N is for..., O is for...

N is for Nature! We’ve been checking out some of our local nature programs – the two last week focused on winter (circle snowman craft, a story about tracks in the snow, looking for tracks in the snow, and outdoor play time) and wolves. Too bad it wasn’t ‘W’ week! The wolf program involved a slide show in a theater along with a talk about how wolves are not big and bad as they are often portrayed in fairy tales. Both programs were outstanding.

O is for Owls! We met Aztec at the state park this morning – she is not from these parts. She’s actually a tropical owl who was introduced to people at an early age and, as such, is unable to be released back into the wild. She was part of a zoo bird show until she decided she didn’t like to be handled by so many people, and has spent the past 17 years living with Park Ranger Barb.

Winter Wonderland

Today is one of those rare days when we had nothing on the calendar and opted to just stay home.
Baking bread, playing outside, catching up on laundry. Sometimes these days are the very best. An added bonus: it’s gorgeous out there – bearable temps, and crispy white frost clinging to the trees.

Faux Days

We’ve been playing with faux snow! Yesterday it was white sand in a cake pan with Matchbox bulldozers (snowplows) and today it was shaving cream painting on cookie sheets. Mateo enjoyed both, but keeps going back to the snowplowing. Today he added a dump truck to the mix after witnessing a real snowplow dumping loads of snow into a dump truck. So cool to see real life situations translate into play activities.

Apparently Mateo was also playing with faux fire this afternoon, as he pulled a fire alarm at a nearby arts center. Zoinks. It really scared him – fingers are crossed that he was scared enough to not try that again. Ever. There was a tai chi class in progress at the time – it probably scared them a little bit, too.

Winter Break!

We are spending a week (maybe two) learning about winter and taking part in some fun local offerings. We kicked the festivities off today with a visit to a beautiful library in a neighboring town that was hosting a ‘Winter Learning Through Play’ event for children ages 1-4. There were a variety of stations for the kids to explore: rice bins for sensory play and scooping; duplo blocks for building; shaving cream painting; educational toys; build-a-snowman felt board; and an igloo made of milk jugs. Ooh, we mustn’t forget the snowflake café serving snowman soup, snowflake pie, sugary snowflakes and donut snowballs. We left all sugared up and satisfied.

M if for...

M is for Matching with the Memory game Mateo received for Christmas! Of course, M is also for Motor-cycles and Music – two of the big boy’s faves.

L is for...

L is for Loco. I mean Locomotives. (But doesn’t Mateo look un poquito loco in this picture?! Funny guy.) Building on his love of trains, we broke out one of his favorite titles, I Saw an Ant on the Railroad Track, as well as a few Thomas the Tank Engine paperbacks. We added some architecture to our studies by building a Lincoln Log restaurant and a Lincoln Log saloon around the Lincoln Log train track for those hungry passengers arriving at the station. (Okay, maybe that counts more as motor skills development than architecture, but those buildings are NOT easy to make.)

L is also for Lions. We watched The Lion King. I wasn’t sure how that would go, what with the scary and sad parts, but Mateo was pretty tuned in to the movie and talked about some of the things he was feeling when he watched it. He ended up watching it repeatedly and particularly enjoyed ‘Hakuna Matata’. “It means no worries for the rest of your days; it's our problem-free philosophy…Hakuna Matata!”

Happy Blue Moon New Year!

We did not go out to celebrate the changing of years, but if we had I might’ve looked like this! Or not.

We also did not write a New Year letter this year, but if we had it might’ve looked like this:

Mateo is the most energetic person anywhere. He is three and a half and loves playing cars and motorcycles, doing flip-flops and eating grape tomatoes. He likes buying his own cookies at the local coffee shop, too. He started going to “school” this past fall – a 10-week session of once-a-week one-and-a-half-hour ECFE classes. He will start “real school” (4-year-old pre-K) this fall…if he ever climbs fully aboard the potty train.

Kevin is adapting to a significantly longer commute to work, but we are grateful that he is valued at his job and that he is able to work from home once a week or so. Two of his photos were selected as covers for two of the company’s maps – one picture of the Boundary Waters and the other of downtown St. Paul. So proud! Kevin is a great Dad and plays with Mateo almost as much as Mateo would like. In case you’re wondering, that would be every waking moment.

I have all but given up glasswork for the time being, and am focusing my creative energy on an arts-based early literacy program that I am teaching once a month at our local library. I will also be teaching an altered books program for adults beginning at the end of January. How did I get so lucky to have this job I love? My other job (as Mommy) is one that I love, too. In case you’re wondering, it’s the harder of the two. In February, I will celebrate having completed three full years in the immersion parenting class offered through the University of Life.

It’s fun to brag a little bit about the good things, but there had been some tougher issues in 2009 as well. Illnesses and family emergencies seem to pop up when least expected and somehow shine a different light on things. I was recently asked what two words might best describe the coming year. For me, for our household, the answer is self-care. (Yes, I know it’s a single hyphenated word – don’t be so freakin’ picky.) Kevin and I are both realizing the physical manifestations of stress – we are going to have to pay close attention to what is happening in our lives if we are going to be our best. For Mateo, self-care is a no-brainer – three-year-olds want to do everything all by themselves all the time. Except when they want to be the baby.

Yep, our New Year letter might’ve looked like that. Or not.