Daily Routine: Play time

An important part of a child's day is play.  I have one child to whom this comes naturally and one to whom it just does not.  Hope loves to do "projects" and she loves to play anything really that requires the total attention of whatever adult may be watching her.  This is not her fault.  She is the firstborn.  I made her that way.  Still, I'm trying to fix it.  If you get her busy and on a roll, she will be good for hours.  Will... he just plays and plays right from the get go.  However, if there is a "project" going on, he wants to be all up in it.

We've had a little munchkin who has been spending some time with us lately.  This is reflected in Will's playtime recently. 

Already well documented is that Hope's pass time of choice is art.

Once she does get on a little roll of her own playing, I do love to see what she does.  Here she spent the afternoon decorating "rocks" for a "path" down the hallway.  Not your traditional Barbies or Lego's, but I'll take it if it means I can get something done.  Come on summer!  Playing outside comes naturally to every child... even firstborns!

Lovin' Feelin'

We celebrated Valentines Day.  Actually we seemed to celebrate all month.  Nothing too big really but I'm tired of hearts and pink.  Hope was very into making cards for people.  She cut them out and wrote the notes.  Really she wanted to mail them all but we did not have that many stamps lying around the house.  A friend at church commented that Valentine's Day is turning into a second Halloween for the kids.  My kitchen counter is still overflowing with treats.  Easter is just around the corner!  (Grammy don't get any ideas about skipping the Easter candy.  We are almost out of chocolate around here!).

Hope hard at work.

Why do I let my little 16 month old boy write with markers?  He loves it but now he walks around the house saying "Color, I color!" I just have this suspicious feeling in my gut that I'm going to be cleaning sharpie marker off of my living room walls some time soon.  I do try to supervise well and (obviously) we use only washable, but Will is just...Will. 
I really want to skip the St. Patrick's Day celebrating and head on in to Easter celebrations. So, don't mention to Hope that there is such a holiday as St. Patrick's Day or we'll be making everyone St. Patrick's Day cards and green cupcakes with Lucky Charm sprinkles on top.  I'm just a little celebrated out, ok?