Spicing Things Up

Last week with and for Autumn we:

Pumped up ASL, using mostly these words

Car
Book
Play
More
All Done
Diaper
Sleep
Mom
Dad
Eat
Drink

and continuing on with “Nummies” and “Potty.”

After two days, she was smiling and excited with the word/sign. I think she knew something was coming next. That’s awesome! Babies are so much smarter than we know 🙂

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I started implementing more Montessori ideas. I know this is a far cry from Montessori materials, but I’m trying to just go with the flow and the principles until budget allows:

Low shelves; variety of “open-ended” toys, neatly arranged; safe environment to explore; little-to-no interruptions from the ‘rents = )

After I set it all up she was like “O! an envelope!” and I was like “O great!” Haha – but she’s been loving it. Last weekend she played for like 50 minutes BY  HERSELF! Her dad and I were sitting on the floor in the middle of the room talking to each other, acknowledging her when she made eye contact but mostly just let her be. She came over for a bout 5 mintues halfway through but yeah, I’m hoping this mindful parenting stuff helps her to really think about things from her own perspectives. Which leads me to . . . 

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Got serious about REI in our home.

From diaper changes, to independent play (around 50 the other day!), to how we talk to her (using full sentences “Would you like the red ball?” instead of just focusing on teaching her a single word, “ball”; using pronouns instead of saying “Mommy’s going to . . . “; telling her what’s going to happen next, etc), and not showing her what an object is for/how to do something – but allowing her the chance to discover it for herself (sounds easy, but I struggle with it!).

Started reading books together more. SoOoOo cute when she starts to giggle when she sees the book coming . . . 

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Started *trying* to get her to take dessicated liver – she’s not a fan. (Can you blame her?) But her iron is low and Nate wants is to try natural food-based ways 1st as their easiest on a little tummy and most readily absorbed by their systems.

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And working on a routine. We mostly do the same thing everyday, so this was more for me 🙂

{Taking over our pic}

Morgan (loves to) Reid