So squeezable!

Yes, I mean Grace, but also the clay she was playing with in these photos! She was really concentrating and it kept her busy for about 10 minutes. But then she decided to taste the clay so we had to put it away....I asked her what it tasted like and she said, "candy". That makes sense. It even looks like candy with those bright colors.I love this photo. We had just had a huge thunderstorm and the raindrops covered our back windows. Grace even posed, said, "Cheese", and came to see how the photo turned out. We did this 3 times and this was the best one. She is fun when she wants to cooperate.

Summer Lovin'

The calendar says that summer comprises the 3-month period from June 21st-September 21st. But, for me, summer includes the 6-weeks that I am off from work. I know I am lucky. Most people don't get 6 weeks of vacation throughout the year. I get 6 weeks plus holidays, a week at spring break, and another week or so in the winter around Christmas time. That is a great amount of time away from work and, yes, I am grateful. But, when you have a vibrant 2-year old at home who is a ton of fun and is just discovering the world around her, you want to spend every minute possible with her. So, on June 26th when I walked out of the office, I made a commitment that this summer (unlike the last 7 years!) I was not going in to work until the day I was officially due back. That day is tomorrow.We have loved this summer and have squeezed every sunny, warm, relaxing minute out of it. We had lazy mornings where neither of us got dressed until after naptime. We have gotten up early to look at the mist on the lake and take Daisy for a walk on the trail. We have done craft projects, have looked at bugs in the yard, and have splashed in the puddles on the deck after a summer rainshower. We have stayed up late - much too late for a toddler - looking at the moon, watching fireworks, or listening to a local band at the park. We have cooked dinner on the grill and, this summer, Grace discovered how wonderful tilappia, corn-on-the-cob, and grilled pineapple taste. We have gone through multiple tubes of sunscreen and two pairs of sunglasses. Grace has worn out the bottom of one bathing suit from jumping and falling on her butt in the pool. We have explored the world of potty training and have started doing so many other "big girl" things like brushing her teeth, putting on her shoes, and imitating mommy (that last one has me a little worried!).So, for a recap, in 6 weeks we:

• have gone to the pool too many times to count
• had our first "sleepover" with Dawson
• went to the Akron and Cleveland zoos multiple times
• visited New York City where Grace rode a horse and carriage, taxi, and bus for the first time
• have tested the potty training "waters"
  
• visited with family and Grace met Uncle John, Aunt Debbie, and Connor and Ryan
  
• went to the lake with Kellie's family
• have gotten sand in places where sand should not be (because Grace does things like she is doing in the photo below)
• experienced a one-ring circus where Grace rode a pony
  
• held rabbits, chickens, and ducks at the county fair
• tumbled and swung from the bars in gymnastics class
• rode the carousel so many times that Grace calls the panda, "my bear"
  
• danced to music at outdoor concerts
• bought fresh fruit and vegetables at the farmers' market
• used the new wagon at an outdoor showing of Madagascar 2 (and a bunch of other places)
  
• took Daisy to the dog park and on morning walks on the trail
  
• played on the jungle gym at the park and at the inflatable play area in the mall
• went on the kayak in the lake (yes, even I did it!)
  
• learned to hold on tight on the "big kid" swings
• reunited with old friends from Guatemala
• watched three different fireworks displays to celebrate 4th of July
  
• went to the Indians game and met Slider
• showed our courage at the kiddie amusement park
• met Mayna and Abbie and their terrific moms
• applied for a United States passport
• baked muffins, brownies, and cookies from scratch

To most people 6 weeks is a really long time but to me it seems like the days passed by too quickly. Now I can't wait for the weekend when we can wake up when we want and we get to jump and play all day. Or just do nothing...
I do wonder, though, what I did with my time BG (Before Grace). I certainly have never been THIS busy any other summer.

PS - Grace wore this bathing suit for the first time in Guatemala when she was 9 1/2 months old. These photos were taken 5 days ago on August 4th. It was the last time for this swimsuit. A good purchase...it lasted a long time! But she has definitely outgrown it! You can see Grace last year in this and some other swimsuits by clicking here.

House guest

Kyle is in Vegas on a "man-cation" this week so Hondo is staying with us. It is interesting having two big dogs in the house. They have each other for company and Grace seems to love it. The first thing out of her mouth the last few mornings has been "Hondodaisy?" almost like it is one word. In her mind they just go together.

Friday with friends

For our last Friday of the summer we went to the pool today with our friends...

Dawsonand Mayna

and, of course, their moms!

Grace had fun playing in the sand, but she did need to go into "time out" twice for throwing sand, even after multiple warnings. The second time she was sitting on the bench and crying two women went up to her to find out what was wrong. I was sitting nearby and told them that she was in "time out" and a look of immediate recognition and "I've been there" came across their faces. I thanked them, though. Good to know some caring moms will help your child if she is lost or hurt....

Something just wasn't right with my girl today. She didn't want to go in the pool. She jumped in the water about 5 times but after that wanted me to hold her. She went on the slide once and never went under the water. She asked for pizza for lunch but then didn't eat it, and she cried (screamed, really) all the way home in the car. That just isn't like her. It was so bad that I was pretty scared and almost stopped the car. But then I figured it was better to just get home and when we did get there she went right to sleep. Hopefully she will wake up from her nap feeling better.

We were at the pool yesterday and Grace noticed some people walking over a footbridge. We went to the top of it and looked down to a stream below. I pointed out how the water was moving and we picked up leaves from the ground to drop in the water. She had a great time testing gravity and watching big and small leaves on their trip downstream. Some got stuck on the rocks, too, and didn't go very far. Being Grace, she remembered just what we did yesterday and wanted to go on the bridge again right away. This time we picked some Daisys and Black-eyed Susans to send down the stream. I probably shouldn't encourage picking flowers that aren't ours, but they were much prettier than the leaves!

50 Ravioli

I made 50 ravioli today while Grace was taking a nap. I mean, really, what else do I have to do with my time?Actually, I enjoy cooking and don't do it often enough. My mom gave me a cookbook called Toddler Cafe for my first Mother's Day and I have made several of the recipes suggested by author Jennifer Carden. Today, I decided to make my own version of her "pumpkin pockets" by substituting sweet potato. You can use fresh, canned, or frozen vegetables or substitute any filling you want following her simple instructions. What makes the recipe easy is taking a little help from the grocery store by using pre-made, pre-cut wonton wrappers (found in the produce section) for the pasta. According to Carden, wontons and ravioli are basically made from the same ingredients. I DO know how to make my own pasta - and I have done it before (for all you skeptics out there) - but the reality is modern conveniences are avaiable for a reason and my 2-year old's palate is not that discerning. I'll make fresh pasta when I compete against Bobby Flay or Michael Simon on Iron Chef. So, I made the filling using mashed sweet potato, cream cheese, and some spices and then filled all the wonton wrappers that came in the package. After boiling the ravioli for about 5 minutes, I tossed them with butter and Parmesean cheese and Grace was happy as a clam...I stored 45 of the ravioli in the freezer for dinners this fall on those nights when I am too tired to think about cooking.

Uncle Mickey - This doesn't compare with the rigatoni you made tonight, but I am going to try my own version of that dish one night soon!

Tower building

I wonder what happened at daycare today. When Grace got home she was unusually interested in building towers. She got out some soft blocks that she rarely plays with and built herself a tower, knocked it down, and then built it again. She also played with her giant Legos (another toy that she has shown little interest in since we got them months ago) to build houses. (I know because she kept saying, "Mommy, house".) Then at dinner we did a puzzle together before I took out one of our Discovery Toys. Grace received this "giant pegboard" and two other learning toys from Discovery from Aunt Jill for her birthday. We played with them once or twice, but never like I witnessed tonight. She was so determined and engaged.

The pegboard comes with 25 colored pegs in different shapes such as circles, squares, hexagons, stars, etc. There are multiple activities you can do with this pegboard (counting, sorting, grouping, matching, categorizing). My original plan was just to have Grace group the pegs by color, but she only wanted to stack them. I know I am supposed to let her lead the activity based on her interest and developmental level and today, all she wanted to do was build. So I ditched MY plan and let her continue with hers.

Just look at how happy and proud she was.

She even stopped for a second to say, "cheese" and smile for me so I could take a couple of photos.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I know it is only August, but one of the pleasures of having a child in the house is discovering all the wonderful things there are out there to help her learn and grow. So, I have started to "shop" for Christmas...or at least do some research to make wise choices for her presents.

Anyone who knows me, understands that I am not a big believer in having a lot of "stuff". I prefer Grace to have fewer, well-chosen toys that will challenge her to think, move, pretend, and be creative. I also prefer things that require some interaction. There are many times that she watches TV or plays on her own, but I really believe that, while there is value in those things, there should also be time every day when we play together. So, I have been purposefully, deciding on a few things that I think she will love for Christmas. A couple of things have already been purchased and put away -

LeapFrog Tag Junior

American Girl doll

....but the reason for this post is to share a discovery I made tonight.

This morning Grace and I stopped at Target for a boggie/kick board to use at the pool today. Being late in the summer, they didn't have any, but an Eric Carle board game called "From Head to Toe" caught my eye. Most of the games I have seen are intended for ages 3 and up, as was this one. The box gave little indication about how to play the game, but from what it did say I figured it was something Grace could handle with some guidance from me....but then I wasn't sure so I put it back on the shelf. It got me to thinking about the board games I remember playing as a child and the classics Candyland and Chutes and Ladders immediately came to mind. But, are those still the best for a toddler her age? Surely there has to be something new out there....

So I searched the internet for "toddler board games" which revealed some reviews about games to play with the 2+ crowd. The best site I found and now have bookmarked was www.thingamababy.com. It is written by a dad who reviews all kinds of things. I spent a lot of time looking at his reviews of toys (he has daughter almost 5 now but who was 2-3 when he reviewed these games. She seems very bright based on the skills he describes). I figured if she is doing this well from the toys he has chosen for her maybe I should seriously consider some of them for Grace.

I concentrated on board games that were simple and focused on one or two skills and came up with the following:

Snail's Pace Race by RavensburgerThis one I am buying now. I had never heard of this Ravensburger company before, but they seem to produce many quality toys and puzzles for children and adults. "Thingamadaddy" says Snail's Pace Race should be the very first board game for a toddler since it deals with colors, involves cooperative play instead of competitive, is quick (an important feature for short attention spans), and it uses dice instead of cards which are difficult for little hands to pick up (hmmm....I hadn't thought of that). You can read the entire review here.

I am also considering Bingo Bears by Learning Resources (sold on Amazon.com for around $22).I like this one for the cute bear game pieces that come in different colors and sizes. You can practice small, medium, and large as well as colors and counting. The game never gets old since you can change the big red bear game boards by inserting different cards in the 9 slots. Cool. Read more about it here. "Thingamadaddy" also recommends another Ravensburger product called 4 First Games (sold on Amazon.com for around $22). Basically, it is a box of two boards, each with a different game surface printed on both sides (the photo above shows all four sides). The game pieces allow you to play four different games - Bird's Nest, King of the Castle, Garden Party, and Sizzling Sausages. Again, the games practice patience, taking turns, color/number/item recognition, fine motor skills, etc. That's a lot in one box and sounds like it would be something to grow into and use for a long time. One of the things I especially like about "Thingamadaddy's" reviews is that in addition to explaining the instructions for each game he includes his own adaptations that have worked for him and his daughter (and her younger friend). I know I will go back and read those suggestions again if we get these games.

The last board game on our list is called The Picnic Game (also available on Amazon.com for $16). You set up a red and white tablecloth, everyone gets a plate, and you spin to fill your picnic plate with food. The reviews warn that landing on the ants is a BAD thing in this game. Grace has recently become fascinated with insects and we have been teaching her to look at and not touch them so I think she would get a kick out of the ants at her picnic!If any of you have played the Eric Carle From Head to Toe game, let me know your thoughts. We might want that one, too!

Slip sliding away

Grace has become such a little fish in the water. She loves the pool - maybe too much! We tried a variety of flotation devices this spring in Florida and at the indoor water park and found the only thing that worked successfully was the life preserver/life vest. Good to know and absolutely necessary if we are on a boat, but it is certainly not practical for the pool. I think that Grace has become more aware of her own balance and limitations in the water because I haven't used any water wings or flotation bathing suits. She is not falsely reliant on those things and hasn't become overconfident because of them. But, going to the pool with her is stressful because she is constantly testing her limits. Putting her head under water is not a problem for Grace. She enjoys jumping, spinning, and intentionally falling in the water. It seems like she is experimenting with her buoyancy as she tries to float on both her tummy and her back. Lately, she has been climbing up the ladder and jumping into 3 feet of water from the edge of the pool. Remember she is barely 35 inches so that water is over her head. And while I am having a mini heart attack with each jump, she is standing on the side pushing my hand away saying, "No, Mommy!".

This short video is of Grace on the kiddie slide which she has totally mastered. Last summer I wouldn't even let her try it on her own. Of course, she could barely climb the steps then. Enjoy the show....I promise, it won't give you a heart attack!

The circus came to town!

Grace attended her first circus on Saturday, August 1st. The Kelly Miller Circus is a one tent circus that visited the town square of a neighboring community. This traveling circus has been in business since 1938 and can set up in any 300' X 300' space with access to water. The big top, imported from Italy, has a seating capacity of 1500 people and is 40 feet high. The show travels in a fleet of 25 vehicles and they allow their animals to do two performances per day. The whole experience made me think about "old time" America that I have seen in so many movies. It is hard to believe that there are people who still "run away to join the circus" (okay, maybe these performers didn't run away, but you know what I mean).

We got up early on Saturday morning, bought breakfast, and went to watch the circus employees raise the tent. They said the elephants did this task, but we watched for about an hour as dozens of workers used big machines to drive stakes into the ground, set up awnings for shelter for the animals, unfolded the tent, and set up the concession stands.I wandered around the outside of the main circle and found the trailer where the three elephants were waiting for their debut. It was really cool to see one put the end of his trunk up to the window to investigate what was outside.Someone said that as soon as the sun canopy was set up the elephants were going to come out so I went back to get Grace and Kyle. A few minutes later, they slowly came out, enjoyed a breakfast of fresh grass, and got a shower from their handlers. Grace seemed to like the elephants but not nearly as much as the horses! After so many experiences where she has been able to touch animals, we had to explain to her that today she could only look.
Later Saturday evening we returned to the event site for the actual show. We met Dawson and her family there to see the performance together. This tented circus is currently run by John Ringling North of "the Ringling Brothers Greatest Show on Earth" family. From the moment the ring leader says, "Ladies and Gentlemen, children of all ages...." it was a non-stop performance of action, lights, music, an exotic display of animals, and acrobatic feats in the air. The show lasted about 2 hours with one 20 minute intermission.

Kelly took this beautiful photo of Grace.
I love the warm colors and how her cheeks are a little rosy.

Grace liked these inflatable toys, especially Dora and the monkey, but somehow we were able to distract her and not have to come home with one.Kyle put Grace on the pony ride which was well worth it to see how excited she was to be on her very own horse.He also took Grace to see the "giant" snake. He told me it was sleeping and you couldn't really tell what it was! We had a fun time, but I need to say one thing....I felt really bad for the tigers and elephants. Those animals are just not meant to be in small enclosures and performing for crowds of on onlookers. I know the circus people said all the animals in the show are part of their "family" and their website talks about how well the animals are treated. I don't doubt that, but, still, it is unnatural. I want Grace to be exposed to so many things so I don't regret attending but it would be unfair to write this blog without expressing how I feel about these enormous, beautiful animals who never have the chance to run or roam free. I much preferred seeing the human performances. At least the people in the circus have a choice.