Jake right now has 4 favorite books. When I say favorite I mean the books that we have to read OVER and OVER. Elmo's ABC book, Glasses for DW, Green Eggs and Ham, and Go dog Go. Now he has access to a ton of books, I have books everywhere in the house for him. Under the coffee table, in with his toys, on my bookshelf, at eye level in his room. But somehow we usually end up reading 1 if not all 4 of these books at least once a night. I'm OK with that! He enjoys reading and I love that. He is just getting to the point where he interacts (with some coaxing) with the books as we are reading them to him. EX: "Elmo loves apples" and he points to and says Apple, "Where are DW's Glasses?"
Last night we were reading Green eggs and Ham. He hardly interacts with this book, other then to say "Train- Choo choo..". As I am going though we start getting the:
"Would you eat them in a house?"
and Jake pipes up and says "Noooooo"
"Would you eat them with a mouse?"
"Nooooo"
The whole way though the book! He understands! Then we get to the end where the thing finally eats the green eggs..
"Say, I like Green eggs and ham!"
"YUMMMM"
"and I would eat them blah blah"
"Uh huh (yes)"
He understands! With out coaxing! Awesome! Makes me feel like we are doing something right!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Moment #1
Last night Jake woke up around 10:30 or so. I tried to comfort him and put him back in his crib, but he wasn't having any of it. He wanted to be held. So I obliged, and took him to lay in my bed with me. Secretly that's what I think he wanted all along, who doesn't love a heated bed on a cold night. While we are laying there, I started rubbing he cheek with my finger, usually puts him right to sleep! It did, or I thought it did and I started drifting off myself. When I open my eyes he is looking right at me (both our heads on the pillow). I tell him "It's Ni night time buddy", and he takes his finger and starts rubbing my cheek. Talk about something to melt your heart.
My Moments
I think recently I have been taking a lot of the "good" things for granted. Sometimes we all (me) get so caught up in the day to day, that we let the good things go to the wayside and out of our brain.
I find myself being somewhat reflective almost daily. Once I get Jake off to bed, or I get home from class, or whenever I find that peaceful time. I sit outside with my coffee and go back over my day. Good things that have happened like something Jake did/learned/said, a moment between Tommy and I, Something funny my mom/sister/brother said...and even something that I did(shocking). But that's where it ends, and sometimes I need reminders of the "good" things.
So..Welcome to my moments. A simple way for me to jot down the "good" and a way not to forget. Not to take the place of regular blogging....just some notes to self to share with the world.
I find myself being somewhat reflective almost daily. Once I get Jake off to bed, or I get home from class, or whenever I find that peaceful time. I sit outside with my coffee and go back over my day. Good things that have happened like something Jake did/learned/said, a moment between Tommy and I, Something funny my mom/sister/brother said...and even something that I did(shocking). But that's where it ends, and sometimes I need reminders of the "good" things.
So..Welcome to my moments. A simple way for me to jot down the "good" and a way not to forget. Not to take the place of regular blogging....just some notes to self to share with the world.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Teaching the kiddo
I have recently become very interested in different teaching methods for toddlers/preschoolers. For obvious reasons.
I have been working on making the most of the time we do have together, being less restrictive, and letting Jake explorer and learn in his own ways. But at the same time providing him with some structured activities. Essentially methods to the madness.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori
The way I understand it - learn by playing, doing, not lecture. Allow for creativity, free thought, and experimentation. All the while making sure that the resources available serve a propose and that you are available to help and explain if need be.
We have a Montessori school right around the corner. The are a bit pricey, but I have them sending me info and they offer aid. Sooo I definitely need to do my homework and make sure its the right fit for us as a preschool. Check um out http://www.richmont.org/
Reading up on this teaching method has been pretty inspiring. Granted I have just been doing some Internet searching. Montessori books are one the amazon wish list this year for Christmas.
Jake and I have been quite the crafty duo lately. Thanks to all the wonderful blogs to the right. I started a couple weeks ago doing a color of the week. I was looking for something to fill the time between when we got home and before we ate dinner. We started by learning the sign for the color of the week, then we went to color collages, painting with one color, searching the house for color, sorting color all sorts of things. Jake gets so excited now when he tells you about blue or red. BLUE!!!! that all I here some nights. I love it. I have some ideas for things I want to make, clothing boards, activity bags, felt boards...omg the things I have planned :). Poor Tommy.
Red:
working on a red color collage
Blue:
Finger Painting with BLUE!!
This I think is also helping in the area of discipline. Not Jake so much but me. Working with him more and having controlled projects and play helps me not yell "no, no, no don't touch that, stop that, JAKE" . I mean I still do. We haven't go the whole positive discipline things down yet. Me being a mommy is still a work in progress. Patience is not one of my strong suits and Jake is a normal toddler with an attention span of a flea. I see a lot of parents that take toddler hood as a miserable time in their life. Oh the terrible twos...etc. I take pride what my child is a curious little boy. He is full of energy, playful, loving, adventurous and not a Satan spawn on a rampage of destruction.
Please don't get me wrong. I don't have every hour of every day planned with some sort of activity, or learning experience. I have to get things done too. But I am definitely out of the mind set of just entertaining the beast until nap time.
Jake, Tommy and I we do what we do. If that's just a walk around the block with a few pit stops to stare at the clouds, birds, or trees then that's what it is.
I have been working on making the most of the time we do have together, being less restrictive, and letting Jake explorer and learn in his own ways. But at the same time providing him with some structured activities. Essentially methods to the madness.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori
The way I understand it - learn by playing, doing, not lecture. Allow for creativity, free thought, and experimentation. All the while making sure that the resources available serve a propose and that you are available to help and explain if need be.
We have a Montessori school right around the corner. The are a bit pricey, but I have them sending me info and they offer aid. Sooo I definitely need to do my homework and make sure its the right fit for us as a preschool. Check um out http://www.richmont.org/
Reading up on this teaching method has been pretty inspiring. Granted I have just been doing some Internet searching. Montessori books are one the amazon wish list this year for Christmas.
Jake and I have been quite the crafty duo lately. Thanks to all the wonderful blogs to the right. I started a couple weeks ago doing a color of the week. I was looking for something to fill the time between when we got home and before we ate dinner. We started by learning the sign for the color of the week, then we went to color collages, painting with one color, searching the house for color, sorting color all sorts of things. Jake gets so excited now when he tells you about blue or red. BLUE!!!! that all I here some nights. I love it. I have some ideas for things I want to make, clothing boards, activity bags, felt boards...omg the things I have planned :). Poor Tommy.
Red:
working on a red color collage
Blue:
Finger Painting with BLUE!!
This I think is also helping in the area of discipline. Not Jake so much but me. Working with him more and having controlled projects and play helps me not yell "no, no, no don't touch that, stop that, JAKE" . I mean I still do. We haven't go the whole positive discipline things down yet. Me being a mommy is still a work in progress. Patience is not one of my strong suits and Jake is a normal toddler with an attention span of a flea. I see a lot of parents that take toddler hood as a miserable time in their life. Oh the terrible twos...etc. I take pride what my child is a curious little boy. He is full of energy, playful, loving, adventurous and not a Satan spawn on a rampage of destruction.
Please don't get me wrong. I don't have every hour of every day planned with some sort of activity, or learning experience. I have to get things done too. But I am definitely out of the mind set of just entertaining the beast until nap time.
Jake, Tommy and I we do what we do. If that's just a walk around the block with a few pit stops to stare at the clouds, birds, or trees then that's what it is.
Anyway more Pictures.
I LOVE HALLOWEEN!! So our crafts lately our Halloween based. Halloween crafts, Halloween books, pumpkins, bats, witches, ghosts....did I mention I love Halloween. So here are the projects we have done thus far. Thanks to No Time for Flashcards for the ideas!!!
Markers are always a hit. Making the background for his hand bat.
Painting with pumpkins
Pumpkin Prints
We have done a couple more different things, I just didn't get the camera out soon enough.
Bottom line, we are having fun!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Daily Horoscope for Gemini - Wednesday, October 8, 2008
You may feel a bit restricted in your ability to control your own destiny today, especially if you want to travel or spend more time learning. Your attraction to increasing your knowledge through education or direct experience can run into the hard, cold truth of your family and fiscal commitments. Don't take your frustration out on anyone else. Work with what you have for now and consider changes down the road.
Email from Tommy this morning-
Thomas Carlson to me
show details
7:35 am (47 minutes ago)
you seem extremely overwhelmed, stressed. I'll be on around 9, lets talk
I guess it's time to re-evaluate....
:::sigh:::
I should be able to make a real post later
You may feel a bit restricted in your ability to control your own destiny today, especially if you want to travel or spend more time learning. Your attraction to increasing your knowledge through education or direct experience can run into the hard, cold truth of your family and fiscal commitments. Don't take your frustration out on anyone else. Work with what you have for now and consider changes down the road.
Email from Tommy this morning-
Thomas Carlson to me
show details
7:35 am (47 minutes ago)
you seem extremely overwhelmed, stressed. I'll be on around 9, lets talk
I guess it's time to re-evaluate....
:::sigh:::
I should be able to make a real post later
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