Friday, February 18, 2011
Out In Nature
A recent trip to "the foothills" (the low desert hills lining the North side of Boise) gave us a couple of wonderful opportunities to be out in nature during last weekend's heat wave (can we get a whoo hoo for 60 degrees!!!). We plunked ourselves right down at this great sand pit and Elliot had an awesome full-body digging experience. Since parks don't have sandboxes (aka--litter boxes) anymore and we don't have one yet, digging in sand when you don't live by the coast is a rare blessing. Nothing like some good old digging to keep a toddler engaged. And the sand area was also next to a beautiful little stream, just right for throwing rocks. "Puh-LASH," says Elliot.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Our Very Own Ukulele Folk Singer
Dear Kelly,
You are amazing. You came to us first as just a sitter. Someone to come play with Elliot for a couple of hours in the afternoon a few times a week. No diaper changing. No meal preparing. Just come and play. Maybe have a snack. Read some books and play with some dolls, we said. There were just a few hours each week that we couldn't be home with Elliot and we just wanted someone who could come and engage him for those hours. And engage him you did... singing him songs, playing him music, teaching him how to dance, making up games with his animals, crashing his trucks, singing, dancing, make believe, singing, dancing, singing dancing!!!! It was clear that you were so incredibly engaged, so incredibly talented at meeting his toddler level of development and interests, so incredibly fun and playful.
Then you became so much more.
This last week I started my first full time job since Elliot was born. After he arrived I adjusted my schedule to work three ten-hour days and was able to be home most of the week--and I was just continuing in a job that I had already done for the previous four years and could do in my sleep--which I essentially did until I left that job a year later. Then I had a wonderful summer solely with Elliot, followed by a handful of months working just a few hours in the late afternoon and some on the weekend. All in all, I have spent nearly two years either working part time or not working at all. I haven't had to wear five "work" outfits in a row since the beginning of May, 2009! Which brings me to last week. Working five full days (that's five work outfits in a row!) was... well, it was a lot of things.
It was refreshing to reengage in my profession and put my focus somewhere other than my house and Elliot. It was difficult to get in a rhythm of getting my own needs met only during break times, instead of whenever I felt like it. It was emotionally challenging (in a really big way) to be removed from my cell phone and have a dreaded sense of disconnect from Elliot's day. And, most of all, it was totally fine. Fine because I knew Elliot was home with Kelly--his ukulele playing, folk singing, garbage truck song writing, art making, quinoa muffin baking, park going, game inventing Kelly, who, without batting an eyelash, jumped on the chance to transition from being with Elliot just a few hours in the afternoons to being with him for 9 hours at a time.
Kelly, you are such a gem. We feel so lucky that you choose to spend your days with Elliot. We have seen his imagination, his love of music, and his mad dancing skills bloom since you've been a part of his life. We know this symbiotic relationship (her words--love) won't last forever (Elliot's on the waiting list to get into the childcare center on the hospital campus where I got a job), but for now, we are so very, very happy.
xo, Elliot and his Mamas
(pics below of Kelly playing a show at the tea house and Elliot dancing his little heart out to her tunes. Find more Kelly here here and here.)
You are amazing. You came to us first as just a sitter. Someone to come play with Elliot for a couple of hours in the afternoon a few times a week. No diaper changing. No meal preparing. Just come and play. Maybe have a snack. Read some books and play with some dolls, we said. There were just a few hours each week that we couldn't be home with Elliot and we just wanted someone who could come and engage him for those hours. And engage him you did... singing him songs, playing him music, teaching him how to dance, making up games with his animals, crashing his trucks, singing, dancing, make believe, singing, dancing, singing dancing!!!! It was clear that you were so incredibly engaged, so incredibly talented at meeting his toddler level of development and interests, so incredibly fun and playful.
Then you became so much more.
This last week I started my first full time job since Elliot was born. After he arrived I adjusted my schedule to work three ten-hour days and was able to be home most of the week--and I was just continuing in a job that I had already done for the previous four years and could do in my sleep--which I essentially did until I left that job a year later. Then I had a wonderful summer solely with Elliot, followed by a handful of months working just a few hours in the late afternoon and some on the weekend. All in all, I have spent nearly two years either working part time or not working at all. I haven't had to wear five "work" outfits in a row since the beginning of May, 2009! Which brings me to last week. Working five full days (that's five work outfits in a row!) was... well, it was a lot of things.
It was refreshing to reengage in my profession and put my focus somewhere other than my house and Elliot. It was difficult to get in a rhythm of getting my own needs met only during break times, instead of whenever I felt like it. It was emotionally challenging (in a really big way) to be removed from my cell phone and have a dreaded sense of disconnect from Elliot's day. And, most of all, it was totally fine. Fine because I knew Elliot was home with Kelly--his ukulele playing, folk singing, garbage truck song writing, art making, quinoa muffin baking, park going, game inventing Kelly, who, without batting an eyelash, jumped on the chance to transition from being with Elliot just a few hours in the afternoons to being with him for 9 hours at a time.
Kelly, you are such a gem. We feel so lucky that you choose to spend your days with Elliot. We have seen his imagination, his love of music, and his mad dancing skills bloom since you've been a part of his life. We know this symbiotic relationship (her words--love) won't last forever (Elliot's on the waiting list to get into the childcare center on the hospital campus where I got a job), but for now, we are so very, very happy.
xo, Elliot and his Mamas
(pics below of Kelly playing a show at the tea house and Elliot dancing his little heart out to her tunes. Find more Kelly here here and here.)
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Special Times
Lots of outside sunny (cold!) time with visitors, followed by Elliot's first ever zone-out in front of the screen while the adults enjoyed happy hour and some conversation. There is a first time for everything, it was short lived, and it was wonderful!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Fourteen
It was only half way through the morning and we had already read fourteen books. And each one of them were read numerous times. Elliot's attention span for sitting and listening to stories has skyrocketed recently. And, best of all, he's even loving full-story paper page books now, not just shortened board books. And we've started a new ritual of having him choose three books to read before bed time and it's provided so many new learning opportunities. A few nights in a row he brought four books to the couch and we had to negotiate which he would put back to get it down to three. Hard to do for such a little guy, but he did it amazingly. Then, tonight, I told him it was time to pick three books to read before nursing and he went to his shelf, selected one and brought it to me saying, "onnnne." Went back and chose another and brought it to me saying, "twooooo." And then went back to pick a third and brought it to me saying (by now we were holding our breath in disbelief), "threeeeee." No way! He just counted out his books, one two three??! Amazing. Every day. Tantrums and monster moments and all. He is simply amazing. I can't wait to read 14 more books tomorrow morning.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Toddler Art
Phew... finally found the camera cord! It was questionable for a few days there as to whether or not Elliot might have thrown it away. Alas, it was just buried in one of those piles that grow and grow in the corners of our home and eat up all of our little things that we seem to not be able to live without--or at least blog without. So now that I'm back, here' s a little look into what we've been doing.
I'm so excited because Elliot's really into art exploration right now. The other day I said to him, "let's do some painting." And he went straight to the kitchen, got out one of his new smocks, and brought it to me. I didn't even know he knew what those were for yet! And today I asked him, "what would you like to do before lunch?" And he said he wanted to paint! Oh happy happy Mumma!
Over time, we've moved from drawing with markers and crayons to painting with acrylic paint onto pine cones (thanks for the beautiful idea, A!). Then we moved onto painting right on the table top and making prints of it by rubbing a piece of paper onto the painted surface, then pulling it back to reveal the print it makes.
Then we were exploring with wet chalk. Great big chunky chalk is a wonderful medium when it's dipped in water and drawn or painted with on paper. This project really works best on thick water color paper (which can be spendy--so I like to take my 50% off one item coupon to the big-box craft store and buy my good art paper that way. This makes big rolls of easel paper more affordable, too). But back to the wet chalk--it turns into more of a water color medium, but you can draw with it too. And if the chalk is really saturated and gets banged over and over on the paper (as toddler artists are likely to do) it comes off in great gooey heaps and adds texture to the painting. It's great, too, because I can set one picture aside to dry for a day or two then give it back (taping it down so that it doesn't slide around) and Elliot's wet fingers and new colors of chalk completely transform the picture into a whole new piece of art (again, it really takes thick water color paper can stand up to this).
And now the easel has migrated inside and Elliot is exploring with his first easel painting. I found an inexpensive set of regular Crayola washable paint and I took our smallest little tupperware containers and cut a hole in the top of each to help hold the paintbrushes upright and detract some from the sticking-of-hands into the paint cups. Not that it's not okay to get good and painty when exploring at the easel, but it also helps guide this new process of this new form of art.
So, yes. I am loving Elliot's interest in art. It does bring with it more messes and more times to have to say "no" and, sometimes, more tantrums. But my excitement to bring these experiences to him, and his interest and delight in doing them, make it all so very worth it.
I'm so excited because Elliot's really into art exploration right now. The other day I said to him, "let's do some painting." And he went straight to the kitchen, got out one of his new smocks, and brought it to me. I didn't even know he knew what those were for yet! And today I asked him, "what would you like to do before lunch?" And he said he wanted to paint! Oh happy happy Mumma!
Over time, we've moved from drawing with markers and crayons to painting with acrylic paint onto pine cones (thanks for the beautiful idea, A!). Then we moved onto painting right on the table top and making prints of it by rubbing a piece of paper onto the painted surface, then pulling it back to reveal the print it makes.
Then we were exploring with wet chalk. Great big chunky chalk is a wonderful medium when it's dipped in water and drawn or painted with on paper. This project really works best on thick water color paper (which can be spendy--so I like to take my 50% off one item coupon to the big-box craft store and buy my good art paper that way. This makes big rolls of easel paper more affordable, too). But back to the wet chalk--it turns into more of a water color medium, but you can draw with it too. And if the chalk is really saturated and gets banged over and over on the paper (as toddler artists are likely to do) it comes off in great gooey heaps and adds texture to the painting. It's great, too, because I can set one picture aside to dry for a day or two then give it back (taping it down so that it doesn't slide around) and Elliot's wet fingers and new colors of chalk completely transform the picture into a whole new piece of art (again, it really takes thick water color paper can stand up to this).And now the easel has migrated inside and Elliot is exploring with his first easel painting. I found an inexpensive set of regular Crayola washable paint and I took our smallest little tupperware containers and cut a hole in the top of each to help hold the paintbrushes upright and detract some from the sticking-of-hands into the paint cups. Not that it's not okay to get good and painty when exploring at the easel, but it also helps guide this new process of this new form of art.So, yes. I am loving Elliot's interest in art. It does bring with it more messes and more times to have to say "no" and, sometimes, more tantrums. But my excitement to bring these experiences to him, and his interest and delight in doing them, make it all so very worth it.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Two Good Things
1. I'm feeling much, much better. Thankfully. Because I was sick! And it was no fun.
2. The weather today was like the wonderful and familiar Pacific Northwest... quietly foggy and drizzly, with some warm and wet but dry spots in the day (that makes sense if you understand that kind of weather, trust me). A wonderful relief after all of the bitter cold that has kept us cooped up indoors this winter. Andrea said it felt like a hug, and I agree. A hug that had Elliot and I smiling all the way to the park. It felt so good to be healthy and out of the house. Out in the elements that felt so familiar. And Elliot loved it. From the minute his bum left the stroller he was running and climbing and splashing in puddles and going up up up the hills and then down down down the hills. Amazingly, sometime between when the weather turned frozen and we stopped going to playgrounds and today, Elliot developed the ability to climb up a climber with ease and grace. Just ran right up to it and climbed up the steps until he was at the top, like he'd done it a million times before. Although he hadn't. Before he was uncoordinated and not strong enough to pull his body up and it never worked quite right or safely for him. But today it looked completely natural. Speaking of, my favorite parts of the morning were when he was splashing in the water and climbing the hill. I love feeling free to let him just be in the natural world. The snow and cold have really kept the out-of-doors feeling off limits to me (and, by default, him). But I love being out in nature with Elliot. And, clearly, he loves it, too. So, here's hoping for a few more of those familiar "hug" kind of days where we can go out and run and splash and leave our big coats and our hats at home and just be outside.
2. The weather today was like the wonderful and familiar Pacific Northwest... quietly foggy and drizzly, with some warm and wet but dry spots in the day (that makes sense if you understand that kind of weather, trust me). A wonderful relief after all of the bitter cold that has kept us cooped up indoors this winter. Andrea said it felt like a hug, and I agree. A hug that had Elliot and I smiling all the way to the park. It felt so good to be healthy and out of the house. Out in the elements that felt so familiar. And Elliot loved it. From the minute his bum left the stroller he was running and climbing and splashing in puddles and going up up up the hills and then down down down the hills. Amazingly, sometime between when the weather turned frozen and we stopped going to playgrounds and today, Elliot developed the ability to climb up a climber with ease and grace. Just ran right up to it and climbed up the steps until he was at the top, like he'd done it a million times before. Although he hadn't. Before he was uncoordinated and not strong enough to pull his body up and it never worked quite right or safely for him. But today it looked completely natural. Speaking of, my favorite parts of the morning were when he was splashing in the water and climbing the hill. I love feeling free to let him just be in the natural world. The snow and cold have really kept the out-of-doors feeling off limits to me (and, by default, him). But I love being out in nature with Elliot. And, clearly, he loves it, too. So, here's hoping for a few more of those familiar "hug" kind of days where we can go out and run and splash and leave our big coats and our hats at home and just be outside.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Open Wide
Elliot had his first dentist appointment and it was great! He went to a wonderful pediatric dentist with a waiting room that was awesome enough to want to go back and just play on cold or rainy days. And the staff are all trained to first tell, then show, then do. Elliot didn't get as far as an actually cleaning, but he did let them practice with the "tickle brush" on his teeth and the dentist took a quick look at his teeth and declared them healthy and strong (a huge relief for this Mumma who feels a lot of responsibility for maintaining the health of his teeth during this stage of his development). We left with a special toy, a new toothbrush, and an appointment for six months out. Oh, and did I mention a relieved Mumma. Yeah, we left with that, too. 
Thursday, January 6, 2011
A Sweet Treat
One of the sweetest things we did with Elliot's Nan when she visited was to head out one afternoon for the sole purpose of finding a pink cookie (and an afternoon cup of coffee never hurts). So off to Big City Coffee we went, because if a cookie is what you're after then Big City Coffee is the place to go. And although they didn't have any pink cookies per se, this gorgeous sugar cookie with pink sprinkles worked just fine. And with Nan painstakingly picking off all of the pink sprinkles for Elliot to eat, we were all in pink-cookie-heaven. 
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Top Chef
Thursday, December 30, 2010
With A Capital T
Oh, well hello there Tantrum. I was wondering when I was going to meet you!
It is so very hard for a toddler to be told no. No jumping on the couch. No dumping your cereal bowl over. No throwing, hitting, biting. For most things, and most of the time, we're pretty good about redirecting and telling Elliot what he can do, instead of what he can't do. In those moments, tantrum averted! But there are those times, too, when he simply must just be told No. Then, watch out. Head shaking, arms flailing, usually a full-body drop to the ground and lots of screaming. Pretty textbook.
But what's interesting is watching Elliot process those tantrums later, after he's moved on and is no longer upset. It could be at any point in the day that he remembers, and often he wakes up from his nap he launches right into remembering a tantrum that he had earlier in the day. Reenacting it, he'll shake his head and arms back and forth, stick out his tongue and says, "ahahuaghgthsh, what's dat?" Then he looks at you for an answer. If one doesn't come right away he'll repeat his question, head and arms flailing back and forth, "ahshghchsugaaahh, what's dat?"
"Oh," you say to him. "That's when you were tantruming."
Then, each and every time, he responds to that by doing the sign for crying (a finger pointed to the eye and drawn down the cheek). And he says, "Cwhy."
"Yes, that's right Elliot. You got frustrated, had a tantrum, and then you cried."
This memory and reenactment happens over and over each day. He watches us so intently as we discuss it with him, often reenacting it ourselves. And it goes in the same order every time. Always ending with, "cwhy."
It is so very hard for a toddler to be told no. No jumping on the couch. No dumping your cereal bowl over. No throwing, hitting, biting. For most things, and most of the time, we're pretty good about redirecting and telling Elliot what he can do, instead of what he can't do. In those moments, tantrum averted! But there are those times, too, when he simply must just be told No. Then, watch out. Head shaking, arms flailing, usually a full-body drop to the ground and lots of screaming. Pretty textbook.
But what's interesting is watching Elliot process those tantrums later, after he's moved on and is no longer upset. It could be at any point in the day that he remembers, and often he wakes up from his nap he launches right into remembering a tantrum that he had earlier in the day. Reenacting it, he'll shake his head and arms back and forth, stick out his tongue and says, "ahahuaghgthsh, what's dat?" Then he looks at you for an answer. If one doesn't come right away he'll repeat his question, head and arms flailing back and forth, "ahshghchsugaaahh, what's dat?"
"Oh," you say to him. "That's when you were tantruming."
Then, each and every time, he responds to that by doing the sign for crying (a finger pointed to the eye and drawn down the cheek). And he says, "Cwhy."
"Yes, that's right Elliot. You got frustrated, had a tantrum, and then you cried."
This memory and reenactment happens over and over each day. He watches us so intently as we discuss it with him, often reenacting it ourselves. And it goes in the same order every time. Always ending with, "cwhy."
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
A Boy After My Own Heart
Somewhere along the way I must have taught Elliot that you do whatever it takes to get at the peanut butter. Yeah, me and him. We suuure do like our peanut butter.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Happy Birthday, Mama!
Sorry your birthday pie was a little flat, but I had to test all of the apples before I would let Mumma put them in. I hope you had a wonderful day. Oh, and I know! Let's eat pie leftovers for dinner tonight! Yum yum!
Love,
Elliot
Love,
Elliot
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Coolest Kid On The Block
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Snuggle Time
Liam and Baby Owen came over to play today. Elliot did lots of fire trucks and coloring and eating snacks with Liam. But he also got a whole lot of snuggle time in on the floor with Baby Owen. So incredibly sweet. 
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