Tuesday, April 23, 2013

TwoYear Old Moments

     My Hannah Lou..She has the most beautiful smile. the other day, Ben picked her up and goes,"Wow, Hannah you are getting heavy ." and she responds ," Yes, I is."She is so ,loving to Ezekiel if he is ever crying she is the one of the first to locate a rattle and begin shaking it, stuffing"binkies" into his mouth.I love tucking her in before her nap as she smiles so sweetly up at me while I pray for her ,, with her little round face and I smooth her blonde hair down, so soft and floofy to the touch. She brightens my days, most days.The other morning I awoke and heard a noise and walked downstairs quietly and there in the darkness sat is Lou munching on popcorn, quietly.. all I see is this little hand emerge from behind the chair an quietly feel around in the glass bowl, made me smile. I just love her and the non stop energy she has , every where she goes she races..maybe i should try that."Ready, set, sprint!!!"- in the grocery store, mall, library.Now you see, now you don't.She loves to sit and look at books, adorn herself with multiple sticker layers,"Mama it ok, if i use these stickers??"The way she says mac-n- cheese"appie-annoie-and- cheese"


   Sitting on the potty to go stinkies where she asks to hold your hand, like she is a birthing mother and needs a support.. I am a potty doula, she grunts, grimaces her face and then smiles.. "I all done".. love her..S

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Family Aloud Reading

 
Jay reading Ramona's world outside in the coolness of the morning




 There are so man important reasons to share in a good book together as a family. It allows you to go on a shared adventure and make new friends to cry, laugh together towards the characters. I have always valued a good book with my children. I  fully enjoy reading to them and have spent countless hour over the past almost nine years reading . Even now, if I pick up a particular board book . I immediately reminisce over the feelings of closeness ... I shared with that particular child, their image on my lap, smelling and kissing their sweet blonde head.

     Reading increases ones awareness, around  him. It ignites their imaginations as pictures are created inside their minds. Also, it causes values and morals to be solidified as the child is presented with many different scenarios on right vs. wrong.


         
      This past year, the kids have had the privilege to travel on a covered wagon, on a boat with a mouse, be in Times Square, run through Indian lands, be apart of a family with a pesky little sister, hmm wonder if they can relate , live in a heavily dense wood , live in a house built out of a side of a hill, fly off with a nanny on wild adventures, sit and feel a loss when a child's mama passes away and a new one comes. I treasure these shared moments because we all go through them together, as we sit on a couch or floor and listen and imagine .


The books we have read since last summer:


1. Beezus and Ramona
2. Little house in the big woods
3.little house on the prairie
4. Mary poppins. Book one
5. A cricket in Times Square
6.stuart little
7. Cheaper by the dozen
8. Farmer boy
9.sarah plain and tall
10. On the banks of plum creek

I have ordered sign of the beaver, my side of the mountain , Julie of the wolves....for an added adventure flare to our reading. The above listed books were recommended  by Ben for the boys.


   So , turn off the tv and gather around together and share a good book.Laugh and enjoy these moments because as children age.. they always will  need connecting, family moments. THey will look back on these times with fondness even as adults. because,I still do. The Rumples and the Barleys, Thy friend Obadiah and so many more that my mom woulds read to us as children.