On Christmas, the kids took their new stories to bed with them. They usually get to take one book to look at, if they are good for family scripture study and prayers. I went to tuck them in, and on an impulse pulled up one of their new little stools that goes with their table, and put it next to Cinderella's bed, and started to read her story to her. I then moved to Guy's bed and read his story to him.
That night I decided that maybe I should do this every night. So I have read them a story every night since Christmas. Some nights I just want to send them off to bed and be done with it, but I have found that if I take the time to read the story, I enjoy bedtime more, and they probably do too.
Things have changed a little bit since that first night. Now every night when I pull the stool next to Cinderella's bed and sit down, Guy brings his story and climbs up on my lap. I then read both stories to both kids, and tuck them both into bed.
I wish I could say this has helped Guy go to bed better, but it hasn't. But maybe one day it will. And for now, we are building memories.
There have even been many nights when I have been reading, with Guy sitting on my lap, that little Sleeping Beauty starts kicking and making her presence known. So I guess I read bedtime stories to my 3 kids each night.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Play dough
The other day, Cinderella was wanting to watch a movie. I have been trying to get her to not watch so many so I was suggesting other activities. I suggested play dough, and because we haven't played it in a while, she accepted my suggestion.
We took the play dough to the kids new table that is in their room. Cinderella tried to tell me that we couldn't do it there because it would make a mess. I told her making a mess is fine, if we clean up after our selves. And because Mama was going to play too, I would make sure it didn't make too much of a mess.
So we played with the play dough. At first Guy thought it was good to try to eat. After his first taste, and me telling him it was yucky however he decided maybe that wasn't such a good idea after all. When I showed him how to make a ball and smash it, he thought that was great fun. Then when I showed him how to make a hand print in the dough, he thought that was great. He pointed to the print and said, "Guy hand."
Cinderella had fun too. We made lots of snakes. We made snails, we made a flower, and a snowman (that was promptly smashed). We rolled balls, made hearts and just had lots of fun playing. I was reminded of the care free feeling of being a kid again. It maybe only lasted for 30 min. But hey 30 min. of being care free is worth it to me.
We took the play dough to the kids new table that is in their room. Cinderella tried to tell me that we couldn't do it there because it would make a mess. I told her making a mess is fine, if we clean up after our selves. And because Mama was going to play too, I would make sure it didn't make too much of a mess.
So we played with the play dough. At first Guy thought it was good to try to eat. After his first taste, and me telling him it was yucky however he decided maybe that wasn't such a good idea after all. When I showed him how to make a ball and smash it, he thought that was great fun. Then when I showed him how to make a hand print in the dough, he thought that was great. He pointed to the print and said, "Guy hand."
Cinderella had fun too. We made lots of snakes. We made snails, we made a flower, and a snowman (that was promptly smashed). We rolled balls, made hearts and just had lots of fun playing. I was reminded of the care free feeling of being a kid again. It maybe only lasted for 30 min. But hey 30 min. of being care free is worth it to me.
Hide and Seek
We have had really cold weather for this area that past couple of weeks. It has been hard for me. We don't really spend much time outside in the cooler weather, but we do try to go places.
However we live in a place that usually doesn't get much snow in the winter time. And this year, we got a lot (for here). I grew up in a place that has cold snowy winters, so it isn't a new thing for me. And I know how to drive in the snow.
However I was also blessed to grow up driving on roads that had been properly plowed, with studded snow tires. Unfortunately here I have neither. Put that together with a population that is more used to rain than snow, and don't have a lot of experience driving in the snow. I think I would rather stay home, if I can.
So in staying home, my kids and I have discovered the fun of playing inside. Cinderella and Guy have just recently discovered that they can play hide and seek just the two of them. It is so fun to watch. At first it was nothing like how you or I might play the game, but has slowly changed to more the way the traditional game goes.
Cinderella will start counting, while Guy does one of three things; hides where Cinderella hid last, stays right by her while she counts, or finds a spot to hide. Often times when she finishes counting, he will come running out saying "here he is." But sometimes he stays in his hiding spot until she finds him, then he squeals with glee. Then it is his turn to count. His counting usually goes like this; 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10. Then he goes running to find her. You can tell when he found her, because you will once again hear the squeal of glee. Sometimes I join them in their game. The other day, Cinderella came up to me and asked me to help her find Guy. We went into their bedroom, where I found him lying really still under her covers on her bed, with just his forehead sticking out. Another time he put his feet in a really small box, and then crouched over the top of the box, to hide. I have also found him lying on his stomach under the kitchen table, and under the table in the kids room. It is so fun to hear them play, and it is tons of fun to join them. My stamina for the game just doesn't last as long as their does.
However we live in a place that usually doesn't get much snow in the winter time. And this year, we got a lot (for here). I grew up in a place that has cold snowy winters, so it isn't a new thing for me. And I know how to drive in the snow.
However I was also blessed to grow up driving on roads that had been properly plowed, with studded snow tires. Unfortunately here I have neither. Put that together with a population that is more used to rain than snow, and don't have a lot of experience driving in the snow. I think I would rather stay home, if I can.
So in staying home, my kids and I have discovered the fun of playing inside. Cinderella and Guy have just recently discovered that they can play hide and seek just the two of them. It is so fun to watch. At first it was nothing like how you or I might play the game, but has slowly changed to more the way the traditional game goes.
Cinderella will start counting, while Guy does one of three things; hides where Cinderella hid last, stays right by her while she counts, or finds a spot to hide. Often times when she finishes counting, he will come running out saying "here he is." But sometimes he stays in his hiding spot until she finds him, then he squeals with glee. Then it is his turn to count. His counting usually goes like this; 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10. Then he goes running to find her. You can tell when he found her, because you will once again hear the squeal of glee. Sometimes I join them in their game. The other day, Cinderella came up to me and asked me to help her find Guy. We went into their bedroom, where I found him lying really still under her covers on her bed, with just his forehead sticking out. Another time he put his feet in a really small box, and then crouched over the top of the box, to hide. I have also found him lying on his stomach under the kitchen table, and under the table in the kids room. It is so fun to hear them play, and it is tons of fun to join them. My stamina for the game just doesn't last as long as their does.
Preschool
Preschool has been a good thing for Cinderella and she is definitely enjoying it. We haven't had it as much recently because of the holidays. We got this week, and last week off because of the holidays. The week prior to that was the Christmas party, learning about the letter C. Unfortunately for Cinderella, she was sick, and had to stay home from that lesson. The week before that I taught about the letter T, but the two weeks prior to that, because of sick kids there was no preschool.
Cinderella has definitely missed going to school. She keeps asking me when preschool will start again. I keep telling her next week. Then she makes me count down the days till preschool. I'm glad she enjoys it so much, because it is a stress for me, and if it wasn't for Cinderella, I think I would stop doing it.
But I am willing to stress myself out, and spend time preparing for it, because I love my daughter.
Cinderella has definitely missed going to school. She keeps asking me when preschool will start again. I keep telling her next week. Then she makes me count down the days till preschool. I'm glad she enjoys it so much, because it is a stress for me, and if it wasn't for Cinderella, I think I would stop doing it.
But I am willing to stress myself out, and spend time preparing for it, because I love my daughter.
Tie
Guy likes his ties. One day he came up to me with his tie, as it was about time for bed, and was asking me to put it on his "chin". Right general area of the body. Not bad for a 21 month old.
This morning he brought it to me again, saying "tie, tie" holding it up to the neck of his pajamas, so we put it on. He is such a funny boy.
This morning he brought it to me again, saying "tie, tie" holding it up to the neck of his pajamas, so we put it on. He is such a funny boy.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Scripture Power
A few years ago the children in our church learned a song called Scripture Power. It didn't take long for this to become one of Cinderella's favorite songs. She wanted us to sing it every day before we did our family scripture study. We continue to sing it occasionally, but not as much.
The chorus to this song goes:
Scripture power keeps me safe from sin,
Scripture power is the power to win,
Every day I need,
the power that I get each time I read.
When the children learned this song they learned to hold their scriptures above their head every time they sang "Scripture Power".
Well this morning at breakfast I was stretching my hands above my head, and Cinderella did so as well. Well Guy looked over at us and said "Scripture Power."
Isn't it amazing the connections that little children can make?
The chorus to this song goes:
Scripture power keeps me safe from sin,
Scripture power is the power to win,
Every day I need,
the power that I get each time I read.
When the children learned this song they learned to hold their scriptures above their head every time they sang "Scripture Power".
Well this morning at breakfast I was stretching my hands above my head, and Cinderella did so as well. Well Guy looked over at us and said "Scripture Power."
Isn't it amazing the connections that little children can make?
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
From the perspective of a 4 year old.
So Cinderella is now 4. Her birthday was on Saturday. Saturday morning she got up, and I wished her a happy birthday, then commented on what a big girl she was getting to be. She then had me stand up, stood beside me and said something about still only being as tall as my belly. Then she said, "I think I must still be 3."
Guy gave her a Disney's Cinderella doll for her birthday. She had not been playing with the doll for very long, before she became frustrated that the dolls shoes were constantly falling off. She then said to me, "these are cheap shoes." A while later she as frustrated about something else about the doll being "cheap", and told me she wanted a new princess because this one is "cheap".
At Church on Sunday Cinderella was given a little goody bag for her birthday. When I saw her after church she told me she had had a sucker that had "goo" in the middle. I assumed it was a tootsie roll pop, and let it go at that. A minute later she was telling another adult that she had goo in her mouth. I explained about the sucker, and someone told me that some of those suckers have gum in them. I still didn't expect that to be the case. But when she asked me a few minutes later when the goo was going to be gone, I realized it probably was gum. Something she had never had before. I asked her to open her mouth so I could see the goo. Sure enough it was gum. I told her that for that goo to go away she was going to need to spit it in the garbage. I told her it is something that is fun to chew for a little bit, but when we are done with it, we need to put it in the garbage, because it is really sticky and can stick to different things if we put it somewhere other than the garbage. Thankfully she accepted my telling her to throw it away and spit it in the garbage, when we found one.
We recently got some new family pictures taken. With the family picture we also got new single portrait shots of each of the kids, and one with them together. These are the pictures that are on my blog right now. I put the new pictures in the frame last night after the kids had gone to sleep. This morning Cinderella came out and noticed the new pictures. She made a comment about how she preferred the old ones, and I shouldn't have changed it. I then told her that these pictures show what we look like now. She then said, "no they don't. I was three in that dress. Now I am four."
Guy gave her a Disney's Cinderella doll for her birthday. She had not been playing with the doll for very long, before she became frustrated that the dolls shoes were constantly falling off. She then said to me, "these are cheap shoes." A while later she as frustrated about something else about the doll being "cheap", and told me she wanted a new princess because this one is "cheap".
At Church on Sunday Cinderella was given a little goody bag for her birthday. When I saw her after church she told me she had had a sucker that had "goo" in the middle. I assumed it was a tootsie roll pop, and let it go at that. A minute later she was telling another adult that she had goo in her mouth. I explained about the sucker, and someone told me that some of those suckers have gum in them. I still didn't expect that to be the case. But when she asked me a few minutes later when the goo was going to be gone, I realized it probably was gum. Something she had never had before. I asked her to open her mouth so I could see the goo. Sure enough it was gum. I told her that for that goo to go away she was going to need to spit it in the garbage. I told her it is something that is fun to chew for a little bit, but when we are done with it, we need to put it in the garbage, because it is really sticky and can stick to different things if we put it somewhere other than the garbage. Thankfully she accepted my telling her to throw it away and spit it in the garbage, when we found one.
We recently got some new family pictures taken. With the family picture we also got new single portrait shots of each of the kids, and one with them together. These are the pictures that are on my blog right now. I put the new pictures in the frame last night after the kids had gone to sleep. This morning Cinderella came out and noticed the new pictures. She made a comment about how she preferred the old ones, and I shouldn't have changed it. I then told her that these pictures show what we look like now. She then said, "no they don't. I was three in that dress. Now I am four."
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