One year and a half

A while back i wrote a blog entitled "Working on Stuff by 24 Months" well time flys by and we have hit our year and half mark (well technically we hit it a month ago but that's just a minor glitch) 

SO i figured i give an update on what we are doing now:

• He is curious about how things work not just thing it self but what makes it do what it does (i.e. sitting for an hour to figure out how what keeps the jack-n-the box in the box, then discovering you dont have to turn the handle when you can move the latch and open it with out all the hassle) 

• Is very agile

• Eats Hot dogs, peperoni's, oatmeal, chucken nuggets, tator tots, spaghetti, and drinks green machine daily

• Talks but not in English, as his God-Grandmom says "He has all the power behind the sentences just doesnt have it all together yet"

• Smart and coordinated enough to understand the concept of T-Ball, he hits the ball, puts it on the tee to do it all again

• Enjoys coloring, but wants to hold all the crayons

• Has an attitude and temper like no other, if you tell him no he try's to re direct his angry on inanimate objects (he is learning still not to hit others) but he doesn't lay on the ground in a temper tantrum still any more (we nipped that in the bud quick!!) now if i can only get him to understand "keep your hands to your self!"

• LOVES trains, he says Woo Woo when he thinks he see's one, even if its an 18 wheeler truck and not a train, it's "see woo woo see woo woo" 

• Signs milk, and makes the "ka" sound when he signs, as he catches that sound when we say and sign milk back to him, he also says "ga ga" when he signs milk...i dont understand that one at all

• Doesn't sleep through the night, wants milk in the middle of the night and then will go back to sleep...his doctor says that there is some sensor going off in his brain that's strong enough to wake him up and tell him he is hungry so he asks for milk.  Trying to feed him more in the evening, but he is so picky its hard. When he wakes up in the middle of the night he is no coherent enough for a snack to go back to sleep so we give him milk change his diaper and then he is sleep again

• We sit on the potty when he wakes up. He wont do anything but he sits there for a good 5 minutes. trying to get him the habit of forming a routine so we can make this potty training process an easier one

• Destructive little boys boy

• Made friends in the children's ministry at church...they know his name and miss him when he isnt there

• Cousin Mo started calling him GOODZILLA this Christmas after she watch him build things up and knock them down the entire trip

• Likes playing peek a boo but behind someones back

• Loves spinning in circles

• Gives hugs and kisses

Hot moist yummy Banana Bread

It's cold and raining so ya know what that means? Stew and Banana Bread will be made at my house this week! 


I have posted my stew recipe before and it is scrumptious, but i do not think i've ever posted my banana bread recipe.  Its quick easy and simple...no joke it takes all of 5 minutes to whip together and toss in the oven.  Leaves your house smelling wonderful and tastes great straight out the oven.  

A great perk is my Bug likes it, so another snack he enjoys that's not processed or full or additives, nitrates or preservatives!


If you make it tell me how you liked it or how you tweak it to make it better!


Banana Bread

1 1/3	cups mashed very ripe bananas (2 large)
2/3	cup sugar
1/4	cup milk
3	tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2	teaspoon vanilla
3	eggs
2 2/3	cups Original Bisquick® mix
1/2	cup chopped nuts

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1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom of 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.
2. Stir bananas, sugar, milk, oil, vanilla and eggs in large bowl. Stir in Bisquick mix and nuts. Pour into pan.
3. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove from pan and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 day.

Recipe's for fun!

I'm looking for activities i can do with my Bug.  School type activities, learning while still having fun.  and i found this post "Recipes for fun" on this site Preschoolrainbow.org so i am sharing as i am beginning to LOVE this site and its endless post of activities for all ages!


Recipes for Fun
Inexpensive fun recipes that parents and their preschool children can mix up together.  Lots of learning takes place as young children help prepare these easy to follow recipes for art materials.  Measuring, pouring and mixing ingredients provide preschoolers with math experiences.  When children observe the changes in texture etc. science skills are developed.  Creative art experiences begin when children (and their parents) actually use the materials that they have created from everyday household ingredients.

No Cook Playdough
2 cups boiling water
3 cups flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tbsp. cooking oil
3 tsp. alum
food coloring Preparation:  In a large bowl, mix ingredients listed above.  After mixing, knead well.  Add food coloring as desired.  Store in an airtight container or heavy plastic bag for up to six months. 
Cooked Playdough
3 cups flour
1/2 cup cream of tartar
1 cup water
2 tbsp. cooking oil
Preparation:
Mix 1 cup flour and cream of tartar together in a large saucepan.  Add water and oil and cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to stiffen.  Remove from the pan and allow to cool.  Knead an additional 1 or 2 cups of flour into the mixture.  Store in an airtight container or plastic bag.
Finger Paint
1/2 cup boiling water
2 tbsp. cornstarch
6 tbsp. cold water
Food coloring
Preparation:
Dissolve cornstarch in cold water in a cup.  Add mixture to boiling water.  Stir constantly.  Heat mixture until it becomes glossy.  Add food coloring.  Cool completely before using.

Also

What better than just a craft or an activity but one that also enforces our beliefs! This site has AWESOME crafts for all ages with bible verses and songs to go alone with the craft...Its on and popping little bug! 

Bible Craft Site

Tee Ball

This weekend we had a glorious three day weekend and though my weekend didn't seem start with me in the best of moods it sure ended with a smile on my face a my heart full of warmth. 

I bought my baby bug a Tee Ball set this weekend.  Training starts now...OK maybe not training per say but a new fun activity for us did began this weekend.  Our venture in the world of sports starts and gets more defined from this day on.

I had been pricing little Tee Ball sets but i found one at big lots for like 6 bucks cheaper than the cheapest one i found at toys r us, so i bought it...but today i will return it.  The one i found is a bit too flimsy for my Bug and he REALLY enjoys it so i will have to spring for the extra bucks to make sure he has one that is a bit more durable for him. 

The one we bought thats a little to flimsy

The one i think we are gonna get, b/c its a little more durable and has less parts

As soon as i set up his Tee Ball he went to town taking it apart, so that was my 1st indication this wasn't the set for him.  We finally got it all set up and started to open his bat and ball, then he stands on the Tee Ball set like its was a mic on a stand and the whole things just sort of tilted.  At this point i was wondering OK maybe he is to young for this.

Then i got the ball and bat set open and i showed him ONE time, the ball goes on the stand you hit the ball with the bat, and after that something clicked in his head that he could do this!

So then i put the ball on the stand for him and gave him the bat, he held the bat with one hand and swung and the bat went flying, funniest thing ever the look on his face was huh oh gotta get the bat! He knew that wasn't how i did it and the ball didn't get hit so he had to try it again. Check out his first video 

Didnt stop him from giving up though. He would hit the ball go it set it up again and swing away. He got pretty good to as the day went along.  Check out his second video

Now we are working on consistency, form and technique...like i know anything about these or baseball itself but if it is something he is interested in i am gonna learn all i need to to be active in my Bugs interest.  So today we are returning the flimsy Tee Ball set and spring the extra for the durable fisher price one. 

Its so awesome to see this little Bug grow up and get so excited learning all these new skills and putting them into play. When we get good practicing in the house then we will take our game to the park!  I think a little mitt will be the next purchase once we A. learn to hit the ball with two hands and B. conquer being able to bat with two hands.

Paper Plate Face!

So its raining, my Bug has been trapped in the house all day and is starting to go stir crazy!

I had a paper plate on the counter and I drew a happy face on it with his crayon and he went to town. He thought it was the coolest thing. He colored on it jibber jabbering in his "language" for a good 30 minutes.

When he was done he looked at the paper plate face said "hi" kissed it, waved his hand, said "see you". And handed it to me.

So cute! The perfect little rainy day craft...well at least for the past hour so now on to trying to find another busy craft for my little Bug!

WOO WOO

We are now into trains!

This is fun for me.  I was a little girl who grew up in the land of Barbie, Cabbage Patch and Rainbow bright.  So now we are into things i didn't play with so its a whole new world for both of us. 

My bug loves trains.  I do not know where he even saw a train to be so fascinated in them but he is. He picked up a train one day and just started going "woo woo" and every since we have been hooked.

Its even funnier to watch him with playing with trains with people.  The person who likes this the most right now is his Grandpa.  They build tracks, hook up engines with cabooses and all other sorts of things the trains pull along their tracks all day long.   This is serious business! they get into it.  My bug gets focused watching the trains and trying to place them exactly where he wants them on the track.  My dad gets even more focused at the engineering on how the track has to be built to maximize the Bugs attention span. 

They both zone into their worlds.  I didn't quite understand till i went to watch them one day and i have to say, it is a really cute thing to watch, because my little bug is so into it all!


It is quite fun now though that he can express his feelings and wants some.  This communicating thing is gonna be a fun ride and I'm looking forward to all the little moment and big moment that are to come!

Sippy Cup-It's a fine art

Maybe i over think things but i think there is a fine art to buying a sippy cup for your kids.  


I try and buy cups that will last.  Cups we can use now that aid in development and will go with us through all these growing stages.  So here are some of the reason it takes me SO long to buy a sippy cup! 

•  My Bug has learned that if the "nipple" on the cup is soft he can turn it upside down on his table or even using his hand and all the liquid will come rushing out so he can play in it. So i no longer buy soft top cups. 

• I personally have issues with cups that have to many curves and nooks b/c they dont get clean. A lot of cups also come with the extra guards inside to help the flow of liquid come out and prevent leaking.  When your not the only one washing sippy cups then you have to show everyone how to wash it or else mold grows in them and lets face it mold in a cup when he is drinking is no good at all. 

• Just because the cup says spill proof and leak proof doesn't mean that it wont.  Trust me i have a destructo boys boy who knows there is liquid inside and he is gonna do all he can (before he gets bored) to try and get it out.

•  The little "extra's" are some times to much but they help me so the Bug cant turn his cup over and shake out all the liquid.  Its also gotta with stand the occasional leaving it on the carpet half full on its side with out leaving a puddle on my carpet!

• Insulation is also good too.  My bug s on Lactose free milk and i promise you it seems that milk goes sour faster than any milk i EVER drank in my life. SO all i can do to keep it fresh and cool i will.  

• Straws we are not to into.  I have tried and i have a new cup he seems to be getting fond of but straws aren't so good for us b/c he wants to tip his cup upward and take all his goodness to the head, and with cups that have straws that's the worst thing to do b/c you get no juice! SO we are learning but frustration comes way quicker than the want to keep trying and learning.  

• Colored cups are also great.  My Bug KNOWS the color of milk vs. water and if he can see that the liquid is water he will not touch the cup.  If he cant see its water then i have a good chance of him sipping it at least two times to taste it before he ignores the cup.  Him being smart enough to associate certain cups with certain liquids unless he see's you pour in a different liquid that's a whole 'nother Oprah. 

• Cant be to bulky.  The bugs little big hands need to grip his cup, if he cant grip it he wont use it. 

• Some of the tops on cups have a plastic coating on them, which matters.  Because over time the wear and tear with the cup falling being drug across the walls etc. will make that plastic coasting start to fall off.  Which really sucks b/c the cup just doesn't look bad but the plastic just peels in rolls and then that is almost impossible to clean and traps germs, and allows mold to grow. Of course this always happens right around the spout. 

• If possible cute counts too.  We are into trains and cars so a cup where he knows the characters or the colors he can associate better and get a little attached to which he then doesn't just throw around.  We have a train cup and that cup he will hold and not throw out the stroller. 

OK i know this blog was a wee-bit long but these are my top ten things i try to keep in mind when i am buying a sippy cup.  I know i tend to over think things but i've wasted a bunch of  money on sippy cups and if i can help someone by planting little seeds that might help them in the future and save you 5.99 a cup i definitely do not mind sharing!