D for darling daughterS!

Dear Maya,

What a week we've had! On Wednesday morning your Aunt Kelsie went into labor and you and mommy headed to the hospital in the afternoon. You were such a good girl as you played in the waiting room and even spent a little time in the hospital room cheering for Kelsie. Daddy came to pick you up after work so you could make it home for bedtime. Mommy was so happy to watch your cousin Grace Ann come into the world at about 7:45, weighing 9 pounds, 3.6 ounces and measuring 22 inches long!

Due to every one's schedules, you and daddy didn't get to meet Grace until a couple days later at Aunt Kelsie's house. You were too busy playing with the cat and barely paid any attention to the baby! When you found her binky in her swing, you finally seemed to realize that she was a little person just like you and brought it over to where mommy was holding her. You looked at her for a minute but then went right back to the cat. You'll be great buddies someday soon, though, I'm sure!

We did study "D" this week as planned and our key word was dog. With all the excitement, though, we didn't get in any special activities besides coloring sheets and books featuring dogs, ducks and diapers. We did, however, get to play with a real dog when Grandma and Poppa Stan came up with Tessa.

Friday night we had more visitors come to our house--Grandpa and Lori! We've spent the weekend playing games with them at home, walking around a local town and hiking to our local waterfall. Even with six adults to one little girl, you've had us all tired out by the end of each day!

Well, good night, my dear. Mommy's preparing for another fun week ahead! Love you!

C is for Car

Dear Maya,

Lots of "C" things were happening during our "C" study week. We've all had Colds. You are getting along better with our Cat Clio. Uncle Matt got a new Car. And now we're waiting for your new Cousin to arrive (Aunt Kelsie's due date was yesterday). Here's how the week went...

To study "C" we made a wearable car out of a cardboard box. You barely wore it yourself but loved making daddy and mommy wear it and chase you around making car noises. We also made a city out of blocks around a "C"-shaped street drawn on paper and used our block cars to drive on it.

Since you were sniffling most of the week, we spent a lot of time reading. You have been getting really good at reciting parts of your favorite books, and even when you don't know the words you like to point out colors and count objects on the pages. It's so sweet to see you loving books so much!

You've also made great strides on the potty-training front. You don't have too many accidents, even when wearing pants, and you have woken up in the morning and after naps with dry diapers for a few days now. We still wish you would use the big potty, but we're taking it one step at a time.

And you were finally feeling better over the weekend so on Saturday you and mommy went to the park. We've been having such nice weather that it was so good to be able to get out and enjoy it. Hopefully the temperature will stay warmer like this from now on!

Well, we've got a lot heading our way this week so mommy's got to get some rest.
Love you!

B is for Balloons

Dear Maya,

It's been a busy and beautiful week. But, boy, I'll bet you're beginning to become bored with the letter we've been brushing up on. Yup, it's "B" and as well as the shape and sound of the letter, we've also been practicing your pronunciation of the week's key word, balloon. You tend to say "A-yoon" instead.

We did some "B" crafts and also used balloons that mommy drew the letter "B" on to play volleyball. When we went to story hour at the library on Tuesday (which you participated in so much more than usual, I must say), mommy founds some great "B" books to take out for you, too. You've gotten so good at reciting Eric Carle's "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" and pointing to the letters in the "Bingo" book. But mommy's favorite is Sandra Boynton's "Belly Button Book" hands down!

On Wednesday we went to a new park and tried a new time for going--8:45 in the morning! We took peanut butter toast with us and some towels to dry the night's rain off the slides, then spent about an hour running around and playing all by ourselves. It was a really nice way to start the day!

On Friday we went to another new place--a historic mansion along the river with beautiful sprawling grounds and gardens. You enjoyed watching the frogs jump into the pond, climbing a tree, listening to the train and picking up sticks, rocks and pine cones. Next time we go we'll have to take daddy!

As of Friday afternoon you seem to have caught a little head cold. Your nose is runny and you haven't been quite as energetic, but you do seem to be getting better already today. I hope so because we've got a lot more fun planned for the coming weeks! Love you!

Now I know my...

Dear Maya,

We started this week with daddy's birthday! You wore a cute dress, scribbled your love in a birthday card and helped him blow out the candles on the yummiest carrot cake mommy has ever made. Daddy got some robot toys from Matt and Rhi that you've been having lots of fun with, too. It was a great birthday all around!

To continue with last week's 'Enrich and Exhaust Maya' theme, mommy started a new alphabet program with you. We're going to work on one letter a week for the foreseeable future--doing fun activities, coloring, chanting and anything else mommy can think of to help you recognize them and know their sounds.
 

This week we worked on A and the key word apple. One day we brought a branch in from outside, stuck it in a jar and made an 'apple tree' with red squares of paper and a few big A's on it. Another day while you were playing with stamps, mommy made an A stamp out of a slice of apple. You've got this letter down!

We've also spent lots of time outside this week. Mommy took you out on the deck and you dug in the soil. You pulled out a big root ball and said it was broccoli. Another day we took a hike and you brought home pine cones, a huge branch and a couple stray baseballs. At least you skipped all the deer poo we saw!

We also walked all the way to the 'other' park that we used to have to push you in the stroller to get to. You've gotten so good at climbing on everything and mommy had such a blast going down the slides with you over and over. Before walking home you even got a frozen fruit bar out of the deal.

 

Well, mommy's going to go start planning for our "B" week! Love you!