Growing Independence

  I live in a house with kids and a husband.  Many of you know sometimes things wait for us to do them and sometimes we eagerly delegate things for others to do.  Although we all know we should have just done it ourselves.

  Pulling out dishes with food on it, grease in the cracks or unidentifiable substances.

  I should have just washed them myself!

3 bottles of cooking oil, 6 packages of bacon on sale, potato chips and milk on a grocery run.

I should have just done it myself!

  My last child is growing up and I have to be ready regardless.

 He's growing up and he doesn't need me as much anymore.

He is buttoning his own clothes.

Zips up his own jackets.

Brushes his teeth more eagerly thanks to his new Spinbrush! 

Thankfully he still needs me for little things and I'll hold on to that.

Is this right?

He is not only my last but, the 4th and the 

only boy!  

He holds a special place in my heart partly because I hold a special place in his.

  It's all about cherishing the memories.  Appreciate the time you were helpful and look towards the future for the new opportunities.

Family Fun

  I am a child of the 80's.  So one year years ago I thought my kids needed toys I had.  Why because they made me happy.  Not thinking of what currently makes kids happy. Tablets, Ipods, XBox and more.  It made me happy and that's all that mattered.

Enter the Easy Bake Oven.

  I have had one in the closet for a few years.  It wasn't gone and forgotten it was just waiting to be appreciated and used under adult supervision.  After a special request for food to cook in it was rescued.  The oven was pulled out!

 

 Now I have seen a variety of meals to cook in it.  From nachos and Mac and cheese to cakes and cookies.  The only dilemma is will it work in only this specific oven or the oven we have.  I have also looked up homemade recipes but based on reviews haven't taken a leap to see if the recipes are really reliable.

  On this day little Miss made chocolate chip cookies with chocolate frosting.  She was so excited and allowing her the independence from start to finish was exciting for her.

 The packages come with all the ingredients.  You just may need to add water.  She was responsible for reading the directions, preparing the cookies and I observed her putting them in the oven and taking them off the pan.

  She made the cookies, and frosted them any way she wanted.  Some she dipped, others she spread chocolate in the middle and we tried to drizzle but, that didn't work real well.

Over all the recipes worked for the oven we had.  They were easy for her to read, understand and follow.  She was pleased with her final product and ate them happily.

These are definitely a snack for little people!  What was one of your favorite childhood toys?

Puff or Pete (kids craft)

   Inspired to create a dragon after our recent viewing of Pete's Dragon.  I scoured the land of Pinterest.  This project took a few basic supplies that I had all on hand and it was very easy for the kids (3 and 5) to assemble for the most part by themselves.

Nothing better than recycling a toliet paper roll fo a project. Some green construction paper, pop poms of 2 different sizes, googly eyes and some glue.  I had both types to see what would work best and found the liquid stuff worked better.

,

  Tissue paper of different colors for some flare!  I cut them in different styles and think it looked a little neater.

  I love being able to show them or give them directions and step back and let them do their own projects.  The glue wasn't cooperative but they were able to make the projects with my instructions and identify it as it progressed along.

  The kids knew it was a dragon although he was originally called an alligator.  I then probed to find out what green dragon it could be.  The kids immediately declared him Pete's dragon: Elliot!

  They were pleased with their project and thought it was extra special when they blew in one side the fire moved!

  You'll be able to find this project on my pinterest challenge board.

It's A Boy!

  I am a mom to 4 kids. 3 girls and my last child was a boy.  I can honestly say I always wanted a girl. Maybe I was selfish but having a boy was never a consideration.  However after I had one I am pleased and entertained with him all the time.  I would never change a bit about him but I wish he didn't have to live such an action packed life.  Everyday he's playing the role of a stunt man, superhero, explorer, a lover or a fighter.  All roles change throughout the day and even when he wakes up you never know what he's going to start out as.

 Maybe I appreciate his roles more as he is my last so I'm in tune with all the variety he brings to the table or as I tell myself it's because he is a boy.  Every burp or passing of gas that he passes and finds hilarious has to be because he is a boy too.  As I am sure my girls passed gas and belched but we're not so entertained by this.  He is so very pleased with the size of poo he produces to.  I'm a big boy mom, I'm a good boy, look at my big poop! Yes, honey ahhh good job!  What else can I say. I have to be encouraging.

  He does lack in self esteem or this is where the mommy attachment starts.  On a regular basis I hear "I can't.  He makes this statement throughout the day for various expectations I have of him.  Even if he out on his shoes 2 hours ago he can't do it now.

Oddly, when he does put his shoes on he is at a 95% accuracy rate for putting them on the right feet.  I am still reminding the 4 year old to switch her shoes around.
He helps me practice patience everyday.  As he will be 3 the end of November he needs to learn some skills and be independent in some areas.  I by no means want him to grow up quicker than he needs to but I do require that he helps out a little in the learning process.  Brushing his hair and teeth are not my favorite past times with him.  Brushing his hair is a war.  He will let me spray it but tries to run if you attempt or even look like you are going to attempt to comb it.  He does have curls at the end of his hair they may get tangled sometimes but if I don't comb it at all those tangles will be dangerous.  So neither of us smile during this ordeal.  He can brush his own teeth. He's a big boy, his words for this not mine.  He does play with me during this.  Sometimes he has to be so thorough (which isn't a problem if he was really brushing).  I step back and let him do his thing. Patience.  I just alternate with him.  Sometimes he brushes first other times I brush first.  This seems to work for us right now. So less tears equals a point for each of us.

Last area I need to allow him freedom and patience for me is buckling his seatbelt.  I took his lead in this situation; he told me he can buckle his own seat belt.  Well this is partly true.  But, if I did it when I'm getting him in the seat after I open his door for him anyways it would go so much faster.  Patience young grasshopper.

  

  He is only 2 and I by no means am rushing it.  I am happy to take one day at a time but I just have no patience for some of these milestones or learning steps.  We will be starting preschool at home this year and I look forward to teaching and sharing his learning progress time together.  He is always learning at his age everyday activities and fundamentals.  No matter what is will be fun along the way and never a dull moment.
 
  I take it back I always wanted a little boy I just never knew it.  I am happy, pleased and satisfied everyday I get the privilege of spending time with him and watching him grow.  I love how he is completely opposite than my girls.  He brings me joy, sadness and frustration but he is learning and teaching me just like I am learning and teaching him.  We will do this thing called life together.