Tag Archives: Mommy’s Baby Steps

Mommy’s Monday Moments: Stopping to Smell the Flowers with My Little Girl

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“Stop and smell the flowers (or roses)” is an idiomatic expression meaning to take the time to appreciate life and to acknowledge everything, especially the little things we may often take for granted. Something “little” that I most definitely will not take for granted is my little girl. When I was pregnant with her, with the help of my husband and mother, I planted several lillies along the side of the house. I specially recall how sunny and comfortable it was that day and how excited I was to get the flowers planted prior to my daughter’s arrival.

Now, a little over four years later, both Quinn and I look forward to seeing the first lily blossom. Look, Mommy! I see an orange flower!” my little girl excitedly tells me. Then within a matter of days almost all of them have burgeoned. Just like Quinn, the lilies have gotten taller and more colorful. Similar to my four year old’s synapses multiplying, it seems like the amount of lillies has doubled since I initially planted them.

For me, the lillies are a reminder to not just “stop and smell the flowers” but to take time to appreciate how much my little girl is blossoming. Both her father and I must continue to be the sunshine and water she needs to continue to grow, and we look forward to reaping the benefits of what we sow within her moral fiber.

All the best,

Tanya

Terrific Toy Tuesday: Mommy’s Little Bike Riding Co-Pilot

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“Wheeeee! That was fun! Can we do it again, Mommy?” my little girl asked. Just a few weeks ago my daughter turned four years old, and while she can still fit comfortably in her jogging stroller, for the past few months I was looking for a way where we can both get exercise, have fun and spend time together all at once. Her preschool is about a twenty minute brisk walk away from our house but is a bit too long to expect Quinn to walk the entire way. On a couple of occasions, we used her scooter and her little bike, but needless to say it took far longer than twenty minutes for her little legs to get home from school, even with my assistance.

Then I thought about a tandem (two-person) bike but was concerned about her feet reaching the pedals, storage and me just wanting to ride the bike solo yet navigating with an empty seat in the back (This would be my only bike) Then, on Amazon’s website I came across the perfect alternative: the WeeRide Co-Pilot Bike Trailer. It comes in three different color options: pink, green and white. Interestingly, the price does vary depending on the color ranging from about $70 to $80. It is for ages four to nine and a child up to 75 pounds, so we should be able to use it for the next few years with no problem.  I even purchased a Minnie Mouse basket, handlebar streamers and a bell from Target to make it special for Quinn.

Assembly was easier than I anticipated, and hitching her bike onto my newly purchased bike took just a matter of minutes. Now, when I want to ride by myself, I can simply disconnect her bike, but I can reconnect hers back to mine with no problem. Now, instead of the twenty minute brisk walk with the jogging stroller, it takes us about eight minutes. There’s a few hills along the way, which certainly are a challenge, but my four year old pedaled with all her mite to help out and said, “I was pedaling too. We make a good team don’t we, Mommy!” We even have more time to stop by the nearby park with the bikes. This week, there’s a chance of rain almost everyday, and Quinn informed me, “I don’t want it to rain so that we can ride our bikes together.”

We’ve just been riding our bikes for the past couple of weeks since her birthday, but we are already the excited for more outings bike rides through the neighborhood together. I just love having Mommy/daughter time together and hope this will be a memorable moment not just for me but for my daughter too.

All the best,

Tanya

Mommy’s Monday Moments: Growth Off the Charts for My Little Girl

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“How tall am I now, Mommy?” my daughter inquired. Even though we measure Quinn occasionally throughout the year, as part of her birthday, we write it down on her chart so that she can see how much she’s grown, so a couple of weeks ago when she turned four, she was excited to get measured. “So I was 30 inches when I was one, and now I’m 43 inches tall at four?” she asked. “That’s correct, Quinn,” I informed her.

She was so impressed with how much she’s grown and even asked, “How come I didn’t grow as much from when I was three like I did when I was two or one?” Interestingly, in the past year I’ve observed her grow in her ability to articulate how she’s feeling and what she wants, to ask questions and get the answers she’s looking for and just an overall increase in her cognitive development. Actually, her doctor said she’s the height of the average five and a half year old.

As Quinn, her dad and I  saw how much she’s grown just by looking at the lines on the height chart, I think were all amazed at how far she is come and are excited to see how much she will continue to grow. My baby is growing up so much in such a short period of time. It’s moments like these when I utter that cliché phrase, “Where did the time go?”

All the best,

Tanya

Terrific Toy Tuesday: Mommy’s Little Princess

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2017-05-03 18.19.04“I look just like Cinderella, Mommy!” my little girl exclaimed as she twirled around in her new dress-up outfit holding her Cinderella doll she also just received for her birthday. In the past my daughter wanted to dress up as a chef, hair stylist, doctor and even an astronaut, but she was equally happy to dress up as a Disney princess for the first time.

Interestingly, some parents may frown upon the idea of their daughter playing with a Disney princess and may critique the “happily ever after” stories in a harsh manner because they feel that most of the stories demonstrate weak female characters who rely on men to save them. While there may be some validity to this, I say let kids be kids. I think we sometimes don’t give our children enough credit when it comes to thinking for themselves and not believing that every aspect of a fairytale is real or ideal.

There once was a time when there was no diversity nor multiculturalism when it came to Disney Princesses, but today they have come so far. With this in mind, some parents believe their child should only play with dolls that look like them . Even though I understand this line of thinking, I do not necessarily agree with it. Whatever doll my daughter wishes to play with, regardless of color, is absolutely fine with me, and she is still at that age where she has a certain level of innocence where she does not focus on color but just on the interactions and fun she has.

Whether it be a princess or doctor outfit, a Cinderella doll or Doc Mcstuffins, imaginative play is a wonderful way to engage learning while having fun! I’m glad Quinn loves her new dress-up outfit and doll.

All the best,

Tanya

We’re Here! It’s My Fourth Mommyversary!

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“Happy Mother’s Day, Mommy!” my daughter bellowed out with joy. “I have a special gift for you!” It was a lovely flower and a handprint picture too. A little over four years ago I became a mother to a sweet little girl who forever changed my life, my world, even the way I behave and think.

“Just wait until you’re a mom” or “Motherhood has a way of changing you” I’ve heard people say, and with each passing day I find myself uttering these same phrases to new mothers or people who may eventually become parents because it is so true for most parents.

In four years, teenagers experience many changes as they go through puberty and just finding themselves from ninth through twelfth grade. In four years, young adults have to figure out what they want to do with their lives as they attend college and start off as freshmen end as a seniors.

In my four years, while I still know I have a long way to go, I’ve not only watched my daughter grow so much but have observed how much I’ve grown. I’ve actually become less shy and more assertive as I speak up to protect my daughter or to give her a voice when she may be to nervous to speak for herself or just cannot articulate what she means. I’m getting even better at dealing with my own range of emotions , from happiness to sadness to anger and frustration to model the behavior I wish to see in her. While I still struggle with change, as she is constantly growing and evolving and each time I get in rhythm with where she is developmentally a new change occurs, I am able to accept those changes a little more.  I know it is a part of life, and I’m grateful that Quinn is growing into an exceptional little girl. I just hope that I am growing into an exceptional mother and that she never doubts my love for her.

Here’s to all mothers and all that you do for your children! May you celebrate and acknowledge all of the positivity that has come out of motherhood and how it has added something special to your lives. I know motherhood has added a lot to mine.

All the best,

Tanya

Excited for Spring with My Little Girl

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Our Snowman Has Melted
Decorating for Easter
Having fun with Decorations

“Do you know that today is the first day of spring?” my little girl asked with excitement. I responded, “Yes, I do!” “Now that it’s spring, the flowers will start to bloom, the grass will start to grow, and I’ll be able to ride my bike outside and go to the park more!” she exclaimed. “Yes, you’re right again,” I told her. This conversation took place today as we were driving home from her preschool to our partially snow covered yard with melted snow water flowing down the sidewalk and street.

Today, we spent a little time outside reminiscing about our snowman we built last week who has sadly melted away. On the bright side, we put up Easter and spring decorations knowing that sunny, warm spring days are ahead.

We both look forward to each season together. It’s such a blessing to observe Quinn grow and reach milestones while enjoying nature and all the fun that each season encompasses with my little girl. Here’s to kite flying, bike riding, nature walks, trips to the zoo and just spending time with each other. Here’s to “springing” into more outdoor fun!

All the best,

Tanya

Snowy Day with My Little Girl

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“Let’s have fun on this snowy day just like Peter,” my daughter insisted as she started to lie down in the snow to make a snow angel. The snowfall this year has been minimal, and she would ask me quite frequently, “When it it going to snow, Mommy?” So my daughter and I were both excited to have enough snow to play in even if it is supposed to be spring next week.

Quinn wanted to make everything from foot prints in the snow to a snow angel, to snow balls to a snow man, just like we read in Ezra Jack Keats’ book Snowy Day. I think it’s wonderful that the book inspired her, well inspired us both. Yes, shoveling the heavy snow for a path way and digging out my car may not be much fun, but at least it’s good exercise and leads up to me playing with my soon-to-be four year old in the snow.

To top it off, we came in the house and and enjoyed some tasty hot cocoa. Then Quinn said, “Thank you Mommy for playing with me on this snowy day!” his really put a smile on my face, and I hope his will be a lasting memory for her like it was for me. I’m so happy we got the snowy day we’ve both been longing for, which was a terrific way to close out the winter.

All the best,

Tanya

 

Mommy’s Monday Moments: “Skating” Along with My Little Girl

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“If I practice, I’ll get better and better and be able to do some skating tricks?” my three year old inquired. “Yes, you sure will,” I assured her.”She followed up, “Then I won’t need you, and I’ll be able to skate by myself?” “Yes” I paused, “you will!” While I’m so proud of the many milestones my little girl has reached, hearing her actually say that she won’t need me anymore makes me feel so uneasy. About a year ago, I did a blog entry about Quinn skating for the first time, and now a year later she is feeling more confident and even wanted to let go of my had a few times when we were at the skating rink for her cousin’s birthday party this past Saturday.

Skating, just like walking, requires the ability to balance, but the risk of falling, going too fast or crashing into someone or something is much greater. So of course I’m both looking forward to and dreading the day that my daughter no longer needs to hold my hand while skating. At this point, something that offers me solace, not just with skating but with all of the different skills Quinn’s mastering, is that she understands the importance of practice. She even said, “If I work really hard, I’ll get really good at skating !” With this in mind, maybe she will know when she is ready to step out on the skating rink floor by herself, and it will just be up to me to be willing to let her hand go.

All the best,

Tanya

The Abundance of Wonderful Works of Art from My Little Girl

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With a smile on her face and excitement in her voice, my little girl will ask, “Do you like it, Mommy? Did I do a good job?” at least once a week when she brings home a work of art she created at her preschool. Even though my three year old started school about five months ago, her big accordion art portfolio I got her is already overflowing, and I can barely squeeze one more piece of art in it, and like most parents, I don’t want to discard anything and even have a difficult time making room on the display board I put up for her because I just don’t want to take anything down.

Actually, I’ve left the task of taking down art work in partially in Quinn’s hands and will inform her that in order to hang up her new art work we need to remove something else. So far it’s been working out really well, and she uses logic to take down art work. For instance, she suggested taking down anything Christmas or Hanukkah related since both holidays are in December so that she could make room for her Valentine’s day art work. She decided to keep her snowman up saying, “If it doesn’t snow again to make a real snowman outside, we ‘ll always have my snowman, right, Mommy?”

To be honest, part of me misses doing art projects with my little girl prior to her starting school, so we did both the finger painting one a few weeks ago (only her painting is on display even though she insisted on me putting mine on the board too), and it was an awesome way to reinforce that red and blue make purple. Plus, she was so excited and impressed with her art work that she wanted to bring in her project so that her teachers and the class could see it for show and tell.

Who knows how many works of art we’ll have by the end of June? I guess I better purchase a couple of more art portfolios to house her many masterpieces. I’m actually considered scanning some of them or putting together a little scrap book, as time permits, so that she can look back on her work and how much she’s progressed as she gets older.

All the best,

Tanya

A Happy Valentine’s Day with My Little Girl

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“Look at all of the cards and treats I got, Mommy!” my little girl beamed. She came home from preschool so excited to show me everything she got from the Valentine’s day party at her school. Last year, Quinn was just two and still at home with her father and me, so this year was quite a big deal. It was nice to see that big smile on her face and for her to be excited to give cards and gifts to her classmates, teachers and to me as well. I love my daughter year round of course, but it’s nice to show a little more love and to get a little more love on Valentine’s Day.

All the best,

Tanya