Tag Archives: Mommy’s Baby Steps

I “Heart” Projects with My Sweet Little Girl

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Quinn’s Heart Project
Quinn’s Heart Project
Quinn’s Heart Project
Quinn’s Heart Project
Quinn’s Heart Project
Quinn’s Heart Project
Quinn’s Heart Project
Quinn’s Heart Project

Many people focus on how commercialized Valentine’s Day has become or use it to demonstrate the intimate and romantic love they may have for a significant other. While I do make a conscious effort to show love year round, I am grateful to experience the love of my daughter through togetherness and doing special Valentine’s projects together. For this project in particular, we purchased a heart person kit at Target which my two and a half year old selected because she really loved the rainbow hair.

She could not wait to get started. I loved it because the project was a great way for her to follow directions and demonstrate that she knows all of the parts of a face and where they belong. When we finished, she immediately insisted, “We have to show my heart with the crazy rainbow hair and moustache to Daddy! Please, Mommy!” As she went to show it to him, Quinn asked me, “Do you think Daddy will love it?” I responded, “Of course he will!” Her dad smiled and told her that she did such a nice job and that he loved it. She then asked if we could hang it up for everybody to see. I just love doing these projects with my little girl. It’s these sweet moments that I hold near and dear to my heart.

All the best,

Tanya

What Would We Do Without It Wednesday!: I Can Do It Reward Chart

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I Can Do It Chart!: Just Two More To Go for the Day!
I Can Do It Chart! Just Two More To Go for the Day!

Regardless of age, we all occasionally need some type of incentive or positive reinforcement to keep us motivated and on track with our goals. This is certainly the case with most two and a half year olds, including my little girl, who are testing the boundaries while trying to find their way as individuals. Sometimes, it’s a struggle to get them to listen, follow routines and put those “temper tantrums” aside, but there are many resources out there to help establish those boundaries and to promote positive behavior.

A few months ago, I purchased the, “I Can Do It Reward Chart” for my daughter from Amazon. Of course, I could have made up a chart myself, but having something already constructed with actual reusable stars and pre-made labels made the process easy for getting started. I did, however, add a nice border and frame to display it. I know some people are against star charts, and that is fine because everything is not for everybody. But my husband and I love this chart, and my daughter loves it too and will remind us if we do not review her behavior/tasks at the end of the day. Some of the labels we have chosen to use are no whining, clean up your mess, no yelling, eat your veggies and fruits and a few others. Something I do, however, is use more positive phrasing. For instance, instead of focusing on “no yelling,” I’ll ask her did she use an indoor voice? Each task has a picture along with the words, so Quinn is able to point to them as will say what she is supposed to do, “I cleaned up my mess today, Mommy!” she excitedly informs me.

This chart does a wonderful job at holding her accountable as long as we are consistent with going over what stars she has earned and where she may need to do better the next day. Every once in a while, she may be in a bad mood or may struggle to control her emotions, which is a struggle adults even have. Since we started using the chart, when she doesn’t earn a star, My husband and I will let her know that sometimes we all have rough days. She then informs us, “I can start over again tomorrow, and I will have a better day.” Yes, I would be kidding myself if I didn’t think that she is partially on her best behavior and completing tasks all day in hopes of earning a star and then getting a special reward, but I also believe that the chart helps to develop good habits and behaviors, and that she also does the tasks and behaves as she should because she knows what is right. What would we do without this chart!

All the best,

Tanya

Terrific Toy Tuesday: Play Dough Crazy Cuts

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Quinn making crazy hair
Quinn making crazy hair

When I was younger, I loved sculpting, molding and building what I believed were masterpieces out of play dough. I was consumed for hours, and my two and a half year old daughter is no different, so Santa brought her a new play dough set, “Crazy Cuts,” for Christmas.  Just about everyday she will ask, “Can I do some play dough hair cuts today with the barber chair, Mommy?”

What makes this set so great is that it helps with her dexterity and pincer skills because it comes with little plastic scissors, and plastic razor, hairstyle molds and little people to do the hairstyles with, and she has to turn the crank so that the little people can grow hair. It has even enhanced her vocabulary as she refers to the barber tools by name and will ask for specific colors to create her hair masterpieces.

One of the drawbacks is that when Quinn is ready to give one of the little people a “haircut,” little play dough pieces have a tendency of going everywhere, but I easily remedied this by putting a mat under her desk to catch any loose play dough “hairs.” Then we can collect them with minimal fuss. If you are looking for a fun toy not just for your child but maybe even from your own childhood memories, consider the play dough barber chair. It only cost Santa $11.99.

 

All the best,

Tanya

Mommy’s “Must Have” Monday (Spanish for Kids)

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2015-11-09 08.54.58

Quinn Watching the Spanish DVD

As a parent, I want the best for my daughter. I want her to be well-rounded and to have fun learning. I also want her to embrace diversity and be versatile as an adult. English is my first language, so I was looking for a resource to assist me with teaching my daughter Spanish when she was just about a year old, I purchased a Spanish for Kids: Early Language Learning System through Amazon. Though some people may scoff at the hefty price of $64.99, it comes with four DVD’s, a music CD, a book, flashcards, games and apps. When I first opened the package, I was expecting it to have a better presentation for the money, but once I got beyond judging it by its cover and began playing the DVD’s and following up with the flashcards with my little girl, we both were hooked. The DVD’s are entirely in Spanish, but Quinn knows what is going on from the context clues.

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Quinn Showing off Her Spanish Skills

Now, it is a year and a half later, and I am very impressed with my daughter’s Spanish vocabulary. While she does not always pronounce the words correctly, she can identify several animals, body parts, household items, colors and numbers and loves singing along with some of the songs, especially “Caminemos de puntitas.” I actually think this would be an excellent resource for a teenager or even an adult who wants to learn Spanish. This is definitely one of mommy’s must-haves!

All the best,

Tanya

Here’s a little video of Quinn displaying her skills:

 

Bounce with Me Big Girl!

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Two weeks ago, I posted a blog entry about how much fun my little girl has jumping on the bed. She’s full of energy, giggly, and whenever she’s in a “I’m two and a half and I’ll whine if I want to mood,” jumping around always puts a smile on her face. I ended the post saying, “One of the ways to counter a tough day or to get rid of some negative energy is to kick off our shoes, jump around, be silly and laugh.” Yesterday, we were able to do just that at my niece’s first birthday party at Bounce U.

Admittedly, I was just as excited if not more excited than Quinn as we bounced around together, climbed through obstacle courses, up ladders and slid down the huge sliding boards. I got a good sweat going, had a heart rate of 164 at one point, according to my Fitbit, which was actually a plus for me. I got to have fun with my daughter while working out. Now that’s an idea: a facility that has parent and child trampoline and bouncing workouts, not just for birthday parties. I’d love it if my little girl and I could do something like this once, twice or even three times a week. I think she would love it too because it was tough getting her to “bounce” on out of there when it was time to go home.

All the best,

Tanya

Snow Much Fun with My Little One

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2016-01-23 16.42.51I hate snow! I’m not stepping one foot outside of my house! What’s there to love about snow? I have to get out there and shovel! These are some of the comments I’ve seen from people on social media, and I couldn’t disagree more. While I don’t necessarily like the short fuses many people have over parking spaces and getting stuck behind that person who is afraid and doesn’t know how to navigate in the snow, I do enjoy having fun with my daughter and the exercise that I can get out in the snow.

About a week and a half ago, we had some flurries, and my two and a half year old’s eyes widened as she excitedly asked if we could go sledding outside. She was so disappointed when I told her there just wasn’t enough snow, so yesterday when we got our first real snowfall, two feet of snow (maybe a little more), Quinn could not wait to go outside and use her sled for the first time.  We both put on our snow gear, headed outside with her little sled and we both had a blast. She had fun slipping and sliding and giggling, and I got a little exercise pulling her up and down the block.

Now, we both are looking forward to the snow stiffening up some so that we can build a snowman together. I’m hoping this can be one of our activities this week. I could easily join the masses of people who hate snow, but the love and excitement my daughter has makes that difficult to do. I am so thankful that she brings out the child in me and lets me have fun in the snow, even when I’m shoveling it.

All the best,

Tanya

One Little Toddler Jumping on the Bed!

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Quinn Having A Blast Jumping on the Bed

Who doesn’t know about the five little monkeys jumping on the bed? If you grew up in the 90s, you probably got hype to the hit song “Jump” by Kriss Kross or “Jump Around” by House of Pain. There’s something fun and exhilarating about jumping, and my two and a half year old has known this even before she could walk. Almost every day she’ll ask, “Can we go to Mommy and Daddy’s room and jump on the bed?” On many occasions, she is more excited to do this than to play with her toys. Her laugh and smile are infectious, and whenever she’s having a rough day, jumping around, having fun and being silly immediately sends any frowns or tears on their way leaving a big smile on my face too.

I actually think companies are getting hip to this idea of the positive energy that comes from jumping around. More and more trampoline and bounce places are popping up, and more and more people are jumping at the chance to pay them a visit and have some fun. In many of my posts, I talk about how my little girl is constantly teaching me something new. In this instance, she has taught me that everything in life does not and should not be serious. One of the ways to counter a tough day or to get rid of some negative energy is to kick off our shoes, jump around, be silly and laugh.

All the best,

Tanya

Mommy’s Little Girl Is Not Too Little for Chores

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Quinn helping wash dishes
Quinn helping wash dishes
Quinn helping wash dishes
Quinn helping wash dishes
Quinn helping wash dishes

On October 17, 2014, when my little girl was just 17 months, I posted a blog entry entitled, “Not Too Little for Chores Baby!”  about how eager she was to help me sweep, so I got Quinn her very own broom and dust pan set. Now, my two and a half year old still loves it and will even run to get her broom if she sees crumbs on the floor.

Since she was two, she started displaying interests in helping me wash the dishes. At first, I was hesitant at allowing her to help because I just wanted to get the task done quickly and figured she’d just make more work for me. I could have easily had her help me put the dishes in the dishwasher, but when there’s just a few dishes, my husband or I just wash them in the sink which is what Quinn wanted to do.

Within the past couple of weeks, I decided to provide her with a little “dishpan” of her own and let her wash the fork and plate she uses for meals. She actually does a great job with her little sponge and wanted to keep washing the same fork and plate over and over again as I continue washing the main dishes.

It really pleases me that my little girl views what some kids and adults may consider “chores” or “work they dread doing” as fun activities. “Can I help wash dishes again?” she will eagerly ask as she sees me or her dad preparing the water in the sink. I truly do hope she will continue to be excited to help her mommy and daddy around the house and have fun doing it well into her teens.

All the best,

Tanya

Reflections on 2015 with My Little Girl

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Quinn Helping in the Snow
Quinn with Grover
Quinn Pointing at the Black Bear
Quinn Making Her Demands Known
Quinn Sneaking a Chip
Quinn Sorting Bowls

While it’s only natural to look forward to what 2016 has to offer, I’d like to reflect on some of the wonderful moments I’ve experienced with my little girl. It was just about two years ago that I started this blog to not only chronicle my moments as a new mother but her moments as she grows and discovers the world. In 2015, I surpassed my goal of posting one entry a week to highlight a mommy and daughter moment and did a total of 77. Of course, each post is near and dear to me, but some of my favorite posts from 2015 are as follows:

Mommy’s Little Snow Angel (Posted on February 1, 2015): This post allowed me to reflect on my own childhood memories as my little girl, who was 20 months at the time, enjoyed going out into the snow and even helped me shovel.

Blue is the New Red: Move Over Elmo! It’s Super Grover to the Rescue! (Posted on February 8, 2015): My little girl, even at 21 months, does not follow the crowd. As most children gravitate towards Elmo from Sesame Street, she absolutely adores Grover. It’s almost a year later, and that is still the case.

50 Shades: The Complexities of Learning Colors Toddler Style (Posted on March 1, 2015): At 22 months, my little girl was on her way to mastering colors, which can be tricky when it comes to the different shades of colors.  When I posted this entry, I was confident that she would be fine but was still looking for ways to help her progress. It appears that time was just the answer. Now, she knows all different shades and may hesitate a little when she sees a yellowish-green color wondering if it is yellow or green.

A Chip Out the Big Bowl: Toddlers, Parties and Healthy Foods Don’t Mix (Posted on March 22, 2015): This was one of my highest viewed posts of 2015, and it is probably because my family got a kick out of my little girl tossing aside her organic, healthy treats from some potato chips at my aunt’s 60th birthday party. In that moment, Quinn taught me that I cannot always be so rigid and have to loosen up occasionally with her eating habits.

Cooking Up Some Teachable Moments (Posted on May 24, 2015): My little girl had just turned two years old a few weeks prior to this post, and it is a memorable one for me because it reminds me of helping my mother in the kitchen when I was younger. Even today, Quinn knows the terminology and will see, we need the ingredients and measuring cups mommy. Where is the recipe? I am hopeful that she will continue to show interest in cooking and can learn from it too.

The No-Gotiator:  How to Get a Toddler to Compromise (Posted on July 5, 2015): It’s nearly a half year later since I posted this entry, and I find myself still fine-tuning some of my techniques as my little girl fine-tunes hers and becomes more strong-willed and determined to get what she wants. Even with the fine-tuning, I am confident that the time is near when my little “no-gotiator” becomes more willing to comply.

There are so many more posts that I thoroughly enjoyed composing, but I’d like to save some on which to reflect when my little girl turns three, which is in just four months.

When people say, “Where did the time go?” I definitely can relate to that statement, but having these blog entries is a wonderful way to reflect back on memorable times as a mommy with my little girl.

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