Keeping It Cool

The wind is howling outside and feels like it is literally blowing through the house. It isn't stopping Isabella from wearing her sun glasses, though! She is a true summer girl. We did get quite a few beautiful days at the park this week for Mommy to get some walking in and for Isabella to explore the playground and the leftover patches of snow. The nice days were just a tease really as Spring weather is still weeks away. It is amazing, though, what fresh air can do for our health and spirit. Time outdoors has been noted to be a critical component of preventive medicine.

On an expensive note, Bella's current pursuits are clearly "money" and "jewelery". She not only loves to collect these items, but loves to say the words. As Dave says, a daughter with a love of money and jewelery means trouble for him! Bella is really showing enjoyment for music these days, loving to listen, to sing, and to dance. In response to this interest, we just started the Music Together program today. We will participate for the next several weeks and see how it goes. Bella loves the music from the program, listening to it in the car and clapping along at home. She has also been exploring with Play-Doh, sidewalk chalk, and paint, sometimes all in the same day! I really enjoy watching her learn new activities and skills. She is really so inquisitive at this age and so willing to please. After doing some reading on Maria Montessori, I became aware of how important it is to include children in real life activities. As described in the book, toys will keep a child occupied for some time while leaving them left completely unfulfilled. With this in mind, I am now trying to involve Isabella in any task that she shows interest in including, but not limited to mopping, drying dishes, unloading the dishwasher, polishing mirrors, mixing ingredients in a bowl, and putting items back into the fridge. Sounds like I have a live in housekeeper, huh? She is starting to understand the concept of clean up too these days too.

Dave is doing well and looking forward to having President's Day off on Monday. He has been working long hours and will be ever busier in the coming months with high school musicals that he is playing trumpet for and conducting some rehearsals for area bands. He's also planning on training again for the half marathon in April that he ran for the first time last year.

I am in survival mode these days, caring for Bella and managing life at home. I have a stack of books that I am trying to work my way through (if I can find some quiet moments in the late evening) for La Leche and for personal reading. In addition to the numerous breastfeeding books, I am currently reading the Diary of Sister Faustina (which I recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about and receive Divine Mercy) and Slow Steady Get Me Ready (a guide with developmental activities to engage your little one - this book was recommended to me by many "seasoned" moms). I'm also pursing interests in more nourishing food practices i.e. soaking grains, utilizing coconut oil and coconut milk, and incorporating raw dairy.