Playing the drum

Today we made our own drum by turning a bucket upside down. For drumsticks we used a wooden salad spoon and fork. Astrid pounded on her drum while I sang “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and “Row Row Row Your Boat.”

Watching mama cook

Astrid always want to see what I'm doing. That includes what I'm doing in the kitchen.

If I'm cooking I'll either sit her on the counter to watch, or she'll climb up on her chair in the dining room so she can peek over - like she's doing in the photo above. (Tonight I cooked spaghetti with a fresh turkey/basil/tomato/marinara sauce.)

When I'm washing dishes, I'll put a chair next to the sink so she can crawl up and down at her leisure. I used to put her up on the counter, but that proved to be a hassle because she would want to get down and then want back up over and over again. It's easier to just push a chair up next to me so she can get up an down without any assistance. (Which means I don't have to stop and rinse and dry my hands 10 times in order to get the dishes done.)

When she was an infant she would just cry and cry when I washed the dishes. I would bounce her in her bouncy chair while I did the dishes, and then later when she was a bit older, I put her in her ultra-saucer which I brought into the kitchen so she could play and still see me while I finished up. But still most of the time she cried. Definitely a mistake of a new parents. The whole time she just had a view of my back and couldn't see what I was doing, while I kept turning around to reassure her and let her know that I'd be done in a few minutes - while I rushed like a maniac. If I had it to do all over again, I would have put her in a baby chair and sat her up on the counter so she could see what I was doing. That would have avoided a lot of tears and near nervous breakdowns on my part.

Washing the dishes and cooking still isn't something that I can do leisurely, because Astrid gets bored and wants my attention (i.e., she'll bring in books and ask me to read to her and is not all too pleased that I'm preoccupied with something else), but it is a lot easier now. It's easier in part because I can include her by letting her watch or help me (i.e., pouring ingredients, throwing things away like the ends of vegetables, drying the dishes with a dish towel, and using the Swiffer to clean the floors).

Papa's coffee

Astrid can't read yet (she's only 2), but she recognized the Starbucks logo on a stand alone cup in a photo and remarked, "Papa's coffee." And we try so hard to shield her from brands. *sigh* Must be all those Saturday morning trips with Uwe to Starbucks.

Kinder gym class

At the end of class Ms. Iris brings out a drum and announces it's "sticker time". All the kids come together to get stickers and stamps on their hands. Those that are waiting can play the drum. Astrid and Ava playing the drum together.
We went to Peekaboo Playland recently (our first time) and lo and behold Ava was there (the girl sitting next to Astrid). The two little girls instantly recognized one another, and walked towards one another. Astrid said, "Ava", and Ava said, "Astrid." Since then Astrid will ask me where Ava is, or try to tell me that Ava wore her hair in pig tails today. Astrid has started making friends in the class. There are two girls and one boy that she plays with. It's very cute to watch.

After class three of us mom stuck around to let the kids play together and to chat. The other little girl and boy had played together before so Astrid was the newcomer in their circle. I watched as she went to join them and the 2 toddlers got up and walked away. I was happy to see that Astrid didn't give up. She joined them at the drum and started playing along with them, all the while chatting away. Soon both kids accepted her and started playing with her. Especially the boy whose full attention Astrid had captured by talking away and pointing out different things to him.
Her motor development has improved greatly in just the last month. She now can climb up this plank without my assistance. Before she needed to hold my hand to do it, but now it's all about "self self" - she wants to do it by herself.She loves climbing all over this wooden play structure.As well as sitting on top to watch all of the activity below.Going down the slide.Wearing her sticker.This slide is quite fast, as it's at a steep angle, so if she goes down it by herself she'll use her feet to slow herself down.Watching an older kid land on her feet as she goes down the slide.Playing with a gymnastics ribbon.On her way up again.

This two day a week class is great exercise and social development for her. They also play music and sing and dance.Astrid can also climb up a ladder now by herself. (She's all about the ladder in the pool as well.)It's always exciting to see Astrid being able to do new things that she wasn't able to do before.

Astrid has fun @ Grandma & Grandpa's house