Tonight Rachel and Ben were doing stickers. This consists of Dad pulling out a pile of foam stickers and stick-on pom-poms and asking Rachel which one she wants to put where. She thinks this is pretty fun, and we have no intention of disillusioning her since it's an easy, cheap activity.
Partway through, Rachel requested a zebra. Fair enough. So I got her a zebra. Then she insisted that she needed a palm tree to put on the zebra. She did this last week and we couldn't figure out why. I decided to ask.
Mom - "Rachel, zebra needs a palm tree?"
R - "Yeah!"
Mom - "Ok, but why does zebra need a palm tree on him?
R - "Because he's ZEBRA!"
Good enough for us! In the end, Rachel chose a pom-pom for zebra instead. Artistic freedom? Who knows?
Saturday, September 30, 2006
More geography & other things...
It has been pointed out to me that the previous post on geography only covered the world map. On the Canada map, Rachel can point out British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec (which she pronounces KO-beck), Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. She doesn't seem to care too much about the Maritimes. (sorry, Kate!)
Locally, Rachel recognizes a lot of places by their signs. She knows all about the bank, grocery store, library, mall, school and synagogue. She also knows our apartment number and likes to announce that we're "going to 1112!" as we walk in from the parking lot.
This morning Rachel knocked loudly on her door at 7am to let us know she was awake! While Ben and I are happy to see the end of her crying on her bed when she wakes up, we were hoping for a little more sleep than that. However, we're thrilled that Rachel understands the need to knock or call out that she's awake. It's progress, right?
Locally, Rachel recognizes a lot of places by their signs. She knows all about the bank, grocery store, library, mall, school and synagogue. She also knows our apartment number and likes to announce that we're "going to 1112!" as we walk in from the parking lot.
This morning Rachel knocked loudly on her door at 7am to let us know she was awake! While Ben and I are happy to see the end of her crying on her bed when she wakes up, we were hoping for a little more sleep than that. However, we're thrilled that Rachel understands the need to knock or call out that she's awake. It's progress, right?
Friday, September 29, 2006
Fall is here!
Or at least we hope it's here. I looked out our bedroom window the other day and noticed that some of the leaves have actually changed colour. Perhaps there's hope for Kansas after all! Then again, the high next week is supposed to hit 31C. In October.
In any case, Rachel and I have enjoyed getting out to play this week. Yesterday we went to a park to meet up with a moms group - I was invited by one of the moms in a Kindermusik class that I teach. Rachel had a blast in the sandbox. She spent almost half an hour digging in the sand with her hands (are you sure she's yours, Ben!?!?) and only got out of the sandbox because I made her leave when she started throwing sand. Rachel also had her first tumble down the slide face-first. She landed a bit funny on her hands but was ok a minute later.
This morning Rachel was feeling a bit under the weather. She climbed up on the couch with her elephants and lay her head back on a pillow. I tucked her in and asked if she needed anything else. "A hug," she said. So I hugged her and asked again if there was anything else she needed. "Just one more kiss," she said.
We have a bit of a dilemma with regard to potty training. Rachel doesn't want to wear a diaper, but says she won't/can't tell me when she needs to pee or poop. We're taking her to the potty in the morning and just before bed no matter what, and other times by request. I still think the cloth diapers were a good investment.
In any case, Rachel and I have enjoyed getting out to play this week. Yesterday we went to a park to meet up with a moms group - I was invited by one of the moms in a Kindermusik class that I teach. Rachel had a blast in the sandbox. She spent almost half an hour digging in the sand with her hands (are you sure she's yours, Ben!?!?) and only got out of the sandbox because I made her leave when she started throwing sand. Rachel also had her first tumble down the slide face-first. She landed a bit funny on her hands but was ok a minute later.
This morning Rachel was feeling a bit under the weather. She climbed up on the couch with her elephants and lay her head back on a pillow. I tucked her in and asked if she needed anything else. "A hug," she said. So I hugged her and asked again if there was anything else she needed. "Just one more kiss," she said.
We have a bit of a dilemma with regard to potty training. Rachel doesn't want to wear a diaper, but says she won't/can't tell me when she needs to pee or poop. We're taking her to the potty in the morning and just before bed no matter what, and other times by request. I still think the cloth diapers were a good investment.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Kisses are finite?
Before "nap" (aka quiet time) this afternoon:
R - *makes lots of kissing noises* That's all the kisses I have, Mommy!
This afternoon we made animal cookies. Not surprisingly, about 3/4 of the cookies are elephants. Rachel wore her big apron, and helped me push the cookie cutters into the dough. She also sprinkled lots of cinnamon and sugar on top, and of course she was only too willing to help eat one for snack.
R - *makes lots of kissing noises* That's all the kisses I have, Mommy!
This afternoon we made animal cookies. Not surprisingly, about 3/4 of the cookies are elephants. Rachel wore her big apron, and helped me push the cookie cutters into the dough. She also sprinkled lots of cinnamon and sugar on top, and of course she was only too willing to help eat one for snack.
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Introducing.... potty candy!
Wow! It truly is a time for new beginnings. Tonight after bath, I suggested to Ben that he put Rachel on the potty. She sat for a bit and then Ben asked if she was done. She said that she wasn't done yet, and then she peed in the potty! She was very proud of herself, and as a reward she got 2 little candies. When asked if she wanted to poop on the potty too, she said that she'd do it tomorrow.
I'm firmly convinced that this is happening because I just received our new cloth diapers in the mail yesterday. Still, we'll take what we can get!
I made a special dinner the other night for Rosh HaShanah. Rachel surprised us by sampling some of everything, albeit with a little encouragement from Mom & Dad. She ended up eating broccoli, "carrot cake" (really a side dish that looks a little cake-like and involves carrots and brown sugar), rice, challah and even some honey-mustard chicken. Go, Rachel!
I'm firmly convinced that this is happening because I just received our new cloth diapers in the mail yesterday. Still, we'll take what we can get!
I made a special dinner the other night for Rosh HaShanah. Rachel surprised us by sampling some of everything, albeit with a little encouragement from Mom & Dad. She ended up eating broccoli, "carrot cake" (really a side dish that looks a little cake-like and involves carrots and brown sugar), rice, challah and even some honey-mustard chicken. Go, Rachel!
Friday, September 22, 2006
Cookies for the World
Tonight is Rosh HaShanah, the birthday of the world. Rachel wants to bring the world some cookies.
On a related note, Rachel has a placemat with a map of the world. She is a reluctant breakfast eater at best, so we've had to get creative since we're often out early in the morning. On a typical morning, Rachel will have some cheerios, fruit and cheese. She will only eat the cheese if it is broken up and placed around the placemat. By doing this, Rachel has learned a lot of world geography. She can accurately place these locations on a map: Australia, Antarctica, Africa, South America, China, India, Russia, London, Kansas, South Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Greenland and Alaska.
This morning Rachel learned about Argentina on her map. She told me that Argentina is where the elephants come from. ??? I thought for a minute and then realized that Rachel has an elephant named Tina. I asked her if that was where Tina came from, and she replied that yes, Tina is from Argentina!
World geography & cookies. You'd think she'd need a nap after all that heavy thinking... ;)
On a related note, Rachel has a placemat with a map of the world. She is a reluctant breakfast eater at best, so we've had to get creative since we're often out early in the morning. On a typical morning, Rachel will have some cheerios, fruit and cheese. She will only eat the cheese if it is broken up and placed around the placemat. By doing this, Rachel has learned a lot of world geography. She can accurately place these locations on a map: Australia, Antarctica, Africa, South America, China, India, Russia, London, Kansas, South Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Greenland and Alaska.
This morning Rachel learned about Argentina on her map. She told me that Argentina is where the elephants come from. ??? I thought for a minute and then realized that Rachel has an elephant named Tina. I asked her if that was where Tina came from, and she replied that yes, Tina is from Argentina!
World geography & cookies. You'd think she'd need a nap after all that heavy thinking... ;)
Thursday, September 21, 2006
You have to be kidding me!
Almost a year after starting this blog and promptly forgetting my username, I found the magic button that recovered that information for me. LOL.
I think I just gave new meaning to the term "computer illiterate." In any case, I'll just tell a short story about Rachel tonight since it's late and I should get to bed.
Last week at pre-school, Rachel made a tzedakah box and decorated it with little foam stickers. The teachers obviously talked about how coins go inside the box and the money goes to help people, because Rachel understood how it all worked except for one little thing. If you ask her who the tzedakah money will help, she'll tell you that it's for Olly. Olly is an elephant blanket. ;) Still, she'll be a great fundraiser one day:
R - "I want MORE coins."
Mom - "I don't have any more coins to give you."
R - "But I need more!"
Mom - "I'm sorry, I gave you everything I had."
R - "Nooooo! I need MORE coins to put in the box."
Now that I've figured out how to get back to blogging, I plan to update frequently with many stories! Maybe I'll even figure out how to add pictures one day. Don't hold your breath on that one though.
I think I just gave new meaning to the term "computer illiterate." In any case, I'll just tell a short story about Rachel tonight since it's late and I should get to bed.
Last week at pre-school, Rachel made a tzedakah box and decorated it with little foam stickers. The teachers obviously talked about how coins go inside the box and the money goes to help people, because Rachel understood how it all worked except for one little thing. If you ask her who the tzedakah money will help, she'll tell you that it's for Olly. Olly is an elephant blanket. ;) Still, she'll be a great fundraiser one day:
R - "I want MORE coins."
Mom - "I don't have any more coins to give you."
R - "But I need more!"
Mom - "I'm sorry, I gave you everything I had."
R - "Nooooo! I need MORE coins to put in the box."
Now that I've figured out how to get back to blogging, I plan to update frequently with many stories! Maybe I'll even figure out how to add pictures one day. Don't hold your breath on that one though.
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