Top 5 Healthy Habits for Children

It's flu season once again and as parents, we want our kids to stay healthy. Here are some recommendations by whattoexpect.com:

There are good habits and bad habits, but these five healthy ones are keepers!You do all you can think of to prevent your child from coming down with a cold or an upset tummy — from feeding her balanced meals to scrubbing the floors she plays on. But that’s only half the battle: She has to learn how to keep herself healthy. And there’s plenty of lessons to teach her: Start by explaining that germs are responsible for the yucky feeling she gets when she’s sick. Then instruct her on healthy habits. You’ll have to demonstrate these hygiene lessons over and over, but pretty soon she’ll be able to grasp them — and follow through on them (at least most of the time!). So what are the most important lessons to start with? The top-five healthy habits for children are:

HEALTHY HABIT #1: Give Hands a Good Scrub
Hand washing tops the list of healthy habits children should learn for one simple reason: Doing it often — and doing it right — can reduce the number of colds, flu, and other infections children get by 50 percent! That’s a lot of sore throats, runny noses, and just-plain-ickiness a child can avoid simply by stepping up to the sink, especially at key times: before eating or heading to the playroom with a friend (this will keep germs on shared toys to a minimum), after coming in from playing outside, and after sneezing, coughing, petting an animal, or using the potty.

What’s more, even a baby can start to pick up on this all-important healthy habit — by watching as you wipe off her hands (do it frequently; according to some research, crawling babies handle and mouth the random stuff they find lying around more than 80 times per hour); and then, when she’s old enough to follow simple directions, by mastering these hand-washing how-tos:

Use warm water and soap.
Make lots and lots of suds; bubbles trap germs.
Scrub for at least 20 seconds — about the time it takes to sing the ABC song or “Happy Birthday” twice through (at normal — not breakneck! — speed).
Rub fronts and backs of hands, and between every little finger: Friction is as important as soap and water for getting little mitts clean.
Rinse thoroughly, so that every single germ goes down the drain.
Dry hands on a clean towel.

HEALTHY HABIT #2: Do the “Sleeve Sneeze”
What’s next on the list of healthy habits for children? When your kid feels an “achoo” coming on and there’s no tissue in sight, show him how to let loose into the inside of his elbow, rather than into his hand or the air. This way germs won’t wind up on his fingers — 80 percent of germs are transferred through touch — or spewed out into the air. This healthy habit applies to coughs as well — and to you too, so be a good role model whenever you sneeze sans tissues.

HEALTHY HABIT #3: Toss That Tissue!
Once your child has mastered the fine art of nose-blowing, get her into the habit of disposing of dirty tissues right away, rather than leaving them lying around on a table or the floor: Some bacteria and viruses can live for two hours or more outside the body, so getting rid of tissues is another healthy habit for children to learn. Make sure there’s a trash can in every room your child spends time in or teach her to flush yucky tissues down the toilet.

HEALTHY HABIT #4: Don’t Share
Certain items can harbor germs and other icky things, so your child will have to learn that some things are not meant to be shared. Explain to your child that while it’s nice to let pals play with toys, there are things he should keep to himself — namely combs, brushes, and hats (sharing these items is the number-one way lice spread from kid to kid); toothbrushes; cups, forks, and drinking straws; whistles, horns, and other objects you put your mouth on (good luck with that one!); and, of course, tissues.

HEALTHY HABIT #5: Flush and Flee
Now for some potty talk: While it’s tempting for a child (particularly a toddler who’s in the middle of toilet training) to want to watch the precious products of her efforts swirl away, it’s not such a great idea to encourage her to do this. With every flush, droplets of water containing minute particles of whatever was just deposited (yes, that means pee, poop, or vomit) spew into the air. Not only could this geyser of germs land directly on your kid, it could settle on nearby surfaces. So if you want your children to pick up this particular healthy habit, show them how to put down the lid (carefully, of course — a mashed finger isn’t any more fun than a tummy ache that can result from the type of bacteria lurking in the toilet.).

Milestones: Motor Development

by Pampers

Jump!

Sometime around your child's second birthday, you'll notice that she's become airborne. Soon her jumps will be higher and longer. Toddlers this age are so active that they'll find ways to practice skills like jumping whenever they can. Provide opportunities for a workout by taking her to the park, someone's yard, or a kiddy gym every day. By emphasizing the joy of movement at this age, you'll help your child develop a lifelong healthy lifestyle.

Milestones: Understanding How the World Works

I found this article that may help one realized if your toddler is hitting the appropriate cognitive milestones for his or her age. This helped me understand what Kirstin is going through at this stage because as you will find in my previous post, she's exactly doing what was described in this article. The article discusses the significance of play and its role in a child's life.

The Significance of Play
by Susan Dixon, M.D., M.P.H.

At 2, themes of play emerge and strings of imagination come together. Two-year-olds start to use their toys to put together short stories in unique ways.
For example, your child might make a square out of blocks — a sort of room. He puts a girl doll inside the room and says "Go home" as he brings a boy doll closer. "Knock, knock! Come in!" he says as he pushes one block aside to let the second doll enter the room. Then the two dolls embrace.

By playing out a scenario like this, your toddler demonstrates his ability to use symbolic play. That, in turn, brings out imitation, which shows that he understands how his world works. Unstructured toys like blocks help your child exercise his imagination. Give him time and space to create. Show interest, but don't probe too hard — he's not quite sure what he's up to, either.

How Young Children Learn
By: Jeanne W. Lepper, M.A.

Play is perhaps the most important activity of young children. It's their "work," their principal occupation, and how they learn! Even when this process may not be obvious, learning occurs all the time for young children. They learn by exploring the world around them, interacting with people they meet, and experimenting with things they come across.

Children Learn From Playmates

When children play with siblings and friends, they learn from each other. As questions, challenges, and conflicts arise, they figure out how to solve problems. For example, 3-year-old Sarah is playing with blocks, trying to balance a structure and put a roof on her "house." Four-year-old Lakisha has some experience with this task and suggests, "Let's try the longer block—it looks like it might fit better." In the end, Sarah learns a new strategy and Lakisha succeeds in solving a problem and further developing her social skills.

When your child plays in a group made up of different ages, he has the opportunity to learn in two different ways: first by modeling the behavior of the older children, and second by "teaching" the younger or less advanced children.

Children Learn by Doing

Learning is an active process. The more hands-on experiences your child has, the more curious and capable he'll become. Children are fascinated by the work grown-ups do—cooking, household chores, and fixing things. What's more, these real-life tasks have tremendous learning value for children. So give your child his own small bowl of pancake batter to mix and buy a child-sized broom so he can help sweep the floor! Outdoor play—running and climbing—is essential for healthy physical development, and it's a chance for him to investigate nature.

You can further expand your child's learning opportunities by keeping open-ended materials around the house. Open-ended means they allow him to express his ideas. This is more active and promotes his learning. These materials don't limit your child's play to one or two activities the way many toys do. Some good open-ended materials to offer your child include:

• Paper, pencils, crayons, scissors, glue, and tape for drawing, writing, and constructing
• Cardboard boxes and other commonly found objects
• Easel paints and watercolors
• Water, sand, playdough, and clay for sensory experiences
• Building blocks and Lego's
• Dress-up clothes, hats, and props
• Dolls and doll clothes
• Simple musical instruments and opportunities to listen to music

Children Learn From the Adults in Their Lives

"She's so wonderful!" you exclaim as your baby is born. This begins a lifelong offering of unconditional love and support that is essential for your baby to thrive and develop. This relationship provides the sense of security and positive self-esteem your child needs in order to achieve and to learn. With emotional support in place, you can help your child get the most out of play (and therefore learning) by following these suggestions:

Be specific and supportive. Telling your child, "You must share," isn't very helpful. At best, she'll cooperate while you're looking on. But if you guide her through the turn-taking process, she'll understand more about how to share next time. For example, if 2-year-old Maggie wants a turn pulling a wagon full of leaves, tell everyone, "Maggie wants a turn when Jason is finished. Let's see what Maggie can do until the wagon is ready. How about getting the next pile of leaves ready?" This gives Maggie a way to enter the play, rather than just waiting. Using emotionally supportive language like this encourages children to view adults as their advocates and helps them solve problems rather than turning the situation into a struggle.

Help your child be a good observer. Children learn from actively studying the world around them. When you take a walk with your toddler and come upon a construction site, your child will likely be curious about the activity. Share her interest by stopping to watch and exclaiming, "Wow! Look how big the wheels on that dump truck are." Helping your child become a good observer provides her with a skill she'll find useful throughout her life.

Ask open-ended questions. Encourage your child to think and reflect by asking open-ended questions: "What made the shovel move like that? What do you think the driver is going to do now?" Give your child time to come up with her own answers, even if they are misconceptions, before you provide more information.

Help your child build on what she knows. When your child shows an interest in something, capitalize on it. Look in books for more information about construction vehicles. Provide props, such as shovels and trucks, so she can pretend to do the powerful work of the dump truck driver; replaying her experiences and acting out what she's observed helps your child understand. Visit the construction site again so your child can see the progress, gain more information, and clarify misconceptions.

Model positive behaviors. One of the most powerful ways your child learns is by following your example. This process happens naturally and almost unconsciously. For example, when your child sees you reading regularly, she will want to read and be read to. And reading is one of the most important things you can do with your child! (Be aware, however, that she will also model any negative behavior she sees! So it's important for us to display respectful rather than disrespectful behavior ourselves.)

Use positive language. Everyone responds better to positive words than to negative ones. So instead of issuing a command or a prohibition ("Don't throw the ball over there!") offer a suggestion of what your child can do ("That's a good place to throw the ball").

Play is the work of childhood. It's how your child learns about the world and how to get along in it. When you support your child in this challenging job, then your child's work really will be child's play.

Imagination and Emotion at Work

Kirstin is now 2 years old and imagination is growing at this age, so books, stories, and make-believe play are getting more interesting to her. And Kirstin likes to play the mother role to her baby dolls! She mimics me! Haha! She likes this interactive doll her Ninang Cristy bought her one day. It cries to tell you she's hungry and she just loves that! I've read that this leap forward of imagination means that new fears, worries, and anxieties may start to pop up. Dreams and nightmares are evidence of the hard work your child is doing to put her exciting world in order. But so far, Kirstin is not afraid of anything! I guess we trained her well during the halloween! Haha! She's a little more hesitant in new situations though than she was a few months ago, but she'll also be more interested in trying out her interactive skills with new people once she warmed up to them.

Awareness of people's feelings is something that she's showing more profoundly at this age too. She has a fine-tuned antenna for even subtle changes in my responses and moods. And it was a sweet surprise to see her changed suddenly from an "all about me" toddler to someone who would give me a hug when she sees me crying while watching a soap opera (hehe!), or kiss her grandma's booboo when she bumped her knee on something and asked her if it feels better, or befriend a stranger when we do our summer walks around the neighborhood.

Dedication Booth: Kirstin Turned Two

I'll Take Care of You

I'll take care of you

Don't be sad, don't be blue

I'll never break your heart in two

I'll take care of you

I'll kiss your tears away

I'll end your lonely days

All that I'm really tryin' to say

Is I'll take care of you

I want you to know that I love you so

I'm proud to tell the world you're mine

I said it before, I'll say it once more

You'll be in my heart 'til the end of time

I'll take care of you

Don't be sad, don't be blue

Just count on me your whole life through

'Cause I'll take care of you

Toddler Activities

Raising kids is much easier physically as they get older...but much harder mentally. I need to be creative with everything. When she was a baby and didn't want to do something, we were able to get her to do it anyway. Now that she knows how to talk, she's able to negotiate with us. So, here are some creative ways to engage your toddler to laugh, play and learn:

(by toddleractivities.net)

There are multitudes of activities for toddler that you can do with your child. Each child is new and active learner. In the early formative years of their life, toddlers learn different aspects of the whole new world through his bumps, falls, discoveries, relationship and myriad other activities. While toddlers are picking any object they are developing an image of what the object looks like and try to discover other essentials of that particular object. These discoveries become part of their inquiring mind and stimulate his drive toward mastery and accomplishment. These days there are many free toddler activities are available on the internet. You can download these activities and enhance mental growth of your child. The following are some of the most popular toddler activities that can help them to learn various things, have fun and stimulate their mind and body.

Discovering Textures

Assemble some different kinds of household materials like cotton, sand paper, rubber, feather, paper, cushion and other similar objects. Ask your child to pick up an object and rub it against his face and feel the texture of that object. Explain him the textures while he is rubbing the object against his face.

Learning to follow instructions

Take any household object and place it under a chair or on a table. Ask your child to close his eyes and then ask him to find the object. Make him learn the concept of under, over, on, beside, etc. Explain him that the object is under a chair and see if he can follow your instructions.

Toddler Rhymes

There are many rhymes and lullabies for toddlers. Sing these melodious rhymes with them and see how they enjoy and dance to the rhythm of these rhymes.

Toddler Summer Activities

There are many summer activities that can be joyful and entertaining like fun in the sun, fun with fish, water games, inner tube games and many more (I personally love the sprinklers!!!)

Toddler Educational Activities

Puzzles, zigzag, match the following, bottle toys, blocks, coloring are some of the most popular educational activities. Most of the parents play these activities with their children for stimulating their mind. (Kirstin loves puzzles and she's so good at it too that she doesn't even need our help!)

Toddler Fall Activities

Pumpkin fun, friendly ghosts and fun with falling leaves are some of fall activities that every child enjoys.

Read or Tell a Story

Tell your child different stories accentuated with various sound effects and some fun characters. Keep an eye on your child to notice his reactions and then ask him to repeat the stories.

4th of July

I found a nice outfit for Kirstin for the 4th of July festivities and it has a matching dress for her doll. Cute huh? That's what the rest of the family thought of it too. It was fun to see Kirstin play golf with Jacob or to watch her splash in the portable pool. The funny thing was she's so scared to get her face wet that she refused to even sit down on the pool. Lol! There goes my dream of her becoming a swimmer one day! Haha!

Language Builders

By Amy Beal

Instead of forking over big bucks for those skill-building DVDs for your toddler, why not just break out some blocks? Helping your child build with these old-fashioned toys may be the best way to improve his language skills, according to a study from the University of Washington in Seattle. Researchers found that interactive play - talking with your child about what you're doing with the blocks - enhances his growing vocabulary more than any video can.

Keep up a running commentary as you stack, count, or sort the blocks by color and size, says study author Dimitri Christakis, M.D. And don't stop there: Playing any type of pretend game while you talk to your child - using dolls or trucks or stuffed animals - engages his brain, helping it form connections.

Later, when he plays on his own, his mind will start to link the toys with your words. Soon, he'll begin responding to simple commands, such as picking up a block when asked, laying the groundwork for words of his own.

Gardening Project

It's almost the end of spring and we just got done with the house maintenance - new sidings, new roof shingles and new windows. So that inspired me to take on another project - our backyard and our patio! Since I wanted to encourage Kirstin the love of growing things, I decided to do some gardening with her. We picked out some plants, gardening soil, decorative rocks, step stones, etc. I am not a pro to this myself but Cris gave us tips on how to prevent the plant from getting a root shock. So, we'll see if the plants can make it through the rest of the spring! Haha!

First Attempt at Potty Training

There's one word to describe how it went: DISASTER! Hahaha! It so happened that Barb gave Kurt for his birthday a potty chair for Kirstin, so I thought I should try. And I read the article below and I answered mostly yes on those questions except for the question "Does your child tell you when he or she needs to pee or poop?" She doesn't do that. She didn't even tell me she peed somewhere! =) Oh well...I guess I have to try again next time, after she used up the box of diapers we bought at Costco! Hehehe!


Potty training is a big deal. Here's what you need to know about timing, technique and handling the inevitable accidents. (By the Mayo Clinic Staff)

"I've gotta go!" If you're looking forward to ditching your child's diapers for good, these words may be music to your ears.

Potty training is a big deal for parents and kids alike. The secret to success? Patience. Perhaps more patience than you ever imagined.

Is it time?

Potty training success hinges on physical and emotional readiness, not a specific age. Many kids show interest in potty training by age 2, but others may not be ready until age 2 1/2 or even older. And there's no rush. If you start potty training too early, it may only take longer.

So is your child ready? Ask yourself these questions:

• Does your child seem interested in the potty chair or toilet, or in wearing underwear?
• Can your child understand and follow basic directions?
• Can your child ask simple questions?
• Does your child stay dry for periods of two hours or longer during the day? Does he or she wake from naps dry?
• Does your child have fairly predictable bowel movements?
• Does your child tell you when he or she needs to potty or poop?
• Is your child uncomfortable in wet or dirty diapers?
• Can your child pull down his or her pants and pull them up again?

If you answered mostly yes, your child may be ready for potty training. If you answered mostly no, you may want to wait awhile — especially if your child is about to face a major change, such as a move or the arrival of a new sibling. A toddler who opposes potty training today may be open to the idea in a few months.

Just for Mom on Mother's Day

by Pampers

Eating Right

Eating well-balanced meals is a terrific way to get the extra energy you need to keep up with a busy toddler. Make sure your whole family eats plenty of healthful, low-salt sources of calcium and iron — such as dairy products, green leafy vegetables, and fortified cereals. Your child will copy your eating habits, so be sure to set a good example.

At 21 months

Just for fun, me and Cristy decided a few months ago, to have Kirstin and her daughter Kaitlyn talked on the phone and surprisingly, they did! They talked for hours (watch out for the bills)! I don't know how they could possibly understand each other but we just let them talk. It's so cute and funny...I can't help not to laugh just listening to the way she talks, as if she knows how the world works already! Haha! This time, now that Kirstin can talk more clearly, Cristy and I let them talk on the phone again and I overheard Kirstin saying "Haha! That's funny Kaitlyn!" That made me laugh even harder!

Another thing that she's fascinated about is order. Kirstin starts to want to put things in order (I'm not really sure if she wants it or she just wants to follow my order, any case it works for me!), so tidying up after play is an easier task, provided I make the orders simple for her to pick up like: "Pick up all the blocks; now pick up the cars." At this age, praise for good behavior is a strong motivator, so I try to supply it often.

My Easter Bunny

Easter was fun! Kirstin was able to do the egg hunt, with a little help, of course! Though it rained a little bit, we still enjoyed it. She got excited when she found the eggs, moreso, when she opened it and found that there's candy inside! It reminded me how simple life can be. I wish I could keep that in mind but I guess, if I do forget, Kirstin is here to remind me of that.

Her aunt gave her a great big easter basket with all sorts of candies and little toys in it. We have to keep it out of Kirstin's reach, though, or she will eat more candy than she is allowed.

Sample Meal Ideas for Toddlers

by Mary Silva, M.S., R.D.reviewed by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P.

This meal plan is a good example of what--and how much--to feed a child who is between one and three years old. For an estimate of how large a serving should be, a useful rule of thumb is to give one tablespoon of each food for every year of your child's age. Make a child drink water more often than any other beverages especially during snack time. Water doesn't contain calories and is helpful in keeping your child's teeth healthy.

For breakfast:

1/3 cup cooked cereal
1/2 banana
1/2 slice toast with 1/2 teaspoon butter
4 ounces whole milk

For a morning snack:

2 graham crackers
4 ounces fruit juice

For lunch:

1/2 peanut butter and jelly sandwich
2 tablespoons cooked broccoli
1/4 cup melon
4 ounces whole milk

For an afternoon snack:

1/2 cup yogurt
1/4 muffin

For dinner:

1-1/2 ounces chopped chicken
2 tablespoons peas
2 tablespoons baked potato with 2 teaspoons butter
1/2 slice whole wheat bread
4 ounces whole milk

For a snack:

1/2 cup canned fruit
1/2 ounce cheese
2 or 3 whole grain crackers

Feeding Your Toddler

by keepkidshealthy.com

Feeding toddlers can be challenging. They are often picky eaters, are hesitant to try new foods, and in general, don't seem to eat very much.

To begin planning your toddler's diet, it can help to begin with the idea that toddlers need a lot less to eat than you think. Remember that children aren't growing as fast as they were during their first year of life and so have lower energy needs (the amount of calories per kg of their body weight) and smaller appetites. So if your child is active, healthy, and growing and developing normally, then he is likely getting plenty to eat.

It can also help to avoid common mistakes, such as:

• drinking more than 16-24 ounces of milk each day.
• drinking more than 4-6 ounces of juice each day.
• letting your child fill up on sweets and snacks.
• forcing your child to eat when he isn't hungry.
• giving servings that are too big. The average toddler serving is going to be about 1/4 of an adult serving size. Don't go by the serving size listed on nutrition labels, as these are mainly for older children and adults.

Don't Worry About -

The only real time that you should worry is if your child isn't gaining weight well or isn't very active. An overly restricted diet with too much milk and juice might also be a problem.

Things that you shouldn't worry about include a toddler that:

• doesn't seem like he eats a lot. Remember that as long as he is gaining weight and is active and healthy, then he is likely getting enough calories.


• only eats a few kinds of food each day, such as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, hot dogs, or chicken nuggets and french fries.
  
• won't try any new foods. You can keep trying to introduce new foods by putting a very small amount (like 1/2-1 tablespoon) on his plate and don't force him to try or finish it. Many kids won't try a new food until they have been offered it 10 or more times.
  
• doesn't eat a balanced diet each day. Most kids don't. As long as his diet seems balanced over a week or two, he is likely getting enough variety. If he really isn't, talk to your Pediatrician about the need for a vitamin supplement.
  
• doesn't finish everything on his plate. The idea that children should sit at the table until they 'clean' their plate is out of fashion. Instead, children should be taught to recognize when they are full and then stop eating. If your toddler isn't finishing what you offer, learn to offer smaller portions.
  
• doesn't eat what you prepare for him. Try to avoid making elaborate meals for your toddler or offering foods with a lot of spices or sauces. Instead, keep things simple. While you shouldn't have to prepare a separate meal for your toddler every day, don't be surprised if he doesn't want to eat 'adult' foods.
  
• is overweight. Okay, you should be a little concerned if your child is overweight, even at this age. However, instead of restricting calories, you may just want to provide a healthy diet and encourge regular physical activity. Be sure to watch your serving and portion sizes (offer toddler size portions) and don't offer too much milk, juice, or high calorie snacks.
  

Arcade Fun!

We went to Big Al's to celebrate Ian's birthday. He's 8 years old and he's getting to be a big boy now and pretty handsome too!

We did the same thing last year for his birthday, only we went to Bullwinkle, another arcade place. The difference this time was Kirstin was a willing participant! Haha! She really had the time of her life, having experienced it for the first time, again as a willing participant! Haha!

Thanks Cristy for inviting us! Kudos to you and your family! And Happy Birthday again, Ian! Hope you enjoyed it as well as we did!

Nourishing Your Toddler

The last time we visited Kirstin's Pediatrician for her check-up, the Doctor asked if she's eating good still. Apparently, there is a sudden change of appetite once babies become toddlers. Oftentimes, the infant who once ate well becomes the toddler who shows little interest in food. The reason for this is that the child's growth has slowed somewhat. But that's not the case for Kirstin. I guess she's still growing like crazy...she'll probably grow just like her father! Oh no! I'd be left out! Haha!

He warned us though of the iron deficiency anemia, which is very common to toddlers. And because we weaned her from bottle to sippy cup, we stopped giving her Enfamil (which has lots of iron). So, we try to make up for it by giving her iron-fortified cereal or iron rich food sources.

The nice thing about this age is we don't have to feed her. She finds it exciting that she's able to feed herself so she won't allow us.

Here's a tip to foster feeding skills for toddlers:

1.) Provide foods that are soft and easy to chew, cut up in bite-size pieces.
2.) Cook foods that tend to stick to a spoon, such as oatmeal and mashed potatoes, to help your toddler master using a spoon.
3.) Small portions are the best - your toddler can always signal if he/she wants more
4.) Make mealtime a pleasant experience. This is often a challenge for parents who worry that their child isn't eating enough. As a result, some parents might become very pushy about food, and a toddler will learn quickly that he can gain control of the situation by refusing to eat. This situation often can be avoided by taking a few precautions: Make sure that your child is seated properly for ease of eating (a high chair works well), and reduce distractions from the television or house traffic to avoid overstimulating him. When possible, eat with your child so you can model how to eat and expose your children to new foods.

My 18-month-old baby

Language is the most obvious progress babies are making at this age. Kirstin is discovering the power of words and has begun commenting on things in her environment just for the joy of sharing and talking. She started blabbering when she's 16-month-old at our Christmas party but now, for me, it actually sounded like a conversation. She'll point to the things around her and say what it is that she's pointing at. Oftentimes, she'll get it right. Sometimes, she doesn't know what it is and she'll ask us "What's that?" We usually encourage these conversations, and give her lots of help when she gets stuck on words she's still struggling to get out. When we get home from work, we will always ask her how her day goes and if she had fun! It may still sound Greek sometimes, especially when she talks very fast and tries to string words to form a sentence that we don't think makes any sense. But if we think of it hard enough and long enough, we have a good idea of what she's talking about! Haha! Wow, we're having a conversation!

What amazes me also is that she can read the alphabet! The toys that kids have now are really very helpful! And it also helps that she's intellectually curious. I guess Auntie Florence, our next door neighbor, had influence on that regard because from the very beginning, she would read to her books and since she's a good story teller, she's always interested! She bought her alphabet refrigerator magnets that she always play whenever she spends time with her in her house! Too bad she's not around anymore but we truly misses her and she misses her too, I bet! Aside from reading the alphabet, another trick that she learned is her numbers. She recites the numbers 1 to 10 not only in English, but also in Spanish. The numbers probably don't have any meaning to her right now but it's a good start!

Also, we have noticed that Kirstin has a very strong personality. If she's tired and wants to rest, you cannot make her do things without throwing tantrums. Mood swings and transition times are common now, signs of how much she wants to be her own person, so we need to brush up on our disciplinary techniques! Haha! I feel like she's already having the terrible two syndrome! Yikes! It might get worse when she turns two...remember, the terrible two's? Oh no! On the upside: Though the blowups may be more dramatic than they were six months ago, they're also fewer. And usually by staying consistent about telling her what she can and cannot do, she'll run for a big hug right after a big storm. Life is an exciting up-and-down adventure at this age! Good thing I'm fond of roller coasters! Hehehe!

By the way, she said bye bye to her baby bottles! It was hard but it has to be done. Took her 3 days to forget about it.

It's time for her check-up once again and the doctor said that she's doing good. She's above average for her height but just normal for her weight, which is what he likes it to be, especially with the onslaught of obesity in children. Keep it up Kirstin!

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! For Real!

On January 16, 2007, we had our share of snow! And I'm talking about several inches! Not like the last time, when we were just teased by Mother Nature! So, I got really excited since it's Kirstin's first time to see it, (I came from the Philippines and I know how exciting it is to experience it for the first time). Also, I didn't have to go to work that day because I can work from home! Yippee!! But, I must admit, I played outside with Kirstin first before I did my work! Hehe! We had a blast!

New Year 2007

I try to be the best mom I can for Kirstin. At the same time, I want to keep our house clean, cook healthy food for the family, do the laundry, etc. But I came across this poem, and for me, this sums up what I needed to do this year. I just have to keep in mind that my greatest priority is my baby and as much as I can, I should give her the attention she deserves! =)

What is Right

I can hear the children laughing in the other room.
My two girls and my two boys.
They are happy voices and I struggle

not to think about the mess they're making.
How technical this homemaking can be, if I let it.
Cleaning, straigtening, laundry, cooking.

Everything must be just so.
But the babies, my sweet babies.

Their big brown eyes, their Father's eyes,

Soft, chubby hands and sweet sloppy kisses.
If I must struggle to remember something,

let it be what is right.

(c) 1998 Shelly W. All Rights Reserved