So what kind of routine do you have with your toddler?

I guess this question is for parents who don't have older kids whose routines supersede the younger kids'.  So for you parents with one or two kids who are pretty young, I often wonder, "What is your schedule like?"

Some days I feel like I'm just making it all up as I go along and I wonder if we had more of a set routine if Jane would like that.  Do you have activities that your kids do at certain times of the day?  Like a "crafts" time or an "outside play" time?  Do you have certain things you do on certain days of the week, like classes or visiting family members?

I buy the parenting books for my library, and if the number of toddler-activity books out there are any indication, I'm not the only parent scratching her head and wondering what to do with this silly kid.  What are some of your toddler's favorite activities?  For Jane, it's coloring and reading.  We have an aqua-doodle, a magna-doodle, and lots of crayons, and she will use them all in one day, probably more than once.  She also loves reading and being read to.  So what about your kids?

Misc. February and March, 2012

*Written 10/19/2013*

Here are some of the random things that happened in February and March 2012.

Jane discovered taking photos with my iPod. She took a couple of pictures with Mommy on the couch.

Rocky continues to make himself at home in our house.

We did some sledding down the gentle hill in our backyard with Jane.

These next photos are from March.  It snowed again and Daddy and Jane made a snowman:

Jane enjoying some books in the big chair:

Not sure why I took this one but isn't she cute?

One day I painted Jane's nails and took some pictures of her in the front room.

Wow she is cute.  Here's a cute video of a little conversation of ours:

Muffin #2

These are pretty hard to interpret, but basically there's a baby between the two plus signs in the middle.
=)
Due sometime during the 2nd week of September.
Yay!

Cuteness log: February 2012

Jane and I have so many cute conversations these days, and I keep wanting to write them down.  It's amazing to me that I even have conversations with her, she has grown into such a smart, cute two year old girl.  Here are some interactions that I remember lately:

Jane saw a bandaid on my finger and said, "Whassat, Mama?"
Me: "It's a bandaid, Mommy got an owie."
Jane, very sympathetically: "Sorry, Mama."

Bedtime is pretty adorable all around.  We sing her songs, and she whispers, "More," so quietly when we finish a song.  Finally we say, "One more song and then it's time for bed, okay?"  Jane says, "Okay," just as quietly.

So when we lay her down in her crib she might say, "Shaka?" which means that she wants scratches on her arms or her back.  So we might give her some "scratches."  Or she might say, "Song?" and if we're feeling particularly generous we might sing her one more song for bedtime.  The kitty song goes:
Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur
Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purr

Lately I have been interchanging the names of our cats into the song, so I'll sing "Soft Rocky, Warm Rocky" or "Soft Abba, Warm Abba."  Jane loves it.  When we sing the kitty song she might say, "Rocky?" and then I have to do the Rocky version, invariably followed by the Abba version (not the Swedish pop kind).  If you get that joke you get a gold star for the day.

If I am near her at all while she's coloring, she will likely hand me a crayon and say, "Mama turn."  And then I have to draw for the next ten minutes.  If I draw a star she says, "More stars."  If I draw a flower she says, "Flower!  Peeetty flower."

Most of the time if I ask her if she wants to go somewhere or do something, she says, "Okay, Mama!"

If she's alone in her room for a minute she runs down the hallway and says, "Scared!"

If I ask if she wants to go to Jacque's house she giggles and shouts, "Okay!  Jackeeee house!!"

If she comes in from outside and I ask her if she had fun she says, "YUP!"  She still says, "It's COLD ousside" pretty frequently.

Today in a store she couldn't find Michael and walked around the store calling loudly, "Daaadaaaa, [where] ARE YOUUUU?"  The where is implied, but not said. =)

She's got a lot of personality.  I know we have longer conversations than I've listed here, I can't quite remember one at the moment.  I think I might do little posts whenever I can remember one of the cute things she says.  Mostly it's the way she says them.  She has such energy and excitement for life.  It seems like people are drawn to her wherever we go.  Today in a restaurant Jane wanted some of my soda, and when I said, "no" a little too quickly, she got her pout on and did a little cry.  Just when we got her calmed down, I turned around to see one of the employees asking, "Does she want a cookie!?"  It broke my heart to tell that poor lady that we had already bought one for Jane.

Anyway, Jane is basically our dream child.  Who could ask for more?

Get your "awww"s ready

I got this email last night from Michael after he put Jane to bed. The last few days I've been singing her a "kitty" song at night, and now she asks for us to sing it to her nightly.


(Jane is in her crib and snuggling her bunny and blankets ready for sleep)
Jane - Kitty?
Me - No more Kitty. Time for bed. Kiss goodnight?
(Jane rolls over giggling. Kiss request is denied.)
Me - Goodnight. Love you, Jane.
(Start to walk out. When I reach the doorway.)
Jane - Daddy?
Me - Yes, sweetie?
(I walk back over to the crib)
(Jane has lips puckered, we give each other goodnight kisses.)
Me- Goodnight, Jane.
Jane - Goodnight, Daddy.

AHHHHHHHH. Cutest thing ever!

Jane's 2nd Birthday, January 2012

*Written 9/1/13*

Jane's second birthday was a really full day.  We were still in the midst of Mommy and Daddy's hard work schedules (working all 7 days of the week), but Mommy took work off so that we could all spend time together for the entire day.

We did a bunch of stuff and I have some really long videos on here.  I won't blame you if you don't watch them all, they are basically just our home movies and this blog is kind of like a record of our family, so they should go here.  But feel free to skim those or just look at the photos.

We started off by videoing us waking Jane up in the morning, but I think she was disoriented and got a little scared.  We decided after that that the first thing we should do is watch Jane open some presents!  It was pretty fun for everybody.

Jane loves books!  She calls them "gooks!"

Opening presents requires the utmost concentration

I hope you don't think I'm mean for getting my kid a broom
for her birthday.  But she is always trying to use the big one
and it's so unwieldy!  I think she'll have fun trying this one out

Jane also really likes trucks or "Tucks!"  So we got her a bunch!

She also likes these blocks and the little truck that they go in.

Daddy helping Jane learn how to use her broom

Mommy and Jane getting some snuggle time after breakfast

After breakfast we went to the Kangaroo Zoo, which is a big jumping-house place near where we live.  Jane had a blast jumping around and sliding down the slides, keeping up with the big kids.  The first few times we brought her here she was a little nervous, but she is really getting the hang of running around!

We can't believe how she can climb some of these steep ladders

Sometimes we were a little too nervous to let her
go unaided

See?  I told you she would like that broom.  It
has a little button on it that plays the "Clean Up" song
when you press it.  I guess it also helps to be
wearing Mommy's shoes when you're sweeping.

After the Kangaroo Zoo, we went home and Jane had a good nap.  But we weren't done! 

Mommy had a little rest with the kitty during Jane's nap, too.

When Jane woke up we took her to the dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving Point.  We weren't sure how it would go but Jane really enjoyed running around and seeing all of the big dinosaur bones.  She kept saying "GRRRR!"

I love how she is dwarfed by all of these big skeletons

They have a big sand/water landmass/erosion exhibit that
kids can play with.

Craning her neck to see up to their heads.

This picture is so great.  She looks like she might be startled, but I'm
90% sure she was saying, "ROOAR" at this moment.

Back home at the end of the day, it was time for cupcakes!  After a bad cupcake experience at her first birthday, I had a lot of hopes riding on this cupcake.  But Jane was really tired after all of that fun today!  Really tired.  She wasn't sure about this whole cupcake thing.  But after Daddy helped her with the first few bites, she decided it might be worth her time. :)

After today, we were pooped!  But it was a great day, we loved being together and doing so many fun things.  And we love Jane!