Saturday morning Kaleidoscope Kids had our monthly playgroup. Since it was on a Saturday, most of the dads were able to join us again. We had such a great turnout this time. Here is the whole group:
I absolutely love this group! I am meeting so many others with similar hearts, minds and a passion for adoption. Not that it has to be an adoptive family to join us (just a transracial one). But so far at the playgroup, all families have been blessed through adoption. And even though we are just meeting monthly, I feel like I am really getting to know some of these other ladies and their families. Maybe it's all the blogging that makes us feel like we know one another more than one would expect. I really do think that part of it helps us stay connected through the month. But this playgroup has been a dream come true for me. And I know something like this will one day be a wonderful thing for Holden. I'm just grateful to have it right now. Here are some pictures from our fun morning with our friends!Holden and daddy take a break to snack. I actually don't think that Jeremy got in the water passed his ankles. Such a wussy boy when it comes to the cold water!
Holden playing on the steps. Holden splashing, while Caleb poses like a seal. :) Jeremy is behind Caleb in this photo. Notice that only his feet are wet. And that's more of a barely wet.
In 10 days, my little family of 3 will be hopping on one of these:
To take a little trip over here: Pompano Beach, Florida
Once we arrive at FLL, we will meet up with this little guy, Max (who is now 10 months old and not so much the tiny infant shown in the picture) along with his fun parents, Greg and Amanda. (I couldn't get my hands on a family picture.) Then we will head on over to rent the classic automobile for 6: And we will make a short drive to our home away from home for the next 6 days/5 nights: The boys plan to do a little of this during the week: While, I'm thinking my days will be spent looking a little more like this: Now, doesn't Holden look all set for his beach vacation!? I mean, just pack his bags and he is ready to go!
Now, I know that there are some Floridians that read this blog. I don't know who you are but I would love your input. Please don't be shy! What are some fun things we could do with a 10 month old and 15 month old in the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area? Such as an indoor aquarium or something? I haven't come across one yet. I have been researching, but haven't found any (cheap/free) activities that I am completely sold on yet. Also, any restaurant ideas for us? We are thinking about taking turns babysitting in the evenings, so we will get some date nights in during the week. Yahoo! So Floridians or fellow FLL area vacationers, please comment and give me some ideas.
Holden normally has lots to say. He is a babbler. He loves to hear himself talk and he loves to mimic what we say. He gives it a good attempt most of the time (even if it sounds nothing alike). But he tends to play shy when I pull out the video camera. So this is the best I have gotten. It was right after naptime today. Such a happy boy when he wakes up! I like how once I said “bonk” he did it purposefully again. It just reminds me that he understand a lot more of our language than I give him credit. Smart boy! If I do say so myself!
I have been doing a little bit of reading lately. I love reading. Always have. I just haven’t always made the time for it. But now I carve out time in the evenings before bed to read and sometimes other snippets throughout the day. And it’s so nice. Lately I have been reading some parenting books. We’ll start with one I finished several months ago and wanted to blog about, but for whatever reason, never did.
I’m Chocolate, You’re Vanilla: Raising Healthy Black and Biracial Children in a Race-Conscious World by: Marguerite A. Wright I LOVED this book. It wasn’t written for adoptive families. So it’s not an adoption book and I want to make that clear. But it is full of great information. It opened my eyes to so much. I wish that all of you would read it. ALL OF YOU! Children are exposed to race, color and even prejudices so early on. Racism is learned. Children hear it in their homes. Slowly, we start exposing our children to color and race and things that they do not even notice yet. Not that the difference in color and race is negative in any way. It’s beautiful and I love it! We embrace it, obviously. It’s just the stereotypes that I believe children are fed. On all sides of race it can happen. Our children are listening to everything we say. The book was full of statistics. 3 years olds are given pictures of moms, dads, and children and then asked to place families together. Most of them would create completely interracial families (such as Asian father, black mother, white daughter) with the photos for reasons such as: that mommy and daddy love each other. Ah. So simple. So innocent. If everyone in the world read this book . . . well it might just be amazing. Hmmm, I should have written the foreword.
Bringing Up Boys by: James DobsonAnother fabulous read that has given me a better idea of what to expect in the next 18+ years. I grew up with only sisters. Little boys are new to me. But this book was full of information from: instructions for a father, relationships between mothers and sons, advice on schooling, tips for single parenting, avoiding predators (ugh!), discipline, etc. It’s a good one that is going on the bookshelf and will probably be pulled out 100 more times in the next 20 years. So to all of you parents of little boys, this is my recommended reading to you.
Shepherding a Child’s Heart by: Tedd TrippYep, I have already had to start on discipline books. I’ve got a busy, opinionated, independent 14 month old boy on my hands. Unfortunately this book will be more beneficial in about 3-4 years. It doesn’t give a whole lot of information on discipline for this stage that we are in the midst of now. But Tedd talks about guiding the heart to change rather than only correcting behavior. I learned some ideas that we have begun putting into practice, such as disciplining in private as to not embarrass and humiliate the child. I haven’t read the entire book since it did seem more appropriate for older ages. But I began highlighting like crazy, as early as the introduction. One of my favorite quotes:
The purpose for your authority in the lives of your children is not to hold them under your power, but to empower them to be self-controlled people living freely under the authority of God. Amen anybody?
Another one that I liked:
It should be habit to say yes to a request unless there are good reasons to say no. It is easy to make authoritarian choices simply out of convenience. Ouch anybody?
This book is full of scripture as guidance. And I know that in 3 years or so, I will pull it back out from the bookshelf and read it cover to cover.
So there is the end of my book reviews. Whatever they’re worth to you! I think I will now be taking a break from the parenting books to read something fun. Anyone have any suggestions for me?
the mice will play! But I'm not sure that I want to be the mean ole cat in this scenario. When I returned home from church Wednesday evening, this is what I found. Well, actually when I walked into the house, they were both lying on their backs on the floor taking a breather. Then I guess Holden got his second, third or fourth wind and they went at it again. So funny, because this is a huge memory from my childhood. Sitting on my daddy's belly and "wrastlin". Yes, we called it wrastlin' rather than wrestling. And really it was just me tickling him and he would giggle like a little school girl. Such a good daddy to play along with me. I sure love these boys and love to see them together in action.
Jeremy and I cleaned out our master closet this past weekend. So today Holden found something "new" sitting on a shelf that he can easily reach. And to think we almost trashed this beautiful wig in our cleaning out process.
Sometimes I forget to pull out the camera during our ordinary days. And most of our days are just that. No complaints here. That's how I like it. But lately I have been trying to make a better effort to capture these ordinary moments. Because they are just as sweet, if not better, as our trips to the zoo, the pool and playing with our friends. So here are some recent events. Ordinary, yes. But moments that I will cherish. being chased by daddy
working outside with daddy
just because I find him cute and irresistible
eating his favorite food. CRACKERS! I now have to spell the word or Holden gets overly excited (think hyperventilation) if "cracker" is even mentioned. So funny!
I absolutely love this group! I am meeting so many others with similar hearts, minds and a passion for adoption. Not that it has to be an adoptive family to join us (just a transracial one). But so far at the playgroup, all families have been blessed through adoption. And even though we are just meeting monthly, I feel like I am really getting to know some of these other ladies and their families. Maybe it's all the blogging that makes us feel like we know one another more than one would expect. I really do think that part of it helps us stay connected through the month. But this playgroup has been a dream come true for me. And I know something like this will one day be a wonderful thing for Holden. I'm just grateful to have it right now. Here are some pictures from our fun morning with our friends!
Holden and daddy take a break to snack. I actually don't think that Jeremy got in the water passed his ankles. Such a wussy boy when it comes to the cold water!
Holden playing on the steps.
Holden splashing, while Caleb poses like a seal. :) Jeremy is behind Caleb in this photo. Notice that only his feet are wet. And that's more of a barely wet.
