Category Archives: Baby Musings

On the Third Day of Christmas, My Little Girl Gave to Me…Being Mesmerized by Christmas Lights

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On the Third Day of Christmas, My Little Girl Gave to Me…Being Mesmerized by Christmas Lights.

“Is it dark enough to see the lights, Mommy? Can we go outside to see them now? Is Santa in the window too?” My little girl excitedly inquired. Looking at the twinkling Christmas lights is a simple activity, yet it’s something I’ve always enjoyed doing because it brings me joy and puts a smile on my face. Quinn loves looking at the lights too and wanted to go outside with me with no coat (I convinced her to put one on) just to see the light decorations on our house.

This year, we added Santa and Mrs. Claus in the downstairs windows, the nostalgic leg lap from “Christmas Story” on our front porch, a snowman and Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer in the front yard and moved the reindeer and sleigh with gifts that light up to the side yard. Another feature that’s not exactly lights is a digital decoration where Santa is busy placing presents, going into his red sack or eating cookies in our the second floor window using the special projector by the company AtmosFX. It is so realistic that my three year old along with some guests at our annual holiday party really thought Santa was upstairs in our room.

While there will be a little bump in our electric bill, having those beautiful Christmas lights twinkle and having Santa greet us in the window makes it feel a lot like Christmas.

Here’s a little clip of us looking at Santa in the window.

All the best,

Tanya

On the Second Day of Christmas, My Little Girl Gave to Me…Fun Decorating Our Christmas Tree

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Turning Off The Light to Check Out Our Tree
Proud of Our New Tree Decorations
Our Rainbow Tree

On the second day of Christmas, my little girl gave to me, fun decorating our Christmas tree.

“Next year, let’s do a fun tree, Mommy!” my little girl suggested back in 2015. For the past few years, even before Quinn was born, our tree could be classified as sophisticated, so when Quinn asked about a fun tree, it was right on time because I was eager to break up the monotony of the same decorations year after year. Shortly after Christmas last year, I started googling “fun Christmas trees,” but the types were vast. So I thought, why not ask my daughter what she thought would be a fun tree, and she immediately said, “How about a rainbow tree just like my playroom!?”

I was instantly on board, told my husband, and we were both on the hunt for after Christmas discounts on ornaments since quite a few would be required, especially with the tree in previous years just having blue, silver and gold ornaments. Then, in September, I saw a commercial for a Christmas tree light called “Tree Dazzler.” I did a little research and found that it was a knockoff of the original “Geek My Tree,” from Shark Tank which comes with an app, unlike the Tree Dazzler, and far more color sequences to set the lights to do just about whatever you want. Though much pricier than the “Tree Dazzler,” it goes perfectly with our rainbow theme, and I was able to set the lights to be in accordance with the color order of the ornaments.

Not only was it fun decorating our tree together, it was a wonderful way to reinforce sorting, color recognition and the order of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. The decorations are certainly more fun and playful now, just like my little three year old wanted. Quinn is very happy with the new tree decorations, and so am I.

All the best,

Tanya

On the First Day of Christmas: My Little Girl Gave to Me…Fun Picking Out Our Tree

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On the first day of Christmas, my little girl gave to me, fun picking out our Christmas tree. Selecting a Christmas tree on Black Friday has been a tradition my husband and I started since we had my daughter, and now that she’s three and a half, she really looks forward to that special outing. Quinn loves having the responsibility of choosing our tree and takes it very seriously. This year she insisted, “Mommy, it has to be very tall and fluffy!” Within less than five minutes, she found the perfect tree. “It’s taller than Daddy!” she exclaimed. We asked if she wanted to look at others, and with absolute certainty she said, “No, this is the one!” For the past few years, our tree’s have been named Greeny, Big Green Jr. and  BG3. This year, Quinn came up with the name Bert.

Once we got “Bert” home, she wanted to help her daddy bring him into his new home and set him up. It’s so nice to see her face light up, and I’m happy to share this tradition with her.

All the best,

Tanya

What Would We Do Without It Wednesdays: The Perfect Alarm Clock Stops Traffic!

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Quinn with her New Stop Light Alarm Clock

“Mommy, what time will I wake up in the morning?” “How long will I be sleeping?” “When can I get up, Mommy?” are just some of the night time series of questions from my three year old for the past few months. Actually, I’ve done a few posts in the past on how intrigued my daughter is by the concept of time and how I got her a toy clock since she will often ask what time it is throughout the course of the day. Even though the toy clock does tell time, it’s not an alarm clock, and the digital clock is too small to see across the room in the dark. I needed something so that the last ten to fifteen minutes of Quinn’s bedtime routine was not about discussing how long she would sleep and wake up and when she could get out of bed.

Just a couple of weeks ago we had a playdate, and I shared this issue with my friend. She instantly empathized with me and recommended a stop light alarm clock with a little race car and driver attached on the side that works for her four year old twin boys. Of course,  I was very excited to purchase it for Quinn, but after getting home I did have a little apprehension, not because it was a little boy in the race car but because it did not match the current decor of her room (Yes, I’m “that” mommy!), and I wondered if it would look out of place.

After doing a little searching on Amazon, where my friend told me she purchased it, I was able to find the same clock, but it was in a different color palette and even had a little girl in the race car. While nearly $40 may be a bit steep for most, after using the clock for a little under two weeks, I’d say it is absolutely worth it. Even though Quinn is a patient child and typically did not get out of bed prior to the alarm clock purchase but would simply yell up the hallway if she was awake, “Is it morning?” “Can I get up now?” the alarm clock lets her know that it is time to wake up.

“When the light is red, stay in bed! If the light is green, get up and be seen!” is the phrase I came up with, and it works perfectly. The only possible downside so far is that Quinn wants to follow exactly what the traffic light tells her to do. For instance, today, she was moving around in her bed about ten minutes before the light was going to turn green. I came in and asked her if she wanted to get up early, and her response was, “I have to wait for the light to turn green to get up and be seen!” I chuckled to myself, and ten minutes later she called out, “Mommy, the light’s green. I can get up and be seen!”

If you’re looking for a clock to help with the bedtime and morning routine, both Quinn and I highly recommend purchasing this clock, and I thank my friend, Susan, for letting me know about it.

All the best,

Tanya

Terrific Toy Tuesday: Say Word!? There’s a Scrabble Junior for Preschoolers!

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Six months ago I posted a blog entry about the game Scrabble and my daughter’s fascination with it. Then, a couple of months ago I stumbled upon Scrabble Junior. Though the game says, “Ages five and up,” I figured I’d still get it for my, now, three and a half year old because it was a good alternative to the version for older children and adults. As soon as she saw the game, she loved it and was excited to play. Sometimes, I modify instructions to games or let Quinn come up with her own way of playing when it is meant for older children, but she was actually able to follow the instructions.

You may be wondering, “Wow, your three and a half year old can spell?!” No, not exactly. This awesome game has a double-sided board. For younger children, the words are already spelled out. It is a matter of the players selecting the tiles to put on top of the words. The player earns points and gets to move across the board as he or she spells the complete word with the tiles selected. Whereas the other side of the board is played in the more traditional Scrabble way for  when Quinn begins learning how to spell and wants more of a challenge.

At first, I figured I’d hold back on spelling the words out to build up Quinn’s confidence, but I soon realized that I did not have to do this because she actually is good at this game and caught on to the concept quickly. She was even able to use some of the pictures to figure out what the words spelled. I just love games that are fun and educational, and Scrabble Junior fits that description. It’s a great way to not only get my daughter even more interested in learning to spell and eager to learn but for us to have a great time together! How did I not know that Scrabble Junior existed? Well, I know now and highly recommend this game, which is about $14 or cheaper if you get it on sale, to anyone with a young child who is interested in spelling or reading or if you are looking for a fun way to get a child interested and eager to spell and read.

All the best,

Tanya

 

Mommy’s Monday Moments: Taking Time Out to Reflect

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2016-11-09-15-48-13“Are you still doing your blog entries?” and “I haven’t seen any post from you in a while?” a few of my family members and friends have been inquiring. Since my daughter started school and I started having a five day a week teaching schedule instead of two, it’s been a very busy transition. Between Quinn wanting to play from the moment she arrives home from school until dinner and then after dinner until bath and bed time; and with me tending to grading, prepping and other teaching duties, my entries have not been as frequent these past couple of months.

Needless to say, I miss sharing what new “mommy steps” I’ve taken and reflecting on what’s going on with Quinn. As the fall semester draws to a close, I’m eager to post a little more not just for me but to continue chronicling different events and activities involving my little three year old so that she may one day read them and know how much I love her and want the best for her by trying to be the best mom I can be.

Here’s to more  mommy steps and blog entries in the weeks to come!

All the best,

Tanya

Being Thankful is In Order: Family, Fun & My Little One

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2016-11-27-20-00-39“Look what I made!” my little girl exclaimed. It was a cute paper bag turkey. Upon arriving home, I noticed the red heart label that read, “What I am thankful for.” Each colorful feather had a name. First was Grover, Quinn’s best Sesame Street friend who’s been with her through thick and thin. I thought to myself, “Okay, fair enough.” The next feather said, “My Daddy.” But of course her daddy would follow.  Then, to my surprise, third said, “Mickey Mouse.” Mickey Mouse, I thought. Really, Mickey Mouse is next? I tried to keep a big smile on my face as my three year old watched my expression when I saw that the very final feather, said, “My Mommy.”

Of course, me being the critical thinker and over analyzer that I am, I wondered if the teacher put the feathers in the order Quinn stated what she was thankful for, or if it was just random. I wanted to ask, but my husband tried to reassure me that our daughter is not more thankful for Mickey Mouse than she is for me. So he asked her, “What are you thankful for, Quinn?” She quickly responded, “Mommy, Daddy, Grover, Nana, Kenzie, Auntie…” She named quite a few more of our family members and her friends. “Whew, that was a close one!” I thought.

Then, on Thanksgiving, my niece asked Quinn what she is thankful for, and she said, “Mommy, because she always plays with me and has fun with me.” That really made my day and melted my heart. I know Thanksgiving was just a few days ago, but not a day goes by that I am not thankful for the bond that I have with my little girl and how much we are both growing together.

All the best,

Tanya

Happy Halloween: Ready for Take-off with My Little Astronaut!

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During the early summer, my little girl proclaimed, “I’m going to be an astronaut for Halloween!” Like most children, I figured she’d change her mind, especially since Halloween was about a half year away, but each time I’d ask, she’d say, “I want to be an astronaut, Mommy! I want to be an astronaut when I grow up!” Finding her costume was no problem, but figuring out what I was going to be as our family theme was a bit tricky.

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A Quick Selfie with My Little Astronaut before Trick or Treating

Last year, she was Doc McStuffins, and I was Lambie, so I wanted to keep with the idea of not wearing the east costumes but having them be related. I thought about being an alien that my three year old encountered. Then I considered being a planet. As I mentioned it to my mom around August, she said, “How about being a rocket?!””A rocket!” I pondered. I really liked the idea. After getting the “thumbs up” from my daughter, I immediately started looking for costumes and ideas. Unfortunately, I came up empty with finding an adult-size rocket costume, so I put my creative skills to the test again, as I did last year with my Lambie costume, and decided to make a rocket dress.

 

I purchased the silver fabric and tulle from Joann Fabric, using 20 percent off coupons, of course and then watched a few youtube videos on making a basic dress. Then it occurred to me, “Why not use one of my maxi dresses as a template for creating the dress pattern” Even though I sewed the dress by hand, having the template from my maxi dress worked out perfectly and made the process much easier and quicker.

To create the flame, I used a combination of red, yellow and orange tulle and fabric, interchanging the colors and materials on an one fourth inch elastic band. Once that part was done, I used a hot glue gun to attach it to the dress. I was able to get the NASA logo online and print it on iron-on paper for the dress.

The next step was making a pointed hat as the rocket tip using some of the excess silver fabric. I was able to use some poster board I had from a previous project and opened up a party hat from Quinn’s birthday to get an idea of how I should cut and form the hat. Once that was done, I hot glued and stapled the fabric to the poster board then added blue rhinestones to sell out “USA.”

Even though the design of them was fun and easy to construct, making the wings was more tricky than I anticipated because I had to account for my body measurement to make the straps the appropriate size. I though elastic would work but found that the velcro straps I used to adhere them kept detaching. After giving it some thought, I decided to start all over and used overall fasteners so that the straps could be adjustable as needed. This worked out perfectly.

While designing and putting together this costume took a lot of thought, time and effort, I’m happy with the end result because it put a smile on Quinn’s face! We attended a party of the weekend, and many people loved our complementary costumes. My little girl even commented, “You’re my rocket because I’m the astronaut, Mommy!” Though she meant this literally, it can also be applied figuratively. Even when she is controlling her own destination, I am always willing to be the vehicle or means to help her reach to the moon, stars and beyond.

It was awesome to receive several compliments on our costumes and to big a “kid” again with my little girl trick or treating this evening. Our Halloween this year is out of this world!

All the best,

Tanya

 

Halloween & Fall Fun with My Little Girl 

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I’ve always loved the fall season, and not just because my birthday is in October but because there’s so many wonderful activities and ways to have family fun. Last year, I did many activities with my little girl, and now that she’s three and in preschool during the week, she’s even more eager to have some autumn weekend fun. I didn’t want this season to go by without taking out some time to reflect on this fall and Halloween season.

Usually, I’d post separate entries on our adventures, but our new and very busy schedule has been an ongoing transition for us both. But I could not allow this season to go by without acknowledging all of the fun moments we’ve been having together.

This year, we kept with tradition, and my husband, Quinn and I went to a local pumpkin patch, Shadybrook Farms, to select pumpkins to decorate and to have some fun doing the different activities. Though it did rain a little, it was awesome seeing how much more involved she was in the pumpkin selecting process. She was so excited to get home and work on her pumpkin. Since Quinn loves Paw Patrol, we made a Marshall pumpkin, and it was actually quite effortless with the help of a kit from Target.

For the first time, we were able to attend the Harvest Festival in our township where there were hayrides, bouncers, face painting, treats and other activities. Though many of the bouncers were geared towards older children ,which was a bit frustrating for my little girl, especially since she wanted to follow behind her older cousin, she really enjoyed having her face painted like Hello Kitty.

While it does not involve what adults would be considered a “fun” activity, Quinn had a blast helping my husband and me rake leaves. Of course, she insisted on jumping in them after she helped rake a big pile of them together. Her laugh is absolutely infectious!

We couldn’t have Halloween and fall fun without visiting Quinn’s favorite amusement park, Sesame Place. We planned on attending last Saturday, but it was rained off and on all day. Though I had tons of papers to grade on Sunday, I carved out a few hours to take Quinn there so that she could see the Halloween version of the Sesame Place parade. We sat and waited on the parade route for over an hour to ensure that we had a good spot (it was already packed with people waiting). Just to see my little girl’s face light up with excitement made the wait well worth it.

Another “first” was attending the Halloween party at our local library for children five and under last Monday, October 24th. Even “Llama Llama, Red Pajama” stopped by to entertain the children. It was far more crowded than I anticipated, approximately 50 kids, but Quinn thoroughly enjoyed herself and didn’t want to leave. She’s always liked going to the library, but she now associates it with a fun-filled time.

This makes the third year in a row that we’ve attended the “Boo at the Zoo” event at the Philadelphia Zoo, and as always, it did not disappoint. Though I did not have Quinn wear her actual Halloween costume for fear of it getting dirty (It’s all white), she and my niece, who accompanied us, had a great time trick or treating, learning interesting facts, riding a few animals and seeing some of the animals as well. Plus, it’s always fun to see all of the children in their costumes.

Even though I haven’t been posting as frequently as I usually do, I am grateful for the moments I’m creating with my daughter. I love her so much and truly do enjoy our time together as a family. Here’s to autumn and Halloween fun! My fingers are crossed for good trick or treating weather tomorrow.

All the best,

Tanya

 

 

What A Difference a Week Makes! The Ups and Downs of Starting Preschool

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2016-09-02-16-31-32“There’s no school tomorrow! Why not, Daddy!” my daughter inquired in a teary eyed voice Friday evening before bedtime. I asked my husband, “Did I hear what I think I heard?” He shook his head with a smirk on his face, “Yes, you did!” he said.  About a week and a half ago, Quinn told me she didn’t want to go to school and cried when her father or I dropped her off in the morning. I was so concerned and was so nervous about her developing a strong dislike for school since she missed us so much and kept asking why she had to go (even when she admitted that she had fun.)

All last week, her best friend Grover (from Sesame Street) has been accompanying her to school and spending a little time with her in the morning before the day’s activities got underway, and there’s been no tears: only smiles and stories about how the two of them had a great day. Though I do not know for certain what this week will bring, this evening, as we prepare for tomorrow, Quinn excitedly asked to “play school” and told her dad and me, “I’m going to have the best day ever at school tomorrow!” What a difference a week makes!

All the best,

Tanya