would We Do Without It Wednesdays: Determination, Persistence and Patience

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“I did it, Mommy! Did you see me? I did it!” my little girl excitedly informs me. Whether it’s doing one of the skills of the day at The Little Gym or putting her shoes on the correct feet all by herself, I’ve proudly observed how determined, persistent and patient she can be. I often hear people remark about the most recent generations and how they do not work as hard or often want instant gratification without putting in the work, and I do not want my daughter to fall into this category.

Sometimes, my daughter, who will be three in less than a week, will grow frustrated and whine a little if she’s having difficulties putting on her shirt, doing a puzzle or building a tower after advising me that she can do it herself, but this is only natural, especially at her age. I do, however, love that regardless of how flustered she becomes, Quinn will keep on trying or realize that she may need a little help. My hope is that my daughter will continue to be determined, persistent and patient as she learns new tasks and skills because they’re not only important towards her current development, but these attributes will, in part, shape who she becomes as an adult. What would we do without these attributes?

All the best,

Tanya

 

Mommy’s Monday Moments: My Little Sprout is Growing Up!

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My little girl loves flowers and plants and enjoys helping me water them, so I purchased her a little plant to grow all on her own. It was actually grass that grows in as little as seven days so that she can see the growth process in a short duration of time.

My soon-to-be three year old insisted that we take pictures so that we could see how much her plant grows, which made me think about all of the pictures I’ve taken of her since she was born and how she’s growing up so quickly, physically, mentally and emotionally. We planted her little seedlings a day before I left town for a work-related event, and when I returned just a few days later, the grass was already sprouting up an inch or so. Seven days later, and the grass is  so tall that it needs a trim, which Quinn is eager to do.

Each day since we potted our little grass seeds, my daughter will ask to see her plant and inform me, “We have to keep it in the window so that it gets sun and water it when it’s thirsty, right Mommy!” This plant is not only a wonderful opportunity for her to learn about life and taking care of plants, but it is a terrific representation of my little girl. With proper nourishment and love my little sunshine is growing up so quickly, and it is up to her father and me to “groom” her as necessary so that she may grow into a lovely young lady.

All the best,

Tanya

What Would We Do Without It Wednesdays: Books, Books and More Books!

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Reading Before Bedtime

Since my daughter was just one day old, I’ve read books to her. Not a day goes by that she doesn’t have a book read to her or leaf through a book on her own. Within the past year or so, I’ve observed my soon-to-be three year old looking at the pictures and composing her own stories more frequently. “Let’s read one more story, please!” she asks. Two books is the minimum when it comes to bedtime stories. When we’re out and about, she observes different words and will spell them out then take an educated guess at what it says. I’m amazed at how often she is correct.

Though her interest in reading may seem natural and even expected by her father and me, I must keep in mind that having access to books and having parents and family members who encourage the enjoyment of reading and learning is a luxury and difficult for some. Also, not all children are interested in books let alone reading, so I am grateful that Quinn is intrigued by books and stories. My little girl went from being an observer simply absorbing what I read to her to wanting to take the book and curl up on the sofa and “read” it to herself.  I don’t know what we’d do without books. It’s a wonderful way for us to bond and for Quinn to continue to develop and discover a never-ending world of imagination and exploration.

All the best,

Tanya

Just Thirty More Days and My Little Girl Will Be Three!

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2016-04-03 17.52.39Who hasn’t heard the phrase, “Time flies?” It couldn’t be more true when it comes to children. One moment, I’m holding my newborn in my arms watching her coo, rocking her to sleep, and the next moment I’m watching her run and jump and listening to her tell me how much fun she had at the park. For the past few months, my husband and I have been prepping our daughter to no longer say that she’s two. When someone asks her how old she is, Quinn proudly responds, “I will be three on May 3rd!” Most recently, I’ve found that I too require some prepping as my daughter reaches three years old. There are so  many more milestones she will reach, and more of “baby girl” will be left behind as she continues to discover the world, evolve and become more independent. Wow, it’s just thirty more days to go. We have a Mickey Mouse Countdown tool which only heightens the anticipation. In the words of my little girl, “It’ll be here before you know it!” I have a feeling that she’ll be excited and more than ready. I just hope that I will too.

All the best,

Tanya

Mommy’s Monday Moments:Fear Not…Well Fear A Little

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Quinn Watching the Tiger Up Close at the Zoo

Since my little girl was one, we’ve taken frequent trips to the zoo. One of her favorite stops is the Big Cat Exhibit. “Can we see the tiger and lion video at the end?” is a request she would make without fail. We’ve been to the zoo twice this year since it’s gotten warmer, but a major change has occurred: a major brain shift I’ve observed. While Quinn, my soon-to-be three year old, doesn’t mind observing the tigers, lions and cheetahs in the zoo displays, she has become fearful of the video she once loved and asked to watch a few times each time we went to the zoo.

There is this one scene in particular where the tiger is attacking an antelope which never phased Quinn in the past. So I was caught off guard today when Quinn cried out, “I’m scared Mommy! I don’t want to see the video anymore! Please Mommy!” I’ve never heard such fear in her voice before. I could see that she was really terrified. When I asked her why she was scared, she said, “The tiger was not playing nice with the other animal and was hurting him.”

In this moment I wondered.  What happened? What changed? Then it occurred to me; my little girl is growing up. Her brain is evolving. She’s entering the next phase of many more to come. I hope I’m able to model bravery and to help her address any fears she need to address as she continues to learn more about herself and her surroundings.

Best regards,

Tanya

Spring Has Sprung, and So Has My Little One

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Enjoying Some Time at the Park

Alas, it’s the first day of spring, and though it doesn’t feel like it here in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, I’m looking forward to this lovely season. The flowers are blooming, the weather is comfortable, and my daughter and I get to spend even more time having fun and doing activities outdoors. Since her birthday is in spring, just about a month and a half away, I’ve found myself reflecting on how much she has blossomed since last year. From her vocabulary expanding everyday, to her height and even how she expresses her emotions more effectively, it’s as though she has sprung up overnight. Here’s to a fun-filled season and watching my soon-to-be three year old continue to blossom into a beautiful, fun and caring little girl.

All the best,

Tanya

Mommy’s “Moment” Monday: Perfecting Fun With My Little One

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Getting a Lesson in Abstract Painting from My Daughter. (Can you guess which bunny is hers and which is mine?)

It may sound cliche, but not a day goes by that my little girl doesn’t teach me something about motherhood, childhood, myself or just life in general. One moment that’s been on my mind just occurred this past Friday. My daughter and I were doing an Easter painting  project with large plastic bunnies I purchased at Target. Since I’m a big kid at heart, I purchased one for her and one for me so that we could both have a little fun.

As we got started with the project, I labored over what colors to use and if I should use some painter’s tape to ensure that my lines were straight. I even thought of drawing a little sketch of how I wanted my bunny to look so that it would be perfect. My soon-to-be three year old, on the other hand, was just excited to be creative with the paint and wanted to use all of the colors. She was eager to mix the yellow and blue together to make green while I tried to keep the colors separate on my little painting plate and warned her not to dip the brush in the different color paints because it would change the color. I even found myself making commentary on her bunny, in a cheerful yet judging way. “Your bunny sure does have a lot of paint everywhere, Quinine!”

At that moment, I stopped and briefly thought about what I was doing. I was stifling her fun and making a great activity into work and projected my a perfectionist ways onto my daughter. Though she did not appear to be bothered by what I realized I was doing, it bothered me because I want her to enjoy being a kid and to explore her creativity. She actually taught me to relax and to not worry so much about everything being perfect. Sometimes it’s nice to just have a little fun without following all of the so-called rules and expectations.  In the end, we both enjoyed painting our bunnies, and I am looking forward to more teachable moments courtesy of my daughter.

All the best,

Tanya

Mommy’s Memorable Monday : Learning How to Swing

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img_1640-1“It’s a nice day! Can we go to the park today, Mommy?” my little girl asked. Though it’s February, I honored her request on this unseasonably warm Monday, and this outing conjured up some childhood memories of my own while my daughter had fun and asked to get on the “big kid” swing all by hersel.

I remember like it was yesterday when my mother taught me how to swing. “When you go up, put your legs up. When you go down, put your legs down!” Wow, it still amazes me that I recall what my mom said and used the exact words to teach my daughter. Even though it’ll be some time before she is swinging like a pro, she impressed me with how quickly she caught on and followed these instructions. The level of excitement I had for her was similar to the excitement I had for myself as a child, if not more. I all sky wanted to giggle and cheer along with her as she went up and down in the swing.

Then, she decided to recite the alphabet as she swung…well excuse me my almost-three-year-old-in-May! Before I know it, she’ll be challenging me to a contest to see who can swing the highest and fastest. Who would have thought taking a quick trip to the park would be so memorable?

 

 
All the best,

Tanya

Mommy Memories of Memorable Moments Mondays: How My Little Girl Has Grown!

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Quinn at One Week
Quinn at Five Months
Quinn at Two and a Half Years Old

Though I have only been a mother for a little over two and a half years, I can confirm that the rumors are true: the time from infancy through toddlerhood (and probably beyond) really does fly by. If you’re not a picture taker, I’d urge you to become one because even as a person who has a fairly sharp memory, short term and long term, I find that some moments I consider to be memorable (Who and I kidding…all of them are to me!) are not only fleeting but blurring together.

Every once and a while, my little girl will do something that conjures up one of those memorable moments. One in particular is when she squeezes her 39 inch long body into her infant to toddler rocker and will insist on keeping the pull toys on which make it even more difficult for her to fit. “I love this chair,” she exclaims. I then can’t help but think about when she was just a week old relaxing in her infant seat and how excited I was when she started reaching out for the toys in front of her and spinning them around a few months later. It was our “go-to” chair when I was grading papers, and Quinn wanted to be nearby but not necessarily held.

Of course, I love watching my little girl grow in a multitude of ways, but I also love just reminiscing and thinking about how much she has grown and how much we have grown together as mother and daughter.

All the best,

Tanya

A Happy New Year with My Little Girl

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Countdown Until Noon at The Please Touch Museum
Countdown Until Noon at The Please Touch Museum
Quinn Bringing in the New Year

Yesterday, December 31st, my husband and I took our little girl and her big cousin to the Please Touch Museum to bring in the new year for their countdown until noon event. While this was an enjoyable family outing, we had differing opinions as we planned out bringing in the new year with his brother, sister-in-law and family. He was certain that our two and a half year old would be sleep by 11:00 pm or would grow cranky causing us to depart before “the ball dropped,” especially since she did not get her usual nap. I, on the other hand, had confidence that with her being one year older from last year, she would eagerly bring in the new year with her mommy, daddy and family.

Quinn proved that a lot can change within a year. Upon arriving at the home of my brother-in-law, it took her about a half hour to become comfortable with some of the new faces she saw, but once she did, she was up and ready to celebrate. Donning the party hat she selected and showing off her new horn blowing skill she had mastered hours earlier, my little girl cheerfully welcomed 2016. She even went around saying happy new year to everybody and even asked to call her Nana to say “Happy New Year!”

Yes, my daughter instantly fell asleep once she was in her car seat, but the glimmer in her eyes was not just a sign of hope but reminded me that anything is possible when you put your mind to it. When I think of how much she has grown since bringing in 2015 until now, I do wonder how much she will grow and evolve this year. I am so happy and blessed that I was able to bring in the new year with my husband, daughter and family. Here’s to a wonderful 2016!

All the best,

Tanya