Finger Paints

Asher has never been able to watch much television at home.  I tried to make it to the 2 year mark before he was allowed to watch any, but I am embarrassed to say I didn't make it.  I think it was a fussy-mom-is-going-crazy-day that did it.  I'm not even sure the age that this first occured.  So, we've made a compromise with a 1/2 hour TV limit with an attempt for no TV most days.  This is made much easier since we don't have cable and wouldn't you know that I can't find Seasame Street on Hulu?

Recently he had started to ask (and then get mad when I said "no") to watch more TV so I knew something was missing in our days. He seemed to me to need a few more structured activities/optoins in the afternoons so I started to look for things we could do at his relatively young age.  It seemed that he wasn't quite big enough for the toddler activities you can find everywhere.  I was willing to try the fingerpaints but I didn't want him putting the store-bought stuff in his mouth.  They have to use some ingredient that will keep that stuff stable on the shelf for years, right?

So I found this on a blog called Easie Peasie.

3 Tbsp Sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup corn starch

2 cups water

Food coloring

Mix in a sucepan and heat (around medium) until mixture thickens to your desired consistency.  Cool, then add colors.

I wish I had a better camera and better camera skills, but alas, I do not.  



I got a bit anxious and after a few minutes increased the heat which caused the paint to thicken up too quickly.  I just added some more water until I was happy with the consistency.  Also, be aware that this stuff will in fact be very hot and it does take some time to cool. 

We put a drop cloth on the table but he made three pictures at this session without making a big mess OR attempting to taste it.  He must be getting to be a big boy!

19 Months

I can't believe 19 months has passed, yet I say that at every age milestone.  I can't believe that we are at the point where I can remember last Christmas with a child, and that I'm looking forward to our next Christmas with two.

I like to say that every age is my favorite.  Yet this month has been an exceptional one.  This is due mainly to the explosion of words our Little Man is experiencing.  It seems that he will try to say anything that we say and new words are literally coming out every day.  I have been most impressed with Daddy teaching him the difference between "blue" and "brown".  My favorite word in his vocabulary is "Ash" which is his way of saying his name.  He will point to a present and ask "Ash?" or he will show you momma's milk and then point to his own, "Ash?".  I just can't believe we are here already. 

He is still in love with any type of car and really in love with trucks.  I brought one of his two hand-me-down plastic cars (normally known as Cozy Coupes) inside a couple of weeks ago to give him something else to do inside.  It doesn't look as big as I thought in our house and he gets a ton of use out of it.  I have been sensing that he is getting bored with his toys but knew Christmas was coming so I was trying to hold off finding him new ones.

Coloring with crayons is also a big activity.  He has seemed to finally "get it" and enjoy it this month.  The cardboard container that crayons come in lasted all of 2 seconds and we found a little open topped box he can access on his own.  I love that you can print out coloring book pages off the internet as the coloring books in major stores seem so expensive to me. 

My MIL showed us his "sticker book" last night and I had to fight back the proud mom tears (pregnancy does NOT help in this matter).  Looking throught the finished book he had placed every sticker on each available page.  He had put the apples in the trees, and on one page an upside down cow was grouped together with other animal friends.  So of course now I will need to buy at least a dozen of these said books and one day I will pull them out to show his not-very-impressed fiance. :) One day when they have kids of their own she will understand.

My favorite part of this season has been preparing for Christmas.  While he didn't enjoy it we got to make handprint ornaments this year.  Something I thought of last year but wasn't brave enough to attempt.  He DID greatly enjoy helping to make bird seed ornaments found here.  I made them in Christmas tree cookie cutters but my favorites are the lumps of birdseed on a string because Asher actually made them himself.  I came behind and smushed them together a bit so they wouldn't fall apart but they are actually his.  I also love our wrapping paper this year.  In an attempt to wrap while he was around I got out old paper shopping bags and wrapped gifts with that.  Then I handed over the gift with his bucket of crayons and let him go to work.  He loved it.

He has gone from not being able to stay in his MOPPETs room at MOPs to almost not crying when I leave and not crying at all when I pick him up.  His favorite toy there? The slide!

I am learning more and more that structure and routine DO go a long way and I am excited to be able to incorporate this more when I start staying home.

I love our non-stop, busy, inquisitive little man!

My New Calendar!

So I know YOU might not be excited about this, but I sure am!  Just in time for the old calendar to hit the trash can my new one has arrived.  Well, my new one was created and I will never have to toss this one in the trash.  Even better.

I was inspired at the beginning of the month by my creative friend Laura.  You can read her blogs here and here.  She has a giant dry erase board with not one, but TWO months of family calendar.  I fell in love.  I warned her I was going to have to steal her idea.  Well Laura, I did.

I found the boards at Hobby Lobby. Actually, it was the 2nd Hobby Lobby I had gone to in my quest to make this Christmas gift.  (Side note: this never came to fruition as I NEVER found the vinyl decals!!! Sigh)

Anywho, I found two seperate boards which I was stoked to find as I loved Laura's idea but I like to be able to schedule the month ahead as well and with one board I knew that wouldn't be possible every other month.  I could switch the boards out somehow so I could always be rotating them.

After on failed evening of trying to create calendar lines with a dry erase marker and a too-short ruler the hubby took over (yes!). He even did CALCULATIONS to make the squares super even.  I was impressed!  He was even smart enough to do it in permanent marker so that I wouldn't have to redo this every month.  He's the brains of this operation.

And he left enough space at the bottom so that I could include notes and we decided to start a monthly memory verse, so that will go there also.

To attach to the wall Brad brought home some industrial velcro from work.  I'm sure that there is similar stuff at the craft or hardware store.  I just put two pieces on the top of both boards so I could easily switch them out and not have to find the hooks like you do when hanging a picture.  I hate that!

And we are all set for January (minus the memory verse, I have been looking for a good one!)  Leave it to me to be so excited about a calendar.  I was so happy to find a solution to our yearly calendar and so tickled by the awesome help from Brad that I had to share!