The Art of Papercutting

While packing boxes for the move, I found the little boy quiet and busy with something.

See how he holds the scissors? Here are more recent photos:

Seems like we’ll be doing arts and crafts sooner than I’ve thought! 🙂

As for paper cutting in itself, do you know how intricate of an art it can be?

LC and The Donut Factory

There are a few things Little Cat would dive his hands into at any given time. These are cheese, peanut butter, Stick-O and the latest one, donuts! He’s already familiar with the logos of Dunkin’ Donuts and Happy-Haus Donuts, so whenever he sees one of them he’ll call my attention like he found a long lost treasure. Then he’ll incessantly chant “Du-nat! Du-nat! Du-nat!”

Most of the time I let myself be bullied into buying him one donut or 4 munchkins. He always chooses the rich chocolate slathered ones or those with colorful sprinkles. Sugar alert, I know. I wanted to feel better about giving into his donut fix so I asked my mother-in-law for her homemade-goodness donut recipe.

Yesterday, LC and I made our pilot run of our very own donut factory.

Here he is mixing the batter with our technologically advanced mixer on a very sosy non-slip mat. ;p

Then he assisted me with the flour.

There were spills. I expected that. No worries for there will be a lot of room for practice. I strongly feel we’ll have a regular donut production in the coming days. 😉

Moving on,

My OC Toddler

I love how LC can keep himself clean. Most of the time, he can eat ice cream without getting any of it on his face and hands. If he does, he’ll wipe himself with napkin or ask assistance to wash them off.

But sometimes, I hate how particularly clean he wants himself to be. Sometimes I wish he is that regular i-love-getting-dirty kid. You see, he doesn’t like paint, glue and icky stuff on his skin. He wants to wash them off upon seeing even a teeny-weeny touch his skin.

Back then I was very excited and pumped up to give him paint, clay and all those artsy stuff. Then slowly I went from “Look LC! Wow! Let’s paint!!! Let’s mold clay!!!” to “O sige, crayons nalang ulit…” Why? It’s because everytime we do something with paint and glue, our activity will be welcomed with a blank face (or was it fear?) and then heavily peppered with “Mama, wash!” and “Dirty!!!”

Then there were times when we were in the outdoor playground. He would suddenly run and pick up trash with his bare hands and then throw them in the garbage bin. I know it’s the litterbugs I really have to hate, but still… Fortunately (unfortunately rather!), we haven’t been going to an outdoor playground anymore.

Recently, I am reminded how he loves to clean his surroundings.

The Wonderful World of Lego

Early this year, LC got a gift from his paternal Lola. It was a box of Lego Duplo!!! 🙂

The 30-piece box set has preoccupied him for a considerably long period every time he plays with it. Here he is on one of his building sprees. If you noticed, there’s also a Mega Block figure and his hand-me down Buzz Lightyear included in his imaginative play.

I have no idea what it was supposed to be, but other times LC would explain he built slides or houses.

Sharing another picture. This time LC packing it away responsibly. 🙂

Lego! Hubby and I played with them for hours when we were kids. I’m slowly but surely saving up to buy LC more Duplo bricks. It excites me imagining what the three of us can build and create! 😉

A Pincer Grasp Activity

Materials:

• Clothes’ pins and line – in our case, it was a hanger with attached pins
• Hankies

Activity:

• Let toddler pin the hankies

Variations:

• Clipping clothes pin to a line is already an activity in itself
• Let toddler alternately use his index, middle, ring and pinky finger with the thumb to pinch
• Let your imagination and creativity run as to what can be pinned: cut-out letters, numbers or shapes;
  family pictures; doll’s clothes; toddler’s own item of clothing; etc.

What’s the deal about pincer grasp?

Mga Araw Sa Talipapa

with our very own Little Marketman! Talipapa Boy to be exact. 🙂

Little Cat tags along whenever I go to the nearby talipapa (small wet market in my vocabulary) for fresh produce. He has no choice but to come along actually ;P I’m pretty sure he enjoys the “practical life exposure” since we usually pass by our neighborhood McDo for a dose of ice cream.

What I’m not sure with this activity is if he has related it to Araw sa Palengke. It was one of the books we got from Adarna last Manila International Book Fair.  I got the book for the very reason that I wanted a book accompaniment to our talipapa trips.

Building The Future Builder

Last December, our two little Indian neighbors gifted LC with a puzzle toy. Here’s what he can do with them now:

That’s our 2-year old right there. With little hands, focus and (unpredictable) patience, he can already make a cube and more – with no assistance! Amazing! 🙂

Now, here he is with bigger pieces:

Teach Children About Feelings: Using Existing Books in Your Library

Teaching kids about feelings through books does not have to be confined to books that are particularly direct on the topic (Read about three such books here, here and here).  A storybook long residing in your library may pretty well be up for it.

One of the good things about “not so feeling” storybooks  is that only a particular (or two or three) feelings are tackled on the occasion.  Also, concepts or information lightly discussed but done regularly sometimes work better than an all-out lecture, right? 🙂

Reading our weathered copy of LC's favorite - Meet My Superdad. LC was 16 months in this picture.

Let me share with you some of the storybooks which I use to subtly teach LC about feelings: