Baking Barney Cupcakes

 

Deen loves to help me bake, especially if it has anything to do with one of his favorite cartoon like figures. In this case it was Barney. 

I prefer to use box mixes when baking with Deen because it is just that much easier for me. I can then focus on my camera better  him without having to worry about the 999 other ingredients in the recipe...(or worse yet... forgetting one of them!)

I first get everything ready for Deen so that all he needs to do is dump the ingredients in. If he was older and could measure then I would have all our supplies out and would ask him to measure as he added the ingredients.

 

See how easy and calm this is.... All he needs to do is throw the ingredients in...

Mix mix mix...

Separate each cupcake wrapper and put them in the cupcake tin...

Wow, who knew that there were so many learning opportunities in such a simple activity?

Separate the mixture... 

Bake...

Cover in frosting... 

Sprinkle on some sprinkles...

They definitely look better than they tasted.... 

I don't like the box icing at all...

Deen didn't seem to mind though! (and that's all that really matters anyway!)

Seussical Jr.

Today Deen and I went to watch a play called Seussical Jr.

WoW!!!

It was amazing! The play is about Dr. Seuss books but mainly focuses on Horton Hears a Who. I personally have not read Horton Hears A Who so I am not completely sure how true to the book the play is but nonetheless it was beyond how nice I think the book could be.

I mean... who knew that I could travel the world and reach far far away to another land where animals could speak and birds could whine about their feathers being ugly....

Deen loved it , of course! All the parents were also going on about how amazing the show is and how they think they are enjoying it even more than their kids are.

What I love about plays(theater shows) is that it uses so much more of your imagination. It takes you beyond where the television can and honestly brings to life a book in such a spectacular way.

We were all in the land of make believe....

Unfortunately we did have a small mishap due to the seating arrangement... here is what happened:
The children sat on the floor in front on a cushion near the stage while the parents sat at the back.... that was fine... until ...

...the moment the show ended...

As all the parents stood up I could not see Deen anywhere. I could not move to get closer to him...

My heart started racing... where is my son? What is he wearing? "ummm....I'm the one that put his jacket on before the show but I cannot for the life of me remember what he was wearing..." (can you tell I started panicking?)

As I frantically searched around me it seems that he was allowed to exit the theater before me. Eventually I just had to start pushing and shoving my way through people in order to find him. 

The theater is in a closed environment so realistically nothing could have happened to him, but that didn't change the fact that he and I were freaking out for those 2-3 minutes where we both couldn't see each other.

Although we had a small mishap at the end, that definitely doesn't take away from the show. Anybody that lives in the Johannesburg area book your tickets to the show at the National Children's Theater. You wont regret it, I promise! :)

Fun with Rice - Great Learning Opportunities

There are so many learning opportunities that playing with rice provides..









 A fun hiding spot...

A great texture to feel on your hands, face, and feet...

(Aaliyas toes)

and it also provides a great opportunity to work on pouring and cleaning up!

But best of all, it is FUN!

Deen helped me choose some items around the house that were tiny. It consisted mostly of small farm type of animals, a few cars, and some small fish. He then helped me put it into the bowl of rice and hide it. He had fun then trying to dig all the items out. For Aaliya, since she is still young, we let the animal feet show a tiny bit so she knew that they were there and she could easily get to them while still enjoying the benefit of feeling the texture of rice.

 

This activity kept the kids busy (with me...) for an hour and they both thoroughly enjoyed it.

Book Reviews - Our Toddler Favorites (Baby-2 years old)

Favorite books for a baby/toddler:
I have only recently started to read to Aaliya but these were Deen's favorite books when he was her age so these are the ones I am currently reading to her.

Bathtime Peekaboo is a fun interactive book that Deen and I read a million times over. Aaliya has taken interest in books recently and the DK Learning books are at the top of our list for her. I also read her Playtime Peekabo which is equally as cute. These books have stood the test of two kids and passed with flying colors. Each page has something related to the theme of the book hiding under an item. The child is then supposed to lift the flap in order to find if the item is hidden under the flap. These flaps are extremely easy for a young child to get to since it is a board book type of flap that is large. Some lift the flap books have flaps that are made of a thin paper and it can be extremely difficult and frustrating for young children to try and lift the flap up but the DK Publishing Peekaboo books will never give you a problem. I think the lift the flap part as well as having something to touch on each page(a fluffy ear or a bath sponge type of stomach) adds to a childs interest and keeps their interest in the book. Last night we purchased Hoppity Hop Peekaboo! and I hope to add more DK Publishing Peekaboo books to our home library.

Moo, Baa, La La La is associated with amazing memories for me of my reading relationship with Deen. Deen at the age of 13 months could already recite the words to this book. I would read to him and say, "A cow makes..." and he'd say "moo..." a sheep says "baa" three singing pigs say....then he would point and in his adorable baby voice say "no no noo nooo" thats not right... the pig says " oik" all day and night. Although he couldn't pronounce everything completely it was even more adorable and I don't know if I will ever be able to give this book up. I wish I had recorded it with my video camera like I had planned to do on so many instances but yet they grow up so quickly and somehow time passes you by.
I have now started reading this book to Aaliya (yes I know I am very late on that but up until this point I was using all my reading energy on Deen since he loves it so much).





Goodnight, Gorilla - Now I am not completely sure what it was about this book that held Deen's interest for months. For a few months this was honestly Deen's favorite book (probably around 16 months). At 16 months this was his must read bedtime book. The book is about a zookeeper who checks on all the animals at night before he goes to bed but a cheeky gorilla steals the zookeepers cage keys and the Gorilla sneakily lets out all the animals that the zookeeper says goodnight to. This book is made up of very few words but the pictures seem to captivate toddlers. Deen's favorite part in this book was when the lights went off and the only thing showing on the page was the zookeepers wifes big eyes.The copy we own is the extra large board book, I'm not sure if that made the difference in why he loved it but its worth checking out.



Goodnight Moon - I do not think any home library should be without this book. This calming tale is so relaxing and the last picture of the room with the night sky showing trough the window is one of the most beautiful pictures I have seen in any board book. The book starts off in the great green room and states all the interesting items in the room and then we say goodnight to all of them. This book not only winds your child down but it also winds you (the parent) down. I personally love this book and believe this is a must have book that belongs in every childs bookshelf. Goodnight Moon is a peaceful, calming, lulling book that will surely have you and your child yawning and ready to go to bed.




Trust me, when I say that we have a lot of books (especially for the 1-2 year age group) but the books above were our personal favorites. Other popular books that we own for this age range are:
The Very Hungry Caterpillar (which is also a captivating story),
Guess How Much I Love You (such a sweet book but I find that Deen only started loving this book now at age 3 and this post is about favorite books for a one year old.),
Big Red Barn (This is such a popular book amongst kids at this age and I always see it mentioned on various forums but Deen
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? ( rythmic verses and simple watercolor like pictures are very popular with kids.)

What were your toddlers favorite books?

Why is it important to read to your child?

A book opens your child's imagination to a world of endless possibilities...

We are a book loving family. Deen would spend his whole day reading books if he could and that is something that makes me proud. I have always loved to read and when I was pregnant with him I envisioned reading books to my child. I currently don't have a reading area, but in our new house(that we are currently building) I am hoping to incorporate a reading area somewhere for our kids. I started reading to Deen him early on and I think that honestly helped him with his advanced vocabulary. We also loved baby signing time but we can talk about that another day.

Reading to your child from the time they are a baby creates a love for reading that the child will continue nurture throughout their life.

 
Board Books Vs Paper Books?
When I was searching for books for Deen when he was a few months old I couldn't decide whether to purchase a board book vs paper books. From what I see, the difference is that sometimes the paper books include a few more pages to the story that the board book doesn't have.... BUT... the book is so much safer with a toddler if you buy the board book version. The child will enjoy holding the book on their own and you as a parent  will not be worried that your child will tear the pages. For a baby to about a 2 1/2 year old I do believe its a better idea to buy the board book copy as this will last you for years to come.

********************************

(Taken from United Through Reading Family Literacy Foundation Article)

Why Read Aloud with Children?
·  Studies prove that the most important thing adults can do in preparing
young children for success in school and reading is to read aloud
with them.
·  Many doctors believe that a child that has never had the experience
of being read to is not a fully healthy child. The American Medical
Association has suggested that all doctors prescribe "reading to
children".
·  Reading aloud with children regularly is an extremely effective
medium to build relationships and communicate with children.

The Many Benefits of Reading Aloud with Children:
• Children's self-esteem grows as they experience the security of having
a parent or other caring person read aloud with them.
• Children experience increased communication with parents and
other family members.
• Children are introduced to new concepts such as colors, shapes,
numbers, and alphabet, in a fun, age appropriate way.
• Children build listening skills, vocabulary, memory and language skills.
• Children develop imagination and creativity.
• Children learn information about the world around them.
• Children develop individual interests in special subjects like dinosaurs,
cats, or cars.
• Children learn positive behavior patterns and social values.
• Children learn positive attitudes towards themselves and others.
• CHILDREN LEARN THE JOY OF READING!

********************************

Organza Hide and Seek

Here is a simple yet effective activity that is great for babies 9 months and older.
Take a small bear or something similar to that and show your child as you place it in the organza bag.
Let her watch how you have put it in and since the organza bag is clear she will know that the item is still inside.
 

 





Then give her the bag and have her figure out how to get to the item.











If the hidden item is something that interests her she will be motivated to figure out why she can see the item and how she can get to it.


I didn't have a bigger organza bag otherwise I would have used that to make this activity a little bit easier for her.







This activity is great for the supermarket, while in the car(as long as the item is big enough not to pose a choking hazard), and for the five minutes that you may need to keep your child busy.

Simple, effective, mess free, and FUN!

Snuggle Up In Your Blanket Of Love

Her eyes open... but she can't see anything... the room is dark... She wonders why she can't see.
The room is quiet. She listens carefully for the soothing sounds of her mothers heartbeat but she can't find it. Is mama here?
She can't smell her mothers calming scent. Is anyone else here? Am I alone?
She turns to her left and searches with her tiny hands for the warmth of her mothers body... Nothing. She turns to her right and searches again... but nothing.
She begins to cry...

Mama's comforting hands quickly rest gently on top of her. She feels secure again knowing that her mother is always near. Mama begins to pat her down softly... and within a few seconds she dozes back to sleep... safe and sound.

A few hours later she begins to feel thirsty...
She doesn't know how to satiate (sā'shē-āt') that thirst... She turns to her left... then to her right... but she is still thirsty. She cries out for help!

Her mother comes quickly and tries to pat her down but she begins to cry again.
Mama scoops her up, holds her tight and takes her into her warm bed where Mama then nurses her...

She places her tiny hand on her mothers heart... soothed by the calming sound of her mothers heartbeat that surrounded her for the 9 months she lived in her mothers womb.

Her mothers soft lips press lightly on to her forehead as she hears her mother whisper, "I love you my precious child" and although she can't speak yet, she has heard those words at least ten times a day every single day since she was born. She knows that it is something good and special. Her heart gets a tickle of warmth and happiness as she dozes off into blissful sleep held in the support of her mothers blanket of love.

------------------------------

Last night, before I went to bed I thought of how my daughter may be feeling through the night which would explain her night wakings. The above thoughts are what I came up with.

Don't get me wrong though... I do believe that a baby is lucky to know how to self soothe and I know that in due time it will happen. I don't need to force that with crying it out as I do not want to become desensitized to my daughters cry. Cry it out doesn't specifically work for me and my family but I do not judge others who have chosen that route. We all need to do what is best for our own family.

I tried patting Aaliya down so she doesn't rely on nursing to sleep which seems to be working well. When I see that she is nursing only to fall asleep I lay her down in her cot(which is a few feet away from my bed) and lay one hand lightly but firmly on her shoulder (as if I was holding her... or as if she was swaddled) and I pat her down with my other hand. She usually falls asleep within thirty seconds.

As she wakes up through the night I check on how many hours it was since she last fed. If it was recently then I try patting her down first for a minute. If she carries on fussing then I pick her up and feed her. She will then either co-sleep with me for the rest of the night if I am very tired or I will put her back in her cot until her next wake up.

I am hoping that with the patting down first she will learn to self soothe on her own when she is ready.

The best part about all of this is there is no crying involved. I feel that we are meeting both her needs and mine.

I read this article on cry it out a few months ago and it deeply touched my heart and soul. I would like to share it with my readers: Just Let Her Cry

Wish me luck, that this works for us long term.
:)
Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts and e-mails... I loved reading every single e-mail with your thoughts and experiences.

I wanted to leave you guys with a song that I sing to my daughter and son.
It is a song I heard on Barney when I was pregnant with Aaliya and it really stuck with me. I love every single thing about this song and it makes my heart tingle with warmth:

Oh, sweet little girl
Oh, sweet little boy
Rest your head on a cloud
Made of feathers.

Oh, sweet little lamb
Oh, sweet little child.
Snuggle up in your blanket of love.

A hug and a kiss
A nighty-nite story.
There's nothing you'll miss
till you wake in the morning.

Oh, sweet little girl
Oh, sweet little boy
Rest your head on a cloud
Made of feathers.

Oh, sweet little dear
I'll always be near.
Loving you now and forever (my love...)

Fifa World Cup 2010 Opening Game

Yesterday, we went to the FIFA World Cup 2010 Opening Game....
Can I say... WOW!!! We had such a great time and created such amazing memories! We have waited so many years for this that it feels sort of bittersweet now that it has finally arrived.

Check us out in our Diadora soccer shirts supporting our home team South Africa!


Unfortunately, we got there a bit late so we missed the whole opening ceremony...
We couldn't leave too early since I didn't want to leave Aaliya for so many hours.
Its ok though since I heard the opening ceremony wasn't anything special!


Deen had a blast blowing his vuvuzela!


We had some great seats thanks to my amazing hubby!


The crowd was so lively! The game was so much fun to watch! (And this is coming from a person who hates to watch sports on TV... the only sports I like to watch on TV are Ice skating or Gymnastics)

It was FREEZING cold though! I can't imagine how I am going to survive during the night time games!

The game was South Africa Vs Mexico... but I have to say wow the players on the Mexican team were extremely fast runners!
The game ended up in a tie... South Africa with 1 goal and Mexico with 1 goal.

Come on South Africa!!

Mama Zombie - Sleep Deprived

I thought it was just a phase that she was going through but it seems that Aaliya has honestly become a bad sleeper. She is 13 months old and wakes up sometimes about 4-5 times a night. The good thing is that she is only awake for maybe 3-4 minutes at a time... all she wants is milk and then she is back down quickly.
Anyone have thoughts on how to help me?

Here is what we have been doing recently...
At about 7.30 I give her some baby chamomile and rooibos tea(not always)
Around 7.45-8ish We go to the room where the lights are off(except for a side light) and I give her a short quick massage.. (usually only her legs since thats where she enjoys the massage the most).
I put her pj's on and then breastfeed her to sleep. She generally goes to sleep around 8.30.
I lay her in her bed and she usually sleeps till around 11-12 before her first wake up. After her first wake up(or second wake up depending on when I go sleep) I keep her in my bed... since I am way too tired to get up and put her back in her crib.. we co sleep the rest of the night.
She is then up every 2 hours for a quick 3 minute feed.

I have tried putting her back in her cot after her first(or second) wake up but she still wakes up after 2 hours....
I'm not really sure what to do but I am becoming so tired in the day that I am exhausted by 9 pm which is usually my time with my husband. We relax and watch all our tv shows together, talk about our day, etc.

Deen and Aaliya both currently sleep in my bedroom. Deen sleeps in his car bed which is next to our bed and Aaliya sleeps both in our bed and her cot.

About a month ago Aaliya slept through the whole night without even waking up once... 12 hours! I was so surprised and thought something was wrong with her... (but thanks to my angel care monitor I could see the light flashing that she was indeed breathing)

Deen was a horrible sleeper like this until I stopped breastfeeding at around 21 months(I was 11 weeks pregnant with Aaliya at the time). After 2 days he started sleeping right through the night and has become an amazing sleeper(once we get him down.. that is..)

I have been very patient with her sleep until now as I know how quickly they grow and I believe in night time parenting when the child needs it... I love the extra cuddles... and all of our special moments together.... but knowing that she CAN sleep through the night shows me that she is doing this more out of habit instead of necessity for those feeds. I don't mind one or two feeds at night if that is what she needs.... but four?

I'd love your thoughts? :)

Birthday Reminder Printable

Be reminded of your child's friends birthdays in style with our Birthday Reminder Printable.
Anyone else have trouble remembering birthdays and want a great visual reminder? I made a birthday reminder calendar page that you can print out.
Older kids would love to put this in their school notebook so they can easily jot down their friends birthdays.
Moms would love to print this out and put it on their fridge. You can add up to six friends birthdays per month.

I made two versions... one is a simple version for my Fun With Mama readers.


Click the picture above to download or click here

and here is one I created for my new business fans(more about my new business at a later date).

Click on the picture above or click here to download/save.

All you need to do is click on the birthday reminder picture above to save or download
Click Print.
Click Best quality and print away.
Trim off the excess white parts(Or leave as is).
This page looks great when printed on card stock. Put it on your fridge, in your child's school notebook, or use prestik to stick it to the wall.

Want to make it reusable for years to come? Laminate it after printing and use an erasable marker so that it also becomes waterproof and extra durable! :)

Would love to know if you use this! :) Leave a comment!
Have a great day!