JDaniel made this lovely turkey. He had a little help with it. Okay! He had a lot of help with it.
The turkey now lives on our refrigerator. I love displaying his work! JDaniel is so proud of his work being displayed.
Taking Take Lessons from Books- My Teacher Sleeps at School
My Teacher Sleeps at School is an awesome book! The students in the class see the teacher bring in a bag of food and a pillow and conclude that the teacher lives at school.Later in the book she takes her class to her house to see where she lives. As a first grader my class went to have lunch at my teacher’s apartment on the way back from a field trip. I remember being in awe as I sat in her living room and listening to her read Winnie the Pooh to us while she sat in her own rocking chair.
When I ran into students, they were always surprised to see me out of school. I think they assumed I slept at school too. What do your children think about their teacher’s lives? I bet they could write a funny story about their teachers using the facts they know about them.
Muffin Tin Monday-If You Take A Mouse To School
This week the blog is remembering American Education Week. I found a book about a mouse going to school called If You Take A Mouse to School by Laura Numeroff. I based JDaniel’s tin on food mentioned in the book and a few other things JDaniel and Mouse might like. The book mentions a peanut butter sandwich and cookie. JDaniel needed some healthy items in his lunch too. I decided to place some cheese and cherry tomatoes in his tin. JDaniel had never had a peanut butter sandwich before. He really wasn’t into it. He was willing to try it though.
Why Change into New Clothes at Night?
JDaniel thinks get changed means put on his pajamas. While we were attending my niece’s wedding events, JDaniel had to be changed into nicer clothes to attend the rehearsal dinner and wedding reception. They were both evening events. He totally didn’t understand why you would change into different clothes when it is dark outside. Pajamas are what we put on when it is dark. On the night of the rehearsal dinner I told him it was time to change. He went into the bureau in our hotel room and took out his pajamas. “No, baby,” I told him, “Don’t get to put them on yet.”He raised his hands and shrugged.
Sit Down! Sit Down! Little Bear was Given Time Out by JDaniel
Monday night when we went to play in JDaniel’s room, he picked up one of his stuffed animals named Little Bear. He brought Little Bear over to his rocking horse, stood him up on the seat and said, “Sit Down! Sit Down!” I asked JDaniel if Little Bear needed a time out. “Yeeesss!” I was told. Little bear was carried over to JDaniel’s crib and stuffed between the slats. After a minute or two, JDaniel pulled Little Bear out of the crib and repeated the process. Little Bear was held standing up on the horse, told to sit down, and was given time out. He tried to repeat the events for a third time. I asked JDaniel if maybe we could show Little Bear the right way to sit on the horse. “O.K.”, I was told. Can you guess what we have been working on lately?
The ironic thing is that the next morning while I was on the phone JDaniel pulled over a chair so it would be right in front of me, climbed onto it, and stood up. I told him to sit down. He refused. He was removed from the chair and taken to a different room of the house after being warned a time out was on its way. Little Bear may have learned his lesson, but JDaniel seems to be still working on it.
Mommyhood Tip- Birthday Traditions
Start traditions based around birthdays. There are lots of ways to do them. Here are some I found online:
Decorate Before Waking– Decorate the living room with balloons, confetti and banners in the living room the morning of their birthday.
Birthday Frame– I like this idea one mom posted on frames.Every year on her son’s birthday she makes a picture frame using the wrapping paper his gifts came in. She buys a 5×7 wood picture frame from a craft store and makes a collage using the pieces of the wrapping paper on the mat frame that comes inside the frame. When the frame is finished she puts in a photograph of her son from his birthday party. She hangs the picture on the wall and has a memory of each birthday.
Special Plate– It is fun to have a “special” plate (or a birthday crown) for the birthday person to use at meals, that is used only for birthdays. You can make a plate or buy a fun one at the store.
Letters to Remember– Write a special letter to your child each birthday. Keep them in a special place.
Birth Day Stories– The birthday child gets to stay up a little later after the other children have gone to bed and Mommy and Daddy tell him/her about the day they were born, and how their parents felt when that special child joined their family.
Birthday Growth Picture– Take a picture of the birthday child standing back to back with Daddy (or Mommy) and compare growth from year to year.
What birthday traditions do you have? Please leave comment below telling me about your birthday traditions.
JDaniel Says The Funniest Things #1
I asked JDaniel what he had in this mouth. I thought he had picked something up off the floor that he shouldn’t have and put it in his mouth. As only a nineteen month can he looked at me and said, “Teeth.”
Thankfulness Calendar Idea from 24/7
Step 1 – Decide how many days you would like to count down with activities- The entire month of November.- 12 Days of Thankfulness ( start 12 days until Thanksgiving with day 12 being Thanksgiving).- Choose the number of days that what works for your family.
Step 2 – Create a Countdown to Thanksgiving
1. Write daily Thankful activities on slips of papers that you then roll into scrolls and place into a decorated jar.
2. Make A Tree or Turkey out of poster board. Then cut out leaves or feathers and write on each one a Thankful activity allowing your children to choose one each day to do.
3. Number envelopes and fill with slips of paper that you have written daily activities on allowing your children to open one envelop each day.
4. Make a paper chain out of strips of construction paper. Write a thankful activity on each slip of paper. Allow your kids to tear one off each day as they count down.
Step 3 – Choose Thankful activities for you and your family to do each day of your Thanksgiving countdown.
This is just part of an article by 24/7. I thought it was an awesome idea. For more detail please visit her posting at http://247moms.blogspot.com/2009/10/thanksgiving-countdown-with-family.html.
I am Raising a Hug Machine
JDaniel is a hugger. I couldn’t be happier. At first he would only hug me. Then he progressed to his dad and grandparents. Now he hugs his friends when we leave their houses or say goodbye at a play date location. These are not just I am leaning my head on your should hugs. These are wrapping your arms around you and squeezing hugs. The best part is that he really seems to enjoy hugging. He gets a big smile on his face and lights up as he hugs people.
Holding Hands When You Pray Can be Slimy
My husband and I hold hands when we pray before dinner. JDaniel has seen us do it for months. He reached over a month ago to hold hands with his grandfather during a prayer and then didn’t look like he was going to repeat it. Recently I felt a little hand covered in spaghetti reach over from his high chair and tug at my sleeve during the pre-meal prayer. When I looked up, there was a bright red hand covered in noodles. I had to take hold of it. It was the right thing to do. It was a little difficult to concentrate while praying with food mushing in my hand.
There wasn’t anything better than JDaniel wanting to join in our thankfulness for the food we are about to eat and that he has already started eating. Last night he added his own “Amen” at the end of the prayer. It was the most precious thing.
