beans, beans the magical...

toy!  :)  I know it's not a huge stretch of the imagination to go from rice to beans, but I did it.  (Okay, Mom helped me out a little bit.)  Amia loves playing with dried beans, too.  And, they are a smidgen easier to clean up.  (I don't have a pic because I video recorded this playtime.)

My very intelligent (and favorite) sister-in-law Stacy suggested feathers as well for little tots.  So, that's on our list, too.  

Okay, Mommies and Friends of Mommies, what else can we try?

what should we do today?

I did it.  I didn't know I could, but I can.  Surprisingly, I had an emotion that was not listed as an option on MySpace mood.  I searched for "motivated" and found it to be lacking from the prolix list of choices.  It's not random, rare, or ostentatious, but it is - not there.  

However, I did find a very cool website for moms with tots.  Well, and there's plenty on there for the older kids, too (toddler - school age).  Check it out --- atozkidsstuff.com.  There are great activities for us to do at home with our kiddos.  I think I will try the shaving cream activity with Amia tomorrow.  Should be fun!

in the beginning...

Walking through the chip and cookie isle today while shopping, I happened upon a family.  The young boy about 2 years old sat in the cart basically screaming.  The father pushed him, and a tired mother, with what appeared to be about an 8-month old boy, lagged a bit behind.  

I could only hear the screams (which had been heard isles before) but as I got closer to the family I could hear the father as well.  "I'm not listening.  I can't hear you," he said over and over again in a low tone.  I grabbed my bag of blue corn chips (one of my very favorite snacks) and  turned to exit the isle the same way I came in.  The family had stopped at the cookies.  The parents seemed to be attempting to bribe the child into self-control.  From what I could see, they offered him a couple types of cookies.  Both of which he refused before the mother said in an agitated tone, "Fine, then, you don't get anything."  And so, the boy resumed his crying.  

I prayed silently, "Dear God, help me to be consistent."  I thought of my 16-month old daughter and how I am trying to raise her... without bribes.

This is the beginning of my discourse with you.  As I try to purposefully stumble into good parenting, I will inevitably prove myself incapable at times - especially in public - but I will still tutor myself towards improvement.