Midsummer Nights Dream Tutu Tutorial!!!!

Midsummer Nights Dream Tutu Tutorial!!!!

Homeschool Your Baby for Free

There is nothing more fascinating than watching the progress of a young child. From the time they are born, until the age of six, they are little geniuses that will flourish under the proper instruction. But, once you become a mom, it is difficult to sift through all of the information available. So, I want to share with other moms the resources that I have been using to help my daughter learn and have fun.

First, I can't say enough about Signing Time. We started with Baby Signing Time, and my daughter has loved the videos from the start. They have helped to improve her vocabulary while teaching her a second language. Each word also shows the spelling of the word, in sans serif. Most importantly, she loves trying to sing the songs learns. For her to learn how to communicate before being able to speak has been a gift to us both.

Next, I must mention that I am extremely impressed by the results of a couple of institutes which concentrate on teaching babies how to read. I am currently reading a book called Teach Your Child to Read in Just Ten Minutes a Day. This book is written by the founder of the Sidney Ledson Institute for Intellectual Advancement. He explains that no teaching experience is necessary, nor is it required that you spend money to give an education to your baby. I believe that it is entirely possible, and in my opinion absolutely necessary to teach a child to read as early as you both are ready. It will give your child the most incredible advantage in life, if you can make the effort to help them while they are young. If a child learns no other discipline at a young age, early reading in itself can increase their intelligence exponentially. Even older children can learn the proper skills needed to increase their reading abilities remarkably. One roadblock that we may face is, Allie has already learned her alphabet. Apparently, this is a disadvantage in that it will be confusing when attempting to teach her correct pronunciation or phonics. Though her knowledge of the names of the letters will help her later, when she is learning to spell. I just began reading the book, so I'll give an update in a couple of months on our progress.

The other educator that caught my attention was Glenn Doman, who founded The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential. He began his research exploring why young children learn faster than older children. His books include titles which enable you to teach your baby reading, swimming, mathematics, and the acquisition of encyclopedic knowledge; all through the use of a flashcard method. Each card is shown for only one second, and no longer. Only about 10 cards each session, 3 times a day. Materials are changed at the end of the week. This method has had the most extraordinary results. Though after reading the Ledson book, I tend to believe that it is not the method, so much as the actual teaching of the materials that proves successful.
One of the nicest blogs I have come across to offer some these learning materials online is TheClassicalMommy.

Even though I was supposed to teach phonics before teaching the names of the letters, the website that facilitated her learning is highly recommended... and free. Starfall. I began showing it to her for about ten minutes a day when she was 17 months old, and she would always beg to learn more. Though, I would suggest teaching phonics as Sidney Ledson advocates, first. Starfall is easy to use and a lot of fun for little ones. This is the perfect place to start once your child is ready to learn spelling.

Though teaching is not just about instruction. Little ones mimic our behavior almost immediately. It only takes watching one act, to instill a difficult to break habit. And so, I am compelled to say that I have done my best to show my baby love through attachment parenting. Going back to my pregnancy, the two most valuable books that I read were Maria Montessori's Absorbent Mind and Katie Granju's Attachement Parenting. Montessori teaches that children must have consistency and order in their lives, so that they may make sense of the world they live in. It is imperative that they be shown how to do things for themselves, that they may become independent during the most crucial learning period of their lives. A biologist turned educator, Montessori was precise in her observations of child behavior. Most importantly, I believe that it was Katie Granju's book, that caused me to have an overpowering aspiration to connect to the idea of the type of person I would like for my child to become. I want to give her the very best of everything that I can offer. Mostly, that means slowing down, and doing my best to understand what life is like from my child's point of view. Then, taking the time to explain step by step how to do tasks which I find mundane, in a slow, deliberate, often dramatic way. One book that I am currently reading, which I find incorporates both of these women's ideals is The Mommy Manual. It is written by a mother of twelve who is a former Montessori teacher. She wrote this book to enable parents to use the ingenious Montessori method at home with their own children.

I use You Tube to find children's music and sign language video clips that she loves. Though I don't have the greatest voice in the world, I have always sung to my daughter. As a result, she loves to sing. She often recites the correct last word of the lyrics before I do. One of the best ways that I have read, to teach children music is through folk songs. And to teach perfect pitch, play one note daily on a piano or keyboard for a couple of weeks, until you and your child can recognize the note on its own. This practice helps to learn the actual notes instead of associating them with one another. Play classical music as often as possible, until you and your child can name the composers of songs played.

Hopefully, my list of resources will help someone who is curious enough to check them out. Everything that I've listed should be available through your local library. Not to mention, these materials are more valuable and efficient than any electronic educational toy that you can buy (LeapFrog is a marketing rip-off.) And any one of these things can be done in just 10 minutes a day. I'd say it's worth it to help your little genius!

Adjusting To Tantrums

I was recently asked by a friend whose baby is now about 18 months old, if my daughter ever had tantrums. And I had to think back to the time when she actually didn't have tantrums to remember how I felt then. I recall thinking that maybe not all babies went through the "Terrible Two's." Or, maybe my daughter was calmer because we tried to communicate using sign language. Thinking back, I pat my old self on the head and breathe in a gush of air, because I simply was not prepared for what would come next.

Like my friend's daughter, I believe Allie's first tantrum was over her carseat. She too thrust her body about, screamed and cried. At first I would take her out, and feed her, or talk to her for a few minutes. But, inevitably she had to be buckled in. And it would start all over again. Though I have discovered recently, at 25months, if I put in her favorite CDs, it soothes her. Playing Elizabeth Mitchell, I can hear her singing through her little sobs "bird," "window," "candy." Or If it's her Choo-Choo Soul CD..."train," "1,2,3," "night." Usually I will sing the songs with her, but if she is upset, she usually doesn't want me to talk to her until she calms down.

Most recently she has not wanted us to put her clothes on. But, since she usually won't try to do it herself, we end up struggling to get them on. Daddy often has better luck, as he pretends to eat her hands and feet. Or he'll wear her pants on his head to make her laugh and ask her, "Do these belong on my head?" She says, "No. Silly Daddy." Then he'll ask her where they go, and she will sometimes stick her foot out for him to dress her. He continues to play in that way until she is finally dressed. He has learned that simply asking her questions in a playful way can help tone down her battle mode.

Regardless of what she does when she's angry, the best thing that I can do for her is to let her emotions play out. Many of her tantrums only last a minute or two. And for those that last longer, there is usually a reason; sometimes teething, sleepy, hungry, bored, needing a diaper change or attention. The most significant reason for tantrums is her need to do something by herself. Which is why in place of holding her and telling her everything is ok, I sometimes have to let her go. Once the crying has stopped, either she will come to me, or I will go to her. Mind you, this is completely the opposite of everything I've done before this point. I have always been one to jump at the slightest wimper from our baby. However, as a toddler, who is trying to become independent, she occasionally needs me to give her space. She makes it abundantly clear when she pushes, kicks, or aims to hit. I just take cues from her and try to change accordingly.

Walking Baby!

Allie started walking this past Wednesday! She gets so tickled about it, that she squeals with excitement when she takes those four or five baby steps. Sometimes, I can't tell who is more ecstatic, Allie, or me and Jai!

What's To Eat, Mom?

Comfort Foods
I can almost smell Momma's cooking, when I really think about it. The warmth of freshly buttered cornbread; the salt and pepper of fried pork chops; and the tang of black-eyed peas and tomatoes on top of white rice, all made me crave second helpings before I began the first. Not a day went by that I didn't drink three or more glasses of the best sweet iced tea in the world. I never questioned what was good for my health, because the four major food groups were always covered for dinner. My mornings always started with cereal, usually sweet. My lunches consisted of school pizza, stews, spaghetti, fries or whatever else was deemed edible by the school.

When I was 26, I went to a doctor to find out about the terrible knee pain that I'd been experiencing for about eight years. I was told that I had osteoarthritis, and that there was nothing that I could do about it. Pain medicine was the only option that was given to me. In my heart I knew that there had to be something that I could change. So, I began to research. The one thing that began to resonate with me, was the need to change my diet. And while, I hadn't eaten my mom's home-cooked meals in over 5 years, my eating habits left much to be desired.

I had been juicing for a couple of months when my daughter was conceived. My skin was starting to turn a lovely carrot orange, when my juicer finally broke. Though very quickly into my pregnancy, I had to forfeit all fruits and vegetables. I could barely look at food if it wasn't some kind of bread or cracker. Once my appetite finally decided to kick in, I could only eat meat and bean burritos from Taco Bell. Through all of that, my daughter was born a healthy 6 pounds and 2 ounces.

Now that my Alexandria is a little over a year old, I am responsible for providing a healthy foundation for her. Every week that passes, I notice her eating more solid food, and less breastmilk. Now, here comes my state of perpetual confusion. What do I feed my child? I have adapted a mostly vegetarian lifestyle again, while Jaison is a meat 'n' potatoes guy. Though reflecting on Momma's cooking makes me hungry for more, I couldn't possibly feed the same foods to my own child. I don't want my baby girl to have the same sugar addiction, disdain for water, or craving for fried chicken that I do. More than anything, I don't want her to suffer from diabetes, heart problems, arthritis or any number of other illnesses which could possibly be prevented. In turning to books, I find myself even more confused. Vegetarian diets mean less pesticides, and hormones. Raw Food diets (vegetarian) mean more direct energy from vitamins and minerals. However, meals shouldn't be completely raw because some foods only release nutrients from being heated. To top it off, my daughter is a meat eater. So, I have to find a way to make meals mostly vegetarian, while still offering a little meat here and there to satisfy baby and daddy.

All of my research has lead me to look for Superfoods that would nourish and satisfy all of our needs. And here is what I've found:

Super Foods as recommended by Steven Pratt, MD (from WebMD.com):
1. Beans: A great low-fat, low-calorie source of protein and an easy way to help control your weight and your blood sugar.
2. Blueberries: The best food on the planet to preserve a young brain as we mature.
3. Broccoli: The best food on the planet to prevent cancer.
4. Oats: A sure-fire way to lower your cholesterol.
5. Oranges: The most readily available source of vitamin C, which in turn lowers the rate of most causes of death in this country, for example, heart disease and cancer.
6. Pumpkin: Loaded with phytonutrients, which keep our skin young and help prevent damage from sunlight.
7. Wild salmon: A guaranteed way to lower your risk for cardiac-related death.
8. Soy: The only complete vegetarian source of protein.
9. Spinach: The best food on the planet to prevent cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, thus ensuring a lifetime of good vision.
10. Tea -- green or black: The easiest and cheapest no-calorie way to avoid heart disease and cancer.
11. Tomatoes: One of the easiest ways for men to avoid prostate cancer is the consumption of tomatoes and tomato-based products.
12. Skinless turkey breast: The leanest meat source of protein on the planet.
13. Walnuts: Consuming walnuts is an easy, tasty way to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease.
14. Yogurt: A tasty, easy way to boost your immune system.

Dr. Perricone's 10 Superfoods (I found this list on Oprah.com):
Açaí
The Allium Family
Barley
Beans and Lentils
Buckwheat
Green Foods
Hot Peppers
Nuts and Seeds
Sprouts
Yogurt and Kefir

Superfoods for Writers
The list that follows is from my current favorite website freelancewritinggigs.com. In her 1/18/08 post, the author discussed Superfoods for the brain:
1. Blueberries - Blueberries are filled with rich anti-oxidants. A diet rich in blueberries leads to a better memory and better motor skills and coordination.
2. Omega-3 Rich foods such as salmon and sardines - I don’t like fish or sea food and getting me to eat these is like pulling teeth. I should though because the Omega-3 foods stimulate the brain and help keep a positive outlook. Studies show a diet rich in Omega-3’s helps to ward off Alzheimer’s.
3. Spinach - Great for the central nervous system and good all around brain food.
4. Nuts - A daily handful of nuts is a not only a great protein booster but also a great brain booster. Take some when you feel yourself struggling and see what I mean.
5. Citrus fruits - Not only do fruits give you the right kind of sugar for energy and fuel but colorful fruits are excellent sources of antioxidants and powerful brain food.
6. Dark chocolate - Yes. I’m giving you permission…in moderation. Dark chocolate also is an antioxidant. Plus it increases focus and stimulation. Dark chocolate also helps to fight age related brain symptoms.
7. Water - Your brain won’t function properly if it’s dehydrated. 8 to 10 glasses a day, at least.
8. Avocado - Avocados stimulate blood flow to the brain. They do have fat in them, but it’s not the bad kind of fat.
9. Whole grains - Promote good heart and blood health. Your grains keep the heart pumping and keep you going. Plus they stimulate the blood flow to the brain.
10. Eggs - Help with the production of memory stem cells…and every writer needs a sharp memory.

It is my belief that we don't have to sacrifice flavor for nutrition. I have already started a great habit of incorporating delicious smoothies into our morning breakfast routine. Whole wheat cereal or oatmeal makes breakfast complete. In the future, I hope to add green smoothies to the menu, and eliminate cow's milk. The great thing is, that I now have a list of interesting foods that I can plan my grocery shopping around. Most of the foods are very affordable, and flavorful. My biggest challenge now, is to find or create mouthwatering recipes that my own daughter will find nostalgic in years to come.