Category Archives: Baby Musings

Mommy’s Little Creative Story Teller or Pinocchio?

By

Pinocchio-wallpapers

“Are you sure Daddy said you can have another treat” I asked my daughter, and she responded, “Yes!” I then raised my eyebrow looking at her intently. She nervously asked, “Why are you looking at me like that, Mommy?” With a frantic voice, I said, “Oh my goodness! Your nose! It’s growing!” I chuckled to myself as she recanted her statement claiming, “No, Daddy didn’t say I could have another treat. Then, she quickly touched her nose, her eyes welled up wth tears and her voice began to waver as she inquired, “Mommy, is my nose still growing? I don’t want to be like Pinocchio!”

My four year old looked so concerned and weary, and I actually felt bad when I saw her ready to cry because I was just playing around and did not anticipate that response from her. Also, I try my best to use positive reinforcement rather than focus on the negative. We actually did have a conversation about the importance of telling the truth, and she usually does. But on an occasion or two when I know she may be “fudging” the truth a little, I just scratch the tip of my nose as I ask her again, and she’ll tell the truth without me uttering a word. I definitely don’t want to stifle her creativity and do encourage her to share stories, but I’m hoping we can use those “tall tales” to promote her cognitive development and  imaginative play.

Does your child like to tell “stories?” What techniques do you use to keep them from being little Pinocchios?

All the best,

Tanya

 

Put on a Happy Face: My Little Girl Makes Me Smile

By

With concentration, she held the chalk between her fingers first making a large circle, rubbing away part of it to start over again for precision then continuing by making smaller circles inside of the larger one. I then asked, “What are you drawing sweetheart?” “A happy face!” my daughter responded as she finished up her drawing with a smile and even eyebrows, “And it has to be perfect,” she continued. When I asked why she chose to draw a happy face, she told me, “Because I’m happy, and I love making happy faces.”

To hear my daughter say she’s happy and to see the smile on her face or the happy faces she draws fills me with so much happiness. Not a day goes by that she doesn’t put a smile on my face. Even when she may sulk for a bit, have to receive a warning if she’s misbehaving, or be upset because she believes it’s unfair that she can’t get a toy from the store or have a piece of candy, before long, she’s back to her jovial self bringing light into my life and all those with whom she comes in contact.

She always manages to bring a smile to my face, and I look forward to many more happy, smiling faces in the future courtesy of my little girl.

All the best,

Tanya

Life’s a Beach: Fun in the Sand and Ocean with My Little Girl

By

Toes wiggling in the sand with a smile on her sun-kissed face. Then waves crashing against her body reaching her shoulders at times as she squealed and yelled out, “Here comes another wave!” I am so happy that we decided to take our daughter to the beach for some summer fun in Ocean City, Maryland and most recently to Atlantic City, as a much closer commute.

Quinn’s first time down the shore was when she was merely three months old when we just walked the boardwalk, but in the years to follow, we’ve made our way down to the actual beach and in the ocean and had the time of our lives enjoying nature together for hours.

This year, my four year old had fun collecting seashells and building sandcastles with her dad and cousins too. She also insisted on being making “mush,” a combination of sand and water, and being buried in the sand. While sand has a way of sticking around for days and even weeks after leaving the beach, it is well worth it to build wonderful memories as a family and to see that smile on my little girl’s face. Here’s to many more visits to the beach throughout the rest of the summer and in the years to come.

All the best,

Tanya

Throwback Thursday: Swinging Right Along with My Little Girl

By

 

May 2014
May 2014
July 2017
July 2017

Even before my daughter was a year old, she loved to get in the swing, and she was so excited when my husband installed one for her on our tree in the front yard, but as the weather started getting warmer a few months ago, my little girl, who is now four years old, struggled to get in and out of the swing. She informed her father and me, “I need a big girl swing! This one is too small for me now!”

Wow, it seems like yesterday when Quinn would giggle as I pushed her in the swing and was still learning to talk. Now, she does well with articulating herself and even remembers what I taught her about swinging by herself. “You can push me for a little bit, and then I can use my legs to keep going higher and higher,” she told her dad after getting on her newly installed swing a few days ago.

Quinn and I both enjoy looking at pictures, and she especially loves looking at pictures from when she was much younger. When she came across some of her in the swing, she commented, “That’s when I was a baby in the baby swing. Wasn’t I cute? Now, I’m a big girl in a big girl swing!” I just thought to myself, “Where did the time go? I guess we’re swinging right along.”

All the best,
Tanya

What Would We Do Without It Wednesday: Thankful My Little Girl is Grateful

By

With a smile on her face, climbing up her “new” jungle gym, my daughter said, “Wasn’t it nice of the neighbors to give this to me!” “It sure was,” I told her. She then proceeded to ask, “Why did they give it to me?” To which I responded, their children outgrew it, so they thought you would like it. “Wow, that was very thoughtful!” Quinn informed me. “Yes, it sure was.” I said.

More and more frequently, I hear people talk about how it’s a cruel world and that everyone is out for themselves or how so many people, especially the younger generations, have an attitude of entitlement. While it may be somewhat true, I sincerely do not believe all people are this way. I have been trying my best to instill positive values such as gratitude and hopefulness rather than entitlement and hopelessness in my four year old daughter, so it warms my heart each time she not only utters the phrase thank you but expresses her gratitude by acknowledging how thoughtful the other person is. I always tell her that when people do something nice or out of the kindness of their hearts, it must be acknowledged because they did not have to do anything.

Just yesterday, my uncle asked her is she wanted to help frost a pink lemonade cake for the July 4th cookout, and she was so excited and said, “Uncle David picked me to help with the cake! That was very nice of him.” After helping, she told him, without me coaching her, “Thank you for allowing me to help decorate the cake, Uncle David.”

I truly believe gratitude goes further than we think and that one is never too young or too old to display it. The world is not so cruel as long as we contribute some positivity towards it. I hope I am modeling a behavior where my daughter will continue to feel the same way I do well into adulthood.

All the best,

Tanya

Splishing & Splashing: Backyard Fun in the Summer

By

“You want to get in too, Mommy?” my little girl asked as she splashed around in her brand new wading pool. “No, I think I’m too big, honey,” I informed her. With a smile, she quickly slid over telling me, “There’s plenty of room for you right here, Mommy!”

When I was a little girl, I loved getting in the wading pool with my sister. We’d sometimes be in there for hours until we were shriveled up like prunes. “Look at me, I’m swimming, Mommy!” Quinn excitedly told me as she got down low and stroked her arms in the water.

Watching her brought back so many wonderful memories and also reminded me that while going to a water park or a large pool can be fun, sometimes it’s nice to have a little fun together right in our own back yard.

All the best,

Tanya

Kick it up a Notch: Mommy’s Little Karate Kid!

By

With her legs moving quickly and some rhythmic arm movements, my little girl implored me, “Check out my karate moves, Mommy!” For the past year, Quinn’s been taking dance at The Little Gym but has been asking about taking karate for months. So when I saw that it was being offered this summer, I thought, “Why not?” Her dance class was all girls, which was fine, but I wasn’t too sure if she would be the only girl in her karate class and if the boys would be a little too rough for her since the age range was from four to six, meaning that she would be one of the youngest having just turned four nearly two months ago.

Last Wednesday was her very first class, and the anticipation was building for the both of us. She was excited to wear her karategi, and I, being the proud mommy, was excited to take pictures and offer praise. As we waited for class to start, I was pleasantly surprised to see that her karate class was a nice mix of boys and girls, and Quinn was able to hold her own even with some of the boys who were a bit rough at times. The Little Gym offers a good balance of instruction and fun as my daughter learns to “block, kick, and punch her way through this positive, noncompetitive twist on the ancient martial art.”

After class ended, Quinn came out smiling, “Did you see me, Mommy?” I responded, “Yes, I saw you, sweetheart.” Though I knew the answer, I asked, “Did you have fun?” “Yes, I had a lot of fun! I can’t wait to show Daddy some of my karate moves I learned.” I always get a “kick” out of seeing my daughter not just learn something new but to have fun along the way.

All the best,

Tanya

Mommy’s Monday Moments: Who Said Washing the Car Wasn’t Fun? Not My Little Girl!

By

With a soapy sponge about three times the size of her little hand she sung, “This is the was we scrub-a-dub-dub…scrub-a-dub-dub…scrub-a-dub-dub. This is the way we wash the car all day long!” It was a hot day, and when I was younger I loved when my mom would wet me with the hose, so I figured my four year old would like it too and that she could have a little water play as I washed my car. As I prepared the suds water and got my sponge ready, Quinn asked with a sad look on her face and disappointment in her voice , “Where’s my sponge, Mommy? I thought I was was helping to wash your car.”

Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised that she wanted to take on this chore with me.  So I got a second sponge for her that she was able to out on her hand to make it easier that holding it, and she went to work. I was impressed with how she paid close attention to detail making sure that she scrubbed every part of the car that she could reach even commenting on how dirty my tires were and how she had to scrub those a lot to get them clean.

Sometimes we, as adults, may underestimate the abilities of our children or may even assume that they do not want to do chores, thereby leaving us in awe when our children rise to the challenge and surpass it.  While Quinn just turned four last month, she constantly amazes me with her eagerness to help me do chores around the house from sweeping, vacuuming, doing dishes or simply clearing the table after a meal.

I love how she can make a chore fun and bring out the kid in me. After the car was all suds up, then came the extra fun part. She giggled and asked for more as I sprayed in her direction with the hose cooling her off after all of her hard work. Once the car was all clean, she helped dry it off and then turned to her dad who joined us outside asking, “Daddy, can we clean your car next?”

All the best,

Tanya

Always Happy to Celebrate Father’s Day!

By

“Today is a special day. It’s Father’s Day, Mommy!” my daughter told me this morning. “I can’t wait to give Daddy his special gift. You see, it says, ‘Fishing you a Happy Father’s Day instead of wishing you a happy father’s day.’ Isn’t that clever?” She added, “They’re Swedish fish: Daddy’s favorite! Isn’t that great!” It melts my heart to see Quinn so excited to celebrate her dad. I’m extremely grateful for the close bond they have. She really is his little twin in so many ways, and I look forward to seeing them both grow together as father and daughter bringing out the best in each other.

All the best,

Tanya

What Would We Do Without It Wednesday: Meet and Greets with Daddy

By

“How much longer do we have to wait until Daddy’s train comes, Mommy?” my daughter inquired. “Just about three minutes,” I respond. Then about a minute later she asked, “How many minutes now?” No matter how many times we walk, drive, use her scooter  or ride bikes to the train station to meet my husband as he gets home from work, the excitement and anticipation never dissipates for Quinn (Well, I’m excited to see him too). One time, she asked to wear her Paw Patrol watch so that she did not have to ask me how many more minutes it would take for his train to arrive, and of course this was the time that his train was running a few minutes behind schedule. “My watch says, 5:16, but Daddy’s train still is not here!” she informed me. “It must be running late, but he’ll be here soon,” I reassured her. Around 5:21, his train finally arrived, and a joyous smile came over Quinn’s face as she shouted, “There he is!”  My husband’s serious demeanor shifts to a playful one as he gives her a big hug and ask how her day was. Then I am relegated to push the scooter or bike all the way back home as she holds her dad’s hand or “helps” him roll his work bag up the street.

Even though I think about how wonderful of a bond Quinn and her dad have and how one of the ways it is displayed is through their train station meet and greet, with Father’s Day approaching, I decided to post an entry about how grateful I am to have a terrific husband who is loving and supportive of his daughter. I’m sure I speak for Quinn when I say, “I don’t know what we’d do without our meet and greets with her daddy at the train station.”

All the best,

Tanya