Deep Breaths

I just recently discovered that if I make my breath long and full like ocean waves while I'm putting Haley to bed, she falls asleep fast, I get relaxed and the night is more peaceful.  Just thought I'd share.

Breath is an amazing tool, for coming into the moment, slowing down, and calming down, and it's hard to talk about breath without breathing more consciously and deeply.

Home Made Popsicles

In my opinion, the best way to get a picky toddler to eat her fruit is turn it into a popsicle.

Haley will eat anything in popsicle form ( except carrot juice)  I have even taken those

Odwalla smoothies and put them in a popsicle mold- green drinks, veggie/fruit mixes,

we love popsicles.

Our popsicle combo of the week: blueberry, banana, soy milk.  

Haley's Activities- 11 Months

I got a few new books from the library that gave me some new ideas for Haley.  I also mixed in some that I just made up.  Here is a list of what we've been doing recently:

• Shoe box with a string tied to one end- she likes to put her toys in the box and drag it behind her as she crawls.  Then she takes toys out along the way.  Mostly she plays with the string.  
• cardboard shapes.  She doesn't quite know how to match them but she likes to bang them together and watch me match them. 
• Clacking with markers and colored pencils (just because that is what we happen to have around) I'll clack rhythms and she tries to copy
• Stuffed animal teachers- I gather all her stuffed animals and dolls and together the dolls and I teach her where her nose is, what jumping is, etc.  Right now I read along with this big board book called my first picture word book and the dolls act out what is in the book
• Hands on walks- we take walks either in her stroller or riding in her ergo carrier (better exercise for me) and as I'm pointing out things I help her touch everything and smell everything
• Food adventures- put different foods in different containers, sit her on the porch and let her have at it- I usually have to do quite a clean up afterward
• I haven't tried this one yet: jello painting- get big sheets of wax paper and jello and show her how to "paint" the jello all over the wax paper
• Scribbling with crayons, washable crayons, I want to try taking them into the bath tub too. 
• filling containers in the bath tub
• Sign songs (from the book Baby Signs) 
• finger songs like eentsie weentsie spider and if your happy and you know it
• Dance party
• Climb cushions, stairs (with supervision), boxes and suitcases
• Play in the sand box (we don't have one but this would be fun- I think there's local playgrounds that have them)
• Shoe box full of recyclables (to stack, chew on, and clack together

Anyway these are just a few of the things I've been trying to do with her on a daily basis in case anyone is interested.