Beach Day

 I love going to the beach in the off season.  Sure, it's cold and windy, but without the hoards of sunbathers, umbrellas, coolers, lawn chairs, and youngsters jumping in the surf, you can really appreciate just how beautiful the sand, sky and ocean are.  Plus, nobody has to see me in a bathing suit.  We all win.

We generally end up at the beach a handful of times over the winter months.  We bundle Madeline up and let her run around like a wild thing.  She finds sticks, rocks and shells.  She laughs at the seagulls, and watches dogs playing in the distance.  In spite of the cold, she still manages to build sandcastles and needs to be told not to go in the water.

Afterwards we usually head someplace to warm up.  Sometimes we stop at our favorite seafood shack for some chowder.  Madeline eats a hot dog and cries when she sees the lobsters.  She doesn't know what she's missing.  And other times, like yesterday, we drive along the coast to Newburyport or Portsmouth to get coffee and window shop.  

I commented to Eric yesterday that we probably won't be making many beach trips this winter, and yesterday was probably our last trip as a family of three.  But next winter, we'll have two munchkins with rosy cheeks and lopsided grins to chase around the sand.

Our Favorite Books

Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

This book is about a baby llama who is scared to go to bed at night without his mama. This is a familiar scenario in our house. Madeline empathizes with Llama Llama scared and missing his Mama Llama alone in his dark room.  Meanwhile, I understand the frustration Mama Llama feels as she tries to do the dishes as her child yells upstairs.

Plus, the rhyme scheme makes it fun to read aloud.  "Llama Llama don't you know?  Mama Llama loves you so!" never fails to make Madeline smile.

Don't Squish the Sasquatch by Kent Redeker

This book is equal parts strange and wonderful. Ever hear of a whale goat?  Well, there's one in this book. The silly names and illustrations appeal to both kids and adults.  Besides, if you've ever felt anxious on a crowded bus or subway, you'll totally get where Señor Sasquatch is coming from.  We've read this book repeatedly, and I have yet to grow tired of it.

All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon, Marla Frazee

I listed this book the last time I wrote about our favorite books, but that's how much I love it. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is so sweet it makes me want to squish and smooch Madeline extra hard. It's a nice reminder that the world can be a simply beautiful place if we let it.  Every child read this book.

Adele and Simon by Barbara McClintock

Basically I like this book because I want to live the life siblings Adele and Simon have. On their way home from school, they get to play in the park, eat pastries, visit The Louvre, and watch a parade. My only stop on the way home today was the grocery store. Womp.

The illustrations of Paris' famous landmarks are extremely detailed, and the reader gets to search for Simon's missing items among the busy scenes. Madeline loves pointing out his lost crayons when the characters in the book can't find them.

My Little Dinosaur by Ilse-Margret Vogel

This is one of the books we've inherited from Eric's childhood.  It's adorably retro.  The dad smokes a pipe, there's an apple on the teacher's desk, little girls wear knee socks...It looks like the world inside Zooey Deschanel's head.

The book is about a little boy who finds a small dinosaur and takes him home as a pet.  Everyone is mysteriously nonchalant about this discovery mostly because the dinosaur is so polite and doesn't leave mud prints on mother's floor. After reading this book about 100 times, Madeline now wants her own little dinosaur, and so do I.

Ten Apples Up on Top by Theo LeSieg, Roy McKie

This is another oldie.  A lion, a dog, and a tiger compete over how many apples they can balance on their heads. When things get out of hand, a bear chases them with a mop.  My inner English teacher is convinced this book is secretly a commentary on capitalism versus communism.  Political agendas or no, Madeline has most of the book memorized.

Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans 

It would just not be right for a little redhead named Madeline to not love the original Madeline. We were reading the story of Miss Clavel and the bold Madeline on almost a nightly basis until Madeline asked me what a scar is.  When I explained it to her, she freaked out.  Parenting fail.  When I told her that Eric has a scar on his arm that she could see, she freaked out even more.  Double parenting fail.  She hasn't been as interested in the book since, but it's worming its way back into the rotation.  She's also warmed back up to Eric in spite of his scar.  

Are You My Mother by P.D. Eastman 

This is a favorite from my childhood, and Madeline asked me to read it to her at least once a day for the first month we had it. She spent a lot of time pretending to live in a nest and calling me, "Mother Bird" during those first weeks.  It's a pretty cute book.  I also recommend we all start replacing the word "bulldozer" with "snort."

Click Clack Moo by Dorin Cronin, Betsy Lewin

Another children's book that seems to have a political agenda.   After a group of cows get a hold of a typewriter, they demand electric blankets. When their request is ignored by the farmer, they go on strike. A series of negotiations between the cows and the farmer ensue.  (The chickens and ducks eventually get involved too.) Madeline likes the repetition of "Click, Clack, Moo" throughout the story.  I like that the cows unionize. 

Walt Disney's Classic Storybook 

I'm not going to lie, this book got old fast for me, but Madeline LOVES it. She lies in bed flipping through the pages long after I tuck her in. Girl just can't get enough Cinderella. Luckily, there are a lot of different stories to choose from within the anthology, so even though we read it almost nightly, I can at least try to mix things up.

What books do you love reading with your child?

Florida Photo Fun

We spent Easter weekend in Florida celebrating my grandmother's 85th birthday.  The weather was beautiful, we saw members of the family we don't get to see very often, and we enjoyed watching the little ones zipping around the beach.

I've been complaining about the cold since returning to sunny Massachusetts on Sunday afternoon.   Come on, spring.  Get a move on!  Florida can do it! Why can't you?

Curious George

We're big fans of PBS Kids in this house.  As part of our daily morning ritual, Madeline eats her bowl of dry Cheerios and watches cartoons.  While Eric and I dash around like mad tornadoes trying to get ready for the day, Madeline is watching shows we trust like Sid the Science Kid, Martha Speaks, and Sesame Street.

So, when we were invited to an advance screening of the Seventh Season premiere of Curious George at the Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline, I was like, "Heck yes!  Roll out the red banana-colored carpet!"

WGBH bases its Curious George series on the books by Margret and H.A. Rey.  The program features George, the curious monkey, as he tries to problem-solve and explore the world around him.

In the Seventh Season premiere, "Monkey Down Under," George and his Man in the Yellow Hat travel to Australia for an Outback Adventure.  On his journey, George meets Bindi Irwin, observes some wild dingos, and finds a mysterious set of animal tracks belonging to a baby kangaroo.

Madeline loved the show.  This was only her second time in a movie theatre, so she was a little apprehensive at first.  She held on to Mimi's hand pretty tightly.  But when the familiar theme song for the show started, she let out a squeal of delight.  She sat still and paid attention to both fifteen minute segments of the show.

Best part?  When it was over, Madeline got to meet Curious George himself.  Her first celebrity encounter.

The season premiere will air on PBS Kids on Monday, December 3.   There will also be two more brand-new episodes on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The upcoming season will focus on George's encounters with animals in nature.  If you check out the PBS Parents website, there's a whole range of online activities for parents to help their little ones explore and discover for themselves.

There's also a new study that found that the Curious George series helps preschoolers learn math and science even at such a young age.  For information on that study, watch the YouTube video below.

Toddle Along Tuesday: Little People for a Little World

Eric and I both grew up playing with Fisher Price's Little People, so it's no surprise that we've brought the new generation into our home for Madeline.

The new Little People are almost as cute as the old ones, but less esophagus shaped, which is probably good because I know I used to try to rip the heads off those suckers with my teeth all the time when I was a kid.  Luckily, the little redhead girl survived my gnawing and now lives on my desk.

Madeline's collection has grown quite large over the past year thanks mostly in part to grandparents and things like Christmas and birthdays.  For example, our Little People family has not one, but two, Mummas.  (It's a lifestyle choice, don't judge.)  We also have grandparents, babies, several children, some farm animals, and a whole gaggle of princesses.  We even have the Baby Jesus.

The reason we like these toys so much is because they offer endless possibilities for imaginative play.  As Madeline gets older, the games she plays with her Little People become more complex.  She first spent her time her time lining them up neatly in rows.  (Madeline is a very orderly little baby.  She did not get that from me.)  Now that she's older, she takes her Little People through the daily routines of life.  They have snack time and nap time.  The babies take baths and the Mumma(s) read them stories.  The princesses try on hats, eat dinner and sleep under the covers.  While she's outgrown many of her baby toys, she'll be playing with these guys for years to come.

Of course, Mumma and Dada have some fun with them too.  We even staged our own Little People football game last year during the Super Bowl.  Nerds.  And when we go to the toy store, Eric and I always rush down the Little People aisle to see what new goodies are in stock.  Double nerds.

 Luckily, Madeline enjoys them almost as much as we do...

 I'm linking up with Toddler Along Tuesday over at Growing Up Geeky.  This week's topic is your favorite toddler toys.

Our Favorite Books

When I told a group of students a few years back that I read to my daughter every night, one student gaped at me incredulously and sputtered, "You make her read!?  Pff, I feel sorry for your daughter."

It was a pretty sad comment.  The concept of a parent reading to her child was so foreign to that student.  The thought of reading as anything other than punishment was inconceivable.

Reading to Madeline before bed is a special bond between the two of us that I began long before she understood what I was saying.  (I read the Hunger Games series, The Help, Edith Hamilton's Greek Mythology, and the final Harry Potter book aloud to her while I was home on maternity leave.)

Now, she cozies up in my lap, we dim the lights, play the sleep sheep, and read three books every night.  It's our ritual.  I feel so lucky that I live the kind of life where I am able to do that with her night after night.  A lot of parents, through the pressures of work, or maybe even by choice, don't get to experience that.  

As her tastes have developed, a few favorites have begun to emerge from the stacks piled around her room.  Although she sometimes gets stuck on book that gets old after the second or third time through, I've got to say, Madeline has pretty good taste.  Luckily, her favorites have also become some of my favorites.

In no particular order, our favorite books:

Bear Feels Scared
Karma Wilson

Eric bought this for Madeline last Valentine's Day after she went through a brief phase of being scared of school.  When I first saw the dark colors, I was worried it would only frighten Madeline more, but she loved it right away.  It's a cute story about a bear who gets lost in the woods while looking for strawberries, and his friends go out to rescue him.  The rhythm and beat of the words make it fun to read aloud.  It gets stuck in our heads.  Even Madeline has chunks of it memorized.

All The World
Liz Garton Scanlon, Marla Frazee

This is such lovely book!  Maddie asks to read, "All da Wooowld" almost every night.  The illustrations are gorgeous, and it sends such a positive message of togetherness, hope, love, and peace.  I feel better about the world when I read this book.  

Where, Oh Where is Huggle Buggle Bear?  
Katherine Sully, Janet Samuel

This is a silly book that came in a publisher's package that I bought off Zuilily or Totsy last year for Christmas.  I think this was the first book with an actual story that would hold Madeline's interest all the way through.  She was seriously obsessed for a while, but reading it with her didn't get old.  I perform it quite dramatically....very Shakespearean.

Duck and Goose Find a Pumpkin
Tad Hills

The Duck and Goose series is really sweet.  We have a few of them, but this is our favorite.  The illustrations are colorful, simple and cute.  The words are also simple, cute, and funny for grownups.   Madeline has this one memorized.

Big Dog...Little Dog
P.D. Eastman

An oldie, but a goodie....good ole Ted and Fred.  Nana passed along Eric's childhood copy over the summer, and Madeline was instantly drawn to it.  She especially likes to point out Eric's name written in the front cover.  It's basically a story about friends who are complete opposites.  Sorta Bert and Ernie-ish...but dogs.

Good Night Gorilla
Peggy Rathman

This is a picture book with very few words, but it's so fun to let the pictures tell the story.  Madeline loves that the animals are sneaking out of their cages.  It's also kinda fun to make up your own words as you go along.

Pride and Prejudice
Jennifer Adams, Alison Oliver

#youknowyourmother'sanEnglishteacherwhen

This is part of the BabyLit series that turns classics of British literature into board books.  We have the whole set, which includes Pride and Prejudice, Romeo and Juliet, Jane Eyre, and Alice and Wonderland.  Don't worry, they are simple counting books....no wives locked in the attic, teen suicide, drug references, or "scandalously patched-up marriages." Pride and Prejudice is my favorite.  I would wallpaper Madeline's room with the illustrations if possible.  Side note:  For some reason, Madeline thinks the illustration of Mr. Bingley is me.  "Dat Mumma!"  Either I'm really manly or Mr. Bingley is quite girly.

Mon Papa M'Adore! 
Francesco Pittau

My parents went to France last spring and brought Madeline back some books en francaise....including Madeline!  Maddie is still a tad too young for the tales of Ms. Clavel to hold her interest unfortunately, but she adores this little book.  I don't speak French beyond a high school level, but from what I can tell, it's about a little tomboyish girl who does not like dolls, but does like drawing on the walls, kicking things, and making a mess in the bathtub.  And most importantly, her father loves her.  Awww.

I feel like I'm probably forgetting books, and later I'll be all, "Darn you, Summer!  How could you forget that book?  You dummy!"  It's pretty hard to narrow down the list...but if you are looking for something new for your repertoire, I hope you find these suggestions helpful.  

What are your favorite baby books?  Got any recommendations?

When Summer Copies Things She Sees on The Internet

When I have a lot of time on hands, I find my oven mitts itching for some DIY, arts and crafts magic.  This past week I had a lot of free time since it was school vacation week.  Most of my projects were half-arsed and not worth sharing.  The low point came when I got drunk and started wrapping wine and beer bottles in yarn on Thursday night.  They fell apart.  Apparently there's this invention called glue that I need to look into...whatevs.

But on Saturday, I completed my one and only worthwhile project of the week.  (Besides painting the dining room and not doing laundry.)

I've been noticing all the terrarium madness on the Internet for the past year, and making one of my own has been on the list for a while.

I used one old bowl I've had lying around the place for years and one bowl I bought at a thrift store for next to nothing.

You will also need pebbles, potting soil made for the kind of plant you'll be using, and of course...plants.  The nice thing about these kinds of plants is that they are hard to kill.  And since I tend to kill most living things that come in contact with me...it's the red hair...I'm hoping these last a while.  

First, you need to pour about an inch of the pebbles on the bottom of the bowl.  

Then you need to pour enough soil to plant the roots of your plants.  I needed about four inches.  In my first attempt, I poured the soil in the bowl and then dug holes for the plants.  On my second attempt, I placed the plants in the bowl first and then scooped piles of dirt around the roots.  I recommend the second method because it was easier to place my pants exactly where I wanted them, and it was slightly less messy.  

In my second terrarium, I had enough room to also add a layer of moss, which I really like the look of.
Ta-da!  Aren't they purdy?

 Two easy, lovely, hard-to-kill centerpieces for my new and improved dining room!

P.S.  Friends do not let friends drink and craft alone.

When You've Got Troubles, You Can Always Go Downton

...Abbey that is.

Has the Downton Abbey fever caught on in your household yet?

Me too.  Let's be best friends and bad mouth Lady Mary behind her back.  That minx.  I adore her.

Seriously though, I've always had a weak spot for period pieces.  If it involves a corset, I'll watch it.  While other sixth grade girls were swooning over Leo and JTT,  I was swooning over Collin Firth playing Mr. Darcy.

Obviously, Downton Abbey and I were made for one another.  And while the second season has seriously crossed the line into soap opera territory, I'm still eagerly awaiting the Christmas special on Sunday.

To tide me over, I've been swooning over some Downton Abbey Internet gems.  Enjoy.

If only these were the words Eric whispered in my ear on Valentine's Day:

 

Prudent Baby  

If only these were the words Carson whispered in my ear on Valentine's Day:  

Have You Met Ms. Jones?

(I actually think the Matthew one is my favorite, but it's pretty dirty.  Please click the link.  Please.  Just do it.)    

Meanwhile, from now on Eric and I will be answering to the names of Lord Felix, Duke of Ryme Inrinseca and Lady Lettice, Baroness Mumbles.    Thanks, Downton Abbey Name Generator  

While you're at it, Which Downton Abbey Character Are You??  (I'm Lady Violet.  Obviously it's because Maggie Smith and I bare a striking resemblance.  Also, how old is she?)  

Speaking of the Dowager Countess, don't you just love her fancy hats?  Now I can make my own thanks to Crooked House!  

And now it's just getting silly:  If You Liked It...

Ever since SNL took on Downton Abbey, I can't get through an episode without Eric declaring, "Nice car!  What's your other car?  A Bike??  It IS a bike!!!" every time Branson and Sybil have one of their "love" scenes in the garage.  

Finally, just remember....

Via Etsy

Around the Mighty Internet

It's the Friday before a long weekend!  Plus, we're getting our dining room table this weekend!  Double plus, Nana and Poppy are coming to visit!!  Hooray!

In the meantime, check out some of these links!

Check out these amazing photographs of sand under the microscope.  Amazing right?

(P.S.  I found these on another blog at some point during the week, but I can't find where even though I just spent like half an hour searching....so....I suck.  Sorry.)

Meanwhile, this woman makes a book a day.  Not reads...makes.  What an interesting project to take on. Some of her books are real pieces of art.

Slate Magazine has an interesting article on epidurals.  It sums up how I felt about epidurals.  After having two, I always think, "What's the big deal?" when I hear all the warning against them.  But what do I know??  And so the debate continues.

On a less controversial note, I saw this at Harper's Happenings and had to check it out.  Ever So Lovely is hosting The 2nd Ever So Lovely Valentine Exchange.  It's such a cool idea.  I really want to join...if I can get my act together and make some cards.

Last, but not least, here's a funny video about Iowa.  My step dad is from Iowa, so my parents emailed this to me earlier in the week.  It's in response to the negative publicity Iowa has been getting recently after University of Iowa Journalism Professor Stephen Bloom wrote an article criticizing the state.

I must say, it uses some salty language, so beware.

An Organized Mess

One of goals for 2012 is to be more organized.

I almost laughed aloud just typing this.  Because this girl??  I'm the high queen of disorganization.

As a general rule, I live in a state of perpetual clutter.  There are always envelopes stacked on my desk, paperwork misfiled in my so-called "filing" cabinet, baby clothes everywhere....don't even get me started on my closet.  Ee Gads.

The thing is, I really HATE clutter.  I hate having to spend an extra three minutes every morning searching for my car keys, or tracking down my cellphone, or locating a misplaced piece of paperwork I needed for a student.  It drives me bat ass crazy.

Then why am I such a red hot mess?  Why, Summer, WHY?!

 Perhaps it's because my brain hasn't worked properly since I squeezed a Maddie Bear from my loins. (Although, I can't fully blame her because I've always been this way.)  Perhaps it's in the gene pool.  (Sorry, mom.)  Yet, I think it's mostly due to my general laziness and desire to procrastinate whenever at all possible. Bills?  Eh, I'll file them later!

No longer, baby.  Kiss that clutter goodbye!  This is the year that Summer will get -ish done!

The last time I made this vow (and failed) was last spring when I created my home management binder.

When I first came across the idea on Pinterest, I snorted.  The thought of sitting down and creating a manual for my life seemed ludicrous.  It's the kind of thing type-A overachievers do.  I am not that kind of person, and those kinds of people drove me crazy in college.

Yet, as we began the process of buying a house, and Madeline's paperwork kept piling up everywhere, I realized I needed to get things straightened out before I went insane.  The idea of a home management binder was lookin' pretty darn good.

And thus, THIS was created:  My Home Management Binder!

Complete with tabs...

 

 And pocket folders...

Are you blinded by its radiance?  You should be.

I separated my binder into the following sections:

• Contacts
• Work
• School (Maddie's)  
• Medical
• Meals
• Home
• Family
• Financial 

All important forms from daycare, immunization records, plans for the house, budgets, coupons, business cards, fliers, recipes, memos from work, etc. go into the binder.  That way, I know right where everything is!

My favorite part?

I keep all my bill paying necessities in a zipper pouch in the very front of the binder.  When I'm paying bills, I no longer have to go searching for stamps, address labels, a calculator, or pen.  It's all right there for me to use.

And all those Type-A people who drove me nuts in college?  They came up with this idea.  Some of them have even created entire websites about being organized.  Their websites are a very helpful resource for people like me.

Here's a list of places I got most of my printouts for my binder.  I love all the printables.  They make me want to make lists for everything including the order in which I should put on my clothes in the morning.  

www.theprojectgirl.com
www.organizedhome.com
www.yourway.net
www.iheartorganizing.blogspot.com

Of course, maintaining a home-management binder does take some organization skills.  The To-Do list I keep in the very front of my binder?  It still says, "Buy Madeline's birthday invites."  Yup, hasn't been updated since September.

Here we go, 2012.  Let's get organized.

Vintage Posters

It seems all I do these days is scour the Internet looking for new ideas for the house, which is exactly how I came across these awesome vintage prints on Etsy last week.  The teacher in me just loves a good educational message hanging on the wall.  

Here

(I can't decide if I like the cow or the cat side better.)  

Here

Here

Here

Here

Here