Happy Campers

This summer we loaded up the tent to go camping! It was Bee's first camping trip, and she was very excited because she had heard so much about camping from the tv show Bubble Guppies. In fact, I was surprised to know that she knew so much about it! She was unexpectedly skilled on things like the ingredients to make s'mores, campfires, sleeping under the sky, and most of all: telling spooky stories about BIG FOOT.

"somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond any experience"

There is something very special about being unreachable, even just for one night. It reminded me of the newborn period, when Bee would wake in the night and we'd go into the living room to nurse. Everything was dark and quiet and it just seemed like such a special time for the two of us to be together uninterupted. This was very similar. Just us and her dad. Some time to simply be alone as a family, uninterupted.

Bee took it all in. She inspected the sky, filled her hands with sand, crunched old leaves, collected rocks, and used a broken branch as a magic wand.

Investigative Play

Toddlerhood seems to be accompanied by an insatiable appetite for exploration and investigation. Today, I provided Bee with an opportunity to do just that - a treasure box!

 I filled our box with some items from the yard, and a chunky bracelet painted with a floral motif. Bee has really taken a liking to flowers lately, so I thought she'd really enjoy it! I also introduced a new tool for her use, a magnifying glass that I picked up at the dollar store. We also had the perfect fashion accessory ready for this sweet little detective! 

 As I suspected, she went straight for the magnifying glass, and it was a huge hit! We spent the afternoon examining rocks, sticks, dirt, leaves, and flowers under the lens. 

Happy Spring!

"For whatever we lose (like a you or a me), It's always our self we find in the sea."

Beach sensory tub

The best thing about living in Florida is the year round sunshine and ability to spend days at the beach in February! The constant sunshine and warmth is easy to take for granted, and today was one of those days. We have been enjoying such beautiful weather lately that I woke up this morning ready for a beach trip with my sweet bee only to be greeted by thunderstorms upon leaving our home. Should have checked the weather channel!

Luckily, I have some rainy day activities stored in my bookmarks folder and was able to bring the beach to us - and you can, too! I have been meaning to try this wonderful "cloud dough" recipe for quite some time and the dreary weather gave us the perfect excuse.

Sweet hands agree - this stuff is completely fabulous! I used wheat flour to give it a more sandy color, and the texture was absolutely perfect. It feels and behaves exactly like wet beach sand! It can be scooped, poured, molded, and made into sand castles! There could not have been a better way to spend a rainy day.

               

               

International Babywearing Week!

It's International Babywearing week, and I thought I'd share these great pictures of Bee enjoying her ocean view in a secure back carry to celebrate.

Aside from being an entirely practical parenting tool, babywearing in an ergonomically correct, deep seated and supported from knee to knee position encourages optimal muscle development and body control in your baby. Keeping your baby so close also enables you to meet her needs quickly, which affords your child security in the comfort that she can rely on you and allows her natural need for independence to flourish.

As Bee's sense of independence grows, she is given more opportunities to explore the world around her, but I take great comfort in knowing that baby wearing is providing her the tools to feel secure and confident in doing so.