Leaves are swimming

It was another sunny day in Vancouver. The weather is still cold but if it is dry and sunny, we are playing outside.

We met up with one of Cole's friends and played at the park. This park has a fountain and a stream of water that gathers into a big pool at the end of the park. Cole loves to walk along the water and look in and see all the bubbles that form as the water gushes and pools into the main water fountain.

Cole and Ella thought it would be fun to throw leaves into the water. What started as a little activity for them turned into a game. They would go gather leaves and throw them into the water and watch as the leaves sank to the bottom. Then they would go off again to find more leaves to throw in to the water.




This went on for close to 15 minutes, which in toddler time, is an eternity. This is especially true for Cole who is constantly moving from thing to another in rapid succession.



They would laugh, hop and dance. They also crouched down by the water to look at the leaves and the water. Such a wondrous and marvellous exploration for them; it was neat for me to see them just so intent and focused and having so much fun with leaves.



This activity can naturally progress into sink and float experiment at home. Fill a big bucket or even a bath tub with water and gather different objects to see which would float and which would sink. I sometimes do this at home during his bath time. I think he is little too young to understand the concept behind this but it never hurts to try it.

Bubbles!!!

A dry day finally. It's been raining for few days with a cold temperature and today was an actual dry day.

I took the boys out to the little courtyard we have in our building. It's not a big space but it is pretty quiet and isolated. They can be quite loud at times and it is good for us to have a space that isn't very intrusive.

I took out a ball and bubble with me. Bubbles are pretty magical. They hold this special hold over little kids; they love to chase them, catch them and try to blow them. Cole haven't mastered the art of blowing bubbles but he does try. And when he does, he looks pretty cute with his cheeks puffed up and sucking them in to blow.




It was pretty fun watching the boys run and chase after the bubbles.

I used bubble solution I bought at a store but I did find this recipe online. I am going to give it a try when I run out of the bubble solution I have at home.


1/2 cup of dishwashing liquid (Dawn or Joy)
2 cups of water
2 teaspoons of sugar

Tracks and Trucks

Despite my attempt to get Cole to like art, he just isn't really into it. He will sit and draw for a minute or two but he won't sit and do art. Yes, I know he is only two and he is like a typical child whose attention span is short.

In order to engage him more in art, I decided to incorporate cars and trucks with paint.

As soon as I got the paint, paper and of course, the cars out, he immediately gravitated towards the paper taped to the floor.

He sat down and I showed him to drive his truck through the paint tray and roll it on the paper. No more explanation was needed after this as he immediately started painting with the cars. He made tracks around, forward and back.

I loved seeing him so focused and interested in the process of creating the tracks on the paper. I tried to point out the different tracks made by various cars.




Materials Needed:

• Paint (washable kind, because you know your kids)


• Roll of paper (I got it at Ikea for under $5.00)


• Trucks and cars ( the ones that can be washed afterwards, so no battery operated toys)


• Tray for the paint

This can naturally progress into water play if you want. Have a bucket of warm, soapy water ready and they can help wash the cars in the bucket.

Today's art project

Few days ago,I vowed to myself that I am going to try a new, fun art idea with Cole. So today, I prepared a homemade finger paint using corn starch and water.

I thought Cole would go nuts over it because it is such a tactile sensory activity and I just assumed he would love it. And this is where a curve ball comes at me and I am totally wrong. He didn't want to touch it at all. He made a face at it like it was something totally gross. All he wanted to do was to smear it using a plastic spoon I gave him.



Oh well. When a life gives you lemon, you make lemonade. Right? So I just gave him a cotton swab and a knife to use as a tool to scoop the paint out and have fun with it.



This doesn't mean I am giving up on this idea of providing him with different experiences. Today may have not turned out the way I expected it to but life is like that. Unpredictable and unexpected. I will just have to try this again on a different day and see how it goes.

If you are interested in knowing the recipe.

1/2 cup cornstarch
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups cold water
food coloring

Directions

In a medium pan, mix all the ingredients together to make the finger paint. Cook over low heat 10 to 15 minutes. Keep stirring the finger paint mixture until it is smooth and thick. After the finger paint has thickened take the pan off the stove and let the mixture cool.

After cooling, divide the finger paint into storage containers depending on how many colors you would like. Add a few drops of food coloring to each container. Stir the coloring in to the paint to determine the shade of color. You’re ready to finger paint! Cover tightly when storing.

I got this from this mom who blogs as well. www.amomwithalessonplan.com

Bye bye nana

Yesterday, Cole's great grandma Pat passed away. Cole's too young to understand what that means now and I am relieved that this is the case. However, I do feel a sense of loss and sadness knowing that he will never get to know her or my mother who passed away last year.




I am just so glad that Cole got a chance to meet her this past Spring. She just adored him and I am so happy that she got to meet him, hug him and touch him.

We love you Nana and we hope you are in a good place looking down at us. I will try to tell Cole about you so he knows what a good person you were and how much you loved him.

Tracing Art

Cole and I did tracing art today. I know most boys don't like art. I am being stereotypical here but coming from an Early childhood background, boys tend to stay away from the art table unless there are cars or messy art available whereas girls just flock to art table every chance they get. So I wanted to introduce art to Cole at an early age so he would get used to it and foster his creative side.

We've been drawing with crayons, markers and paint but I wanted to do something new today.

We started tracing our hands and feet with the crayon.



Here he is trying to trace my hand. He didn't get it right away at first but he did get the idea eventually.



I think it is extremely important to foster all the aspects of the development. It's like trying new food with a baby. We should keep introducing them to new experiences even if they look like they hate it, they may learn to love it over time.

Toddlerhood

It has been TOO long since I have blogged about Cole.

Lots have changed since then. He is now a toddler (now 21 months old). I don't know what happened to my easy going, happy baby. He's now a grumpy child who is truly displaying all the dreaded characteristics of a toddler.

But every time he kisses me and hugs me, I melt and I just love him even more….until he decides that he hates his stroller in the middle of a store and want to run around. Then all my patience goes out the window and I am feeling so frustrated.

But I came across this article on 25 things to do with your toddler boy and one of the thing was to tickle him when he is feeling mean or when I am feeling mean. I took that to heart and I am going to try that one instead of just getting mad. I am going to extinguish all my mean demons and tickle him instead.

I am sure all the parents can relate to what I feel. I know it will get better and I know one day I will look back on these times when Cole is much older and wish he would be my little toddler again who fits perfectly into my arms and give me that adoring looks and kisses.

Here is the link to 25 things to do with your toddler boy or girl.


http://couragezone.com/blog/?p=155

Bath time

Cole had his bath with his nephew Noah today. They just looked so cute in that bathtub together. They are still young that it's not weird to have two boys in the tub together.

They didn't really interact with each other but it was still cute to see the boys together, taking a bath together. I am posting a picture of Cole in the bath but not the one with Noah as the picture of them together has to be censored.

I am sure this picture will be used at some point in their future (probably at their wedding). Sorry boys. You can blame me later but hopefully you will find it humorous.

Trip to Korea

I took Cole to Korea to visit my mom and my sister. It was supposed to be a month trip but got extended to 2 1/2 month trip. Ryan was sad to have us gone for so long but he understood that I needed to be there.

I was worried about taking Cole on such a long plane ride but it went fairly smoothly. He did fuss and cry for abit but I think he handled it pretty well.

I was so glad that we bought an umbrella stroller for the trip. I could take the stroller up to the gate and check it. I was worried that it was going to get damaged during the plane ride but I didn't have to worry. They had it ready for me by the gate when we got off the plane. We got the Uppababy g-lite umbrella stroller and it was fantastic. Easy to carry and so light and plus it reclines so it was great to use when Cole feel asleep in the stroller.

I also brought my Beco baby carrier onto the plane and I ended up using the carrier quite abit on the plane. I put Cole in the carrier and he had an easier time falling asleep snuggled next to me. It's also great to have if your baby is fussy and you need to walk around the plane to sooth the baby. Way easier than carrying the baby in your arms the whole time.

And one more tip I have for the parents when travelling is to make sure to have a bottle or a soother for the baby to suck on during landing and taking off or just breast feed if possible. Cole handled it pretty well.




Here is Cole with his first stamp in his passport. I hope it is first of many to come in his life.

Seattle Trip

We took Cole on a road trip to Seattle during the Easter weekend. Holy Moly, the line up at the border was over 2 hours. But luckily Cole didn't have a problem sitting in his car seat..thank goodness. I can't imagine how horrible it would have been if he started crying in the car during the wait. Thanks Cole!

We haven't been out of of town since our last trip in the summer when we went camping in the interiors. I just needed to get away, it didn't matter where we went but since the dollar is so good, we thought it would be fun to go to the States.
We stopped by the outlet mall and Target on the way to Seattle and what fun it was. We ended up purchasing 3 purses and a wallet from the Coach outlet mall. The deal was absolutely amazing. And we got Cole his bumbo chair with a little tray from Target for $40.00. They would have cost us $80.00 in Canada. I can't believe how things are so much cheaper in States. It's really silly and they are robbing us blind when we shop in Canada.

We stayed at Renaissance Hotel the first night and Westin on the second night. We met Martin, Heidi and Parker for dinner at Cheesecake Factory. The dish I ordered was okay…should have order the Gumbo.

We visited the Pike market place and ended up buying few toys for Cole. The one he is holding while sitting in the bumbo is pretty cool. He loves gnawing on that.

We also visited Pike Market place….how can you not go there. I wish I had taken pictures of the tulips the vendors were selling because they were so beautiful. But we did line up for Piroshky (Russian pastry). I didn't know what it was but there were people lined up for it so I decided to check it out for myself.
It was pretty yummy. I probably didn't need the extra calories in the sweet pastry I got but oh what da heck, I am on vacation.






Overall, it was a fun trip. I can't wait until summer when we go back to catch a ball game.

Exersaucer

It is truly amazing to see Cole develop. When I first put him in the exersaucer a week ago, he had no clue what to do with the toys on the saucer. Now he is starting to figure things out.
He is starting to be interested in other toys…it's like he suddenly could see things in a different way. Babies are pretty amazing. What they learn and how they learn and the way they learn. I've worked with children for the past 5 1/2 years but having my own child to observe and follow is something else.

He is still small and young but he is getting bigger everyday. He is learning to do new things, try out new things and I am happy that he is a healthy boy who is developing all his senses and fine tuning his skills but yet, I do feel like time is going by too fast.
I don't want to miss any moment of his life.

As I watch him right now, trying to bite the dragon, I smile to myself and hope that he continues to grow and develop but not too fast. People tell me that the all the stages of a baby's life is amazing and in my heart I know that is true but I kind of wish that I could stop the time and just take this in.
Raising a child is an experience that I am thankful to be experiencing. It truly is a miracle in itself and I thank God for it.

All these thoughts stemming up from watching him figure out the exersaucer.

March 31/2010

Cole is teething. He is turning 4 months tomorrow.

He has been fussy last few days and I thought it was because of his cold but this morning, I noticed a little white dot on his bottom gum.

I feel bad for him because from what I hear, teething is very uncomfortable for them and I can't really do anything for him. It'a right of passage…and he has to deal with it.

But I feel a sense of sadness as well because he's getting bigger and older. He's only 4 months old and I am already worried about him growing up too fast.

Mothers…we worry about everything. But as I see him getting bigger, I am quite fascinated with his development. He is starting to play with toys which he never was interested in even few weeks ago.

My little man is growing up and I guess I just need to embrace this and go with it.

Seabus Trip

Today we ventured out to North Vancouver via Sea Bus to look for his carrier.

What a gorgeous day it was. Of course, the weather also brought out tons of people visiting Olympic venues and attractions.

Anyway, today was Cole's first ride on the sea bus.

November 25

Arrggghhh!!!

I am getting frustrated, worried and annoyed with my body and the time. Tomorrow is my due date and yet I do not feel anything different with my body except for my sore groin and this restlessness.

I just feel annoyed with everything. I feel BLAH.

I feel guilty for feeling this way but yet I am entitled. My body is out of my control. I can't do anything but just wait and it's not a good feeling. I feel helpless and powerless in some ways.

This baby is just hanging out and I am just waiting for him. Already this baby is dictating my life and he's not even out in the world yet.

I love him. I do. And that's the big reason I am feeling this way. I want to meet him and yet I feel anxious and worried about meeting him.

The final week

It is finally the final week... week 40!

I am only 2 days away from my expected due date of November 26,2009 but I have not had any signs of anything.

It's such a funny thing. It's your body and yet you have no control over it anymore.

I am feeling excited and anxious at the same time. I want to meet the little guy so badly but yet I feel so worried and sad. I am worried about the whole labor process and sad that my life as I know it is coming to an end.

No more sleep ins in the morning. Going out whenever I want to. Doing spontaneous things... not that I am a very spontaneous person but now I won't even have that choice anymore.

I want to find out whether what people say is true... about it being the best thing in the world.

Is it better than winning a jack pot? Better than being on vacation?

It does sound silly that I am thinking this way. I do already love this little being that is inside of me. There is no doubt about that... but yet I have to think about whether it is the BEST thing in the world. The only way I can find out is by having this little guy out of me and meeting him.

I am so excited about that and so is Ryan.

Hey little dude, if you can read my thought right now... don't get to comfortable in there now. You are DUE... don't be Overdue.