If Nothing Else, So That She Knows

I think many things when I look at Hannah.

Beautiful.  Blessing.  No longer a baby.

After dreaming of being a mother my whole life,

And going through 6 failed cycles of infertility treatments,

Finding out that she had been created was a moment I’ll never forget.

Motivated.  Moody.  Miracle.

After 42 weeks of pregnancy and a difficult labor

She arrived safely despite all the odds and complications we faced.

And she completely changed my life.

Amazing.  Athletic.  Adorable.

Like every mother, I’ve spent countless hours with her –

Laughing, crying, soothing at 2am.

I wake up every day with the intention to provide for her.

My family is my whole life.

Friendly.  Funny.  Fickle.

I love her completely -

There are no stipulations.

I loved her before she existed,

And I’ll continue till I cease to exist.

And if possible, after.

Wise.  Witty.  Full of Wonder.

I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to

shape her, teach her, protect her.

And that is a job I would never turn my back on.

Insightful.  Intelligent.  Independent.

 For these reasons and more - regardless of what may come -

She will always be loved, respected, and supported by me.

She will always be my daughter.

Dramatic.  Dainty.  Delightful.

There is not a yardstick against which I measure my love.

Rich, poor.  Gay, straight.  Successful, searching.

these will never add or subtract from the love I have for my child.

So consider the love you have for your child.

Does it come with conditions?

‘I love you, unless you’re gay.’

Do the judgments you place on others apply to your child as well?

And if it doesn’t, if your child would be exempt,

then what’s the point in judging any one?

All too often we are quick to hate, quick to blame, quick to judge.

When really we should be quick to love, quick to forgive, quick to support.

Celebrities, Political and Religious figures, Community and Family members

Speak out about the dangers of homosexuality.

The sin, the perverseness, the detriment they pose to society.

And citizens, strangers, friends echo their words in support.

But I refuse.

I will not stand by while others spread hate.

I want Hannah to know that regardless of what anyone else thinks,

I will love her for all the many facets that make her unique & special.

I will not withdraw, withhold or disown for any reason –

Let alone for something that she cannot control.

How could a mother, a father, a person do anything else?

Playing with Play Doh

I had big plans for St. Patrick's day, 

and they included green play doh crafts.  

...

But Hannah and I decided to nap and relax all day instead.

Worth it.

We were 5 days late, 

but I finally got around to introducing Hannah to Play Doh:

To say She Loved It! would be an understatement.

She played with it for quite a while before bedtime, 

and then asked to play with it 1st thing this morning.

And in case you haven't played with Play Doh in a while,

Hannah wanted to show you a few fun things you can make with it:

She really did walk around the living room talking on her 'phone'.

Now that I know how much she enjoys it, 

I plan on trying a few homemade dough recipes,

which I'll share in an upcoming Montessori Monday vlog.

Montessori:

Play doh is a great Sensory activity.

It stimulates Touch, Sight, Smell (add spices and scents), 

and sometimes Taste senses - ew!

Safety Tip:

As always, make sure to wipe off your surface before, 

(to minimize debris IN your play doh)

as well as wiping it off afterwards.

(to minimize debris LEFT by your play doh)

Remember to wash hands too!

(double check under nails and between fingers - it's sneaky stuff)

Teach your child the appropriate way to play with the clay:

• No eating it - 
• but lets face it, one bite and they'll probably spit it out...
• No grinding it into carpet.
• Make sure you pick it all up when you're done.
• Teach them how to close the container securely.
• But most importantly - use your Imagination & Have Fun!

not a sponsored post

Happy Half Birthday, Hannah!

I figured that the best way to celebrate 

Hannah turning 1.5 years old 

would be to have a little giveaway.

Since every online retailer is currently sold out of the Albert print from BumGenius, 

and I just happen to have a brand new Albert FreeTime Diaper, 

I thought I'd save someone from waiting on a backorder list, 

and just send it to them directly - for free.

Features:

• 3×3 snap down design* adjusts the sizing to fit small, medium and large sizes (approximately 8-35+ pounds).
• Trim, snug and comfortable stretchy tabs* provide a custom fit.
• One step cloth diaper - no stuffing!
• Two rows of snaps ensure a trim, bumGenius fit every time!
• Gentle leg elastic contains the mess!
• Semi-attached inserts dry faster and allow for customized absorbency where your child needs it most.
• Cloth diapering has never been so easy!

bumGenius Freetime All-In-One One-Size Cloth Diapers feature our patent pending butterfly closure system to provide a comfortable, trim fit. This simple design makes cloth diapering as easy as using disposables. The "no-stuff" system with semi-attached inserts is an ideal solution for families with a child in day-care or family members resistant to cloth diapers! Using the snaps on the front of the diaper, adjust the size if needed, put the diaper on your baby, wash, dry and re-use. No extra steps. No stuffing. No cover required. One-size diapers are designed to fit most babies weighing between 8 and 35 pounds.

Only the Best for Your Baby
The soft, waterproof outer fabric keeps the diaper trim on your newborn and toddler. Soft, sueded inner fabric gently wicks moisture away from your baby's skin. Super stretchy, gentle leg and back elastic with rolled out casings keeps the yuk in and help to keep red marks away.

Care Instructions

• Fasten hook tabs to laundry tabs on slot cover.
• Pre-wash cold. Wash hot (100F/40C) with bumGenius detergent.
• Extra rinse. Line Dry.
• No laundry additives. No fabric softeners.
• Use 1/4 cup or 60 mL bleach in the hot wash once per month.

The Lorax

After Christopher's exciting morning in the ER,

{have no idea what I'm talking about?  VIDEO LINK}
We wanted to reward Hannah for being such a patient girl

and take her to her very first movie in the theater - The Lorax.

Being the cheapskate that I am, I snuck in candy -

Life Saver gummies fit perfectly on toddler fingers

and red vines, a theater staple, are nostalgically delicious -

but Chris still bought a soda and popcorn - 

which Hannah ate by the handful.

The movie started with LOTS of trailers.

Frankenweinie is just what it sounds: Frankenstein meets kid's dead dog.

But since it's by the creators of Nightmare before Halloween

- which I've always found utterly creepy -

The trailer was mainly black and white 

and seemed to creep Hannah out as well.  

There was a new movie from the creators of Coraline

which was so creepy that I didn't even pay attention to the plot.

And then the movie started.

Right away the bright colors, upbeat music 

and happy dance numbers sucked Hannah in.

She rocked back and forth happily and 

only looked away from the screen to grab another 

handful of popcorn or red vine from the box.

The first 60 minutes the movie completely held her attention.

Then things began to go South a little.

Chris had to take her out of the theater for a couple minutes, 

but she returned calm and composed

and watched the second half of the movie in 90% silence.

Really, what more could you ask from a 17 month old?

Bonus - she was free since she's under 3 years old.

Of course Chris and I each paid $10.50 for our tickets.  Yeeoch!

I love her little 'sprigs' pigtails.  

Just imagine them bopping back and forth 

to an animated dance number.  Cute, right?

March Sensory Box

On Monday I wrote about Sensory boxes 
and their role in the Montessori environment.

Having seen many Montessori blogs post photos of their sensory boxes,
I wanted to build one for Hannah.

However, the one step missing from the other blog posts
the I had read was HOW they built them.

SO, I vlogged the photographed the step-by-step process 
of creating her March Sensory Box, explaining
where I bought items and why I included them.

Hopefully this helps you design a stimulating box for your child!

Click the photo to see each addition to the box, 

and watch the video below for further explanation, and to 

see how Hannah responded to seeing the box for the first time.

Tip:

The bigger the better.  

Even with a towel as large as this, I was still cleaning it off the carpet.

________________________________________________________
Items used include a base of split green and yellow peas,hidden plastic coins, rainbow
poofs, a metal container with lid, plastic jewel table scatter, mardi gras necklace,
scrapbooking silk flowers, scoops, and a funnel all stored in a plastic tub.

Inspiration was St Patrick's Day (Saint Patrick Patricks), Rainbows,
Flowers, Springtime, Green & Yellow, and Textures.

Sources: JoAnn Fabric, Michael's, Dollar Store, Craft Room, Other Toys.

What Are Sensory Boxes?

Sensorial experiences are one of the key elements in a 

Montessori environment. By engaging their senses they begin to 

explore and discover the world around them.

It's why kids like to squish their toes in mud!

It engages their senses and is an exciting tactile experience.

Hannah's sensory tub is a clear plastic storage tub with lid, 

and I fill it with lots of different materials that differ in texture, weight, size, and shape.

I also include lots of scoops, bowls, pairs, and even a funnel -

So that even playing with the same box will be a different experience, 

which keeps it interesting, while improving their fine motor dexterity.

Still confused?

Do a Google Image search for 'Montessori Sensory Tubs' and be inspired.

There are some fabulous ideas out there.

Pillow Thief

Hannah woke up the household 5 minutes before 1 am.  

Chris, in his sleep deprived stupor, 

made the decision to pick her up from crib,

and lay her down smack in the middle of our bed.

Then he promptly rolled over and fell back asleep.

This resulted in Chris getting a great nights sleep,

Hannah playing with my hair for a few minutes,

and waking me up to the fact that I HAD to pee.

So, naturally I got out of bed and used the bathroom.

In the 4 minutes I was gone, Hannah had managed to 

completely take over my half of the bed, and all of my pillow.

But, a sleeping Hannah is better for everyone.

So I curled up on the bottom 2/3rd of my half of the bed.

...and after getting kicked a few times in the face,

I reminded myself that this was really all Christopher's doing.

She might be cute, but I'm still plotting my revenge...