Summer Reading

Andrina and I completed her summer reading program from our library. And it's not even July yet! We read the required 30 books and other language activites that they wanted. Andrina got a small plush zebra and coupon for free ice cream and admission to the children's museum after the 1st set of 15 books. After completing the rest, she got coupons for free kids meals and for the local independent toy store and to pick out her own book to keep. We chose the classic title, "Where's Spot", which we read yesterday night and she loved it!

Today it's "Tookie"

Andrina has been hanging on to different stuffed toys almost each day. Somedays it's her bear, her mouse or Ernie. Today, it's "Tookie" or how she says Cookie Monster. I've found this interesting so I'm posting it. I wonder who she'll want to have with her on upcoming days?

My Own Bucket!

We made our second trip to the splash park and this time, I remembered Andrina's bucket. I'm so glad I did because that simple piece of plastic made all the difference for her. She really enjoyed filling it up with water and dumping it out on herself. It was also very hot, over 90 degrees so between the very hot weather and the cold water, it was perfect for her to play. If it was any cooler out, the water would have been too cold instead of fun and refreshing for her. I've decicided that we'll only go on days that are really hot like it was this afternoon.

Tomato Plants, Part 2

Here's some more of growth of our tomato plants, which Andrina helps me water everyday. And of course, here she is in the picture too just because it's yet another reason to take another picture of her and to see how much they've grown.

We Are Too Busy

Being busy has taken the place of milestones in this 2nd year of my child's life. She's almost 2 years old now so the "firsts" are getting fewer and farther in between. Instead, we are on the go almost constantly when the weather is nice. We've been to the children's museum 3 times so far, the splash park, our own swimming pool, and countless trips to the playground and almost every day Andrina plays outside on her ride-on toys and her swing and slides. There are so many other places I want to go with her too. I've been wanting to go to the arboretum, the zoo, museums, and to activities and trails at local forest preserves. So there is not much new blogging lately but as we do different activities and go to new places I will have to blog about them.

1st Trip to a Splash Park...Or more accurately, Andrina's Quest for a Bucket!

Andrina and I took our first trip to the local splash park. It was a beautiful day for it too. It was warm and sunny and the sky was a clear blue. But I made a big mistake and did not bring any buckets or water toys with us. We were at the children's museum in the morning and I am so used to them having everything that I didn't even think to bring anything with us to the splash park. It was so sad because the entire time Andrina was walking around looking for a bucket and saying "bucket" over and over again. She would find an abandoned bucket, play with it in the water for a little while and then the owner of the bucket would take it back from her. Which of course I had to let happen because it was not our bucket. I thought that she would run around through the water sprayers and play like that. I was wrong. I am definitely going to keep a bucket and water toys in the car so she'll be able to enjoy future trips there.

A happy Andrina because she has a bucket to play with...for a little while...

"Cuddle"

Andrina melted my heart again tonight. After her books which is normally the end of our bed-time routine, I put her into her crib and she protested. Instead of lying down and settling for sleep, she stood up and cried. I tried to soothe her and then left the room but she kept it up for over 5 minutes. She has been able to get herself to sleep on her own for over a year now so this is quite unusual for her her. I went up to her room and she was still standing up and crying, reaching out for me and saying, what I thought was, "color". I thought she was telling me that she wanted out of her crib to color with her crayons. I told her no, that it was time to go to sleep and to lie down but she just cried harder while still reaching out for me. I hugged her and she clung to me while trying to climb out of her crib. So I picked her up and held her and rocked her and it finally hit me that Andrina was not saying "color", she was saying "cuddle". The term I use with her but I don't think she's ever said it before. That was what she wanted. Andrina wanted to be held and cuddled. After about 10 minutes of cuddling, she was ok with me putting her back in her crib and she went right to sleep.