There's an app for that

We have an ipad {like everyone else in the world} and our toddler is very interested in the ipad. We have animal sound games and a few others that we have downloaded to use on long car rides or when nothing else seems interesting. We don't use it as a toy or a babysitter by any means, but miss P enjoys playing with it as much as Mommy does.  Anyway, I could go on and on about technology and this generation of kids, but I will spare you today.

I always said I would never put my kid in front of an ipad at the dinner table. No, this family won't do that. This family, we will talk to each other. We will talk about our day and things going on in the world. Well, in a moment of weakness, I stuck that ipad in my purse before we left for dinner Saturday night. But here is why-two words- ENDLESS ALPHABET. My favorite app for toddlers and pre-school kids. Really though, some of my 3rd graders could learn something from this one. It is the cutest app that has a variety of vocabulary words, the letter scatter when these funny little monsters run across the screen. When you touch a letter, it repeats the sound as you drag it to the right spot. When you get all the letters in place, they play a cute animation to teach the definition. Just after about five times, Miss P was able to drag the letter to the correct places. She might not understand any of the words yet or that the letters all have different sounds, but her little brain is just absorbing.  I love it! This app meets my standards----even for use in a restaurant or a stroller. Although I do not promote the use of apple products during family meals, I do believe it is okay to whip it out during those last 15 minutes while waiting for the check.

Growing that vocabulary. One 10 letter word at a time.

Blog Tears and Mother's Day Smiles

Blog Tears.....

Please excuse the ugliness that has been my blog in the last 48 hours. I try to change one little thing and my whole template goes crazy! I heard that when viewed on an iPhone or Ipad, my background was black. Now, that made me so sad, because I really like my navy and orange chevron. Anyway, I have had to change things around a bit and I still do not know if I have fixed it! I should have taken more web design {HA!} classes in college.

I am seriously considering paying someone to give me one of those cute custom designed blogs. Wonder what the husband will say to that?? He will tell me to keep reading.

Can someone please tell me if the background is black on iPhone? Help a girl out!

You know what wasn't ugly? My Mother's Day weekend. It was beautiful, the perfect weekend. Time with my husband, my daughter, my mommy, and my mother in law. 

The Paci and more

As silly as it might be....this is what I googled tonight after I put the girl down. "How to break the paci habit."

Operation: No More Paci----starts June 6th in this household.

Miss P is 20 months today and, honestly, I thought the paci would be long gone by now. She only takes it at night, it's always been that way. She is not attached to it by any means, but I feel like the older she gets, the tougher it will be to take it away. She really could go without it, but it is part of the routine. We brush teeth, put our paci in, read a book, and rock to sleep. Every night-we do that. I really hate to mess up that routine! As soon as I get out for summer, those pacis are going to start disappearing mysteriously.

More to come on that topic. 

We planted a tree this past weekend and are hoping that it does a little better than the stick that the home builders planted.  It's tiny for our tiny yard. Watering that thing like crazy!

We love books lately. This picture makes my heart so happy. The fact that my not even two year old can sit through the entire 101 Dalmatians book just completes me! She is going to be a reader, just like me!

That's all for now!

It's Almost Here

SUMMER! There are only 25 school days, 25 little school days until Summer vacation. The warm steamy weather is here. That means I have bought at least 10 new rompers for P, stocked up on swim diapers, and done an hour of research on the best sunscreen for kids and scars. We got to spend some time by the pool this weekend and it just got me so excited for June.  I have so many things I want to do with P this summer!!

Speaking of sunscreen, I have brushed up on my sunscreen basics and I am here to share.

• Use something that blocks UVA & UVB rays {broad spectrum}
• Look for ingredients like Zinc Oxide and Titaniun Dioxide
• Waterproof is the way to go
• Apply at least 15 minutes before you are in the sun
• SPF 30 is just as good as SPF 60 as long as you reapply every 2 hours
• Coppertone Lotion Spray is apparently the best spray for kids. Sprays aren't recommended, but if you must, choose one like this.
• This Aveeno is my pick, because I just trust Aveeno and we love all their products for sensitive skin and they even have a face stick which I will purchase on my next Target trip.

I have learned many things about my mom since I have became a mom. One of those things is now I understand why she would make me sit on that chair while she lathered me up with some crazy SPF and suggested that I apply my pink zinc oxide (OK, i like that part) to my nose before I dashed into the wave pool.

If this picture doesn't make you excited for summer then I don't know what will!