Baby Shower Gift: Growth Chart

I just made my own version of this totally cute idea that I found a few months ago. It went over great at the baby shower and I am now making a couple more for my recently born nephews & will make one for each of my kids.

(By the way, if you visit the link for the site where this idea was originally posted . . . I'm sorry! Its an awesome site & you'll probably see so many projects that you'll want to do that you won't even have time to do them all!!!)

Anyway, I wanted a cute poem to attach to it, but couldn't find any that I liked, so I made up my own. You're welcome to use it if you try this out for a gift:

Right now you are a little one

So tiny and so sweet.

And soon you will be running ‘round

On tiny little feet.

The big events the birthdays too

Recorded here by height,

To show your progress as you grow

In knowledge and in might.

The years will pass so quickly

as I mark them on this “wall”.

And I will love you more each day

As you grow big and tall.

I’ll cherish ev’ry memory

And teach you all that’s right.

And thank Him for each moment

That I get to hold you tight.

-- Kim Milius

Great Toddler Christmas Book

When I was at Deseret Book the other day, a children's Christmas book caught my eye . . . cute cover & it was on SALE! With Chase's love for books, I bought it to add to our collection, hoping it would be as cute as it looked. This is definitely a new favorite! Adorable illustrations & a very cute story about the beginning of Santa where he used penguins instead of reindeer (boy, was that a mistake!) and the people were all scared of this guy that was going to invade their houses in the middle of the night. Santa's First Flight by Sam Beeson is a definite MUST for your toddler's library!

Book Recommendations: toddler

We've been getting lots of books from the library lately. Thank you so much to friends who gave me some recommendations & I've also been taking them from the books that the library & Little Monkey Bizness uses for their storytimes. Here's some of our favorites so far (for my 2 1/2 year old):

The Best Story by Eileen Spinelli
Easy to read Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper
Peanut Butter & Jellyfishes by Brian P. Cleary
We're Going on a Bear Hunt retold by Michael Rosen
Ping Pong Pig by Caroline Jayne Church

Hooked on Phonics Review

So, I ventured out to do some Black Friday shopping, including a stop at Borders bookstore. I had a 50% off coupon & ended up buying a Hooked on Phonics set - even though I didn't go there with that intention. I decided it was a good enough deal to go ahead and give it a try.

Chase has known his letters since he was 20 months old. Its just something he's always had a fascination with & his favorite song is ABC's. I've been trying to teach him the letter sounds but he hasn't picked up on it at all.

He LOVES this program (pre-K, level 1) and I'm sure we will be investing in more before too long. We've done 2 formal lessons - rhyming & the letter A. And he loved all parts of it, the lesson, worksheet, computer game, and the dvd. Even on the days when we don't do a lesson, I still put on the dvd for him & he watches all of it. And he's really picking up on what sounds the letters make. Today, I asked him what sound an "s" makes (since he was really singing along with that song earlier) and he was able to tell me.

I would definitely recommend this program to anyone with young children; they've made it so fun & entertaining that kids really enjoy doing the lessons. In fact, Chase begs to do them each day & wants to do them several times a day . . . I'm just not organized enough to keep up with him right now!