My Big Girl

The Babe recently turned 4.  She is still my "baby", but really is no longer a toddler even.  For her birthday, one of her gifts was a toy guitar.  The neck of the guitar has buttons that when pushed play various short melodies.  So, within an hour of receiving this, she was rocking out.  Really, playing it, dancing with it, holding it behind her back while making music.  When I called her my "birthday girl", she corrected me, and told me she was a "rockstar birthday girl". 

Another recent funny thing she did was when we were out and some older women were oohing and ahhing over how cute she was.  She let them know that before we left home she had put on her makeup and her earrings.  I let them know it was all pretend.  She obviously had no earrings on (and no, her ears are not pierced, nor does she own any clip-on earrings).  Secondly, while she has peaches and cream skin, her rosy cheeks were au natural.  Her makeup is actually a plastic molded toy lipstick tube that came in a toy purse she received for her first birthday.  She will rub it across her lips, and on occasion, her cheeks and eyes as well.  Thankfully she stays out of my cosmetics, but she is very proud to put her "makeup" on.  Its funny because my mother feels she must have lipstick on before she leaves the house, and before my grandmother wore hearing aids, always felt she was naked without earrings.  So, wonder how much is genetically instilled in her.  For now though, we will stick to pretend, while my Princess Rockstar has fun.

School Time

Yesterday we began our homeschool preschool.  The Babe was very excited by the idea of school, until the morning of.  However, once we got started she was very happy. 

The Babe is used to getting her way a lot.  Now that its time to try to introduce formal education concepts, its time to crush a bit of her free will.  It happens to all of us at some time.  Ok, so I exaggerate about crushing her independence, however, with education, one must follow directions.  This is what I am learning about- trying to instill an ability to follow directions.  Only two days and that's what I've learned. 

Yesterday when she wanted to do her own thing on a piece of paper, rather than what I told her to do, I had to remind her I was the teacher.  My role during that time is teacher, not mommy, and she is the student.  Students have to listen to the teacher.  After some pouting and arms crossed, she finally conceded, and returned to the lesson. 

Today went a little bit smoother.  At the end of the planned lesson she wanted to do more.  I found one more activity page for her to do involving a "book of me".  Its a page divided into sections for her to draw a picture of herself, her home, and her family.  This was very humorous to me, especially as she got to the part about her family.  She began to draw her baby, which was purple.  Then she drew her brown doggie.  Finally, Daddy, whom she noted has the same color skin as her, and Mommy, who she decided has yellow skin (we're all the same- I didn't realize my skin tone was that much different).  Then she drew her brother and sister who are blue.  Hmm, definitely a little poetic license in who makes up her family. 

While she's learning how to follow instructions, I'm working on being patient.  There are no outside distractions for us during this time (no t.v., Ipod, computer or phone).  This may be the most important factor for us- the time to truly connect.  While we spend so much time together during the day, there is nothing to pull me from giving her my undivided attention (how many times do I tell her to wait a minute while I finish washing a dish or doing something else?).  Now I just have to hope my penmanship skills aren't too bad, so that I'm not screwing up her education at its very start.

Fairy Wand

Today the topic of fairy wands came up in two separate conversations.  My mother-in-law mentioned a do-it-yourself version a friend had seen on Pinterest.  Soon after, not having heard this conversation, the Babe also mentioned wanting a fairy wand.  She had been given a beautiful fairy set of a head piece and skirt with sheer ribbon and rhinestones.  All that was apparently missing was the wand. 

Well, we just so happened to have had to make a trip to Jo-Ann's Fabric for an entirely different reason today.  They had Halloween costume items on display including fairy wands.  I didn't want to buy the one on display, so we walked the store looking for materials to make our own.  They had wooden dowels of varying dimensions, all a few feet in length.  I do not own a saw, so that created a little bit of a problem.  I bought a fairly thin dowel, and when I got home, opted to use an outdoor sheers.  If it can cut a tree branch, it should be able to do the same for a dowel.  It worked.  Then I took a regular emery board to file down the cut edge.  Voila!  I had some ribbon (purple with white polka dots) that I wrapped around it, using double sided tape to tack down the ends.  At the top, I attached two foam hearts, also using double sided tape.  It may not be the fanciest, but it serves its purpose (and cost less than $2 to make).  I added a little ribbon to the top, but otherwise, the wand is pictured below on top of the headpiece (that I did not make).

Constant Feeding

Childhood obesity rates are on the rise.  My concern with food for my child differs in that I want to make sure she eats; the more the better.  However, she does not need to eat every hour on the hour.  I no longer carry a diaper bag, so unless I know we will be gone for several hours, there is no need for me to carry snacks.  Apparently, I missed the message though that kids can't go a few hours without being fed. 

Where does this latest rant stem from?  Well, as you know we will not be going to any formal pre-school, because all the 2-3 hour programs have a snack built into their schedule.  Fine.  However, within fifteen minutes of my home a beautiful, brand new YMCA was just built.  I decided to take the tour.  New everything, beautiful pool, fitness center, etc.  Apparently as part of membership you can get up to three hours free childcare while you use the facility.  Perfect.  Well, for someone else, because of course they allow food in this area.  They have made it peanut and nut free, but that doesn't serve me any good with our list of food allergies.  After this morning, its already contaminated with food from pastry they served (which I suspect was not made in a nut free facility).  However, if the purpose of this room is short-term child-care, why must there be food?  I do not understand this.  I recall as a young child being dropped off at such a locale a few times.  My mother never sent me with food because she made sure to feed me before and after.  When did it become someone else's responsibility?  Why must food always be everywhere? 

While its one less place that will receive my business, its also one less place we can go.  Oh well.  No shocker in the life of this food-allergy family.