Okay Honestly....
I do not want to be one of those mothers who makes their life sound nothing but perfect.
I do love the holidays, we are having a ton of fun, but I may have left a couple things out.
The cinnamon applesauce ornaments didn't turn out, I hadn't done them in a while so I googled a recipe. The recipe I got called for a lot of glue, against my better judgment I went with it. Brown sticky over powering cinnamon gunk sticking EVERYWHERE!
I for some reason let Jasey get opened toed dress shoes, which she loves by the way, but can't walk in the snow. Yes, go figure it snowed in Colorado so along with a baby, she needs to be carried in and out everywhere we are going. Not my best plan.
Our fabulously awesome new tree, looks ridiculous. It gets redecorated daily, not because this is an activity, but because Alex has decided all the ornaments mus be toys. So when no one is here the lower 1 1/2 feet of tree has no ornaments, but if someone is coming over I quickly run to the tree and balance out the decor. Vain I know.
I gave everyone ideas for the kids, for C.J. I said army stuff, anything cameo, anything swat and so forth. We have had one Christmas celebration so far and he has received 3 army vests! He loves them, I try to do creative and educational toys, but in the end I want them to have things they want. C.J. is all about the armed forces. He and Jasey clear the house whenever we get home.Running to every doorway peering around with there weapons (yes I let them play with guns) and yelling all clear.
I may have bribed my children with a holiday treat so we might accomplish some shopping without whining.
C.J. is and does give me a hard time about writing thank you notes, but I feel it is importent.
Jasey keeps asking every santa she sees, and telling every one who asks that she wants a little sister for Christmas, yeah no pressure there.
Alex... Alex has decided that upon learning to walk it must be accompanied with emptying every drawer and cupboard he reaches. Which he does by the way with lightening speed. I don't use child locks, I have personal feelings about that. So as others say I do it to myself.
Jasey also had the tummy flu. Yuck!!!
So yes, there is another side to the holidays.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Christmas is almost here
I cannot believe Christmas is almost here. We have been having a lot of fun. It is really neat to see how the kids this year embrace things on a different level.
Secrets- While we do not promote secrete keeping, the children have expressed A LOT of enthusiasm about buying gifts for others and not telling the receiver what the gift is. They really seem to revel in the receiver's surprise as they open the gift. We did have a conversation about when it is okay to keep a secrete and when it's not. I have been blown away at their ability to with hold telling the person about their gift, exspecially to each other. It has become a new joke in our house. "C.J. I know what your present is.", "What?" "A poopy diaper!" then she dissolves into giggles.
Re-enacting/ Dramatic Play- We have been reading a bunch of seasonal and holiday themed books. I find both of the children together and separately re-enacting what we have read. They on their own decided to place their shoes outside their bed room doors to receive goodies, after we read about it. They have used a children's nativity to act out the nativity story. we have read this story every year and I love the questions' they have been coming up with this year.
Each child has had numerous opportunity to play wrapping. I give them scissors. tape and wrapping paper. They spend hours wrapping up there toys and then giving them to each other or daddy and myself to be opened. Jasey's scissor skills amaze me.
Art/Crafts- We have made ornaments, cards, pictures, and paintings. I love how I can incorporate this into our school. In science we learned about snowflakes and how they were made, the we made snow flakes out of coffee filters ans decorated the house. I keep always keep holiday wrapping paper with the intentions of using it, this year I gave my kids all the odd scrapes and they cut out the scenes, figures or words and re-glued them to paper to make Christmas pictures.
Baking- We have always done a lot of baking, this year it has been really fun because C.J. has been learning about fractions. My oh my how fast he picks up on concepts when we are doing fun things. We hand out sweets to family and friends.
C.J. has been such a wonderful helper this year. Always striving to separate himself from what he calls "the little kids". The other day I was in our bedroom frantically wrapping daddy's gift when C.J. yells "Dads home." I say, "Don't let him in." I finish wrapping as quickly as I can and carry the present to the living room where we find C.J. standing behind the door rapidly turning the lock every time Chris unlocks the door, "Mom, are you done, he keeps trying to come in." You can hear Chris out side, "C.J. what are you doing let me in!" I was laughing so hard, I let daddy in and explain I just didn't want dad in the bedroom. I didn't mean for him to be repeatedly locked outside. It was pretty funny.
Our days have been filled with laughter and chaos, but I love it.
Secrets- While we do not promote secrete keeping, the children have expressed A LOT of enthusiasm about buying gifts for others and not telling the receiver what the gift is. They really seem to revel in the receiver's surprise as they open the gift. We did have a conversation about when it is okay to keep a secrete and when it's not. I have been blown away at their ability to with hold telling the person about their gift, exspecially to each other. It has become a new joke in our house. "C.J. I know what your present is.", "What?" "A poopy diaper!" then she dissolves into giggles.
Re-enacting/ Dramatic Play- We have been reading a bunch of seasonal and holiday themed books. I find both of the children together and separately re-enacting what we have read. They on their own decided to place their shoes outside their bed room doors to receive goodies, after we read about it. They have used a children's nativity to act out the nativity story. we have read this story every year and I love the questions' they have been coming up with this year.
Each child has had numerous opportunity to play wrapping. I give them scissors. tape and wrapping paper. They spend hours wrapping up there toys and then giving them to each other or daddy and myself to be opened. Jasey's scissor skills amaze me.
Art/Crafts- We have made ornaments, cards, pictures, and paintings. I love how I can incorporate this into our school. In science we learned about snowflakes and how they were made, the we made snow flakes out of coffee filters ans decorated the house. I keep always keep holiday wrapping paper with the intentions of using it, this year I gave my kids all the odd scrapes and they cut out the scenes, figures or words and re-glued them to paper to make Christmas pictures.
Baking- We have always done a lot of baking, this year it has been really fun because C.J. has been learning about fractions. My oh my how fast he picks up on concepts when we are doing fun things. We hand out sweets to family and friends.
C.J. has been such a wonderful helper this year. Always striving to separate himself from what he calls "the little kids". The other day I was in our bedroom frantically wrapping daddy's gift when C.J. yells "Dads home." I say, "Don't let him in." I finish wrapping as quickly as I can and carry the present to the living room where we find C.J. standing behind the door rapidly turning the lock every time Chris unlocks the door, "Mom, are you done, he keeps trying to come in." You can hear Chris out side, "C.J. what are you doing let me in!" I was laughing so hard, I let daddy in and explain I just didn't want dad in the bedroom. I didn't mean for him to be repeatedly locked outside. It was pretty funny.
Our days have been filled with laughter and chaos, but I love it.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Holiday Season
I LOVE LOVE the holidays. We are having so much fun baking, buying gifts, wrapping, making Christmas decorations. I am so proud of my children, their compassion to others in unbelievable. We as a family are having an amazing time shopping for children we have never met. My kids don't even whine about not getting the toys!!! I feel like I am doing a good job.
This season has also brought alot of change. C.J. has begun learning the value of money and has expressed a desire to earn some, so that he may purchase items he wants. He has begun doing 2 chores a day. He has started doing cursive, I love watching him learn. He LOVES to be helpful, feeding the dogs, stacking firewood, making his bed. So nice. Now that he is writing, it is very amusing to read his sentences. He is going through an emotional growth period. Struggling between his wanting independence and my having to say no. We are working on the fine line of expressing feelings but not being rude about it.
Ms. Jasey has become SO expressive, "Mom let me tell you a story..." , "Mom one day when I grow up..." she is never quiet always talking. I fear she is growing up so fast. She copies everything I do, even wanting to wear her bathing suit top under her shirt so it can be a bra. She loves to play mail. Where she writes letters to people seals them in envelops adds her "stamps" stickers. Then hands then out next time she sees people. She also, has begun expressing a desire to paint her room her favorite color. I told her to think about her ideas and we will write them down. She is so creative.
Alex has discover all things that open and close and fit inside of items. He loves to crawl into the bathroom and open and close the door over and over and over again. He also loves to put things in our shoes like cars, his little balls from the ball popper. He has begun growling, very cute. Unless it's midnight and dark, then it's a little creepy. He can stand up all by himself in the middle of a room. He can confidently walk 4 or 5 steps, but prefers to crawl. He has begun biting. Horrible I know, I'm appalled I have a biter. I try really hard to calmly say, "Teeth are not for biting" very firmly while placing a finger on his mouth. However, there have been a couple times he has clamped down while nursing and I have yelped loudly while jamming a finger in his mouth to stop him. Upsetting him terribly, but it hurt... really bad!
I can't wait to write more about our holiday preparations, but I need another post.
This season has also brought alot of change. C.J. has begun learning the value of money and has expressed a desire to earn some, so that he may purchase items he wants. He has begun doing 2 chores a day. He has started doing cursive, I love watching him learn. He LOVES to be helpful, feeding the dogs, stacking firewood, making his bed. So nice. Now that he is writing, it is very amusing to read his sentences. He is going through an emotional growth period. Struggling between his wanting independence and my having to say no. We are working on the fine line of expressing feelings but not being rude about it.
Ms. Jasey has become SO expressive, "Mom let me tell you a story..." , "Mom one day when I grow up..." she is never quiet always talking. I fear she is growing up so fast. She copies everything I do, even wanting to wear her bathing suit top under her shirt so it can be a bra. She loves to play mail. Where she writes letters to people seals them in envelops adds her "stamps" stickers. Then hands then out next time she sees people. She also, has begun expressing a desire to paint her room her favorite color. I told her to think about her ideas and we will write them down. She is so creative.
Alex has discover all things that open and close and fit inside of items. He loves to crawl into the bathroom and open and close the door over and over and over again. He also loves to put things in our shoes like cars, his little balls from the ball popper. He has begun growling, very cute. Unless it's midnight and dark, then it's a little creepy. He can stand up all by himself in the middle of a room. He can confidently walk 4 or 5 steps, but prefers to crawl. He has begun biting. Horrible I know, I'm appalled I have a biter. I try really hard to calmly say, "Teeth are not for biting" very firmly while placing a finger on his mouth. However, there have been a couple times he has clamped down while nursing and I have yelped loudly while jamming a finger in his mouth to stop him. Upsetting him terribly, but it hurt... really bad!
I can't wait to write more about our holiday preparations, but I need another post.
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