Some Fun Things We've Been Up to the Second Week in April

It's fun to see how natural and organic math can be. As I've written in recent posts, we've had a big resurgence in board game playing recently. Hi-Ho Cherry-O is usually at the top of the list. It's amazing to think about how well they play the game compared to how they did when we first played almost a year ago. I'm not great in math at all, and I in no way want my kids to have the same math phobia that I do, so anything math-related comes entirely from them. That's why when they make statements showing they understand basic addition and subtraction (especially Alexa) using the numbers 1-10, I'm very impressed. I try to remember to incorporate silly math games in our day, now that I know how much they like it.

Steve planted grass seed around the tree in the back, so the kids usually want a turn to water, too. It's fun to watch the baby grass grow each day.

They've been loving the sandbox, again, although it looks very tiny on them now. We need to figure out how to get them more sand space this year.

Jared's been into knights and castles recently, so I asked if he'd like me to show him how to build a castle and moat. He was very excited about the idea. Here is the final product. I'm sure in just a little time he'll be building far better and more elaborate sand castles than I can.

Alexa LOVES to watch old family DVDs. Many mornings she'll pop up from bed asking, "Can I watch a family video?"  It's great because it lets us talk about the past, see family members we only get to visit once a year, and remind the kids of things they used to like. On this week, they watch part of a DVD of when they had just turned two. They were playing with rice, flour and sugar in the kitchen and were having a food fight. So, naturally, they wanted me to take out those ingredients again. Thankfully, it's warmer out now, so it was easier to clean up this food fight than the last one. (You might notice Jared's wearing that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle mask I made for him.)

We visited a few different playgrounds this week. At one playground, after the kids had run off to the equipment and I was settling myself under a tree, I looked up to see Jared dangling from one of the upper rungs of a ladder. I raced over there, but he dropped to the ground before I could catch him. He just started laughing and saying he wanted to do it again. I really have to just relax about him doing this physical stuff and realize he is more capable than I give him credit for. Still, he is only just going to be 4.....

Later that same day, the kids had fun throwing crackers to the ducks. This time we saw some frogs and turtles in the pond, too. The kids crossed to the other side of the pond and picked me a bouquet of dandelions.

We've had our fair share share of using scizzors, too. The kids will get on kicks of wanting to practice certain skills, like cutting, and will just still there for an hour doing it over and over again. And then, they'll put in down, sometimes for a month, before wanting to do it again. But, even though they hadn't been steadily "practicing" the skill every day, the next time they try to cut again, they have made huge progress from the last time. It's so important to be intimately in tune with how your child learns and respect their unique style.

First Seedlings

We've always had a small vegetable garden except for last summer. This year, I got my act together early enough and was able to buy seeds and a seed starter kit early enough to start some seedlings indoors.

Alexa loved the whole process, from making a little hole, to dropping in the seeds, to pushing the dirt over the seeds. Jared planted a few seeds, but when he realized he couldn't just fling twenty seeds at the container, he lost interest.

We planted three rows of tomatoes, on row each of thyme, basil and rosemary. I just hope I get two plants of each. The summer the kids were one they loved picking the tomatoes off the vine, biting into them right in the garden. It'll feel so good to see a garden again and eat food we've grown ourselves. Hopefully we'll have tomatoes, several herbs, melons, eggplants, and later pumpkins, broccoli, cauliflower and peppers.

I think we live in a perfect spot. We have a big enough backyard for a vegetable garden with plenty grass left to spare for a small pool, sandbox and running round. Yet, we're within 15 minutes of everything downtown Chicago has to offer. The kids are signed up for a program where they get to visit a working farm once a week and help out with the baby animals. They are SO excited for this.

summer 2008 Part 3

Summer 2008 Part 3

LaGrange Fountain – It’s just a small fountain downtown, but seems to be a place where many parents take their children. The kids are at such a cute age right now. The joy they get out of just walking around the edge of the fountain and throwing money inside is contagious. There is a tiny hill by the fountain they loved running down, too. We visited this spot several times during the summer.

Vacation Bible School – This was the first year for the twins. I helped out in the tot group so was able to be with them for the whole week. We’d start the morning gathered together with all the age groups singing and watching an on-going weekly skit. Then we’d go to a room where the kids would color. Next was craft time. This always seems to aggravate me as I believe in the importance of free creative expression rather than doing a step by number craft where the adults do most of the work for the kids so it will look “just right.” Then we’d go to the gym where they kids would run around, play with balls or little scooters, then we’d head to the room off the kitchen for a snack and practice our song. Next up to the second floor for a story and then back to the auditorium to meet with all the groups for more songs before heading home. Alexa and Jared were sooooo quiet. Many people asked me if they were talking yet. This made me laugh because Alexa especially is so talkative at home. She did love the high school and college age girls carrying her around, and Jared had a little girl who always wanted to be next to him, holding his hands. At the end of the week, they had a program for the parents where the kids performed songs they learned over the week. I had to hold Jared who cried for most of the time and another girl held Alexa. Not a great first stage performance!

Pet Pride Parade – The first weekend after Memorial Day they always hold a Pet Pride Parade in LaGrange. It was the first time we attended, and it was much, much more impressive then the Oak Park 4th of July parade. There were many music and dance groups as well as dozens of different animals including even some camels.

Naperville Riverwalk – This was a beautiful time where the highlight of the day was the paddleboat ride on the pond. We were able to paddle very close to many ducks.

Trailside Museum – I remember coming here as a young child, so it was fun to take our kids here this summer. There is a small area outside where there are a few animals in cages: a hawk, fox, skunk, vulture and a few more animals. Inside there are smaller animals like frogs, small birds, spiders and fish. We also walked around the small pond area so the kids could throw rocks in the water.

El Train Ride to Downtown Chicago – This was an incredibly exciting experience for the kids. We rode the train downtown, got off and walked a few blocks down to Millennium Park. There is an area where water runs down a big wall and makes a huge puddle. We had put on the kid’s bathing suits and though they would like to have run through the puddles, but they seemed very nervous. They both have a tendency to get nervous in new situations, Alexa more so than Jared, and like to check things out for a while on the sidelines before jumping in. They never really wanted to jump in this day, though, and I think it was because it was so crowded. Afterwards, we went to a restaurant to eat. Even though were able to get a booth, it was still very hard to get them to sit still for long. They were also very loud. It’s really hard to judge if they disturb other people since Steve and I are very relaxed in our parenting style.

Water Parks – We went to two this year. One was with my sister, brother –in-law and nephew while Steve was away on a business trip. They warmed up to getting in the shallow part of the pool after a while, but they didn’t want to go under the sprinklers. Actually they liked digging in the sand the most. They are really not too fond of pool water as we spoil them with hot baths, and they don’t get many opportunities to swim. I feel a little bad about that and would like them to have swim lessons at some point but only if they really want to. The other water park is a new one opened just this summer near our Cermak Woods. It was free the whole summer since it just opened. There is a section of the park with a pool of warmer water, and the kids had a pretty good time in there, although they were are first reluctant to go in the water.

Some other highlights of the summer:
Planting a garden – carrots and tomatoes
Building playdough snowmen
Helping Steve wash the car
Squirting each other with the hose
Climbing up a large ladder into the tree branches
Drawing with sidewalk chalk
Roasting marshmallows over the fire pit
Playing with trucks
Playing in the pool – painting and washing their brushes in the water to turn the water different colors
Shooting baskets
Splashing in the puddles in the rain
Riding tricycles
Walks around the block
Sandbox and water table play
Asking me to write words