Friday, October 30, 2009

GONG-GONG!

I am posting some more Lucy videos...her favorite joke is adding the word Gong-Gong as a surprise! Get ready for Lucy-video-overload!

!
Baa Baa Black Sheep...


Goosey Goosey Gander, whither dost thou wander, Upstairs and downstairs and in my lady's...chamber?

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Ups and Downs!



Some days are so easy and wonderful to be a parent...and then there are days like...TODAY!!! I'm grumpy and I feel like Lucy was refusing to cooperate with any little thing! I just want to go sit in a corner and rock back and forth!! : ) Ha, I'm just kidding, but it can be so frustrating! Thats why I am starting to think my below post about the Unconditional Parenting book is not possible. I love the idea of having Lucy not feel like my affection is conditional, BUT you can't help how you feel. And you can try and be cool, and try and say things like "I know you want to throw pinto beans all over the floor, but I need you to come get in your jammies" until you just snap and finally pick them up and carry them to their room crying! ...Anyways, I'm to veg-out and watch Glee and So You Think You Can Dance! And once again NOT stick to my weight watcher points!! ...oh, but wait, I hear someone calling from her bedroom...

Sunday, October 25, 2009

FiSHieS!!



Another project from my Waldorf craft book... You stitch some felt fishes with a metal loop sewed to the mouth. Then you make a fishing pole with a magnet at the end of the string and your little one can fish for them!! Lucy has been having fun with it!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Unconditional Parenting...


After reading a few articles by Alfie Kohn http://www.alfiekohn.org/articles.htm ( I have read "Parenting With Strings Attached" and "Five Reasons to Stop Saying Good Job") I wanted to read his book Unconditional Parenting. I have a feeling I'll need to write a few blogs about it, but so far I am only through three chapters...

So, to start off, I started feeling very confused by his idea of "love withdrawl". I understand the negative implications of praise, and also punishment, and the importance of respecting our children's emotions and even the importance of their defiance. But he confuses me when he talks about "love withdrawl". It sounds to me like it doesn't matter how the parent sees it, what matter's is if the child feels unloved or not unconditionally loved or accepted when they do something their parent doesn't like. So, it so far sounds to me like the parent isn't supposed to show that they get mad at the child at all, for fear that the child will feel conditionally loved and then therefore have a self-esteem that is contingent on other people's approval...which can make for a miserable existence! However, I just think it is not humanly possible to not get mad at your kids sometimes! They can be so trying!! With all the testing of boundaries, one is bound to get pushed to the edge, and react impatiently. For Lucy's sake, I hope my occassional impatience with her need to hide in the closet when I want to change her diaper, doesn't scar her for life and turn her intrinsic motivation to extrinsic... I mean really, this is a lot of responsibility! And part of me is just not buying it!

The part of me that is not buying the severity of this idea wants to believe that it is ok to show healthy emotions (including occasional anger) and that possibly it is even good! That maybe having these disputes and then being able to come back together, and reassuring my love for her in the way I do on a daily basis, will actually teach her her that in relationships you can have disputes, but it doesn't change the way we love eachother. And that anger is an acceptable feeling. I think that kids are smart and will see through feigned patience. And know that the parent is not acting authentically and then maybe conclude some other (way worse) reason for why the parent is mad. Maybe...just maybe... If you don't tell your child you are feeling frustrated that they won't come out of the closet to change their diaper, they will still feel unloved!

But I always forget this important tid-bit! To quote Magda Gerber, (when a child is testing limits and not cooperating) " There are 2 attitudes that are helpful in dealing with these games: 1.) you enjoy and acknowledge this playfulness; but when it is time to go on, 2.) you are firm. You allow a little time to play the game, and let the child know you are playing, but then you become firm and say it is time. 'Can you do it yourself, or shall I do it?'..." That part is my normal mode of operation, but here is the part I forget: " Try not to get angry. Be matter of fact and not aggressive. Anger only excites the child to want to play more." and you can say something like " I would have liked to have done it together, but now I have to do it for you. Maybe you can still help. Here, pull this is up." Sooo, I do notice this is true. When I start getting getting frustrated and Lucy knows it, she not only wants to hide in the closet, she decides it's time to go to the living room and color with crayons... Aaah!!

So, I guess I just really went on and on there...but these things have been on my mind. I am off to bed now to read more of the book and see what he suggests as alternatives to manipulative praise and Time-Outs...

Monday, October 19, 2009

The A-LIST?


http://www.austin360.com/alist/content/alist/index.html
That's what they call it and somehow I ended up on it. I figure I better make a post about it, because it'll probably be the first and last time!!
: ) ...I went to a robot making crafty party for my friend Beth's new company called The WonderCraft. They bought a big airstream trailer and turned it into a mobile crafting unit for parties and classes for all types of craftiness... It's pretty cool. This happy hour was at a sushi bar called Imperia downtown. It was fun... My robot did not win the contest though...
This bottom link is to the actual page I am on...The above one is to the A-list page...

Sunday, October 18, 2009

1st Halloween Party!

Well, a bow tie and rain boots is all we could coax Lucy into wearing, but it was fun going to a halloween party! It was at our neighbors house...
us, with our neighbor Joss who is dressed as Edward Scissor Hands! He looked awesome!
with Lucy after Juice Box #2
Lucy beached on the couch watching TV after 3 juice boxes, a cookie, and 1/2 of a donut!

Mother Goose...

Lucy loves Mother Goose rhymes...and has heard them so many times she knows lots of them by heart. Here is Hark, Hark The dogs do bark, the beggars are coming to town. Some in tags and some in rags and some in velvet gown...

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

This Morning

These are silk wings I made for Lucy yesterday (with oraganza insets for real butterfly likeness!) Today she tells me "I don't like those mommy...Maybe Greta will want to try them". I'm telling you...she says this every time I make something for her! Maybe I should give up! However...she still likes the playdough...
mmm, playdough balls for lunch! and whats that cooking in the microwave?? i think she said it was cookies!
masterpieces! : )


Well, I have a bad new habit of letting Lucy watch cartoons (Dora or Olivia) on the computer next to me in bed in the morning if I am super tired, which is approx. 2-3x per week! This way I can get some extra sleep... But we made up for it this morning with lots of creative stuff! Lucy painted for a half hour or so, then decided to start pouring the paint water cup out into another cup. So I got her some more cups to work with and a funnel and she sat there for another 30+ min pouring back and forth. She also presented me with a cup of muddy paint water and said it was tea with brown sugar and brown and white and blueberries and rasberries... She gave some to Sally too and was concerned that Sally didn't like it. I love to watch her play and see what she thinks of to do.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Lately...


We have just been hanging out lately... here are some recent pictures!
I made homemade playdough, colored with blueberry juice! it was fun and easy!
i made a bear pancake with a face that scared Lucy...oops! i thought it was cute... ( i took the picture before Lucy was scared of it...fyi)
glue is a new favorite!!
i have been making felt boards!!

lucy has been getting in our bed and pretending to sleep...it's pretty adorable!