It's A Halloween to Remember....

Last year was Arianna's first Halloween. But it sucked! *excuse my language. Yes, it was not the best at all. I had to attend an academic conference in Atlanta the entire day. Who does this? Academics tend to procreate beyond the thousand word reflection papers and presentations. Unfortunately, they did not care that I'd just had a baby, loss my dad, and wanted to spend time trick-or-treating through my neighborhood. Such is life. So, my mom accompanied me to Atlanta to watch Arianna. Hubby had to work, of course. But I was determined to do something - anything. So, I dressed her up in her little pumpkin outfit. She was soooo cute. I was stopped in the hotel and in the parking lot of the mall. I'd heard that Lenox Mall would have something. (When I lived in Atlanta, I only shopped at Phipps Plaza bc Lenox was just toooo busy to say the least:) Nothing was going on in the mall. Then I had to turn around and drive back downtown for more sessions.

This year, we have a full weekend planned. Right now it's 4am and I'm awake catching up on homework because we were out at two play dates already in her Halloween costume. We have at least 3 events tomorrow (probably will only do 1-2 of them). Then we have 2 more events on Monday. With that said, I cannot believe she can still fit her costume from last year...LOL! It's a 6-12mo costume from Gymboree. I love my little mini mama. She's about the only person in my family that's petite - ok, except my beautiful older sister graced with the metabolism of fly (three beautiful children and a size 2).
So, check out her little outfit. This is just costume number one. The second costume will be posted Monday evening.

In all that you do, be safe this weekend.

*Pumpkin Fairy tutu, stockings, shoe covers, and bag - Gymboree
*Orange Butterfly Hair Clip - Sweet Baby Place Boutique
*Custom pumpkin - (will ask mom, I believe it was from Michael's)

It's hard to choose....

It's hard to choose a favorite outfit for my Arianna. This is not a model pic, just a pic of her playing on the grounds at the college where I'm working on my PhD. My mom had to attend a funeral back home in Cali and my hubby could only make it to my campus after getting off work. So, yes....Ari came with me to school. Everyone loves her, of course. When everyone began laughing during the lecture, she would laugh at just the right moment - yes, when the laughter had already subsided. LOL! Here is a pic of her playing for 10minutes prior to having to rush to my advisor's office. She's such an inspiration to me and her daddy to pursue our dreams. I believe having her at my hip through the library, readings, lectures is a great start for her.

The jacket and velvet skinny jeans are from Burlington. Thanks mom! The little hair bow is from Mommasbows boutique. Finally, the boots are from a moment of impulse shopping at Target. I was supposed to buy one item and found myself spending $200! I really have to stay out of that place.

Tea Party, Summer Dresses and Friends...

Life is so full of surprises and also expectations. A lot of times, I expect to wake up, get Arianna dressed, hair combed, my Stroller Stride workout, and so much more. It seems there aren't that many hours in the day. Last week, we enjoyed a tea party with friends. I observed a few things about my Arianna-boo:)

First, she loves to be around other people. It's like she knows our Stroller class is ending and it's time for her to get unstrapped and let loose with her friends - the other little people of the group. It's great that we get to meet up with other mamas and kiddos for a workout and random play dates. These particular pictures, we enjoyed a tea party with her buddies: Coco, Brody, Christopher, Emma, Sophia, Samantha, Emery, and Alice. Everyone couldn't make it to class, but it was still a perfect day.

Second, I notice that Arianna will play with the other children, but also likes to discover and play on her own. As an only child with a SAHM, I'm proud of her. One of the Montessori suggestions is to allow your children to explore and figure things out for themselves in a controlled (safe) environment. At one point, she was admiring the water from the boat house and put her mouth on the wired fence. I almost went crazy then reminded myself that you wouldn't die and plus, I pray for her daily. :)

Third, Arianna is such a lady. During the tea party she did not indulge in sweets like I did. LOL! (We had a tough workout). Instead, she ate blueberries and sipped on her tea (juice, rather). I don't know where she gets this little appetite from and petite frame. But she's healthy and the doctor commends me on her advancement as a 17month old (she can read the entire alphabet, read her numbers up to 17, read quite a few words, and sign a few words as well) and that she's extremely fit. Thank you Jesus. Arianna must have the metabolism I always prayed for. Now that she's walking, she's eating a little more and burning way more calories. 

I know I sound like the regular mom bragging on her baby. But I'm glad because that makes me a little normal. 

A neighborhood friend is a public school teacher who even blogs about advancement in your child's literacy (www.hellofirstgrade.com) and she said that Ari should stay home with me as long as she can. Ms. Jones said that at her age, it's pretty much daycare and she wouldn't have learned her alphabet, numbers, shapes and colors at her age. This gives me relief because I don't think I can do that right now. (Personal story will be blogged later). So much has transpired in my life that I need my family close by.

Enjoy the pics of Arianna during her tea party at the boat house. She's wearing a summer dress full of daisies from Gymboree (12mo and still too big), and her Bantu Knots hairstyle. Just a little something different.

*How can I ever say "no" to this face?

*She just started walking a few weeks ago. Correction: running, seriously?:)

*We are the Laughinghouse Family 24/7

*She finally got the talking tea pot to herself to enjoy. How nice to let everyone else get a turn first.

*Thinking, why does this food have no taste? Mommy tricked me!:-)

*I'm framing this. Caption: Tea is liquid wisdom. So drink up!

*Another framed pic. Caption: Dream on my dreamer while others are still wishing.

To Watch TV or YouTube?

So, I began mommy hood saying that Arianna's eyes would not gaze upon a television until she was 2 years old. That's the suggestion of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The group strongly recommends through their TV viewing guidelines that children should not watch TV until they are 2 years old because of various downsides. One, in particular, says that television lessens a child's ability to focus and more likely to eat junkfood.
Ok, so maybe I'm skewing these guidelines a bit. Arianna loves youtube while she's getting her hair combed or just to watch the same ABC, 123 and Sesame Street videos. Of course, she also loves her flashcards. But I must say - since 15months, she's been able to read (not just sing or repeat) the entire alphabet and her numbers from 1-10! As far as junk food - she hasn't eat meat and rarely has cheese on her veggies. Yes, I'm raising her to be a vegan like her mommy. I'm a strong believer that this will not damage her; like many believe or like to judge. Based on her regular pediatrician appointments, Arianna is extremely fit and I should keep doing what I'm doing.
Lastly, we should remember that all children are different. For some reason, we have a tendency to raise children based on what professionals and nonprofessionals suggest.
Ok, this is the last comment...how do you feel about television and children under 2yrs old? Of course, it should not be used as a babysitter, but are there "loop holes" to this study?

I Love My Hair...too!

Well, it's no coincidence that Arianna smiles every time she sees the Sesame Street video - "I Love My Hair". This video, I believe, represents all things Montessori. I'm still a novice, but I wouldn't doubt that Maria Montessori would disagree with my passion for Arianna to love her natural hair. It's tough to grow up in a society that tells little girls they cannot be pretty unless they have long flowing hair down to their elbows. What do the girls think when they see Mommy's hair isn't like that? My hair is longer than average, but 99% of the year, it's up in a pony tail. So, am I doing a disservice by not supporting this "faux" long hair movement? No way.

Before last month, I was struggling to get Arianna's hair to grow; especially around the crown of her head. I had no idea that I should be applying nourishment oil to her scalp. Nor was I aware of the dangers of products with petroleum jelly and mineral oil. The same friend - Dr. C. James - that introduced me to the Montessori method, is my source for great hair products for growing healthy African American hair. Oh my goodness, you should see her daughter's hair. It will make you quote, "Repunzel, Repunzel! Let down your hair!"



So, I'd like to use this blog to post the products that I use on Arianna's hair; followed by pics of her wearing a beautiful baby afro:)

1.  Tui Herbal Shampoo by Carole's Daughter  - I wash her hair once a week. Usually on Saturday's before Sunday's Church Service. For those that don't know - it's an African American ritual.

2. Revitalizing Leave In Conditioner by Jane Carter Solutions - You can purchase her products at Target, too. I love this conditioner!!!

 3. Scalp Nourishing Serum by Jane Carter Solution - The label says to use 3 to 4 times a week. I use it about 2 to 3 times a week on Arianna. But I definitely use this immediately after the leave in conditioner.

4. Some of Marguerite's Magic by Carole's Daughter - I use this just about every day. First, I wet her hair, apply the cream, then wet comb before combing through. And the product last a really long time. Great deal!

5. Nourish and Shine by Jane Carter Solutions - This is actually a butter type substance that can be used on the hair and body. It's the most expensive item, so I use it sparingly. I definitely use it to lay down her edges. First, apply a little water, smear a tiny amount onto crown, then brush (with baby brush) down into a pony tail.

So, some may not believe me when I say Arianna's hair has done a 360. Below is a pic just 5 weeks before hearing about these wonderful products (all made by women of color, too!)

NOTE: ***Click the pics for zoom

BEFORE....

AFTER....taken a couple weeks ago.

Taken last week:

Here are two extra pics: one with her best buddy and today's baby afro pose

Nature and Natural Light

Yesterday, we were given a tutorial on using natural light by one of our fellow Stroller Stride mamas. I love Stroller Strides. It's a great opportunity to meet other moms and our children fellowship (have play dates). Beth is the owner of A.E. Wiley Photography in Clayton, NC. Our session was held at the J.C. Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, NC. We learned about natural light as the children explored nature around them. It's great to see children enjoy playing with rocks, twigs, hay, flowers, etc. and not have a fit because they couldn't find a button to press that makes a bunch of noise.

One of the first tips that I've learned from Montessori parenting is that the quality of toys should be along the lines of cognitive development and manipulation. I admit that as a first time parent, I wanted to buy everything that made noise (yes, I don't mind noise makers) for Arianna. Thankfully, those toys didn't interest her much. She'd rather take a comb and work pieces of plastic between the teeth of the comb - things like that. I believe she's a lot like her daddy. My husband is great with numbers, decoding projects, and putting anything together. Yes, I have a gem!:) While mommy is great at reading, writing, and arguing how "right" I am. Yes, I'm in for it!

Overall, we had a great time learning about photography and cameras. Funny thing was everyone had these really nice Cannon, Sony, and Nikon cameras. Guess what I brought? My iPhone 4G! LOL! Yes, but I think it takes great pics. I used an app called "Camera+" that gave me the grid to take great shots and other cool bells and whistles for just $1.99. 

Enjoy these pics of Arianna. DISCLAIMER: The best pic (below) was taken by Beth, our instructor. The rest are my iPhone pics. I'm available for services, too! HA!

First time with fork

This evening we rushed to Harris Teeter for some veggies and fruit for the week. I saw the toddler fork and spoon set and decided to purchase. I'm really trying to encourage Ari's independence and self reliance in the small things - laying down for a nap, potty training, preparing her meals and feeding herself (now with a fork).

Two days ago he prepped her own carrots. Well we accidentally added too much EVOO. So I steamed some broccoli and added to the container.

I was shocked to see her "go at it" with the fork. Check out the pics. I'm enjoying seeing her develop daily. God is so good!

Preparing meals...

Today was a fun day. Well, I'm speaking enjoyment into my entire day. It took Arianna 1.5 hrs to fall asleep for her nap. The day before, I purchased the sunblock curtains for her room. This is what went on for 1.5hrs - her reaching out to me. I don't know maybe this is why those Montessori beds work so well; no sense of confinement to go to sleep. Who rests well behind bars?

In the end, she slept almost 3 hrs. I had to wake her up. We then went to a cookout for daddy's job. We had fun on the swing and sliding down the big slide. Yes "we" went down the slide:-)

After the park, we ran some errands and came home. Arianna wasn't that sleepy so we began finger painting. She's enjoying paint more and more.

While we finger painted, her carrots were steaming in my Beaba babycooker. I use it when I can since she's growing up and doesn't like purée foods any longer.

Once the carrots were ready, I tried teaching her how to prepare her meals (another Montessori method of child development. Check out all the pics below: