Double the Fun!

Ava and I shared a fun day at the Franklin Park Conservatory a few weeks ago and we hope to return very soon! Especially now that we are members. This will be a fun place for us to get out of the cold and enjoy some green! Last weeks Garden Storytime inspired me to share these photographs. As our day was ending, we came across a giant mirror. Ava had tremendous fun playing with the baby in the mirror!

Sharing the experience of being at the indoor gardens helps make the connections of the stories we have been reading encouraging Print Motivation. Some of our favorite garden books are Muncha, Muncha, Muncha by Candace Fleming, Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens, Planting a Rainbow by Lois Elhert, and Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Elhert.

You Can't Ride in My Little Red Wagon

For Christmas Ava received a red wagon. Kris was very insistent that this was going to be her big gift this year. It was so sweet watching him assemble it on Christmas Eve and attach a big red bow. I think he was more excited than anyone else this year. Ava was thrilled with her gift (which only added to her daddy's excitement). She wanted to sit in her wagon to open all her other gifts and then all day we took turns pulling her around the house. Fortunately the day after Christmas was beautiful - warm like a late Spring day. We were able to get outside for a walk and to play with Ava's new red wagon.

As we were walking through the neighborhood a favorite storytime song popped into my head - Little Red Wagon. We love the Wiggleworms CDs! Lots of great songs to get you moving and that is so important with a toddler running around. Music is an excellent way to help get your child Ready to Read prompting Phonological Awareness. So during the winter months we can pretend we are riding in Ava's wagon by singing along!

Just for fun! Here is a link to a video of a different version that works really well with older children. Little Red Wagon.

Decorating (and redecorating) the Christmas Tree

Decorating the Christmas tree has always been one of my favorite holiday traditions. While this is Ava's second Christmas it was her first experience decorating the tree. She was very serious about the process. Thoughtfully she choose each ornament and tried very hard to hang them. Most of her ornaments were laying across a small section of the tree and as she turned to choose her next ornament I would hang them from a nearby branch. My beautiful little girl continued until all the ornaments were carefully hung always under the careful watch of our decorating supervisor, Moxie Cat.

Every day since the tree went up Ava has removed a few ornaments to rehang. And I look forward to the excitement on her face as we come down the stairs in the morning to see the tree all lit up.

yes... no... maybe... sometimes...

Lately we have been hearing "no" much more often. Typically Ava uses the word correctly as a response to a question. She is also attempting to add the universal signs for the yes and no - a nod or a shake. I can't help but giggle as she tries to match the action to the word. Sometimes I worry she might get dizzy.

Red is Best!

All summer long we battled over wearing a hat to block the harmful rays of the sun. My beautiful, fair haired child refused to keep a hat on her head. I feared that this battle would continue into the winter. Now that the temperatures have turned colder Ava loves the process of putting on her coat, hat, and mittens. We zzzzzzzz-zip the zipper (great for Phonological Awareness). After the first mitten goes on Ava claps and then again after mitten number two.  Ava then starts saying "Hat. Hat. Hat." as I prepare the last piece of her winter gear. And surprisingly she keeps it all on!

Even though there has been a bit of snow we have not yet been out to play. Hopefully the next snow fall will see a little red dot bouncing against the stark white.  

Our favorite books about mittens and winter are keeping us warm as we cuddle together to read: Red Sled by Patricia Thomas,  One Mitten by Kristine O'Connell, Under My Hood I Have a Hat by Karla Kuskin, My Red Mittens by Candy Crocker, The Three Little Kittens by Anna Alter, The Mitten by Alvin Tresselt, A Hat for Minerva Louise by Janet Morgan Stoeke, The Mitten by Jan Brett, and Red is Best by Kathy Stinson.

Happy Turkey Day!

The holidays are always an exciting time. Add children to the mix and the excitement multiplies! While this is Ava's 2nd holiday season it all feels new again. Thanksgiving was relaxing and we enjoyed the day with Ava's paternal grandparents, great aunt Martha, uncle Kevin, aunt Claudia, and cousin Emilia. She had a blast playing with her cousin. The girls read books, played with the Learn & Ride School Bus, climbed into the toy box together, and emptied and reorganized grandma's tupperware cabinet. Ava just recently started using her own fork and loved being able to eat Thanksgiving dinner with her special utensil. Her favorite dish? Sweet potatoes and mommy's tiny cherry pie.

Ava wore a special turkey shirt made by mommy!

Bedtime Stories

At times we are often very relaxed in our routine. We let Ava set the pace without controlling our lives and this has made for a very happy household. However, when it comes to the betime routine we have been pretty strict. I believe this consistency is what has helped foster the positive experience bath and bedtime have become. When told that it is time for a bath, Ava stops what she is doing and heads to the stairs.

Daddy typically takes the lead with bathtime and getting dressed. I do all the prep work (laying out jammies, straightening the crib, searching for pacifiers). We take turns with the the bedtime story. Sometimes Ava chooses who she wants to read.

Lately there has been a clear favorite when it comes to book choice - Dinosaur vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea. This is an excellent picture book with fun, simple, modern illustrations. The story flows well when read aloud and captures the listeners imagination. This book is excellent in reinforcing Print Motivation. If Ava is having a "toddler moment," all we have to do is ask her if she wants to read the dinosaur book and the outburst is over. Last night Kris observed her reading the book to herself. Each time she turned the page she would point and say, "Roar!" This is a new sound and later in the evening we were able to apply it to pictures of lions.

Our favorite bedtime stories include:

I Love You, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt

Hush Little Ones by John Butler

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Snuggle Up, Sleepy Ones by Claire Freedman

Dinosaur vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea

Ten Tiny Babies by Karen Katz

Song of Night by Katherine Riley Nakamura

My Future Librarian

Little Red's Halloween Adventure

Halloween was so much fun this year! Dressed as Little Red Riding Hood, Ava strolled through the neighboorhood carrying her basket and smiling at everyone!  Many of you are aware that this was not Ava's original costume.  However, I believe this costume worked out perfectly and she is much more suited to be Little Red rather than a duck.

Ava enjoyed taking candy out of the giveaway basket and adding it to her stash.  All was going well until Little Red encountered the Big Bad Wolf at the very end of the evening.  Two teens dressed in full costume approached; one dressed as a Storm Trooper, the other as the BBW.  Kris said, "Look Ava it is the Big Bad Wolf!" and she freaked!  She calmed quickly once inside and seemed excited to enjoy a few more stories before bed.

My favorite version of our heroines tale is Little Red: a Fizzingly Good Yarn by Lynn Roberts.  This telling sees Red as a boy uses quick thinking and a jug of ginger ale to bring the story to its happy end.

We also enjoyed a few Halloween stories.  This years favorites were Ghost Eats it All by Janee Trasler, Where is Baby's Pumpkin by Karen Katz, Sheep Trick or Treat by Nancy Shaw, Boo Bunny by Kathryn Galbraith, and Where's My Mummy? by Carolyn Crimi.

Flip Flopin'

October offered some beautifully warm days that allowed us to revisit our summer attire one last time.  Most importantly this gave us that chance to wear our Havaianas to walk around the neighborhood.  Ava received her Havaianas for her birthday but had such tiny feet that she was not able to wear then until now.  So we relished in the opportunity to have her march proudly in her Baby Pets!

We love the fun rhymes in Baby Shoes by Daska Slater, Shoe Bop by Marilyn Singer, and Flip Flop Bop by Matt Novak.  These fantastic picture books help to build both Phonological Awareness through rhyme and Print Awareness through the fun, eye-catching layout of the words.