Read Your Way Through...Winter!

OK, here's the first installment of the new blog series, appropriately about winter since we've been facing one heck of a snowstorm here in Columbus the last few days. These are books that I adore for their illustrations and each of their individual readability.

First up: Oh! (words by Kevin Henkes pictures by Laura Dronzek)

The snow has fallen all night long and now we're invited out to play with all the animals! "The rabbit wants to play. Hop, hop, hop, shy little rabbit." The illustrations so vibrantly capture the brightness and whiteness of the snow. The text is simple, almost poetic, and conveys the wonder and delight that a big snowfall brings. Read this one on a cold winter evening while drinking hot cocoa.


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Next: Polar Bear Night (by Lauren Thompson pictures by Stephen Savage)

Little polar bear goes out on a late night adventure in the snow. The stillness of these illustrations remind me of how quiet and calm the world is after a snowfall. Everything is covered in a glistening white and ordinary things look extra special and beautiful. I also love how the book ends, with polar bear returning "home", which is snuggled up with Mama.

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Don't Wake Up the Bear! (by Marjorie Dennis Murray illustrated by Patricia Wittmann)

When I first flipped through this book, I thought it looked way long and too wordy for our youngster. But, my husband has a way of really making it work and J patiently enjoys it. It's a fun cumulative tale of all the animals who creep into bear's den to snuggle up against his warmth. Everyone is resting peacefully until a tiny mouse attempts to ward off a giant ACHOO!

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Continuing on the bear/hibernation theme is one of our favorites, both for the stoy and the illustrations: Old Bear (by Kevin Henkes)

Take a peek at the colorful and wonderful dreams of bear as he sleeps through the winter. Read this one on a day when you've really just had enough of the winter blahs. J's favorite dream is the one in which it's summer: the sky opens up and it rains blueberries!

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And finally, an older book I just discovered: Millions of Snowflakes (by Mary McKenna Siddals illustrated by Elizabeth Sayles)

It's a copyright of 1998 but the illustrations' washed-out colors and blurred edges remind me of books of my childhood. In this sweet story, a young girl and her dog delight in each little snowflake that falls. It's a simple counting book as well, and the text has a nice rhythm and rhyme that doesn't seem forced. "Three little snowflakes melt on my tongue. I eat them up. Yum! Yum! Yum!"

"Four little snowflakes tickle my chin. I laugh. I jump. I run. I spin."

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Well, that's it. I hope you're inspired to check out a book or two and that you enjoy them as we have. Next up on the Read Your Way Through series is either going to be Bedtime or Eating (more specifically Picky Toddler Eating). Two biggies for most parents, right?! :)

Battle Ready

We've officially had a 2 year-old on our hands for a little over a month, and let me tell you, it was as if a switch went off on his 2nd birthday and J became an independent, bossy, disagreeable toddler! No, of course all his sweetness isn't lost, but some days he's just a whirlwind of orneriness and combativeness. As the picture indicates, I think he's donned his battle armor and is prepared to duke it out with Mama & Daddy.

So, likewise, we've been forced to create our own little arsenal, stepping up a notch from the stern looks, threats, and soft-spoken mini-lectures. I've recruited family, friends, the pediatrician, books and web sites to help me figure out the best course of action.

Babycenter recently (and coincidentally) emailed me the discipline tool kit for toddlers, which suggests distraction, substitution, offering choices, reducing the amount of times you say "No", and trying to respect the situations in which your toddler says "No". (Yeah, that last one is interesting, huh...)

Among the many parenting, childhood development and discipline books out there, I have found one to be remarkably eye-opening, exciting and helpful. Beyond Time Out: From Chaos to Calm by Beth Grosshans. I wouldn't say that our home has become complete chaos, but the book was featured in PW and I decided it wouldn't hurt to look at it since time-outs haven't been especially working for us. I don't completely buy in to the author's way of thinking (WARNING: she does somewhat knock attachment parenting, co-sleeping and Pleaser parents who tend to talk things out w/their kids all the time), but the book has definitely armed me with some effective parenting tools and taught me a lot about the insticts, motives, and needs of young children. In fact, once I finish the book I could see myself writing an entire post just on the things I have come away with.

Aside from these pointers, I'm just trying to ratchet up the patience! What's working for you?

Flannel Making Frenzy!

Here's a peek at the flannel board pieces I've been working on for the last week or so. These little guys were so much fun to make! I used Clip Art to print out templates in order to get the basic shapes down since I am so NOT able to draw freehand. I enjoyed embellishing them a bit to make them more colorful and expressive. I ran out of blue and green felt awhile ago and finally got around to getting some more at JoAnn's last week. This time I was so excited to find the eco felt (I think that's what it's called.) It's made from recycled plastic bottles. It's a little stiffer than the felt I'm used to using, but for this purpose stiffer is better. I used Tacky glue to bond the pieces together, but I've just discovered Felt glue (also at JoAnn's) and think I may need to give that a try. It looks less messy and it also dries clear.

We've since been reenacting a lot of Brown Bear, Brown Bear (but morphed into our own version based on the animals we have). J also plays with the pieces away from the flannel board -- driving the car on the floor, zooming the airplane through the air, and (my favorite) tucking an animal into his chest so that he can pet it, talk to it, and feed it. Fun fun!

New Blog Series Coming!

Just wanted to get the word out that I'm gearing up to start a new blog series! I hope you'll find it helpful, but also fun...and maybe it will open things up to discussion a bit. I'm really excited by the idea to bring together some of the things I love and am passionate about: kids, motherhood (parenting), books, information-gathering, and story-swapping.

The series will be called Read Your Way Through ____. The blank being some aspect of parenting, toddlerhood, or child-rearing that we are apt to confront at some point. My basic intent to offer reviews and recommendations of books to get you and your child through the sweet, fun, chaotic, silly, special and challenging moments. The focus will most likely be picture books, but who knows... I am quite the "How To" non-fiction reader so I'll no doubt have some "adult" recommendations too, as they apply. Maybe I'll get crazy and throw in a web site every now and then, too!

In my planning, I've arranged a selection of stages, traits and milestones that is pretty lengthy and quite varied, with the intent of keeping things somewhat universal and relevant to many of our lives. Of course, I welcome topic suggestions too.

Stay tuned!

Maisy in my mailbox!

So, I've posted before about my love for Lucy Cousins and Maisy, but a couple of months ago my love grew...

J is quite taken with Maisy and her friends, and often incorporates them into his pretend play. Touched by his connection to these characters, I decided to write Ms. Cousins to express our enjoyment and gratitude of her books. They capture J's attention, introduce new vocabulary words, and nudge him forward on his path to reading. Maisy and her friends do things together that are so applicable to a toddler's life and yet, at the same time, introduce them to new ideas.

Well, the lovely Lucy Cousins responded to my letter! This card arrived in our mailbox one day before Christmas with no return address and postage stamps from the UK! I confess I was giddy when I realized what it was. I'm grateful that my letter meant something to her and that she took the time to write a few kind words to me. And, drawing J his own personal little Maisy waving hello - how amazing is that?!?

I highly recommend writing to an author or illustrator who is meaningful to you. Whether you receieve a response or not, it feels good to take a moment and let someone know that you appreciate their work.

Green Goodness

Lots of New Year's Resolutions have been flying around the past week, and I'm actually not typically one for making them. I mean, I am perfectly willing and able to set goals and make changes, but I've never really subscribed to the idea that you have to come up with a zillion ways to change/improve yourself right at the mark of a new year. Who needs that kind of stress and anxiety-inducement right after the holidays?

However, this year I actually made a couple. And, I'm inspired by Amy's challenge at Crunchy Domestic Goddess to blog about a few of my "green" goals for 2009.

She began her post by taking stock of the green goals she accomplished in 2008 and that seems a good place to start. We made a few small changes at our house that really stuck:

1. C. planted a small vegetable garden this summer.


2. I read a lot of books about green living, gaining invaluable amounts of information and ideas. (My favorite "green" book of the year was Healthy Child, Healthy World.)


3. I switched to Seventh Generation laundry detergent (powedered) and dish detergent.


4. I rid the house of toxic cleaners and have kept a pretty clean house for the last year with mostly just soap, baking soda, vinegar, and hot water!

In 2009, I plan to keep on keepin' on with these new routines, but also make some other changes that will hopefully have an even greater impact. In no particular order, here goes:

1. Plant a bigger vegetable garden - tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, maybe a lettuce or two and also create an herb garden


2. Shop more farmer's markets. This goal will require some help from C. because I work every Saturday. But I know he enjoys shopping these markets, so I think he's up for the challenge. It'll just be a matter of planning ahead a little better.


3. Install a rainwater collection barrel. I'm really impressed with these guys, the Rain Brothers, who are local. They make rain barrels out of recycled plastic. And, what's really cool is that they make deliveries by bicycle whenever possible!


4. Set up a clothesline - just like Mom used to do!

Lastly, this isn't really a goal, but is something I've just begun to explore. I was invited to join an online community called Moms Meet, a collaboration between KIWI magazine and Earth's Best.

"What is Moms Meet," you ask? This page on their web site explains just that. Its purpose is to be an "online resource empowering parents looking to lead a greener lifestyle". The "Moms Meet" aspect involves setting up a community of moms (or dads, I assume) and sharing and discussing information/tips on green living. It seems the project is just in the kick-off stages, so that's about all I know at this point. I'll update as I learn more.

So, how about you? Any recommendations, tips, resolutions of your own?

Join the Green Goal Challenge here.

Top 5

Here's a handful of the books we've been reading over and over again since Christmas. All of them were gifts and J (and Mama) couldn't be happier. I am so pleased with the little library he has built up in his mere 2 years, and even more pleased that he is such a bookworm! It's very clear that much of his knowledge and creativity and silliness is due in large part to the amount of reading we've done together.

The other wonderful thing about the books we own is the fact that so many of them are gifts from other people. It means more, especially to me, that our collection isn't just due to the fact that I am an amazon.com-addicted librarian. It's so special that family and friends have chosen books that make them think of J. So, I make it a point to help J to remember the connections between his books and the givers. I really believe that there's often a correlation between the gift-giver and the book...kind of like that idea that pet owners often look like their dogs!

Hug by Jez Alborough

Poor Bobo! Everywhere he goes, animals are hugging! Where is his hug? Mama and Baby Elephant escort him through the jungle to find the very best kind of hug.

J pores over the pages in this book and consistently looks concerned when we reach the page where Bobo is crying. (So sweet.) He also points at the word 'hug' on each page, runs his finger underneath it like he's seen me do, and says cheerfully, "Hug!" This is a GREAT book. Incorporates all kinds of Ready to Read skills.

Ribbit! by Bender and Bender

This hilarious book came from J's great-aunt, also a book lover. How cool that the Ohio-grown authors dedicated/autographed it to our little guy?! The crazy mix-and-match costumed frogs make the book appealing to a wide audience.

Jungle Gym by Stephen Krensky

J's Papa gave this book to him on Christmas. It's a cute rhyming, touch-and-feel counting book. Some time ago, Papa made a game out of teaching J silly little exercises, so this was a very fitting gift. Like the animals in the book, J and his Papa do push-ups, jumping jacks, and stretches. Goofy.

Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins

Another silly rhyming book, this one was given to J from Nina. It's an oldie from 1969, and the rhythm is very Dr. Seuss-esque. When we were growing up, my brothers and I had this book and my mom remembers reading it over and over again. Apparently, when she saw it at the bookstore she could immediately recall most of the text and just knew J needed a copy. Here's a funny excerpt that J has been reenacting randomly while playing.

Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
This 2005 Caldecott Medal winner is just too fun to pass up. Kitten is so adorable, as is the adventure she goes on as she tries to reach that big bowl of milk in the sky.

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Which books did you give or receive this holiday season? Or, do you have any current favorites, whether they're gifts or not?

At Year's End

* C, J, and I celebrated with family & friends

* I embraced my inner nerd and won a game of Balderdash

* We ate way too much with the intention of making changes beginning Jan. 1

* I "get" (and love) the concept of blogging

* C and I laugh every day at the hilarity of life with a toddler

* I have set writing goals for myself

* C and I have become a rather good book reviewers (if I may say so)

* Our family has made excellent use of "family time" throughout the year. Whether it be FNT (Family Nap Time), cuddling up together with books, using our memberships to the Columbus Zoo and Franklin Park Conservatory, visiting the library, or taking mini-vacations, we've had a lot of fun.

* and, of course, I have some resolutions for 2009. I don't always make resolutions, but the ones I am committing myself to this year really speak to me and seem attainable. Wish me luck!

Happy New Year! Best wishes to all for a happy, healthy 2009.

A Christmas Meme

Merry Christmas everyone! I was tagged by Cheryl to do this festive meme, so here goes...

01. Wrapping paper or gift bags?

I'd say, about half and half. I love buying cute wrapping paper and tying packages up with ribbons and bows. These gifts are much more fun to open as well. Gift bags are nice though - and reusable.

02. Real tree or artificial?

I grew up with an artificial tree. It was enormous. It had to be carried up from the basement branch by branch, and my brothers and I always enjoyed doing that. But, I absolutely love the smell of pine and the tradition of picking out a tree at the nursery each year, so my husband and I have always gone with real. I do feel guilty, though, when I think of all the trees that get cut down each year, so we are thinking next year we might try one that can be planted after Christmas.

03. When do you put up a tree?

Early December. My birthday is the 7th, and the tree MUST be up before then.

04. When do you take the tree down?

New Year's Eve day or New Year's day. As beautiful as our tree is, I'm tired of it by then.

05. Do you like eggnog?

Meh. It's okay. I usually have a small glass on Christmas Eve, because that's when my parents would drink it. So, I associate it with the excitement and festivities of that particular night, but I really don't care for it all that much. I guess you could say I choke it down in the name of Tradition! ;)

06. Favorite gift as a child?

A huge stuffed brown rabbit. It was almost as big as I was. He wore a black tie and a red plaid vest. I named him Bentley and loved him dearly. (I thought of him as my own personal Velveteen Rabbit.)

07. Hardest person to buy for?

My mom. She is particular about things that I am not, so I have to really try to think like she would while I am shopping for her.

08. Easiest person to buy for?

That's probably a tie between my husband and J. Both are excited by small things and very appreciative.

09. Do you have a nativity scene?

Yes. We purchased it from a talented wood carver at Winterfair one year. We have subsequently gone back to his booth in the years since to buy more as gifts.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

Hmmmm. It's probably a tie between a box of chocolate-covered cherries that I received when I was about nine years old (disgusting!) and a quilted vest embroidered with little dogs. I kid you not.

11. Favorite Christmas Movie?
White Christmas. I just love Rosemary Clooney's voice, the costumes, and the crazy funny acting of Danny Kaye.

12. Favorite Christmas Song?

Um, I'm not sure... Honestly, I find a lot of them annoying. Oh, but I do love the Chris Isaak Christmas!

13. Travel at Christmas or stay home?

We stay in Columbus. We spend Christmas Eve with the in-laws and then divide Christmas day between my maternal grandparents and paternal grandparents, all of whom live nearby.

14. Have you ever recycled a christmas present?

No, I don't think so. Maybe an ornament...

15. Favorite ornament or theme color?

When J is old enough I am sure my favorite ornament will be one he makes for me, but for now it's one from my childhood. A glass reindeer that appears soft and glowy when hung directly in front of a Christmas tree light.

OK, so to carry on the fun, if you are reading this, consider yourself tagged! I'll also specifically tag Casey, Mike, Mark and Steph. (I will be completely shocked if Mark participates, btw...I don't think this is his kind of thing!) Please stop back and leave a comment if you do participate.

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1/1/09 UPDATE: Thanks to little brother Mark, my mom got wind of this post and takes offense to being my answer for the person hardest to shop for. I attempted to clarify the reasoning behind that answer and in no way meant to imply that she is picky! :)

Elf Yourself Silly!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Starring K, C, J, Papa & Nina

3BT

1. Uncle C reading with J.

2. Seeing our little guy start to bounce back to normal (i.e. ornery) after being sick for 4 days.

3. This exquisite turned wooden bowl my parents gifted to us this Christmas.

web 2.0

2008 has been quite a techie year for me. I started my first (and second) blog; created profiles on Goodreads, Flickr, Twitter; explored other web 2.0 technologies like Bloglines, Google Reader, YouTube, wikis, etc. within a work project; and just generally spent a lot more time online than in years past.


And, what do ya know? Before the year is out, I've stumbled upon a few other virtual gems, thanks to TIME Magazine's reviews of the 50 best websites of the year. Like Lookybook: flip through the pages of hundreds of picture books. Rate them, review them, and purchase them. It's searchable and browsable: by subject/genre, author/illustrator, or new.





There's pretty decent variety. Here's a sampling of what I'll be enjoying: My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann, First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger, Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel, Ping Pong Pig by Caroline Jayne Church, as well as scoping out the selections from authors/illustrators such as: Jane Cabrera, Gail Gibbons, Eric Kimmel, Harriet Ziefert, Trina Schart Hyman, Janet Stevens, and many more.

Find your favorite techie time-waster by checking out TIME Magazine's 50 Best Websites for 2008.

shots of the bigshot

A couple pics from the TWO Year Birthday Bash...

"Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You..."

Make a wish!

Eating his cake so neatly...where's the fun in that? And wait, when did he learn to use a fork???

Ever the polite young man, "Thank you coming!"

This week I <3...

Sheesh! What a week, and it's only Wednesday. We are a little under the weather, frantically trying to prepare for Christmas only a week away, and we are recouping from two weekends in a row of birthday bashes for me as well as my little guy.

So, here's a brief post about the things that are getting me through the week sane. I <3 these things all the time, but this week especially.

~ Books. Specifically, Paper Towns (which is SO hard to put down); Birds and Words (yay! my parents gave this to me for my birthday); and, a set of Eric Carle's of split-page board books.

~ Hot tea. When it's cold and I feel crappy, I crave nothing more than tea. This Vanilla Comoro tea from Harney & Sons is sweet. Extra sweet and soothing with a spoonful of honey.

~ Pajamas. My friend surprised me with a cute set from Old Navy for my birthday. At least when I'm wearing cute ballerina slippers and a matching set of PJs, I don't feel like a total slob.

~ The World Wide Web. Where, oh where would I be without the Internet, especially when there's lots to do, and you feel run-down, and there's a sheet of ice coating your driveway! I've been able to browse online for gift ideas, so that when I get the time and energy to go shopping, I'll have a goal in mind; I've helped my cousins create a photo calendar for our impossible-to-buy-for grandparents thanks to Shutterfly; and I saved money and paper and time by inviting and thanking our birthday party guests via evite.

~ And last, but (in no way, shape or form) least: sugar and sweets! The leftover red velvet helicopter cake and cupcakes from J's "Happy Birthday Party" (as he adorably called it).

Find the red velvet cake recipe here. Very simple. Very yum.

three beautiful things

1. the laughter and noise of kids at a birthday party
2. the calm quiet of the house during a late afternoon family nap
3. getting mail from an author

In a previous Three Beautiful Things post I mentioned Hush Little Polar Bear, a book among our current faves. After checking out the author's web site I decided to send him a brief note complimenting him on his work and thanking him for the part he now plays in fostering J's love of reading. And, he responded - quite kindly!

Hi Katie,
Thanks so much for your email about HUSH LITTLE POLAR BEAR! What a nice surprise! I'm glad to hear how much you and your son enjoy the book. Getting a letter like yours with pictures of your son reading makes my job feel especially worth while.
Would it be ok with you if I shared your letter with my editor? He and I worked hard on that book, and I think he'd find it gratifying to hear how much your son enjoys it.
Also, thanks for the link on your blog. I appreciate your willingness to share my work with others like that. I checked out your blog. It's great! We have "Joe Joes" at our Trader Joes too. Good stuff.
Jeff

deck the halls

A tradition I have insisted on since I was a little girl is to have the Christmas tree up and decorated before my birthday, the 7th of December. As much as I loathe the dreaded birthday-Christmas combination gifts, I am okay with holiday decorations in the birthday celebration mix. Not sure why. It just feels like my birthday that way.

A tradition my husband has insisted on every Christmas we've been together is getting a Frasier Fir at Oakland Nursery. They are a full tree with a wonderful aroma. However, they are the priciest type, I believe, so we always end up with a short squatty one that still sets us back $40. This year we stumbled upon a new variety, the Canaan Fir: Ohio-grown, strong piney aroma, sturdy long-lasting branches and needles. For the typical $40, we were able to bring home a massive 7--8 footer! C had to make a couple of extra cuts to it in order to get it in the house and upright.

J was pretty impressed with seeing a live tree in the middle of our living room. He was also impressed with himself for the way that he "helped Daddy".

When it comes to decorating the tree, I always enjoy looking through our ornaments, finding ones I forgot about alongside the cherished favorites. But, this year we cannot find one whole box of ornaments; and, of course, it's the box that holds most of our favorites: my glass reindeer that looks so glowy when placed right in front of a tree light; the personalized sailboat ornament from our honeymoon; the wooden black bear carving from our trip to the Smokies; the "It's a girl!" 1978 globe; and, best of all, the homemade ones our parents saved and bestowed upon us. I really must look harder to find those because I love them (and our tree looks rather bare). J slowly and deliberately repeated "or-NA-ment" as he picked through one of the boxes, identifying snowmen and Santas. After much prodding, he agreed to help me actually hang the ornaments on the tree. Although, for him, this process just involved moving the same ornament over and over again to different spots on the tree.

Moments later, he hit the jackpot and discovered a gaudy, glittery train ornament.

He absconded with it straight to his LEGO table and began chugging and choo-chooing around and around. Within minutes, J's "uh-oh" alerted me to the fact that the ribbon and hook had already become dislodged. Later that evening I found the pitiful thing further crushed from its rough ride with J. Oh well, better it than my glass reindeer!

Happy decorating! Hope your holiday preparations are as fun-filled.

three beautiful things

1. My little guy eating an apple. A whole apple! It's messy and noisy and hilariously adorable.





2. Christmas trees tied to the roofs of cars.

3. Trader Joe's "Joe Joe's". Oreo-type chocolate sandwich cookie with bits of candy cane crushed into the creme filling. Move on over Thin Mints!

Closeups @ the Conservatory

Yesterday was our photo session with Jessi at Franklin Park Conservatory. She spent an hour with us as J urged us on to find the fish! We had an amazing time. I haven't seen any of her images yet, but from the fun we all had I know there will be some wonderful shots.

After our session, we let J wander (run) around a little more and I found this pretty bench.

Before we left, we went downstairs to check out the Christmas train. There was also a cute display of kids' handmade gingerbread houses. They were all very creative. There was even a gingerbread Big Red Dog sculpted next to a gingerbread doghouse labelled Clifford!

I think J could have watched that train go around the track for hours. It was hard to pull him away.