7 QT: Naps, Weekend, Toys and A Tune

1. The New Normal

C is a scheduled sort of dude. We've just always had a semblance of a schedule. Always. It works for us. But lately something's changed, it ain't hard to define, my toddler's nap is shorter and I want to make it... oh I'm not Rick Springfield? Yeah. Okay. 

Anyway. He's been waking up too early. Like when the clock still has a 5 in front. That's no good. So we loped off an hour of the nap. It's been hard. The 3:00 hour is a force to be reckoned with as I wake the teenaged-nearly 2 year old who tells me "No Mama." When I ask if he's ready to wake up. He's a beast. And I am missing my last hour of nap as well. Sad. We'll adjust I'm sure. It's just tough messing up the schedule. It's working though. He slept until 6:45 this morning. 

2. 3 Day Weekend! 

Otherwise known as birthday weekend! Color me excited. We are keeping it very low key as I've said before. I would gather there will be a visit to the playground. And definitely grocery shopping tomorrow. Plus we'll have some favorite foods: spaghetti, strawberries and other good stuff. Gosh it's awesome that even with all the opinions 2 year olds have we still call 98% of the shots. Plus, you know 3 day weekend! And we're not traveling. We usually do so it'll be kind of weird. 

Oh and happy Memorial Day or whatever the appropriate greeting for Memorial Day is. 

3. My Day in the Baby Pool is Coming Soon

Not surprisingly, I picked C's birth date and birth stats for Pointy Bird. 

We'll see if I am right. The last baby pool I won was for my 4th grade teacher Mrs. Hovland so my record isn't so great. 

4. I Just Interupted My Post to Change A Diaper & Rotate Toys

The diaper nobody cares about. The toys, probably nobody cares about. But C has been asking for his bus for a few days now so I broke down and got it back into rotation. In all honesty, the once a week rotation has turned into a longer period of time rotation but I was kinda over the Duplos anyway so if he wants the bus he can have it. Besides, I can rotate the annoying VTech Turtle out on Monday after he opens some new stuff. 

5. VTech Toys are the Most Obnoxious

I know some people are all "I only buy wooden, handcrafted toys for my children" but let's say you aren't. Or for instance if you are shopping for a child in your life, or future life I implore you to JUST IGNORE THE VTECH. I'm waiting for the batteries to die in all of them. I don't hate the plastic toys because "overstimulating, not learning, not as sturdy" philosophy. I just don't subscribe to that at all. But the VTech toys make me want to claw my eyes out. Which of course means the kids like them just fine. Clearly. 

6. That Being Said... 

That being said, I stand by the Leapfrog Letter Factory. 

Both the DVD

And Phonics Bucket

 

I like to use them in tandem but certainly you wouldn't have to. The Letter Factor Phonics bucket is ALWAYS in our learning cupboard and is never rotated. I know that too much television rots the brains of toddlers and I get that. But the Leapfrog movie(s) are not annoying and educational at the same time. 

I wouldn't say that C is particularly advanced for his age at all, but the movie/bucket have taught him letter recognition and sounds. He can do: A, B, C, F, H, J, K, M, P, R and S. Both telling me what they "say" and the name of the letter. And this is both in our home, while looking at books and out in the world on signs or shirts or parking spaces. Funny enough, he does not sing the ABC song yet, but I think he's certainly on the right track even without it. 

So just saying if you did need to shop for a youngster in your life: VTech = No. Leapfrog = Okay!

7. Throwback (Not Thursday Anymore) Tuneage

Because before Miley partied in the U.S.A. her dad got us all singing along whether we liked country music or not. 

Have a great weekend and go visit Jen.