What We Did Last Week (Week Of 5/4/15)

I swear I'll get better at writing these when I'm supposed to. Last week was so hot! We set up our pop up tent outside so the girls and I could enjoy the weather in the shade but some days it still wasn't enough.We spent some more time inside too because it got a little relentless but we had a great week!

Nature/Outside Play

I picked up a small inflatable pool for them and was so excited to get it blown up and use it. I waited for a day when it was really hot, nearly 85 and humid.  In May. In upstate NY. This is crazy! I'm not complaining though, we made it work. I used good old fashioned hose water to fill it up about 3 inches deep at first and let it sit in the sun for a bit to warm it up. Then I just plopped them in. They were so freaked out at first. Viv wouldn't put her hands in it and Jules was lifting her feet up trying to get them out. Eventually they warmed up and were splashing, laying down and rolling around in it. They both went under once by accident and it freaked them (and me) out but I was right there to get them. They liked having the water poured over their heads and didn't want to get out but they were getting so cold! I can't wait to do that again. We also went for walks and just laid in the shade at the park.

Sensory/Exploration

Our first activity using the sensory bins with water was pretty successful. I gave them a bunch of cups, funnels (actually breast pump flanges but they don't know the difference), spoons and bowls. They didn't really know what to make of the water and mostly just drank it out of the cups but eventually they started putting their hands in it and splashing a bit. Towards the end they were more curious about the bin itself and ended up tipping the water all over themselves! So fun! We also did a nature box with a bunch of grass, dirt, rocks, flowers and pinecones. My phone was on the fritz that day so I don't have any pictures but suffice to say they're not ready for that yet so it ended up being more of a looking box than a touching one as they were just popping everything into their mouths!

Music, Movement and Games

We practiced crawling all week with Viv who is so close now she just can't get the hang of lifting her hands and not falling forward. I set up toys and things just out of her reach, helped her lay over the snoogle pillow and push up and had the cats show her how it's done. She's getting it and has mastered the army crawl. Jules is going from sitting to on her belly but isn't really interested in moving yet which is fine by me.

We listened to a few great playlists I discovered on Spotify this week. I am loving the Artist's Tributes to their Children. It includes a lot of the songs on my list as well as some I didn't even realize were tributes. I also found an awesome list that no goes on every evening when we start our bedtime routine - Lullabies That Puts Baby To Sleep But Won't Make Me Homicidal. Yes, it is exactly what it sounds like. You have to check it out.

Our favorite game this week was over under. I lay on the floor and fly the girls over me, pop them up and catch them and then I lay them down and I jump or crawl over them all while describing over, under, up, down, etc. They think it's hilarious when I drape my hair over their faces, blow kisses and disappear. We played lots of This Little Piggy since both were cutting a tooth (Jules her 4th and Viv her 7th) and I saw that there are pressure points in the toes that help with the pain, I swear it works!

Our Favorite Toys This Week

Name Stools - They have been loving these for a while but now it's so much more than just playing with the letters - they are using them to push on and pull themselves up now. Oh lordy I am not ready for this.

Stuffed animals - They have started squeezing their toys and sort of lovin' on them so stuffed toys were a hit this week too. I just set some out and they grab them and kiss or hug them!

Straps - Yes, the shoulder straps from their high chairs! We noticed that they loved to chew on them in the chairs, car seats, boppy chairs, etc. so one night when they were fussy we just took them off and handed them over - it's amazing how often that will just chill them out. I'm sure it feels great on their teeth and it's not going to choke them either.

Buckets - They are loving taking things out of and putting things in things - especially if it makes noise when they drop it. These metal buckets from Target plus the silver teethers, links and keys are perfect!





Cats - They are obsessed with the cats now that they can make their way towards them. Nursing has become a nightmare if the cat jumps up, outside the poor cats are constantly running away from one of them on the blanket and god forbid a cat fall asleep on the table near their high chairs. Poor things are going to have bald patches soon, but they're being troupers!

Our Favorite Books This Week

I've been reading fairy tales from an anthology we received from my dear friends Dorothy and Andrea. I change them up though because they're pretty old school (seriously Little Red Riding Hood, you're like 14 how do you not know any better?) and I'd prefer not to teach lessons through fear tactics just yet. But the pictures are pretty and the general stories are the perfect length and lend themselves to lots of different voices and sound effects so they love them.


We spent a ton of time eating and trying new foods so that means more clean up time for me, luckily they have each other to play with (read: steal toys from and crawl over) so I can get it done and they aren't bored.

I am dreading them both crawling but I'm learning how to baby proof each room and tailor specific spaces to them in each one. This is going to be fun! Right???

Xo,

Maigen