Toddler's First Words [VIDEO]

Wow, it's been nearly 6 months since I've last posted. So many updates. So many times when I wanted to write a post or make a video but just didn't find the time or energy. If it were New Years, I'd say 'new year, new beginning'. Hopefully, mid-year, that still applies and I can get my act together. xo

First Soccer Class! [VIDEO]

Finally enrolled Nui Nui in a soccer class and so glad I did. She loved it. As one who was never very athletic growing up, I was happy to see her running around and having fun on her own. She picked up very quickly— knowing how to kick and run with the ball (dribble? :>)— despite my never having played with her.

More new experiences like this to come. Last night she expressed interest in learning how to play a variety of instruments. She even drew a map of our house to the 'instrument store'. The gray building is our house, the red one is the instrument store. Somewhere in that jumble of letters is her name :>



Love this age, where everything is just so exciting :> xo

First Day Back At School In The New Year!

Nui Nui was so excited to go back to school and, honestly, I don't blame her. I/we were homebound for much of my sick holiday existence but she's a real trooper, really loving, caring, and patient. I'm lucky, I know. 'Jewel' is what we refer to her as.

Here's what her teachers had to report:

Happy Monday, Welcome back, and Happy New Year! Hope everyone had a nice relaxing break! We settled back in with our normal routine. This week we will be talking about winter. For circle time today we went around and talked about what everyone did over the break. Responses will be at the end. It sounds like everyone had a nice time. We also read the book "A snowman named just Bob." We talked about friendship and how it's been cold lately. We also talked about how snow melts just like ice. We played a game and built snowman or snow girls. We turned two of our friends into snow girls while our other friends helped build them :) it was so fun! For art we practiced using scissors, and we made snow flakes. Our yoga move was "the cobra" and we practiced counting to 50. We enjoyed a variety of different activities both indoors and outdoors including Legos, magnetic blocks, and cars. It is getting colder so please make sure your child has appropriate clothing and a jacket to keep them warm! Share day this week is simple, to bring something that you use in the winter. We are so glad to have everyone back!

Here's what Nui Nui said about her holiday: 'I took the Christmas tree off.'

I asked her what she meant by that. What she was trying to say is that it's time to take the decorations off the tree (although I secretly want to keep it up until the weather gets warmer and the days longer :>). I just think the xmas lights bring some warmth and magic inside.

You know, every time we come in when it's dark, Nui Nui gets excited and without fail tells me to close my eyes. By hand, she then leads me to the tree. We jump and shout 'I love it!' after I open my eyes. Really, when do you get to do that?? I'm really bummed I missed the holidays... xo

Farmers' Market Discovery Walk!

Nui Nui was just learning about fruits and vegetables the week before going to this farmer's market. Her teacher said she could identify all the fruits and vegetables they covered that week with one exception: eggplant. Well, she found the eggplant that day. 'It's purple!'.

When I taught nutrition to kids, I never imagined what it'd be like to teach a kid of my own. It's an amazing feeling— all my own.

School Update: GERMS! - November 10, 2014

Nui Nui's teacher said she did really well today. Most notably, they started a class sticker bow chart for collective good behavior and a prize at the end of the week. Nui Nui was on patrol— helping and directing to clean up when it was time. She really wanted to earn that bow :>



Below are what her teachers wrote:
This week we are learning ALL about germs (and the word hygiene)... How they spread, how to stop them, and how to use good hygiene to stop them! For circle today we read "Llama, Llama, home with momma". We talked about how Llama's mom got sick because Llama didn't cover his cough or sneeze! We also talked about how resting at home is the most important thing when you are sick so you can get better faster! After we then did an activity to show how quickly germs can spread if we don't use good hygiene (ways to stop germs!), like covering our cough or sneeze with an elbow or tissue! Using a spray bottle of water teacher Lizzie "sneezed" on a friend's hand and got "germs" (we used black glitter for the germs) on my friend's hand. We then took turns shaking hands after "sneezing" into our hands (spray bottle) and noticed how at the end the WHOLE class had germs!!!! (Black glitter) oh no! this is why it's SO important to cover your cough and sneezes with your elbow or tissue and not your hand (or worse nothing at all!!) we then shared ways we use to stop germs!

How we stop germs in b3... :)
"Cover our mouths and get a tissue"
"Wash our hands with soap"
"Take a bath"
"Wash our dirty clothes"
"If we touch something yucky wash it off"
"Eat veggies"
"Drink from your own water bottle not a friends"

we then went to centers and art! For art we did "find the germs". Germs are everywhere even though we can't see them - that's why we must always use good hygiene to stop them!! Using a white crayon on white paper T Lizzie drew germs for us to find with "soap!" (Aka watercolor paints!) We also enjoyed math pegs, penguins, magnet blocks, trains for centers and outdoor free play :)

PS Did you notice our new reward system? It's on the wall next to the ABCs! each day we have the chance to earn a "dog bone" for 4 different things! 1)Nice behavior at circle - sitting nice and quiet hands, 2)walking feet to and from the classroom and inside the classroom, 3)cleaning up, and 4)nice behavior at lunch - please and thank you and quiet hands! Once we earn so many dog bones in a week (this week is 15) we get a special surprise!! Some weeks we will reach our goal and sometimes we won't (and that's ok!! We can always try next week!!)

Toddler's Three-Years-Old Developmental Milestones - Pt. 1 [VIDEO]

Learning About And Saving Earthworms!

There are people you stumble upon in this walk of life, who expose you to things you wouldn't otherwise think of, who take the time and teach your kid something new, and who help poor little earthworms make their way back to soil and survival.

Here are one of those people.

We stumbled upon an earthworm on the sidewalk several inches away from the grass. Dear friend decided to help save the worm and help it back to the soil. We sat on the sidewalk and it became an impromptu lesson life science lesson :>



LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this pic! #thekidsarealright

Painting With Apples!

Teacher's daily update:

Happy Wednesday!!

We had a wonderful circle time this morning! After our usual songs we talked about the stages of growing for a pumpkin, or a life cycle! Using pictures we put the pumpkin life cycle in order! We learned pumpkins start as seeds, then become vines/flowers, and then become a green pumpkin! Green pumpkins are not ripe, or ready, to be picked yet so we wait! Then when the pumpkin turns orange we can take it off the vine and bring it home and eventually turn it into a jack o' lantern for Halloween! We then read a story about Autumn while talking about our new season :)

We then enjoyed centers and outdoor free play :) for art we used half of an apple to paint with! We stamped and "dragged" the apple to fill in our own paper apples with red paint :) we also did some math and small motor work with our 3 Apples worksheet! We pasted three apples to our tree and then, with a Teachers help, traced the number 3!

After nap we enjoyed Mr potato head or reading books! Then for afternoon circle Since We had a fire drill at school today, (that we all did fantastic at! Go Papillon!!), we decided to talk a little bit about fire safety! We listened to a song about fire safety and talked about what we do when there a fire, especially at school! Friends pointed out great tips such as telling a teacher, not to go near the fire, to leave everything behind (even lovies and shoes!!!) and go outside, to follow directions and use your listening ears! This is a great topic to continue talking about at home!! Please make sure you have your own safety plan for home! :)

Gear Spinner! :>

Nui Nui 'loved spinning the gears!', said her teacher :>

Sneak Peak Into Nui Nui's First Day Of School! (3 Years Old)

** Almost 3 years old... Three years old minus 3 weeks. :>

We were sent these pics by Nui Nui's teachers— love how her school is moving more online and giving us a rare (for working parents) glimpse of what their day looks like. Happy to see her participating and hanging with her best friend.



Here's what some of her classroom looks like:



I also instagrammed this pic at pick-up.



Teachers were happy to inform me that Nui Nui's fine motor skills are good (as was I to hear it). Actually, I was surprised to hear it since she still doesn't know how to hold a pencil.

Nui Nui was very happy at pick-up and I was also glad to hear that she transitioned without a glitch into her new classroom with new teachers. Old friends help :>

School Art Projects! - VLOGUST 21, 2014 [VIDEO]

This is how we spent part of my comp day together. We had a lot of fun filming and just hanging out, the two of us :>

What fun things have you accomplished this past year? Share in the Comments below, we'd love to hear! :> xoxo

Prepping Our After-Dinner Fruit Together! - VLOGUST 8, 2014 [VIDEO]

Every night, after dinner, we eat fruit. It's just something we always did when I grew up, and I guess you can say it's something we're passing down to Nui Nui. She almost always wants fruit after dinner. Recently, she's been very eager to help me prepare the fruit— grapes and strawberries are her current favs.

What's your favorite after-dinner treat? Share in the Comments below, we'd love to hear! :> xoxo

School Update: Reading, Drawing, Hugging Friends! - July 21, 2014

Back-tracking a little. I saved these gems on my desktop and meant to post these. Well... the last one I already did :>

Toddler's First Time Baking! - Hot Milk Cake! [VIDEO]

It took almost a week to figure out how to export this. I kept getting an error. This video is long, 24 minutes long, but it's worth it. Even if background noise and especially if you're interested in baking with your kid(s).

It's kind of hard to believe that less than three years ago, this girl was IN me and now she's baking WITH me. Hard to believe but thankful daily :>

What are you thankful for? Share in the Comments below, we'd love to hear! :> xoxo

School Update - Springtime Beginnings - March 10-14, 2014!