A new find!!! Go get it!

A new find! Go get it!!!
(January 2010)

So I don't normally get all "ga-ga" over things, much less a toy but I found something for Jacob that I have to say should become a "MUST" for all parents out there. Jacob has always been very very very good at sorting whether it was shapes, colors, etc.... about the time he turned a year old he got into the "I Spy" books and hasn't looked back. He loves anything "I Spy" and I don't mean the kids "I SPY" books but even the adult ones. You might have to help him a little (very little) with the adult "I SPY" books but not much and the childrens versions you don't have to help at all.

So recently we have moved into the memory games for children. Most board games are for 3+ years old which I have to agree with not because they are too hard but because Jacob still doesn't have the greatest of attention spans being not quite 2 1/2 years old. We have purchased two memory card games, one in "Thomas the Tank Engine" and one in "Super Hero Squad" (his new favorite with Iron Man, Hulk, Wolverine, etc....). The only problem with these is that even though he knows how to play it, the lure of 10+ cards laying on the ground just screaming to be thrown around can sometimes be too much for a little guy! So most games of Memory aren't finished because they get scattered. Which inevitably leaves myself or his father crawling around trying to find all of the missing pieces.

I knew I needed to find an alternative to this while still being able to teach him "patience" and "matching". I went on a search of the internet and found some online "memory" games but they were a little boring and not nearly as interactive since I was the one having to move the mouse and click the buttons (problem of only having a laptop). But then one day while the kids were sleeping I started searching the internet again and found the most AWESOME thing!! "Melissa and Doug" have fabulous toys and they have created a toy that is not only extremely educational but it is almost 100% mess free!!!!

The game can be found here and at Amazon (and probably a lot of other places too). The best part about it is that it comes with a bunch of cards for numbers, colors, shapes, farm animals, zoo animals, vehicles, and fruit. We have been working on colors and this is an added game that I can use to help with colors without Jacob feeling like all I do is "teach". Basically what you do is choose the card you want to play (each card is double sided for twice the amount of games) and then you can open up the blue wooden "doors" and see what is behind them. The "doors" are attached with elastic band so that they don't come off. The only pieces that you can lose would be the big cards and those will be hard to lose! Plus I have already decided that I could easily get a piece of card stock and use stickers to create a new card with other items on it. Most packs of stickers come with at least two of every sticker and being able to create new cards would make this game never ending. For when Jacob gets a little older "Melissa and Doug" even have other games that will great for teaching sorting, sequence, and memory.

See ya later 2009, and thanks for all the......

See ya later 2009, and thanks for all the...
(January 3, 2010)

When most people think back to 2009 they are going to think about the hard times that most of us had with finances, politics, and just the overall "stinky" impression that 2009 left. I however will remember what a great year 2009 was, and how all of the "thanks" that I have will forever overshadow any hard times that we went through.

Here is a list of my top 10 (although there are many more) things that didn't make 2009 stink!

10) We got to spend our first "family vacation" visiting Thomas the Tank Engine in Baltimore. Hopefully we will have many more vacations in the years to come.

9) Jacob learned to speak and communicate with us about what he did or didn't want. And even started saying Please, Thank you, and Excuse me on his own.

8) We made it through 2009 with only 2 minor colds. Even though we did have a fractured leg, but we were still extremely healthy for the year!

7) We found out that Jacob was going to be a big brother, and he has not only done well but clearly loves his brother. (which is evident with the 50+ kisses he gives him daily)


6) Jacob became much more independent so didn't mind being left with a babysitter. This allowed Paul and I to go out on a few "date nights" without having to worry about getting home within a 2 hour time limit!

5) We joined a playgroup and met other kids and mothers that we get to spend time with weekly.

4) Having a husband that is able to work from home and can spend lunches and some extra time with Jacob, Andrew, and I throughout the day!

3) Grandpa after suffering a stroke Thanksgiving 2008, went through a lot of therapy in 2009 and is able to spend time with Jacob and Andrew almost every day!

2) Jacob learned to say "I Love You" and will (on his own) tell us those three wonderful words randomly throughout the day.

1) I was able to stay home another year with my children. I know that some people aren't able to do this or choose not to, but I will never be thankful enough for the fortune that I have in being able to spend everyday with my kids from the moment they wake up to the time they go to bed. I have truly been blessed!