First Calf of the Season

As winter storm Virgil moved in with lots of winds Sunday, cow 134 gave birth to our first calf of the season.  This sweet little girl was still shaky on her four legs when we got over to see her.  Theo predicted an orange calf, but was still excited to see this "just black" one.

 

D.o.b. March 24, 2013

 Theo helped grandpa and Uncle Matthew pin up mama and baby.  When they brought over an empty water trough to fill for the mama, Theo said "A bath for the baby calf!"  It was pretty cute.  You can tell he's not been raised in a barn like the rest of us were.

Helping with the hose, in his new Seed Consultant cap and barn boots.

First Day of Spring?

Well, technically this was the second day of spring.

I remember taking Theo out in a stroller on his first day ever of Spring and standing in line to get free Italian ice at Rita's on Main St in Delaware.

Eli's first day ended with a light snow blanketing the ground in Indiana.  Not as fun.

Not Probably

So, the last few busy bags I wanted to include in this series are going to have to wait since my laminater, paper cutter, and even zip lock bags are sitting in a storage locker in Southern Maryland.  We decided to pack up our apartment, pull out of our lease, and head back to Indiana where we could wait (rent free) for Brian to start his post-doc.

After a very up-in-the-air last couple of months, I can finally start putting some dates and definitive verbs in my sentences.  I noticed I used the word "probably" about 8 times in a recent email, and decided to just not give any updates until I could stop using that word.  So, here are the long awaited updates:

Brian FINALLY heard back from his job about a start date.  The biggest hang-up was that he will be on a fellowship and there were several reviews required of his application.  Even though the estimated turn-around was 4-6 weeks (and the deadline for said reviewers was the middle of Feb), they got the last review in about 8 weeks after his application was completed (which was delayed by weeks:  transcripts were lost, recommendation letters took time; faxes were misplaced).  Anyway, after an initial interview almost exactly six months ago, he has now completed a week at the lab.

Meanwhile, while we've been waiting, we decided to buy a house rather than pay more than a mortgage to rent.  We are waiting on the results of the third offer we have made, and we're hoping that we will finally get this one and be able to close by mid May.  I will be waiting with the boys in Indiana, while Brian rents a room with some grads students in DC. 

I have also found that the school where I completed kindergarten through eighth grade needs a maternity leave paraprofessional position filled until the end of the year, so I applied and have been offered that job, so I should be able to stay busy until the end of the school year and the beginning of life in the suburbs of DC. 

Until then, expect my blog to be filled with our Hoosier adventures (and misadventures) and a little more rural flair than regularly. 

Elijah: 6 months

This month has had quite a lot of changes for you, since we packed up your first home and started staying at your grandparents' farm for a while.  You have had a lot of mama and dada time, but that's about to change when dada goes back to work next week.  You have kept up with all the changes pretty well, you adjust to whatever situation we put you in quite well.  Your favorite toys right now include books (the crinklier the better), the piano, and any teether that fits nicely in your moth.  

Weight: about 24 pounds** (based on better scales at 7 months, I think this was a big over estimate)
Length:  about 27 inches
Size:  We're now getting size 3 diapers in the mail.  6 month clothes are straining at the snaps, 9 and 12 month clothes fit better.
Feeding:  Nursing is about the same.  You  have started having rice cereal which you are fine with, but I've got a feeling you are really going to love the fruits and veggies you get to start trying.

 Sleeping: You nap when you get a chance.  You really like to sleep with mama now, which is okay since you're not rolling over on your own yet.  But it is making staying down for naps difficult.
Likes: sitting beside brother (on your own) and watching him play, making a lot of noises and even sounds like da-da-da-da-da-da
Dislikes:  having a cold (lots of wiping noses and coughing)

Busy Bags for a Two Year Old (Maci), including Pin It Up

Our niece Maci just turned two, so I decided to make her a collection of busy bags using some of the materials I have from making others for Theo.  Most of these aren't really suitable for kids at younger ages since they are still putting so many items into their mouths.  Since she is way past that stage, these activities are good for her age (or in the near future).  I also had to pick small ones that would fit in an envelope to mail easily, so her package included the following:

Build-a-Rainbow, a great color and size discrimination activity from this awesome site.

Turns out great if you use their template.

Link it Up!  (just plastic, colored links)

Heads and Tails which is an easy one where kiddos match the heads to the tails for animals from the famous Eric Carle book Brown Bear, Brown Bear.  Found here. 

Tracing Lines, a great pre-writing activity found here.

Picture Puzzle

Pin it Up, a fun felt activity where kiddos can use clothespins to clip clothes to a clothesline.

Materials:  felt, string/twine for the clothesline, mini-clothespins

Assembly:  Simply cut the felt into as many pieces of clothes as you desire.  My husband actually free-hand cut these for me.  I thought it turned out pretty cute, especially the pink tutu!

Activity:  Tie the twine to two chairs to form a clothesline.  Pin the clothes to the line.

 I also added labels with directions, since I know my sister won't see this :)

Milestones: Almost 3!

Somehow, our first little baby has become a "bigger boy" as he claims.  He's quickly leaving behind toddler-hood and entering pre-school age.  While he did revert to a few babyish traits when Eli was born, he has mostly put on his big brother hat and progressed greatly.  Here are a few milestones:

Talking:  Theo is now quite the little chatter box.  He will and does have a conversation with anyone he meets.  He still has trouble with the typical letters "L, S, and Th" but otherwise he is doing great.  The progression of language this year has been amazing, and I thought these clips were interesting in showing it:

Just Before Age 2:  Pretty much just saying simple words.  (and using baby signs)

A couple months past 2:  Starting to repeat any word you ask.

At Two and a Half:  Babbling away during play time

At about 2 and three-quarters:  His (im)famous Happy Birthday rendition

At almost 3:  ABCs and full sentences

Potty Training:  Just when I had about given up on potty training before he was three, Theo decided he was ready.  Since last April, there have been a few occasions when Theodore went to the bathroom on a toilet, but they were few and far between.  Over the last few months there were times when I would try to train him by forcing him to sit on his potty for a while (normally while watching Sesame Street or Word World) and he would always use it, but it was always at my request.  A couple weeks ago, something switched in him where he decided to use it on his own.  I'm not sure if it was a special praise he received or just because he knew he could get some sort of reward after, but he has been fully trained for the last couple weeks with very few accidents.  We love to do the "potty dance" and celebrate every time.  He has even learned to stand up now, has no problem going #2, and can take all his clothes off my himself.  He will even ask for privacy now, which is a huge change!  We just have to help him get re-dressed and force him to wash his hands.  I do think the "Thomas the Tank" underwear helped, and what they say about waiting until your kid is ready.

Pre-Literacy Skills:  The big milestone that actually prompted this post, was that Theodore wrote his name recently!  Obviously, not his actual name, but he was writing on the whiteboard and came over and told me that it said "Theo."  It was the first time he's ever "written" a word, and it was very exciting.
On the pre-k checklist he has almost already hit all the pre-reading skills.  I'm hoping he continues to have his love for books, because I know it just makes school so much easier if you don't have to be forced to read, but enjoy it.  Since this he has signed several cards, and sometimes he gets close to writing letters, but it is still mostly scribbles.

As fast as I could get, yet he'd already erased some of it.

It's still crazy how quickly he will memorize stories.  Reading with him is more fun now since he can help read, and even read (recite) some entire books on his own.  We checked this book out at the library 2 days before this video was taken.  This is the first paragraph in the book... it's crazy that he can pretty much keep reciting phrases like this the whole book through.  After only two days.  His recitations are underlined:

It was a beautiful summer day on the Island of Sodor.  The fields were full of flowers, and the birds sang sweetly in the trees.  Thomas felt very happy as he quietly filled up with water.  Suddenly there was a whoosh and a clickity-clack as a silver blur roared past him. 

The day after this, I decided to start slipping in different words while reading, and out of about 12 "mistakes" I made, Theodore corrected 10 of them.  "No mama, not fast-slow."  It was pretty cute and amazing at the same time.

 I realized that from 1-2 it is all about getting mobile, but from 2-3 it is all about developing language.  I'm sure 3-4 is going to be pretty exciting. 

Elijah: 5 Months

This month, you have learned to sit up!  This really opens up the world for you, because you can sit in shopping carts, the exercauser, jumper and play easier in your bumbo.  You love to be a part of everything, and enjoy watching your big brother play (he is an expert at Peek-a-Boo).  Your tummy and neck are extremely ticklish. 

5 Months

Your hair is fuller and longer now, but still very light colored.  Your eyes are still gray... I really wonder how they are going to turn out.

You found your feet this month!

Weight:  18.5 pounds
Length:   25.5 inches
Size:  Finishing up your Size 2 diapers.  Still in 6 month clothes, but 9 and 12 month clothes fit as well.
Feeding:  On average, feeding for 15 min every 4 hours.
Sleeping:  You still sleep best with mama right next to you.  You will be exiting the bassinet soon though, and are going to need to start sleeping more on your own.  During the day you are starting to get a schedule of a morning nap and an afternoon nap.  Sometimes you will even have a third nap in the evening.
Likes:  jumping in the jumper, playing in the exercauser
Dislikes:  tummy time, being left out (you sit in your bumbo at the dinner table every night)

A Big Smile while Cuddling with Big Brother

Busy Bag: Egg Match-up

Materials: Felt and plastic eggs in identical colors, cardboard

Assembly:  Cut the felt into half ovals that match the colors of the eggs.

Activity:  Kiddos can snap together an egg, and then lay its match out in felt.  The cardboard serves as a mat to organize their work.

I gave this one to Theo about 6 months ago right after Easter, and he did a pretty good job with it.

When I gave this to him today to snap a picture, he said "No, this is a car," and started stuffing the felt pieces inside and zooming the egg around the table...sigh.  Being a mother of boys, everything seems to be on wheels.  This one may just go straight on to Eli in a year or two.

Busy Bag: Coins in a Carton

The next activity is super easy to put together. 

Materials:  1/3 of an egg carton, coins, coin stickers

Assembly:  Put a sticker in each egg slot.

Activity:  Kiddos will sort the coins into the section with its matching sticker.  It's harder than you'd think (at least for my almost-three year old).

I found the coin stickers at Joann's Fabric.  I have noticed they have really expanded their educational supplies section of the store. 

Sweet Dreams

Theodore seems to wake up on the right side of the bed every morning.  "The sun is up!" is his good morning greeting to us most days.  He is just always so happy in the morning.

Today, he told me that he had a dream.  I have asked him before, and he has never had one.  This time, he said on his own that he had a dream.  About a birthday cake.  A pink one.  That no one ate.  Not sure if he's having sweet dreams or just dreaming of sweets...

Busy Bag: Flipping Cookies

This next activity is easy and versatile (though not truly a busy bag since it won't all fit in a zip-lock).  I actually got this idea from a kindergarten teacher's page.  Her idea was similar in letting kids use this strategy to practice their site words.

  Materials:  brown construction paper, labels, laminator, cookie sheet and spatula

Assembly: 

1st: I decided on what words I would like Theo to start recognizing.  I chose colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, brown, white and black), animals (cat, dog, rabbit, sheep, pig, cow, horse) and people (Mama, Dada, Theodore, Elijah).  Nouns tend to work best for this, and you could definitely use specific letter sounds or blends your child may need to work on.  I think the next batch I do may be the names of Thomas and Friends trains, since he is obsessed with them right now.

2nd:  I used a template for a set of address labels, and chose photos to go with the words.  I printed out the labels.

3rd:  I cut out random "cookie shapes" from brown construction paper.

4th:  Then, I just put a word label and the coordinating picture label on opposite sides of the cookie, drew on chocolate chips with a sharpie, and then popped the whole thing in the laminator.  Theo loved this part, and helped me "cook" the cookies.  Once you cut them out they are ready to go.

Activity:  The child should select a cookie with the spatula.  Picking it up, they try to read the word.  The photo on the back makes this activity self-checking, and once they flip the cookie over they can see if they are correct!

Theo really likes playing with this already, even if he can't "read" the words yet.  He likes to just identify all the letters in the words, and then flip it over to see "what that spells".  When he is ready to sound out words I will probably make another set with specific sound words.

And of course, he likes to pretend to eat them as well!

Busy Bag: Play-doh Mats

This one has been on my list for a while now.  It has kids follow directions to finish a picture using play-doh.  The blog below has a link for the files (I left out the numbers, and used the other ten pictures).

http://planetoftheapels.blogspot.com/search/label/busy%20bag%20swap?updated-max=2011-09-07T15:49:00-05:00&max-results=20&start=6&by-date=false

Simply print out, laminate*, and go!

Theo doesn't seem quite ready for this one yet (or just wasn't ready on a no-nap day) but they will keep until he is.

"Put the teeth on the crocodile!"

*I had a laminator on my Christmas list, and was very happy to receive it and find out it works great.  Here is the link for my model.  The sheets run about $0.15 each.

Busy Bag: Geoboards

So, after cleaning out my classroom my house is bursting with boxes of all the school stuff I have bought or inherited over the last 10 years (during college I scavenged a lot from my mentor teachers, and purchased tons of materials my first couple years teaching).  Having taught 6 different levels of math, from remedial 6th grade to basically 10th grade with my enrichment students, I have all sorts of different supplies.

I have about a dozen or so geoboards just sitting in a box, and I realized that Theo would probably love playing with one, so I went on a search for ideas for this new bag.

Just using the rubber bands will be a great activity for him at this age (almost three), helping him with his fine motor skills, but I got some great ideas from the blogs below about how to extend the length of this bag with pattern cards, and even templates to copy his own designs on (rocket ships!).  He of course loves those, because he gets to use a dry-erase marker for that, but he's not quite ready to use them properly yet.

http://justfordaisy.blogspot.com/2012/10/making-geoboard-busy-bag-with-activity.html

http://bakersfamilyblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/geoboards.html

I gave him the board yesterday, and the board and bands kept him busy for a good hour, before he started using the rubber bands in other ways (with his crank on his barn).

Creating lines seems to be his favorite use of the board right now, it'll be fun to see what all he comes up with. 

Theo's Lines

Mama's Rocket Ship!

Additionally, the benefit of these geoboards, though not as cute as the handmade ones, is that they are reversible.  Check out the dodecagon on the back.

Busy Bag: Building Shapes

As a math teacher, this bag just warms my heart.  Theo likes watching the Sesame Street shapes video (and I love hearing James Blunt sing "Triangle") and had developed a real interests for shapes.  Every time we went for a walk last summer he'd point out the octagons and circles.  So that was the perfect time to introduce this bag.

 Materials:  Popsicle sticks, peel-and-stick Velcro pieces

Assembly:  Simply attach Velcro to the ends of sticks.  For shapes with an odd number of sides (triangles, pentagons) you need to put one Velcro piece on the first side of the stick, turn it over, and put the second piece of Velcro on the back of some sticks.  Many of the craftier-than-I mothers online color code the sticks or at least use circle stickers on the end of each stick.  I was very proud of myself for doing some nice color coding, and Theodore almost immediately took off all the stickers.  It was a little frustrating. 


Activity:  connecting the pieces to make lots of shapes.  He could make equilateral triangles,  squares and rhombi, and various regular and irregular polygons. 

2 2/3 years old



Busy Bag: Pompom Push

So, right before Eli was born, I finally got serious about making Theodore some "busy bags".  Through blogs and pinterest I found hundreds of idea, and narrowed it down to the easy, cheap ones I could make for Theo.  This was one of the first I made, and a really simple one that many online moms have suggested.  Even though he was two when I made it, it kept him interested for quite a while.  I'm sure younger kids (once they stop putting everything in their mouths) would like this as well.

Materials:  pompoms (I used a bag with all sorts of different sizes), container with lid

Assembly:  simply poke a hole (or several different sized ones!) in the lid of the container. 

Activity:  toddlers can work to poke all the holes through the lid.  When done, empty, and repeat!

He loved pushing pompoms at 2.5 years old.

 He still asks to do his "pompoms" every now and then, but now he will use them for other purposes as well. 

Still a favorite "busy bag", at almost 3 years old the poms have been repurposed in bulldozer play. 

Claymont Steak Shop: Newark, DE Restaurant Week

While we would have loved to try several more new places on Main St, we limited ourselves to one tried and true restaurant (Café Gelato) and one newbie.  For that we chose Claymont Steak Shop.  Technically, it is on South Main St. (newly named), but it is pretty close and was participating in restaurant week as well.  This place is a DE original, and this is their second location.  They haven't been in Newark too long, and their original location is in northern DE almost at the PA line.

While you order at the counter, they do make food to order and they call your name from the counter when it is ready (think Panera Bread).

Waiting on our order.

 Restaurant Week Special:  "2 Large Cheese Steaks that are prepared with our classic fresh cut rib-eye and your choice of toppings Plus an order of Supreme fries that are smothered in melted cheddar, bacon, ranch and topped with freshly grated mozzarella cheese and finished in the oven."

Brian ordered his with peppers and fried onions.

 

 We didn't really look at their menu, since we were planning on getting the special for r.w.  Since they were voted best cheesesteaks in the state for 2012, we were expecting perfection.  They were pretty good, good buns and fried onions and meat.  However, there just wasn't quite enough cheese on the sandwiches to make it the perfect cheesesteak.  They were pretty good though.  The fries were pretty great-you know if you need a fork to eat them they are going to be tasty. 

Father-Son bonding:  How to properly eat a cheese steak.

 Theo had a 1/4 or so of my large sandwich, and of course loved the fries.  It wasn't hard to get him to eat here, but it would have been hard to change him had we needed it-there are no changing tables in the restroom.  Luckily, he's been a lot more interested in potty training this week, so we didn't need a changing table.  And Eli slept through most of the meal.  He woke up at the very end.

Can we come back once I'm eating table foods?

Baby's Brain: Notes for a developing mind

During grad school I had a theory of learning class with Dr. Jill Stamm, and it really made me regretful that I hadn't decided to major in some sort of neuroscience field.  However, it was during my last semester finishing my masters in math education, and I wasn't about to take any more classes.  But this class definitely prepared me not really for teaching middle schoolers math, but for raising my own children.  Dr. Stamm's focus is on how early development (0-3 years) affects children's brain growth, and I found her class fascinating.  But, a bit frustrating, since I know that by the time kids get to my class in school, so much of their brain is already pre-wired for learning and there's not a ton I can do about it.

The fact that so much of a kid's life is determined by his first 3 years is a little scary, especially since Theo's third birthday is approaching.  I read Stamm's "Bright from the Start" cover to cover when Theo was born, and tried really hard to choose Theo's play, activities, and toys based on the suggestions within.  And though he was a bit slow to talk, I think he has definitely taken off and his brain seems to be a little sponge for learning.

With Eli, I realized I haven't been as careful and purposeful.  I know we have a lot of the "right" toys and activities around here, but am not always using them.  I decided to go ahead and give myself a refresher course, and reorganize my own "baby brain box" (one that is a lot cheaper than the one Stamm's institute sells here).

Below are some of the things most important remembrances for 0-6 month olds:  (*Are ones I need to place a special focus on.*)

Attention and Communication Ideas:
Speak in "parentese" often.
Encourage tracking by bringing a toy across his field of vision.*
Talk during the day, labeling and explaining everything.
Place mobiles (or photos*) 10-12 inches from face.

*Tummy Time*  I've been guilty of holding this baby too much, propping him up beside me, or having him sit in the Bumbo while playing beside Theo.  I was reminded that the pre-crawling motions they practice during tummy time (right arm, left knee-left arm, right knee) is helpful in connecting the left and right hemispheres for the baby's brain.  Skipping the crawling stage doesn't allow for this connection to be built (though other games and activities can help with this if your baby just doesn't want to crawl). 

Getting Vision System Online:
Face imitation games.
Peek-a-boo.
Reading books.
Puppet play.
Looking in a mirror (this one is easy since his changing table is beside our full-size mirror.  Every changing experience includes some mirror play.)
Black-and-white cards (high contrast colors and patterns)

Bonding Ideas:
Hold baby as much as possible (wear baby versus carrying in the car seat).
Respond to cries (he doesn't fuss much, so this is not a problem.  But, it also means he isn't asking for attention as much so he may not get as much attention since he is also competing with his brother for it.)
Exploring different "touches" *(I'm planning to get out some of the old board books that have different textures).
"I'm Gonna Getcha" (Stamm recommends this starting at 6 months, but Eli already loves it.  When I nuzzle his neck he will actually giggle.)

Communication Ideas:
Reading.
Music, rhymes and finger play.
My mother-in-law seems to have an endless supply of rhymes, songs, and finger-play ideas.  I tend to always fall back on just a few favorites, so hopefully writing them all down here will remind me to use them:

Pat-a-Cake (Theo will do this with Eli)

This Little Piggy

The Itsy Bitsy Spider

Twinkle, Twinkle (again, one Theo can be in charge of)

Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes

The Wheels on the Bus

Silly Songs (spontaneously made up, I'm pretty good at these, and when I'm singing to Eli Theo will pretty much stop playing and come listen, and ask me to sing them again)

With these ideas in mind, Eli's brain box includes the following:

Books:  "Fluffy Chick" (textures), Hickory, Dickory, Dock (great version of rhymes with illustrations to discuss), "Colors", "Guess Who" (peekaboo flap book), "Guess How Much I Love You," "On the Night You Were Born" and "In My Tree" (bonding books),  and "Black on White" as well as the b/w art cards for visual stimulation.  The box also includes: a cow rattle, cow mirror, egg shaker, and cow puppet (missing from pic) .  Lastly, a "Splash" CD.  I bought plenty of music for Theo when he was young, but our favorites have always included these free CDs from our church.  They send a new one every 12 months for the next age range and they are fun songs with Christian themes. 

My goal is to work through most of the items in this box within a day (depending on baby's attention span).  But most importantly, the "box" needs to include my own eyes and voice.  I think direct eye-to-eye contact, and a stream of words, songs, or assurances coming from a mother's mouth, are the most important things in raising a happy, confident baby. 

Looks like he likes his box already!