Cut a few holes in a box, it suddenly becomes a house with windows! And now it’s time to paint them rooms!
My little artists hard at work:
With paints from this selection. After it’s all done and tattered from playing with for days, recycle the boxes.
Our daughter Fiona is 2.5 yrs old and still sleeps in a crib. She has been able to get into the crib if the ledge is down; she’ll climb and go head first and slide down slowly. However she has never climbed out of the crib by herself, whether the ledge is up or down. Ever.
A few days ago Hubby thought what a great idea it would be for our daughter to learn how to get in and out of the crib by herself, when the ledge is down. After all, it’s not like she doesn’t climb everything else with full confidence. Except the crib, until now.
As Hubby watched and cheered on, Fiona cautiously climbs out of the crib, taking every step and move ever so carefully, and making sure she’s gripping onto something before she lets go of another part of the railing. She was SO proud of herself when she finally landed on the outside of the crib! She’s been watching her big brother climb in and out of the crib all the time and this is the first time she’s ever been able to climb out of the crib!!! Hooray Fiona!
Ah yes, you can see where this is going.
For the last 3 mornings, instead of being woken up by a shrilling call of “MaMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA”, I found our lovely girl standing by our bedside when I opened my eyes each morning. Yes the railing was all the way UP for the entire night - and it was still up when I took her to her room to change her diaper.
Tonight, after putting her to bed, she climbed out of her crib not once, but twice, to visit us in the office downstairs.
I seriously hope this is not going to develop into a habit. One bad sleeper for 4+ years is really really bad already. I don’t need another one to start now.
Care for a cup of tea with this?
I’m happy to share the little (and big) things along the way with you here on my blog, and am even happier that you want to read more! So hop on over to Today’s Mama to read my Dream Big feature.
Do come back and tell me what you think!
This is one of my lists for March’s theme of “Lists” for nablopomo, which I am miserably failing at keeping up and or writing lists at least once a day. April’s theme is “Letters.” Go here if you want the details.
Chemo sessions I had: 12
Duration of each chemo session: 3-5 hours via IV
Frequency of chemo: Once every 14 days
Days I was bedridden from chemo: ~72 days
Times I puked from having chemo: 432 - 864 (that figures about 6-12 times each of the 72 days)
Hair lost: every strand on head & body except eyebrows
Neupogen shots I received to boost my system so chemo wouldn’t be delayed: 48
Radiation therapy sessions: 10
Duration of radiation: 45 seconds front & 45 seconds back (kind of like roasting or grilling) I think it was 45 seconds.. can’t remember now.
Preparation time before radiation: 15 minutes
Lives we’ve been gifted as a result of all the above: 3 (my very own, and our 2 children)
Couple of days ago, out of the blue, he tilts his head and asks me,
“Mama, do you know why birds fly south in the wintertime?”
“Why?”
“Because it’s too far to walk!”
* * *
Our 4.5 yr old loves to read. Although the above is from a riddles book, I’m pretty sure he just told his first real joke with a real punch line!
On a whim last weekend, I took the kids with me to a nearby hair cutting place.
6 inches were chopped off - my hair, not the kids’.
I have always resisted buying cake mixes in a box. I’m not a big cake person to begin (cookies on the other hand.. yum!) and I’m pretty sure there are some preservatives that comes with cake mixes from a box.
The other day I brought home a box of cake mix. Velvet cake mix by Duncan Hines. Instead of making it into a sheet of cake, we made them into cupcakes. I substituted with half milk and half water instead of the whole 1.25 cups of water. It turned out really well. I’m surprised by how easy it was, and so tasty, especially with some frosting!
Now we’ll probably have to live with the consequences of having those preservatives in our system for a while.
But really, how impossible it is to get away from preservatives - it’s in almost everything.
And here’s the proof, in a quiz!
* * *
Your quiz score makes you: Smarty Pants Mom
Smart parents like you have smart kids. They need plenty of intellectual stimulation and you provide them with all they need, plus lots of love. You know how to help them with algebra homework, and you are superior at kissing boo-boos.
* * *
How about you, what’s your ranking?