At Home With the Kids

We are sooo ready for Spring!  Going into the 3rd week of sickness, the 5th month of cold weather, and growing tired of toys, we just need to get outside!  Dave's busy season is hard on all of us, and moods easily sour.

I make sure we go somewhere every morning, but there's still LOTS of time spent at home in a 12-hour day!  Here's how some of it is spent:

Dress-Up!  Both kids love playing dress-up.  Eli's got a bin full of accessories to transform himself into whatever new character his imagination has created,  He has what he's termed his "magic socks."  He simply pushes a button on them and then they take off on adventures.  (He also has imaginary buttons on our living room wall that he pushes to take him underground.)  

Clara enjoys putting on other people's things--Eli's sunglasses, Mommy's jewelry, Daddy's shoes.

 

Video of "Eli Robot"

Reading!  We spend a LOT of time reading around here.  Eli could sit and have me read to him for hours.  He never tires of it.  And even after I do spend 30+ minutes reading to him, he always fusses for more.  Clara's always loved books, too.  I try to make time to read to just her every day, but she's also doing so well now at sitting and listening to the books I read with Eli.  So all three of us pile on the couch together every afternoon and read and read and read.

 

Play!  We have such a ridiculous amount of toys you'd think I ran a daycare!  But between the two of them (and friends that come play) most everything gets played with.  Eli and Clara often play really well together.  Eli's also great at helping divert Clara's attention to something else when she's sad and just wants Mommy's attention, or a meal to be ready that's not.

Having friends to play.  We have enough capes for everyone to be a superhero!

 Besides toys, we like to play with play-doh, stickers, magnets, and sensory bins.

Dancing/Wrestling/Tickling!  Every day I put on some music (love the "Raffi" station on Pandora), and it helps lift up the restless/bored/cranky mood.  I'll dance and sing with the kids a bit, or just play movement games with them.  Clara's instantly happier with music on.  She loves to groove!

While I get ready in the mornings, the kids can often be found jumping on the bed--

Shows!  Eli's only allowed to watch shows when Clara's napping.  That's the only time I have for doing some things I'd like or need to do.  But this past week when he was sick and only wanted to lie around and watch shows, I let him watch a little in the mornings.  If a show is ever on and Clara's awake, she points and screeches at it for a few minutes, then runs along playing.  Eli's very possessive of his favorite things.  One of those things is this green rocking chair, that he always sits in to watch his shows.  Naturally a battle ensued when a show came on and Clara tried to sit in the chair.  So I scooted the ottoman over for her to use.  She's much easier to please!

Snow Ice Cream!  Every time we've had a big enough snow we've made snow cream!  We pour on the sprinkles and everybody's happy!

 

Thankful for the time I have with these kids!  While I could do without the whining, fussing, and bickering, I'm glad I'M the one who gets to be here for it all.  Even though these winter months are long and hard, we have many precious moments together.  Kisses, snuggles, giggles, and moments where we just connect and enjoy each other are what get me through!  Love these little people!