18 months! Hi out of town family!

Hi out of town family!

I'm Alex. I'm 18 months old now! Mommy has no idea where the time has gone. I'm a girl always on the go. I've been busy exploring and enjoying life. We haven't writen in a while. I thought I'd write about a few of my favorite things:

Mommy is still my favorite person, but daddy is pretty awesome too. We are done nursing. Mommy misses the cuddles. But I give her snobbery kisses, wet bath hugs, and raspberries at night to make up for it. 

As I go throughout my day, I often sing a little song I made up. It goes something like this, daba-daba-daba-daba" as I play with my toys. 

I love playing hide and go seek. I often hide my whole body except my feet. Mommy finds them and tickles me! 

Our dog, Cash is my best friend. Every morning, I say joyfully say "hi" to him as he wakes up. I also enjoy calling Cash back into the house when he escapes. I clap my hands like mommy and shout, "ta-ta-ta." Sometimes it works! I love throwing the ball at him and playing keep away with him. I can't figure out why cats don't appreciate this game. 

My favorite toy is a baby doll. I carry it around the house daily. I swaddle her and dress her. I'm practicing to be a good mommy when I grow up. I get very excited when I see another baby at the store. I often stop and point. I exclaim "baby!" Just so everyone knows and sees a cute baby when I do. With my love for babies, I know I will be a great big sister someday. 

I spend time pointing out babies in magazines. I love reading about baby Moses and baby Jesus. Mommy tells me that like Moses to save the Israelites from slavery, Jesus saved us from the slavery of our sins. I know how to put my hands together to pray and talk to Jesus. Many nights, I remind Mommy if she forgot to pray. 

I'm still having some tummy issues. Were hoping with God's strength, well get through them. Things like prunes, probiotics,excerise, camille tea, and miralax are helping me a lot. We'd appreciate your prayers for my tummy. 

I'm getting taller and blonder every day. My hair got so long already that mommy gave me a hair cut! I even sat down long enough for her to paint my toes orange! I love being a girl already. 

I can say words like, "that, cup, baby, mommy, mama, dada, juice." These few words seem to communicate anything I need all day. 

I am a good girl. I will put toys away, bring my dishes to the counter, wiping up my mess, and close the door when asked most times. I'm a good eater too. I'll eat many dishes like jambayla, paella, curry, when mommy remembers to cut down the spice. I also enjoy making and eating my own guacamole, peeling bananas, and helping myself to getting a drink of water. 

I am a little shy around when strange older kids try to hug me. But mommy says it's ok. I seem to warm up in a new environment after a little while. I do enjoy play groups and going to the park. 

I love talking on the phone. I will talk really loud and laugh a lot just like my mommy does on the phone.  After telling a long story, I'll say, ummmm.  Soon I'll be enjoying long conversations with each and every one of you!

We miss you all! And can't wait until our next visit!

Hugs and kisses, 

Alex

Monetssori: how we montessori!

Hey Alex!

I thought I'd write a little about what I've learned about Montessori! I like many ideas in Montessori and incorporated a little into our home to promote learning and accessiblity! Here we go!

Sorry for the dark pics! I took them after putting You down so it'd be clean. It try my best to keep it clean but it's a struggle! Lol. I thought I'd show you how it should look clean so u can get the Montessori idea!:-) but just know that I'm not perfect 😊 lol. Anyway, I have different stations through the house for you. 

Here's the first place I started - the toys in the living room. (Some Montessori moms have a dedicated playroom but I don't have that. So the living room will have to do. I'd encourage you to do what works in your house) It was probably the most challenging for me! I'm bad at organizing tho. Lol. It's is our entertainment center. It has two book shelves that I noticed Alex was drawn to continually. So I put some of her toys here. Mostly the kind of toys that I need to help her with or /and supervise- puzzles , blocks, and shape matching toy. It also has a mat rolled up to use with the puzzles and shape matching toys. I found this spot easy to watch her here. But you can move supervised toys wherever works for you to watch them. I'm working with her to put her puzzle on the the mat and keep the puzzles on the mat to teach her to organize and not to scatter them around the house! In Montessori mats are used when a table isn't close by. (In  a Montessori school most activities  are on a tray on the shelf and a table close by for them to put it on.) so instead the child puts the mat down and then the activity. I hope that makes sense. With the shape toy, the pieces are together and zip into it. She can't get to them on her own so when I notice her playing with it and sit down with her, use the mat, get the pieces out for her to use, and show her how it's done.

Also in the living room. These low shelves are for free play meaning I don't need to watch her with and she can play when ever. The toys should be spread out probably a little more than I have here.  There is a basket with music toys and bin with trains. I plan to rotate the basket with other similar toys when I have a minute and other ideas. In Montessori baskets are used to keep similar small items. I have to confess in true Montessori I don't think the top shelf is used. But it's ok with me.😊 also the bin should be in the shelf ideally. But it's to big. So like I said this works for now:-) I hope I not going into too much detail! Or overwhelming you! Hopefully this will give you some ideas on what would work in your home:-)) 

anyway on to the kitchen, I have a picnic table and hutch here for here. This is an area I'm still perfecting. In Montessori a weaning table or toddler table is a must. Ideally the child should take a tray of an activity and place it on the table to work on. I really wished I would've gotten a weaning table. But it's a long story and I'm stuck with this stupid picnic table until we can get funds for one.😊 also the hutch is probably not the best but I got it for free so it'll do for now. 😊 in the hutch, there's two shelves one for coloring and other for puzzles with a lot of pieces. This is also a good place for me to supervised her with these little pieces type things. I need to get a tray to put the coloring item on. I plan to do more tray activities here as well. ( the books here are to weight the hutch down since it's top heavy. Ideally in Montessori you could put more trays, their cups and plates here for them to reach.)

This is a learning tower or kitchen aid which aim really excited about! My hubby made to so she can reach the counter and do kitchen activities. This isn't an essential. I've read a lot of moms do fine with a stool under supervision. I like his because she can climb in and out of it to wash her hands, get a drink, and do kitchen activities. I have a blender and toaster here so she can use with my supervision. We made smoothies together, toast, crack eggs, and cut bananas.

This is our pantry lol. Nothing here really except the dog food in the orange bucket. She like to feed the dog and it's a great scooping activity.

This is Alex's room. I have her on a low twin bed on the floor. There's her close in the closet on a low hanging rack to encourage self dressing. I also have a dresser with her clothes in the lower drawers. The changing table is used for displaying toys instead of changing diapers. I recently moved that to the bathroom. ( that's not true montessori I don't think. I moved the diaper changing there to start with potty training. Tho i did get the idea from a Montessori site.) I've seen some kids bedrooms with heir own potty. I might move it here someday we'll see.

Here's the bathroom. With the changing pad on the counter, to encourage her to associate the bathroom with going. Also her own little potty to sit on. I don't except her to go yet just getting used to sitting on it regularly. I hope it helps with potty training! We'll see! 

So far, Well that's what we get done in our house with our budget and what we have ! Hope you like it!