Weekend Fun

This past weekend was pretty low key. It was beautiful outside so we took advantage of that.

Saturday, Aiden had his last swim lesson for the Spring I session. He starts the Spring II session in two weeks and that class he will go in by himself with the teachers as opposed to one of us going in with him. He's doing really well with the swimming and understanding the concept so I think he will learn to swim in his own fairly quickly. Afterwards, we worked on some of his Octonauts creature cards and sticker sheet.

CREATURE REPORT!!

We also did some playing outside. Aiden took Rebecca and our neighbor Brayden for a ride in his car.

Sunday we had planned to go to a local "Touch-a-Truck". I knew that Aiden would love seeing all the big trucks and being able to go inside them and whatnot, but we didn't end up going after all because Rebecca took a really long nap.

Some Target fun.

 Jumping up and down on the shelves.

Later that day at the mall.

 Those are suppose to be capri pants on her.

Toddlerhood.

I'm not sure if I am ready for this.

I love that Rebecca is growing and getting bigger, but...she is still my baby and I guess I am having a bit of a hard accepting that she is not going to stay this squishy, cuddly little girl forever. In three weeks she moves over to the toddler room at daycare. While its great because she is walking, getting into everything and is starting to be comfortable interacting with new people. Plus, her rate goes down $30 a week so that's a savings of $120 a month for us. But.....I worry about how she will do because she is small. She doesn't say many words and she also is not using her utensils much. I know that they will work with her and Seth & I can work more with her at home to master this better. I do like that her daily routine will be more structured i.e. snack times, lunch time, naps at the same time everyday, etc. Maybe she needs to be in a room where the kids are older so she can "catch up" so to speak. I know with Aiden I was excited for him to move over to the toddler room, but I also feel that he was doing more then she is currently. He was also about 7lbs heavier as well. And that does make a difference.

I know in my mind that she will be fine and she will adjust well. She will get used to her new teachers and she will make a few new friends. One of the boys in her room will be moving over a week after she moves over so hopefully they will be together. That will be a comfort for both of them in the transition. I just need to take a step back and breathe. I don't want to be one of those helicopter moms that I can't stand. I want my kids to grow and learn and explorer for themselves. I want to be there to help them when they need me and offer support. I want them to trust me and I in return. It will all work out in the end.

Happy Easter!!

Well better late then never...I guess. This past weekend was really crazy. Rebecca was not feeling that great from her ear infection and I had to prepare a lot of food for the week for Passover. So Easter didn't end up being what I really hoped it would be. The kids did open their Easter baskets and Aiden did search for all the Easter egg that the Easter Bunny hid around the house, but we didn't go anywhere that day. Nor did we get around to coloring eggs like I had hoped. Aiden did end up coloring his eggs. We colored them last night. I had promised him that we would do it and while he hadn't asked at all about doing it I felt bad that we didn't. He had a lot of fun doing it though.

Look!! There's a treat inside!!

 Rebecca snoozing away on her pile of blankets.

 Going for an afternoon ride.

 watching the color tabs dissolve.

 Our eggs.

April Game Play

The game of the month is Memory. Aiden is still too young to play the full game, but we can do smaller games with fewer cards to choose from. His favorite show at the moment is Octonauts on Disney Junior. That is fine and all except that its a British show so any Octonauts items that you want you have to find on eBay or on Amazon and you have to pay for the overseas shipping. I'm eying an octopod, but at $75+ shipping from England, that's not quite going to happen anytime soon.

Anyway, back to the game. I ended up adding it into Aiden's Easter Basket because of when I received the game. He was excited that he received and Octonauts item. Tonight we opened it up and he did pretty well with it. Like any child he tries to put his card back if he turns over a card he doesn't want, but I am teaching him that which ever card he turns over is what card he gets no matter what picture is on it.  

 breaking the cards apart

 Rebecca trying to take a turn too.

 

OMG!!! They match!!! I won!!

Happy Passover!

Every year I do look forward to passover. I don't know why. Maybe its the fact that you are suppose to clean out your kitchen for a fresh start. Maybe its the fact that you eat different food. Yes it is harder food-wise because you can't have any leavened bread, no rice or yeast products. So it does make it interesting if you want to go out to dinner or you pretty much have to bring your lunch all week. I have basically spent the past three days cooking so that we have food for the week. Friday I made Seth matzoh almond brittle and I also made chocolate toffee covered matzoh. Saturday I made an apple cake for Passover dinner with the family and I also made Seth's honey sponge cake. Today, Sunday, I made a 14lb turkey, my banana sponge cake that I will be eating for breakfast in the morning, sweet n sour meatballs and I also made a spinach bake side dish. This will hold us over for a few days. I still need to make a sweet potato dish and also a keugel and put the salad together, but I'm spent right now.

 almond brittle

 chocolate toffee matzoh

 apple cake before I cooked it

 all the meatballs.

 banana sponge

spinach bake


Here are some pictures from dinner at Seth's brother's house.

 

"Tie" Dying Eggs

Literally.... with a neck tie.

This is another idea that I found on the website Pinterest. You can dye eggs using a mens tie. Now it can't be any old tie. It has to be a 100% silk tie Otherwise the colors won't transfer properly. So to find my silk ties at a decent price off to a thrift shop I went. There were a lot of ties to choose from, but I wanted ones that had really intricate designs and bright vibrant colors. You know the ties that only old people would think of wearing because most of the general public would think that they were butt ugly, however if you look at the tie in terms of decoration then they look pretty good.  Here are my ties.

So basically you cut the seam in the back to open up the tie. Cut a swatch out of the tie. Wrap the egg in the fabric. Make sure that you pull it tightly around the egg so its smooth so there aren't any creases in your pattern. Next you wrap a piece of plain white or cream colored cloth around the egg. Place it in a pan with boiling water and 1/4 cup of vinegar. Remove after 20 minutes. Set on a towel or a colander to dry and once they are cooled then you can remove the fabric and enjoy your colorful eggs. No painting required and considerably less mess. Of course I did get a few eggs so Aiden could have fun coloring his own.

I will say that they they didn't quite come out like the picture did. It was really hard to get the fabric smooth over the egg and there were quite a few areas where the fabric overlapped and bunched up. Its an oblong object so its not quite going to sit right. I may or may not do this again next year.

All About Aiden

There is so much to say about you I am not quite sure where to start. I love watching you growing into your own person and know this that I try very hard to stand back and let you do things and learn things on your own. That is how we grow. I will always be there to help you whenever you need it no matter how small it may be. I love watching your eyes light up at what seems like the simplest things like holiday decorations. I love that you crack up at the drop of a hat. I love that you get upset when you don't get to give Rebecca a hug goodnight. I love that you want to help out with everything. I love being your Mom and I wouldn't change a thing about you.

NAME- Aiden Blake
AGE- 3.5yrs
HT- about 3'1"
WT- about 29lbs
HAIR- Medium blond
EYE- brown
FAV COLOR- blue
FAV TOY- his car ramp
FAV SHOW- Octonauts & Mickey Mouse
FAV MOVIE- Cars 1 & 2
FAV FOOD- Mac n Cheese
FAV SNACK- Space Goldfish  and grapes
BEST FRIENDS- Brayden, Gretta and Emily (from school)
FAV RESTAURANT- Friendly's
FAV PLACE TO GO- the mall or the park (indoor and outdoor)
FAV GAME- Hungry Hungry Hippos