New Videos!

Sorry we've been dark for a while. Catch ups to come--starting with these new videos!

Bubbles at Brandifers

Catch up! Apologies in advance for the back-dated post.

Here are some photos of Rae and Lena from Julia's B-day party at Brandifer's last month. Rae loved her Hello Kitty bubble maker and Lena (finally) tasted chocolate cake! Links to videos of the chocolate-cake eating in the album.

Click to view album on Google+

2013-03-02PartyatBrandifers

Toddlers and Emotions

Ms. Liz did some fantastic research this weekend, regarding toddlers and emotions. (Thanks, Liz!) Here are some of her findings:

First, check out this article by Heather Turgeon called Why Kids Have Temper Tantrums | Babble

About half-way down, you can read her explanation of how toddler brains develop. I was surprised to learn that her brain is already starting the process of "pruning" unused connections and that this "pruning" is actually the "heavy lifting" of developing emotional maturity.

This second article Teaching Toddlers About Emotions - Parenting.com  by Rita T. Wallace has some more practical advice, including these 3 tips:

1. Name emotions seen in others
2. Name her emotions as she feels them
3. Name your own emotions to her

Words are important, and children listen, so putting words to the feelings she is having is an important developmental step.

I realize that this doesn't just apply to toddlers, of course. In fact, I have recently been studying the concept of Emotional Intelligence, as it applies to developing my own interpersonal and professional relationships. Clearly, these principles apply as well! If I can teach Lena to recognize her own emotions and not be hijacked by them, she will be able to use those skills for the rest of her life!

Perhaps by helping my daughter through this learning process of her own emotions, I will be able to better understand and acknowledge my own and become a better person through her.

Now, will somebody please remind me I said that next time we throw a tantrum in the grocery store? Ha!

Love always, 

Mama

Playing with Rae

Storytime at Yarborourgh Branch Library

Throwing rocks in the stream outside the library.
A favorite pastime!

The doors are opening!

Lena loves books!

Ms Liz reading to Lena

Lena enjoying a pre-storytime story

Storytime singalong!

Enthralled

We'll be back!

Quoting Shakespeare

Last night while washing dishes with me after dinner, Lena (who will be 28 months on Valentine's Day) quoted her first Shakespeare:

"Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble
Dire durn, claubin bubble"

Ok, so we're still having trouble with those "F's" but still - I was floored! That's what I get for keeping former theater geeks in the house!

MacBeth is certainly no Hamlet (in my opinion) but I suppose everyone is entitled to their own favorite! Ha!

Something old is new again

Gone Fishing, circa 1979
Mama Stacy with her Dad (Grandpa) at Tow on Lake Buchanan with (Great) Grandpa and Grandma Mac

The Next Generation, 2013
Lena with her Dad at Searight Park in Austin, TX

Look at the old picture Grammy dug up after yesterday's blog post. We are even both wearing striped shirts! This is SPOOKY!!