Daddy's coming home!!!!

For the last 5 weeks, Nathan has been in London competing his Master's degree. It was a lot of work, but they had plenty of time to see a few sights in England, Ireland and Scotland.
We have missed him a lot and can't wait to go pick him up at the airport tonight. I don't know how families manage when the husband is gone for many months or even a year. 5 weeks was definitely long enough for me!

So, after he gets settled in - the real work begins! We will be heading to Oxford, MS in exactly two weeks! Time to pack, make arrangements, celebrate Nathan's birthday, and enjoy family and friends before we go...

Crafts

Before our trip to CA, I made a few additions to H's quiet book for some added interest while on the plane.

Pick some flowers for Mama

The zip pouch has a car in it and he can drive it to our new home, the park, or pool

Draw something - These pages are covered in the plastic that they sell at the fabric store.
It works great with dry erase markers. These are "erazers" with the eraser attached to the cap. H wasn't too interested in drawing, just in taking the cap on and off.

Peek-a-boo with Leonard.

The sun has poly-pellets and different colored buttons that you can shake and find the different colors - like an I -spy bag.

What is H doing? The pictures can be removed.

I also made a cover for the DVD player -

the pocket can hold DVD's, headphones or the charger

There is also a flap inside to keep little fingers from finding the buttons!

Toddler Activities

There are a few go-to activities that keep H happy and occupied - reading books, playing the piano, reading books, chasing Leonard, and reading books...

We decided to try out a couple of new activities today

Activity 1: Bean sorting

Supplies: One interested child
A few different containers
Different kinds of dried beans
A cat looking over your shoulder

It took a little while for H to understand that these were not for eating. He REALLY wanted to eat them, so we took a break and had a little snack and then he really got into it! He poured, picked up, spread around, grabbed, examined,

and then tried to give them to Leonard:

He seemed to enjoy it, and this is something that we will be sure to come back to!

While H was sleeping, I made some play-dough.
(My hands are still stained with the food coloring!)

He liked to pull it slightly. He was much gentler than I thought he would be with it.

He kept looking up like he was thinking "is this okay?"

Look at the effort in his face!

We've been cooking!

I've been busy 'cooking up' some felt food for H this week. It was fun to make, but by the time I was finished, I was finished! He doesn't know quite what to do with pretend food, but likes to take it out of the bags and look at it. His favorite is the strawberries. There are some amazing tutorials here and here online (there were many more wonderful tutorials online, but these are the ones I used).

Fruits: Cantaloupe, orange, apples, strawberries, banana and kiwi

Veggies: Corn, cabbage/lettuce, cucumber, potatoes, carrots and a salad

Bread: pancakes, bread slices, and pizza

Misc.: Bacon, eggs, cherry pie, cookies, chocolate cookies/burger patties, cheese slices, pats of butter, jelly/pasta sauce/sliced turkey or ham

Unpredictable

I am loving the excitement and exploration that comes with a toddler. Always something new to explore, and always exploring every facet of it! It is an unpredictable stage, and I love it! It often brings a smile to my face (or a worried gasp)!

A few of the unexpected of H's happenings this week:

In the laundry basket

He put some of his crocheted animals in the china cabinet drawers -
it was fun to come into the dining room and find an elephant trunk peeking out of the drawer.

Trying to climb onto a box

Trying to climb into an empty shelf

He took a break from exploring to wait for Pawpaw and GrandMissy to come play with him today!

H is definitely loved!

And adored!

Our next task:

Packing!

We're back!

Back from a wonderful trip to CA!!! We enjoyed lots of family, cool weather, outdoors, cafe's, and many other wonderful things!

It was a rude awakening for both H and I to return home and not have four adults to chase, love, read to, and play with H.... but we are managing. Except for today - I didn't manage very well today (H woke up screaming with a terrible diaper rash, the power was out from 9am til 6pm, H dropped my hairbrush in the toilet, I had an emotional funeral to attend, it was hot, H took a short nap, something was put on his bum that made both he and I very upset, and we miss Daddy - so I didn't manage today very well, but the day is almost over!)

Along with all of the good love, H learned some new signs and words.
New Signs: plane, fine, delicious, open, yellow, strong, monkey, car, tree, peach, bird, light, swing
New words: plane, stop, yellow, amen, beep-beep

This little monkey has developed a love for climbing! I came into the living room today and found this:

Yesterday we watched a little Wiggles - and H loved to curl up on the footstool of the glider.

I gave Leonard some treats this morning and H really wanted one!

I think that Leonard really enjoyed his break from H. When we got back, H followed Leonard aroung for a good 30 minutes signing 'cat' and saying 'maow.'

Finally after a few days of adjusting to the heat we were able to go outside and blow some bubbles.

Taking a hike

Breakfast with AK. Toast and jelly and bananas.

H calls toast 'cookie.' That is a switch up I am not in a hurry to fix!

Hiding in the flowers with his dino camo.

He looks so innocent, doesn't he?

We headed over to a local hiking area for a little hike. The path was not paved, so we couldn't bring a stroller. Throughout the course of our little hike, we all did some babywearing - in one form or another.

H and Pop on the way to the trail.

I did a little back sling wearing. H liked to rest his head on my back or peek around the side.

Taking a little break in the shade to let H experience the mountain!

He had no idea what to do with a hill!!! He tried to walk straight ahead, not adjusting any for the incline. It was very funny to watch him.

SweetHart took pity and helped him walk a little.

SweetHart's turn! Looking at a coyote on the hillside.

Now it's Pop's turn!

(Of course, I had him the whole uphill way, and Pop and SweetHart shared the downhill way...)

By this time he really wanted to get down!

Petting Zoo

We saw in the newspaper this week that Wendy Hagen, local author of Totally Desparate Mom, was going to be at Rakestraw books and that there would be a petting zoo for the little ones. We wanted to go and meet her, and let H experience some animals. There were ducks, chickens, goats, rabbits and a pig.

Wendy was so sweet and friendly, her children were there) and the daughter that inspired the chapter on the "Terrible Threes," and her book looks wonderfully funny, inspring and comforting. I am looking forward to reading it!

We let H look from outside of the zoo area before he went in.

After we went in, he was interested in the animals. I led him over to where the animals were and tried to show him to pet the rabbits.

Instead of petting the animals, he was petting the other children's soft hair! Two or three kids were 'pet' by H, although I don't think they noticed.

Many of the rabbits and chickens stayed behind H for awhile - I think because he wasn't really bothering them. One of the chickens tried to eat the buttons on his clothes.

Goat!

H wasn't too sure about the pig....