Baby/Toddler Book Club

Today Emily and I went to a Baby/Toddler Book Club. This was such a fun playdate idea! It was developed by Mommy T, a very creative mom, who hosts it monthly at her home. It's generally the under 3 crowd, but all ages are welcome. Kids play and moms chat for a while, until it is time for the books. There is a snack and sometimes a simple craft. Everyone is encouraged to bring their favorite book from home based on the month's theme. Today's theme was animals and Mommy T had a collection of stuffed animals that the children could choose to hold while the books were being read. Then the moms all took turns sharing their books.

Emily was more interested in emptying the stuffed animal bin than listening to books today, but Mommy T did get her attention when she let her pet the textured touch-and-feel book she was reading. When I worked as a librarian, I often had to reassure parents of little ones that it doesn't matter if it seems their child isn't listening. Even when they don't sit still and pay attention to the book, they are still taking it in. Being busy is an important part of the way they learn. Emily enjoyed touching all the animals.

She did suddenly stop and intently look and listen when Mommy T read

Moo, Baa, La, La, La by Sandra Boynton.
I don't know if it was coincidence or because we have this book and read it a lot, but Emily was very interested for the whole story. If you haven't read Sandra Boynton, you need check her out! Her books are simple and very funny for both children and adults. This one is a story in rhyme with lots of chance for making animal noises.

Another book that was shared today was Poke-a-Dot! Old MacDonalds's Farm
This is the traditional "Old MacDonald" song with a twist. Each two page spread has different animals--10 cows, 9 pigs, etc. There is a button to poke to help with counting all the animals. The older children took turns counting on each page. The singing got Emily's attention and she looked at me and smiled several times.




The baby/toddler book club is an event we will attend regularly. I plan to host my own sometime, too! Thanks, Mommy T for the fabulous idea! (Read more about her book clubs and other creative ideas at thismomcreates.com)

Project 52 -- 2012

Over the past few months I have been reading various blogs that have referred to "Project 52" and my interest was piqued. I loved the idea of having a list of 52 things that you planned to get done in a year. While it's not essential to have exactly 52 things, the idea is to break down the year into weeks and have reasonable and achievable goals. This is so me. I love this idea! Project 52 is the invention of Karen Peterson and Jennee Thompson@ apeekatkarensworld.com. You can read more about it here.


Since this is the time of year for the traditional New Year's Resolutions, I thought I would share my first project 52 with you.

II

1. Plan a future vacation
   This may not be a vacation *in* 2012, but we are planning a vacation, one way or the other!
2. Attend a Women of Faith Conference
3. Try Xtreme Trampolining
   This looks like so much fun!
4. Get a manicure
   It's been a few years, way overdue.
5. Redeem gift cards
6. Create Christmas action plan by October
   Note I said "action plan" not "everything will be done by Oct!" It will be my mini-project 52 for the holiday season. Instead of the 1002-things-I-want-to-do-and-think-I-have-time-for-but-what-was-I-thinking!-It's-already-Christmas-Eve!-stress-and-guilt, I will have a plan for a reasonable amount of things to do and enjoy the season. (I say this now.) Check back with me next December to see how realistic this one was.
7. Gather 25 books for Advent Calendar
   Check out this post about it.
8. Complete 12 monthly fitness goals
   Each month I'll have a mini challenge to complete, like 10 minutes on the rebounder 3X a week, or go for a 20 minute walk 5 days a week. Learning from past failures, I am going to make them reasonable. Instead of have-to-do-the-ideal EVERY DAY, it will be baby steps in the right direction. Especially if I give myself a daily goal, if I have a 90% success rate, I'll be happy.
9. Complete 12 monthly health and wellness challenges
   Ditto # 8. These will be things like a salad-a-day or take my vitamins or drink x amount of water, journal, pray, etc.. My first one is probably going to be the hardest, though. I am giving up SUGAR. Pray for me and my family! I will probably be a beast, the sugar fiend that I am. I have been preparing for it all week by loading up on all the junk food in the house. Kind of like a week long Mardi Gras. I am the only one who eats this stuff and we don't want it to go to waste, right!?! I'll be honest though, I am not reading labels (much)-- I am only giving up the obvious junk food that has sugar in it. I figured January is a month to be motivated to do NY resolutions, so I figured I'd take the plunge now. 
10. Read 36 adult/YA books
    As a book lover, you'd think this one would be easy, but I am now a mom. I also tended to read more children's books in the past. 
11. Re-read the Outlander book Voyager so that I can read Scottish Prisoner
    Those of you who are fans of this series know how long these books are. They are also highly addictive, but I can't take a weekend away to just read, much as I might want to!
12. Fix Jewelry and watches
13. Mend clothes
    I have so many things missing buttons, it's ridiculous. First, I have to find the needle and thread. This could take awhile.
    
14. Overhaul closet
15. Dance at least 6 times
    I can hear my friends saying, "What, only 6!" You used to dance once a week! Well that was a few years and a baby ago....I'd love to dance more than that, but baby steps, people, baby steps!
16. Write 100 Blog posts
17. Journal at least 12 times
18. Finish family devotions book
19. Make wrapping paper station
20. Read Dave' Ramsey's The Total Money Makeover and discuss with husband
21. Balance budget and follow it!
22. Discuss finances/retirement with hubby
23. Sell timeshare
24. Do will/power of attorney/discuss plots
25. Update all insurance, etc. paperwork
26. Find new dentist
27. Organize pantry
28. Get eyes checked
    Trying to be proactive with this one. With all the times Miss E grabs my glasses, it will be good to have an extra pair. Will see if I really am proactive, though!
29. Find at least one good babysitter that's not family
    A somewhat regular babysitter would let me get some of these P52 things done!
30. Continue weekly date nights
    My husband and I have been having weekly date nights for a few months now. Most of them are very low key, like sitting on the couch for 30 minutes and having a hot drink together. Even if we stare at each other for the whole time, that counts! But we try to at least talk to each other, before we fall asleep on the couch...
31. Birthday letter to Emily
32. Start Memory book for Emily
33. 1^st Birthday party for Emily
34. Get a professional massage
35. Create a 30 Day menu (and use it!)
36. Curtains for Living Room
37. Remove wall paper from Master Bathroom
38. Sell antiques
39. Do paint touch ups in Dining Room
40. Have 1 dinner party
41. Have 1 game night
42. Go to a play
    As a result of one of our date nights, I found out that my husband actually likes going to plays. How did I not know this!! (I thought he just went with me for my sake. Huh. We are so going to a play now.
43. Use chocolate fountain!
44. Learn a Christmas carol on the mountain dulcimer
45. Get oil change
    My poor car. When I worked full time (before Emily) there were things I did automatically. Go to the dentist, get oil changes, things like that. Now planning is SO different! As a result, I have no idea when the last oil change was on the car...
46. Plant herbs in spring
47. Fix wallpaper in bathroom
48. Mail St. Jude's cards
49. Get free credit scores 3 X (1 each quarter)
50. Do photo face book for Emily
    This is an idea I got from my friend AR. You make a book out of face shots of family and friends, especially the ones that don't live close. Then  you read it like other books and when family comes to visit, the child knows them. My husband's parents live more than a few hours away, so this will be a fun way for them to connect.
51. Clean car (wash, vacuum)
    See #45...
52. Celebrate my half-birthday doing something silly.
    Mine only happens once every four years after all! 
    
    

    So that's my list. To help myself get these things done, I've put each one on an index card, punched a hole in the card and clipped them together. Now I can write notes, progress, etc on each card. It's portable and easily sorted if I want to work on some at the same time.

    
    

    

    
    

    So, do you have any New Year's Resolutions? Want to join the Project 52 challenge? Good luck!
     

    Have a happy and healthy New Year!