Since the last few days have been so nice, we've spent several afternoons at the park. Instead of playing around on the play equipment like we normally do, it has been overrun with teenagers from the adjacent youth center, so we've been playing in other places, like on the basketball courts and in the grass and on the bleachers. Baseball season is starting and the kids are very excited about watching teams of kids having their practices.
Today, we played with kid-sized basketballs for quite a long time and then we camped out in the grass. Each kid, as has become their habit, picked one of my pockets and filled it with small things they found. For Natalia, it was three rocks. For Mateo, a complete weed (meaning the leaves, stem, and roots). Both of them collect items always and only for Mommy, so she always gets interesting presents when we get home!
I think it's so sweet the way they value such small little objects, and also how they've designated me as the keeper of them. It just seems like part of childhood the way it should be - at the park, digging for rocks and weeds and bouncing the basketball around in the sun. If only it hadn't ended with a stubborn two-year-old refusing to ride her bike home and Sacha having to come rescue us with a stroller....but that's life, eh? In any case, it was a lovely afternoon with my little treasure-seekers!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Fuzzy and fleecy
When Mateo was a baby, we bought him a cozy, comfy gingerbread man outfit for Christmas. He was about eight weeks old and he wore it at Christmas time down at my parents' house. When Natalia was born, we went through a cool snap in August and she wore the fuzzy pink outfit then for some memorable photos (at least to us!). Today, Rosa is just the right size for it, and so she's wearing it, too! Here are the three kids all at very similar ages. People have been making all sorts of comments about who resembles who. What do you think?
Mateo
Natalia
Rosa
Mateo
Natalia
Rosa
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Bikes
I am practically giddy about the weather these days. Well, I'm giddy on nice days, at least. But we are having more and more of them and that makes me sooooooo excited! We're still getting our share of rainy and cool and windy days, but then there are more and more glorious afternoons to spend milling around outside, going to the park, checking out the new frozen yogurt store, and just being outside. It seems like such a luxury after a long winter and spring of inside games, kids' museums, and indoor playparks.
Today, after a morning of clouds, the afternoon was lovely and our kids got two big surprises - two new-to-them pedal bikes from their cousins! This was a HUGE deal for both of them. Tali got a trike with pedals and Mateo got a real big-boy bike with training wheels and everything. After a trip to the bike store to update the tires, both kids spent at least an hour riding around the block. They were confounded by the pedals at first, having gotten used to their balance bikes and using their feet for propulsion....but they learned a lot about pedaling today in just one session.
Mateo was so proud of himself and just wanted to ride and ride. He even picked himself up, with some help from Mommy and Mama, after a near crash down a neighbor's steep driveway, and got back on the bike.
Meanwhile, Natalia was so excited that she told me her bike was the best present she'd ever gotten in her entire life. It was a lot of fun to be part of their very first time on pedal bikes.
I know that pretty soon they'll be zooming away and we'll be running after them, but for right now, the learning process is very sweet and I want to enjoy every part of it. Here are our two new pedal-riders, bursting with excitement and pride. Yay for both of them (and their sister, who gamely came along in the moby for most of it)! And, a big thank you to my uncle and aunt for generously passing on the bikes!
PS: Tali is only not wearing a helmet because she is in the process of getting off. She was wearing one the whole time, I promise :)
Today, after a morning of clouds, the afternoon was lovely and our kids got two big surprises - two new-to-them pedal bikes from their cousins! This was a HUGE deal for both of them. Tali got a trike with pedals and Mateo got a real big-boy bike with training wheels and everything. After a trip to the bike store to update the tires, both kids spent at least an hour riding around the block. They were confounded by the pedals at first, having gotten used to their balance bikes and using their feet for propulsion....but they learned a lot about pedaling today in just one session.
Mateo was so proud of himself and just wanted to ride and ride. He even picked himself up, with some help from Mommy and Mama, after a near crash down a neighbor's steep driveway, and got back on the bike.
Meanwhile, Natalia was so excited that she told me her bike was the best present she'd ever gotten in her entire life. It was a lot of fun to be part of their very first time on pedal bikes.
I know that pretty soon they'll be zooming away and we'll be running after them, but for right now, the learning process is very sweet and I want to enjoy every part of it. Here are our two new pedal-riders, bursting with excitement and pride. Yay for both of them (and their sister, who gamely came along in the moby for most of it)! And, a big thank you to my uncle and aunt for generously passing on the bikes!
PS: Tali is only not wearing a helmet because she is in the process of getting off. She was wearing one the whole time, I promise :)
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Book boxes - Morning art project
This morning, we made homemade book boxes. It was a wonderful project.
First, for Mateo's box, we used a copier to make some copies of some train sketches. Then, we glued all of the train sketches to one piece of paper.
Once we had the sketches on one piece of paper, we copied it onto colorful paper. We made three copies to do all the sides of the shoe box.
Next, Mateo helped with gluing the paper to the sides of the shoe box.
Then we all got into the action with the modge podge and covered it up with a glossy finish.
Thirty minutes later, the boxes were ready for books. Here is Mateo with his finished box. And here is Natalia's almost finished box.
It was a wonderful art project, and a great way to make individual book boxes.
First, for Mateo's box, we used a copier to make some copies of some train sketches. Then, we glued all of the train sketches to one piece of paper.
Once we had the sketches on one piece of paper, we copied it onto colorful paper. We made three copies to do all the sides of the shoe box.
Next, Mateo helped with gluing the paper to the sides of the shoe box.
Then we all got into the action with the modge podge and covered it up with a glossy finish.
Thirty minutes later, the boxes were ready for books. Here is Mateo with his finished box. And here is Natalia's almost finished box.
It was a wonderful art project, and a great way to make individual book boxes.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Changes as parents
It has been interesting to reflect on how we are different parents than we were when Mateo or Natalia were born. Tonight has really brought that home to me. Rosa is just 6 weeks old, and we just put her down to sleep on her own. Did she cry? Yes, she cried three different times, for three minutes each, and then fell asleep.
I would have been horrified by this when Mateo was a little one. But, the reality is that he cried for much more than 9 minutes each night as we were putting him to sleep, bouncing him for an hour on the yoga ball, walking around the neighborhood etc. The same was true of Natalia, who was easier to put to sleep. On top of him crying more, we were more frustrated. I have to say that a calm, well rested parent is a much better parent.
For the last few nights, Alayna has been putting Rosa and bed and lying next to her, but letting her fuss. She is not crying all by herself, but we are not out walking the neighborhood at 3 in the morning for hours with her in the moby or the ergo either. With #1 and #2 it never would have occurred to me to do that at 6 weeks. My thought was s/he's crying, we must do something to stop it. Now I'm thinking, of course she is crying. She is exhausted and needs to go to sleep. One of us can stay with her, but we don't need to bounce her for hours.
Then last night we decided to let her cry for up to three minutes, and then go and check on her. She went to sleep really well, and once again she went to sleep with less than 9 minutes of crying tonight.
It's 8 o'clock. We have three children. They are all sleeping! I'm enjoying this moment, because who knows what tomorrow will bring.
*********************
On another sleep note, I've started putting both Natalia and Mateo down to sleep every night. I love it. I really enjoy putting both of them to sleep. As a kid, I remember my parents putting me to bed well into middle school, and that being one of my favorite parts of the day. So I really enjoy spending that time with Mateo and Natalia.
Once we enter the room, it's Spanish and bedtime. I read to Natalia two books in Spanish. Then I sing her Brilla Brilla Estrellita (Twinkle twinkle) or Los Pollitos (the little chicks.) After that I read one (generally longer) book in Spanish to Mateo. Though, for the last week we have been reading a visual dictionary each night. He loves it. . . so it's fine my me. I sing to him and put on the music. Natalia normally cuddles up to me while I pat Mateo's back and tell him all about his day in Spanish. After the first song, I pat Natalia's back and tell her about her day. I wish them goodnight and I leave.
I feel good about having a consistent time in Spanish every day, and I love putting them to bed. Alayna gets some one on one with Rosa and I think everyone is happy.
I would have been horrified by this when Mateo was a little one. But, the reality is that he cried for much more than 9 minutes each night as we were putting him to sleep, bouncing him for an hour on the yoga ball, walking around the neighborhood etc. The same was true of Natalia, who was easier to put to sleep. On top of him crying more, we were more frustrated. I have to say that a calm, well rested parent is a much better parent.
For the last few nights, Alayna has been putting Rosa and bed and lying next to her, but letting her fuss. She is not crying all by herself, but we are not out walking the neighborhood at 3 in the morning for hours with her in the moby or the ergo either. With #1 and #2 it never would have occurred to me to do that at 6 weeks. My thought was s/he's crying, we must do something to stop it. Now I'm thinking, of course she is crying. She is exhausted and needs to go to sleep. One of us can stay with her, but we don't need to bounce her for hours.
Then last night we decided to let her cry for up to three minutes, and then go and check on her. She went to sleep really well, and once again she went to sleep with less than 9 minutes of crying tonight.
It's 8 o'clock. We have three children. They are all sleeping! I'm enjoying this moment, because who knows what tomorrow will bring.
*********************
On another sleep note, I've started putting both Natalia and Mateo down to sleep every night. I love it. I really enjoy putting both of them to sleep. As a kid, I remember my parents putting me to bed well into middle school, and that being one of my favorite parts of the day. So I really enjoy spending that time with Mateo and Natalia.
Once we enter the room, it's Spanish and bedtime. I read to Natalia two books in Spanish. Then I sing her Brilla Brilla Estrellita (Twinkle twinkle) or Los Pollitos (the little chicks.) After that I read one (generally longer) book in Spanish to Mateo. Though, for the last week we have been reading a visual dictionary each night. He loves it. . . so it's fine my me. I sing to him and put on the music. Natalia normally cuddles up to me while I pat Mateo's back and tell him all about his day in Spanish. After the first song, I pat Natalia's back and tell her about her day. I wish them goodnight and I leave.
I feel good about having a consistent time in Spanish every day, and I love putting them to bed. Alayna gets some one on one with Rosa and I think everyone is happy.
How is it possible...
...that our newborn has turned into a baby...
...that is on the verge of smiling? We love her so!
...that is on the verge of smiling? We love her so!
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