Mama's Recess Has MOVED!

You can now find me at AimeeLAlexander.com.

More Games...

I wrote about more games and activities for toddlers at NEK Moms today. Check it out and tell me what you favorites are!

DIY Toddler Games & Activities

I spent a lot of time perusing the internet the last week looking for fun things to do with Sweet Pea. Now that she is sitting up by herself I feel like there is so much more we can do! I pinned a ton of ideas on Pinterest so you can find a lot more there, but here are some of the games and activities I made yesterday and today:

Sensory floor

For the sensory floor I just taped a bunch of different stuff to the floor for Sweet Pea to touch. Seen here are tinfoil, wax paper, and a Ziplock bag with about 3 tablespoons of water (which I later added blue food coloring to just to make it look cool). She loved it, especially the bag of water.

Shakers

I have a ton of leftover breastmilk containers. I put a few of them to use as shakers by filling them with rice, beans, marbles, etc. Make sure you hot glue the lids shut!

Pom-pom fun

This may be Sweet Pea's favorite game. I bought a pack of pom-poms at the dollar store and put a few in another empty breastmilk bottle. She had fun shaking them out of the bottle and then putting them back in. To change it up a bit, I gave Sweet Pea an ice cube tray and set her to work "sorting" pom-poms. Fun!

I also bought a few used books on Amazon for $.01. Yes, you read that right: one cent (+$3.99 shipping, but still...). One of them arrived last week and I have really enjoyed reading it. "Baby Days: Activities, Ideas, and Games for Enjoying Daily Life with a Child Under Three" is full of activities divided up by time of day and age of baby. It's funny that I need a book to remind me how fun it is for Sweet Pea to play with a box of tissues, but I do! I get so caught up in the day-to-day routine of taking care of her and myself and I forget all the other things we could be doing. Anyway, I am loving the book. When the others arrive I'll let you know if they are worthwhile.

In the meantime, check out my Activities for Toddlers Pinterest page. There are so many free ideas on the internet from lots creative moms that it's actually a bit overwhelming!

Bayt Boutique

Do you love finding cute, handmade decor for your home? Do you also like to support great causes? My sorority sister Jenny and her husband have opened up an etsy shop full of one-of-a-kind treasures for your home, with all proceeds going towards the adoption of their little one in Ethiopia! Check out Bayt Boutique (bayt means "home" in Amharic - the official language of Ethiopia) and let me know what your favorite item is! I love, love, love this children's table!

Only $129.99 from Bayt Boutique

Preemie No More

Last night I was going through some of Sweet Pea's baby stuff and found her very first outfit. It was a preemie sized onesie that my sister bought her and that she pretty mush swam in. Today I decided to try it on for fun. I could barely get her arms in it and didn't even bother attempting her legs! I can't believe she will be one this Sunday!

Olympic Cupcakes

I was inspired by a college friend who made a similar dessert. Excited to watch the opening ceremonies tonight!

I wasn't picky about the colors  of the M&Ms matching...

Where have I been?

I can't believe my last post was from June 19! What have I been doing?

I dropped the ball on the photo-a-day thing and haven't been blogging because basically, my husband is out of school for the summer and we have been having a lot of fun outside.

I've also been introduced to Listen Up Vermont where I can check out ebooks on my Nook - I am addicted! In the last two weeks I've read Battle Hymn of a Tiger Mom, The Peach Keeper, and now Emily, Alone. Maine is on deck too! I forgot how much pleasure I get from reading a good book.

I also spent hours reading magazines that have been piling up. I feel terrible if I recycle one without reading it, so this weekend while the Hubs was at deer camp for a work day I read them all. (If I could only convince myself not to also hang on to many of my magazines my house would be a cleaner more organized space! Damn you Atlantic, Vermont Life, Cook's Illustrated and Yankee!

Our garden looks spectacular and will, I hope, stay in good shape while we are in Florida. The deer have let it mostly alone this summer but we've been invaded with flea beetles, then cucumber beetles and potato beetles. We've already been able to eat the lettuce, and some basil and cilantro.

I've been making mental packing lists for weeks now for Florida and need to actually write it down. Flying with Sweet Pea's meds and bottles actually seems pretty easy. I will not be using cloth diapers that week to save my sanity and space in our luggage!

Speaking of Sweet Pea, her first birthday is a little over a month away and I've been working on it too! I can't believe she will be one already! The anniversary of my pre-term labor and bedrest is July 7... that also seems soooo very long ago.

Happy early 4th of July! I hope you all spend some time reading the Declaration of Independence tomorrow!

Cheesy self-portrait during our walk/hike to the abandoned West Wheelock Cemetery