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?

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!

Vegan Cupcakes for Daddy...

I decided to grate carrots today and make a batch of vegan carrot cupcakes for Daddy. Arianna enjoyed out time in the kitchen as she made music on two round cake pans and one of those barbecue sauce brushes used for marinades. LOL! I don't know why I didn't give her the wooden spoon. It was a lot of fun. I'm not far into my Montessori at home books, but I'm sure experimenting with sound via pans, bowls and spoons is Montessori-ish:) It just came natural for me to allow her to have fun while mommy was at work.

Eventually, she fell asleep while the cupcakes were baking. But this was around 4:45pm. What's up with these super late naps? We have to do better. But she'll get back on schedule as I'm waking up pretty early for Stroller Stride class tomorrow.  

While she slept, I iced all the cupcakes but one - for daddy. She added sprinkles and enjoyed a few crumbs from one of our daddy-size cupcakes. Arianna still dies not like to eat much, but I'm not complaining. Her pediatrician says that she's extremely fit and perfect for her size. Thank God for wisdom in being first time parent.

Currently, she's climbing on the couch, up stairs and able to climb back down on her own. All of this before walking. I'm so proud of her. Her current favorite activity (besides giggling) is watching and reading the alphabet; particularly the song and book - "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom":-)

First Montessori Puzzle

Today I bought Arianna two simple toys that are along the lines of Montessori development. She really enjoyed a few minutes playing with the "Hello, It's Me Puzzle". It's so cute, colorful, simple and looks far more durable than the toys you are bombarded with on Saturday mornings. This is why she only watches PBS when we turn on the television.

The second toy is the "Tumblekins School Bus". She loves seeing the people roll as she pushes the yellow bus. She dropped one of the people and went back to get the little guy to cone back n start pushing. Interestingly enough, she likes putting the two of the people in one slot. I wonder why she does this and what her brain is communicating. Can you tell that I'm enjoying all things Montessori?

The Beginning

I'm great at starting something but struggle with keeping the excitement going. I've come to the conclusion that I'm at my best when I'm organized. This means, I must be equipped with a calendar, laundry complete, kitchen clean....I mean, I may have a disorder, but that's me. The ironic thing is that with an infant in the home, these things are rarely accomplished simultaneously.

So, I'm starting this blog to stay organized with my research and experience with my daughter's child development. Arianna just made 14months and this is a great time to help her soak up everything necessary to develop as a happy exploratory little girl. Yes, she's my pride and joy and taking on another project, outside of my PhD program, is worth the sleepless nights.

Many thanks to my childhood friend, Dr. C. James for directing me to Montessori methods for the home. She's an outstanding psychologist, has three children of her own and a model for all things done in excellence and with a smile:-)

My first post is just a mention of my first book: Montessori From The Start: The Child at Home, from Birth to Age Three.

I've already learned that ages 0 to 3 are extremely important years for child development. Dr. Montessori "realized that the natural drive of young children provided the focus and energy for their self-development." (Lillard & Jessen, p. 6)

I'm excited about what's to come for us both as I research, she learns, and we see the rewards of Montessori in the home.

Here's your Montessori Quote of the day: (Courtesy of http://www.montessoriblog.com/

"The development of the child during the first three years after birth is unequaled in intensity and importance by any period that precedes or follows in the whole life of the child."  

- Maria Montessori