Friday, January 7, 2011

Free sensory play

Today Bentobaby showed me a new sensory idea. I hadn't thought of this! I was pouring cereal on her highchair for her to eat. I like for her to practice her gross motor skills by picking up each piece. We were at the end of the cereal. A bunch of soft cereal dust landed on her tray. I'm thinking 'great! How do I get this off here so she can eat?' While bentobaby is thinking 'fun!' She starts running her fingers through the soft edible dust. She builds little piles, pinches some and sprinkles it over her tray. She's having a great time! Cereal dust is fun and edible, not to mention free. Perfect!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Perspective

I've been fighting a series case of discontentment lately. We need a bigger house in order to easily foster children. We can't afford a bigger house. We have to do our best and hope that social services accepts what we have to offer. Its so frustrating to me. And its been wearing down on my spirit.

Yesterday Hubby and I headed to IHOP for dinner. We eat a lot of on the go meals. But meals at a sit down restaurant are special. We were pretty excited. When we arrived at IHOP and we were seated we quickly realized there was just 1 waitress working. For the whole restaurant. It took half an hour to get our water. And another half an hour to get our dinner. Hubby and I were not pleased, we wanted to have a nice time. I could have easily become upset and blamed the waitress. But you know what? Its not her fault. She wasn't have fun. And I imagine her tips were suffering quite a lot. I want to show bentobaby how to extend grace. To understand that not everything is about me and how i feel, that I can see things from another person's perspective. How can I do that if I get all huffy because i'm inconvenienced?

Remember that discontent I'm fighting? In my cute, warm, safe house? Well God showed me just how lucky I am. A few minutes after we had been there I saw a woman return to work. She was cleaning the tables, floor etc. When I took my fussy toddler to the bathroom for a change I saw two young girls sitting alone in another part of the restaurant. They belonged to the woman who was cleaning. The girls were probably 7 and 9. They were bored stuck in the booth, trying to entertain themselves. My guess is the woman had no choice but to bring them to work with her. Probably doesn't have someone safe to watch them. And she probably needs to work to feed her kids. Wow God. Message received.

My life isn't perfect but it is very good and I need to be thankful. Somewhere out there a childless couple would give anything to have my fussy toddler. I know, because I've been a part of that couple. Someone would give anything to have my warm, small, but safe house. I have much to be thankful for. Its all a matter of perspective.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Small house

Our home isn't large. Its 1300 sq feet. It was huge to us at the time, but as our family grows and our stuff grows we're finding it more cozy. We can't afford to move and sell since the market bombed. We have to bloom where we are planted. One thing I'm quickly learning is that stuff makes the home feel smaller. More stuff equals less space. Of course that means we should be picky about what we buy (which should save money) but it also means stuff that isn't being used, has got to go!

Not only is our home cozy, its also laid out weird. Our main living area is downstairs. Upstairs there is a bedroom (where we do bentobaby's sensory things) a tiny bathroom, a hallway and a small nook. We store most of our things in the hallway because we don't have a garage. And yes, we do have to keep the 3rd van seat even though i think about getting rid of it every time i see it. Most of our food storage is upstairs too.


The old never used computer desk however, that is toast. I've been eyeing that spot. And when Bentobaby was very blessed with gifts it became necessary to do more then eye it. It was time to tackle it. It took a few hours of hauling things outside to the van and a few more hours of painting but now she has a cute little play nook.




So far i've spent $14 on paint $10 on paint supplies

And $3 on a goodwill shelf.

So $27 total.

I'm looking for another shelf from the thrift store, a Dora adventure rug, a used small table and chair, and I have a $14 well decal picked out. Probably a pair of comfy chairs for mom and dad too.

Its a small space but judging by the tantrums when we leave, she loves it. and i enjoy it too. Its not our main living area so it feels different to go there. And i get the satisfaction of knowing i fixed something that wasn't working for our family.

Btw according to BentoBaby, Mr. Potato head has a 'nakey tummy!'

Adopted!

Bentobaby was adopted the day after her 2nd birthday! Her case has been amazingly easy and such a blessing to us. I'm so thankful to be her mother. It was an amazing day. I spent most of it crying :)

Now we're in limbo. We need her new birth certificate to be able to register her in the navy system and get her info changed at her preschool. I'm so concerned she's going to need medical attention and her old information wont work. Hopefully it comes quickly.