The Tactile Experiment

Had a ball with Ruby just now. Now Daddy is taking over so I can make dinner. My guilt was getting to me as we have had so many days of socializing followed by recoup days (from holiday and from colds before that) and we watched a lot of TV. I can't remember when I have watched so much and never so many cartoons, of course, and Baby Einstein videos! Ruby is picking up counting and words from the videos, but still I don't like that we have watched them so often. So the last few days I have been playing catch up and trying to do all the things I was doing pre-holiday...plus more tactile stuff. We play with puzzles, stacking games, coloring, and word books. I pulled out a new puzzle I got from Haba and she did really well! It's a cool one and has multiple layers which she figured out quickly. Needed some help but not bad for the first time. How fun it is to watch her face when she is learning something or doing a task. She gets very serious and determined! Sometimes very annoyed if she can't do it, and then so proud when she figures it out. How I love her eager to learn spirit and determined nature.

I got a great new play dough set today with colors and cookie cutter and a press thing that makes it like spaghetti. (Recipe for the home made stuff is below). She liked it though still not a fan of actually squeezing the stuff. I touched a piece to her nose to be silly and she said YUK and pushed it away. Maybe it was the smell. LOL. After a bit, we put that away and played with moon sand. Seriously messy so that was followed by vaccuum "play" haha. The cool thing is she identified a few colors and pointed to them and actually said "yellow" spontaneously on her own when I pulled out the yellow Play Dough! I have a book called Baby Colors that has a page identified to each color. After trying to point out colors in a bunch of different ways (with no real response) I tried the book and a pile of different colored blocks. I showed her a page in the book and said the color. Then I asked her to get a block that was the same color. It worked! Sometimes it took a couple tries and some colors are better than others, but by day 2 she could identify red, yellow, and orange. Blue and green are a little harder but she is getting there. I couldn't believe it when she said yellow on her own today. Tomorrow's tactile experiment: a bag of rice and/or beans. Hey, I'm not sure why either, but the teacher suggested so why not? Good to feel different textures, I guess.

Fun stuff for Mom & Ruby this week! We start up at Little Gym again tomorrow, Early Intervention on Wed, and Music Round and lunch with her little friend Brianna on Thursday. Play date with Ava & Logan on Friday eve. So a lot of fun, but not so scheduled that we won't have down time, too. How long I dreamed of days and weeks like these. Of every moment, really. Of the minutes when she wakes up and smiles, of the excitment she has when she splashes in the tub, runs to brush her teeth, or puts on her own socks. Of every single giggle and snuggle. It's all so great. Of course, it's all even better when we are all getting sleep! Thankfully, the last 2 nights have been better than last week!

Note to Ruby Kate Suphawadi from Mommy:

So excited about your every milestone, Ruby! You make Mommy proud every day. Even on days when we just cuddle I am so proud to be your Momma. I love how you jump off the last step or your little chair in the playroom with such confidence. I love how easily and proud you climb the stairs (although I still hold my breath till you get up and down and hang super close to you!) I love how you are trying every new food we put in front of you - if only one bite. (Newest foods you tried and like are raw mini carrots, pumpkin muffins Mommy made, ham sandwich, smoked cheddar cheese, pork, and mashed potatoes). And I love how brave you are to try new things and go to new places with Mommy & Daddy. You do such a good job!!! I love how you share your things and how you hug other kids we introduce you to. You have a kind heart, my dear, and we are so blessed to call you our daughter! I love how you share my love of music and how your face lights up when you hear one of your favorite songs (Muffin Man, A Tisket/A Tasket, Chew Chew Your Bubble Gum and Old MacDonald) and begin to dance! I love how you love animals and how cute you are when you make all the animal sounds. Especially monkey, duck, and MEOW (your favorites). You are the sweetest little girl and you make our every day soooo great. We love you with all our hearts, baby!!!!!

Love, Mommy

Nature's Playdough

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
beet, spinach, and carrot juice

Mix flour, salt and oil, and slowly add the water. Cook over medium heat, stirring until dough becomes stiff. Turn out onto wax paper and let cool. Knead the playdough with your hands until of proper consistency. Use as is, or divide into balls and add a few drops of the vegetable juices to make green, pink, and orange.

NOTE: I didn't try the juices for coloring. Just left it plain. Today we used the plain with the colored to make faces and decorated with the colors. Could use food coloring too and I left out the cream of tartar cause I didn't have any.