Tag Archives: Tanya H. Franklin

Food for Thought: Thank You for Trying Something New, Little Girl!

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2017-01-23 17.39.10.jpg“No thank you!” is usually the response I get when I offer my three old food she’s never had before or  just believes is yucky, which is just about everything. With her being in preschool for the past four months, it’s been a struggle to find a lunch she will eagerly eat. Almost always, her lunch box comes back with half eaten or barely touched meals. I often remind her about how just a year and a half ago she was open to eating all kinds of foods, but as her independence and voice has increased, her willingness to try new foods has diminished. While I know this is the plight of many parents, I think my daughter just might be changing her tune when it comes to trying new foods.

This Saturday, we had a dinner date with my sister and niece and ordered some wings as an appetizer. Initially, Quinn had no interest in trying the food and even handed me her little saucer and said, “No thank you, Mommy. I don’t want any.” Since I know she is a finicky eater, I did not plead with her to try one. But then, on her own, she said, “Mommy, I want to try a piece of celery!” I was astonished and responded with a smile on my face, “Sure, you can try a piece.” As I suspected, she didn’t like it so much, but I was proud that she took a bite. Then shortly thereafter she asked to try a piece of the carrot and said she liked it. We all were surprised.

Figuring that this was an anomaly but not wanting to let this newfound interest in trying new foods go to waste, I prepared salmon for dinner today, and I am proud to report that she actually ate it and said she liked it. I know it took me years to try new foods, all the way up to adulthood, so I’m hoping to break that cycle with my daughter and continue to introduce her to healthy and yummy foods.

All the best,

Tanya

Reflections on 2016 with My Little Girl

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Excited After a Stroller Jog

Just about three years ago I started my “Mommy’s Baby Steps” blog chronicling my experiences as a new mother and the experiences of my little girl discovering the world around her. It’s been a wonderful experience, and I love being able to look back on some of the entries I’ve composed to see how much we both have grown.

No doubt, 2016 was a year full of memorable moments, and I am proud to note that I surpassed my goal of one post a week and nearly doubled the 77 posts I did in 2015 with 133 posts in 2016. Of course, each post is special to me, but some of my favorite posts from 2016 are as follows:

Snow Much Fun With My Little One: (Posted onJanuary 24, 2016): We haven’t had much snow yet n 2017, but last year’s moment was fun for us both. Quinn actually remembers being in the red sled and has asked me on multiple occasions when it is going to snow again so that she can use it.

What Would We Do Without It Wednesday: Let’s Exercise with a Shake Break (Posted on February 24, 2016: My little girl, loves to exercise and get moving. Even a year later, she wants to do a “shake break.” It’s a great  way for us to spend time together and exercise.

Terrific Toy Tuesday: Boy Oh Boy, Race That Car Girl” (Posted April 12, 2016):Quinn still loves playing with cars, and I love that she enjoys all different types of toy without them being designated as “boy” or “girl” toys.

Simple Sunny Sunday Sayings From My Little Girl (Posted on April 24, 2016): In 2016, Quinn has bestowed so much wisdom, often beyond her years. This post was just one of the many examples of how she teaches me everyday and still does.

What Would We Do Without It Wednesdays: The Roller Coaster of Life (Posted on July 27, 2016): My little girl had just turned three in May, and she was such a brave girl getting on a roller coaster for the first time. This moment just reminds me of the many more milestones we both have in store in the future.

Terrific Tuesday: The First Day of Preschool (Posted September 6, 2016): This was a major change and milestone for Quinn and for me and still is ongoing. I see her now interacting more with the teacher and her school friends and enjoying the many activities.

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 terrific way to reflect back on memorable times as a mommy with my little girl.

All the best,

Tanya

What a “Happy” Way to Bring in the New Year (2017) with My Little Girl! 

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“Happy New Year!” My three year old bellowed out with joy as she grabbed as much confetti as her hands could hold and put into her crazy paper bag hat. For the third year in a row, on December 31st, my husband and I took our daughter to the Please Touch Museum to bring in the new year for their countdown until noon event. With each passing year, Quinn enjoys it more and more. This year, she proudly counted down starting at 30 seconds eager to blow her noise maker horn.

Another New Year’s Eve tradition she looks forward to is bringing in the new year at my brother-in-law’s home. But prior to setting off to their house, we attended a Kwanzaa celebration which is usually held prior to New Year’s Eve. It was a great time filled with activities, learning about the principles of Kwanzaa, music, food and community.

Needless to say, with three outings, it was a packed day, and my husband and I both wondered if Quinn would be able to stay awake until midnight without being cranky. Luckily, Quinn and I both were able to get cat naps in between each event, so we both were up and ready to party with our family to bring in 2017.

“I want to bring all of the confetti I collected at The Please Touch Museum to Uncle Scott and Aunt Dee’s house,” Quinn informed her father and me. “I can’t wait to throw it in the air and say, “Happy New Year!” she said with excitement. Her wish was fulfilled as we all counted down together, and she along with our other family members threw confetti and noise makers too.

Just thinking about how much she has grown and matured throughout the course of 2016 leaves me in awe.  Just thinking about how much I’ve grown as a mother leaves me feeling blessed and motivated about my journey and the baby steps I will continue to take in the years to come.

As I said in my 2015 post leading into 2016, “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 an awesome 2017!
All the best,
Tanya

Mommy’s Monday Moments: ‘Twas the Day After Christmas…

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‘Twas the day after Christmas, yesterday really flew,
now my daughter is asking, “What shall we do?”
Off to Sesame Place we went for amusement and fun.
There’s Abby, Big Bird…just about everyone.
Starting our day dining with Elmo and Friends,
my three year old hoped this day would never end.
Then to Elmo the Musical where the theater was packed,
but it was a nice Christmas show, so no complaints about that!
Afterwards, there were rides that gave us a tustle.
Ending with the parade, for good spots we did hustle.
Though it rained some, was dreary and cold’s what I felt,
the smile on Quinn’s face just made my heart melt.

Here’s to Memorable Moments…

All the best,

Tanya

On the Actual Day of Christmas, My Little Girl Gave to Me..Love, Happiness and Joy All Day Long

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On the Actual Day of Christmas, My Little Girl Gave to Me..Love, Happiness and Joy All Day Long

“This is what I’ve always wanted all my life, Mommy!” my daughter excitedly told me as she opened her presents, followed by, “Thank you so much!” The smile on her face, and shrieks of joy and giggles with each gift put a smile on my face. When my husband asked, what gift was your favorite, she responded, “I don’t know. I loved everything!”

Quinn was so eager to see our family on Christmas, not just to get gifts but to give gifts and spend time with her cousins, aunts and uncle and nana. While this most certainly was a long day, I am so grateful to be able to provide my daughter with a memorable Christmas and to experience her love, happiness and joy all day long with our family.

All the best,

Tanya

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, My Little Girl Gave to Me…Fun Activities for Christmas Eve

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“So today is Christmas Eve?” my daughter inquired. “Yes, it is!” I responded. Christmas Eve can be such a busy and even stressful time, but I truly did enjoy the fun activities we did this year.

We started out by catching a 9:30 am showing of the movie “Sing,” which was a fun movie that my daughter and I both enjoyed. Later on in the afternoon, we baked cookies for Santa with Quinn sneaking a handful of sprinkles every so often. After dinner, my husband suggested that we drive through our neighborhood to take a look at some of the homes decked out in beautiful Christmas lights. One home really stood out from the rest, so much so that we parked our car and got out to take a look. The people were so kind and even offered a candy cane to my daughter and said that she can take a picture with the big teddy bear they had on display. I’m already thinking about how we can improve our own Christmas lights for next year as a result of seeing theirs.

Before bed, I presented Quinn with a snowflake that illuminates letting Santa know to stop by our house for her. She was eager to get to bed just to hang it in the window.

Now that she’s sleep, it’s time for my husband and I to get ready for Santa’s visit. Here’s to a great Christmas Eve.

All the best,

Tanya

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas, My Little Girl Gave to Me…Eagerly Counting Down Until It’s Christmas Day

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“Now, there’s only one day left until Christmas, Daddy!” I overheard my daughter saying. Puzzled, I came into her bedroom to see how Quinn believed there were one three days remaining when there was actually ten. She was using the Melissa & Doug Countdown Christmas Tree I purchased her last year and put the ornaments on the tree so that only one day was left. “I’m just joking, Daddy! I just put more ornaments on the tree so Christmas can come sooner,” she informed him.

If only it worked that way, I would have made Christmas come faster all the time when I was younger. The anticipation and excitement for Christmas to come, though overwhelming at times, was a feeling like no other. It was a magical time, and I am looking forward to my three year old experiencing that magic too.

Now, with Christmas Eve tomorrow, we’re all counting down and ready to not just enjoy exchanging gifts but each other’s company.

All the best,

Tanya

On the Tenth Day of Christmas, My Little Girl Gave to Me..The Importance of Santa’s Naughty and Nice List

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On the Tenth Day of Christmas, My Little Girl Gave to Me..The Importance of Santa’s Naughty and Nice List.

“I’m going to be nice not naughty, Mommy! I want you, Daddy and Santa to be proud of me!” my daughter said . Since mid October, I’ve heard parents tell their children when they ask for toys, “If you’re good, maybe Santa will bring it on Christmas.” Some even threaten to give Santa a call if the child is misbehaving or refusing to listen (So far, I haven’t had to resort to this…fingers crossed).  Now that Christmas is just days away, children who look forward to receiving gifts from Santa know that being on the naughty list means no gifts or coal for them, so most are on their best behavior.

What’s interesting with my three year old this year is that she has consistently stated, “I don’t want any gifts from Santa! I just want to have fun with Kenzie (her cousin) and Nana!” Even still, for the most part she’s been on her best behavior and is excited about giving out presents. She informed me, “As long as you stay off the naughty list Mommy, you may have the gifts Santa’s going to bring me.”

Of course, I would be absolutely surprised if Quinn followed through with that statement and let me keep the gifts she received, but it pleases me so much that at a young age she is genuinely a sweet girl who thinks about others. I am very proud of her and am even more eager for Santa to bring her some gifts for being so nice.

All the best,

Tanya

On the Ninth Day of Christmas, My Little Girl Gave to Me…Fun and Dancing with The Disney Express

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On the Ninth Day of Christmas, My Little Girl Gave to Me…Fun and Dancing with The Disney Express.

 

“Which one should I press this time, Mommy: Mickey or Goofy?” my three year old asked with her pointer finger ready. “How about Goofy this time?” I suggested. Upon pressing the button near Goofy, the Christmas song came on, and all of the characters started moving in beat making it look like the train and cabooses were moving.

About a month ago, my daughter and I were in Hallmark getting our Christmas cards, and she pulled on my arm and motioned for me to follow her, “Look mommy! It’s Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto! They’re riding a train!” Quinn loves trains, and I was actually thinking about getting a new Christmas display, so it didn’t take much for her to convince me to make the purchase of the Disney Christmas Express.

While the characters can be purchased separately, I decided to get the entire set since they can be linked together to move in unison. Needless to say, my little girl was happy about that and has asked to press it as soon as she comes down stairs everyday since we set it up.  Each character plays three different instrumentals of Christmas songs, so with all five, there are fifteen.

It’s so upbeat that Quinn and I will often stop what we are doing once the music starts to dance around and have a little fun.

All the best,

Tanya

On the Eighth Day of Christmas, My Little Girl Gave to Me…A Lesson in Gingerbread House Decorating

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On the Eighth Day of Christmas, My Little Girl Gave to Me…A Lesson in Gingerbread House Decorating.

“Shopkins, Shopkins! Mommy, I need to look at the box first so that I have some decoration ideas for my gingerbread house,” my three year old informed me. Last year, we did a gingerbread train with her older cousin. While she enjoyed the activity, she really loved eating the candy more than using it to decorate.

This year, Quinn was excited when she saw that I got her a Shopkins gingerbread house and was eager to put it together as she studied the box to determine exactly how she wanted it to look. “I want the Shopkins gummies on the door and the different candies on the roof with more gummies. Does that sound like a good idea, Mommy?” she asked. “Of course, that sounds like a great idea, Quinn,” I reassured her.

Even though I helped Quinn with piping the pink frosting to put the foundation of the gingerbread house together,  I was impressed with how she took charge and did most of the decorating herself. Her finished product was just perfect, so perfect that she asked, “When can we eat some of the gingerbread house?!”

All the best,

Tanya