Hump Day Nuggets: Move and Groove

I've been trying to find my own unique way to update everyone weekly of our happenings. I've tried embarrassingly catchy (or just embarrassing) titles and rhymes but nothing has really stuck. So I'm adopting the title of a favorite blogger of mine because nuggets is just what our lives are about these days. Now lets see if I can be consistent!

*and sorry for the lack of photos, my camera's battery ran out :oP

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There is an odd feeling in the air today. We woke up to a freezing house (whoops for leaving all the windows open!) and dark skies that were supposed to be sunlit and bright. Ainsley has been in a funk lately, wake ups, bedtimes, and everything in between have been a complete struggle. Yet again her surge in stubbornness and single mindedness seems to coincide with my resolve to do more, play more, be more present. It's so ironic that when I try my hardest she fights the most.

So I take a lot of breaths. I put her in her room a lot. I walk away when I have nothing left to say. I go on long LONG walks with my girls to get the tension out, run and wrestle and dance the blues away. I find a way to bring her back to me when she is in the depths of despair and most times it works and we all float on.

Nuggets:

This week we have continued to try out new "projects". Everyday it's something and Ainsley is so on board. She loves her projects, making and creating. And I love seeing my little girl emerge. This week so far we've collaged from pictures in old books, made clay and formed figurines to paint and play with, colored colored colored, and cooked cooked cooked.

Louise loves the art too. She can color almost as well as Ainsley and will sit happily NOT eating crayons and make cold marks for whole chunks of time. Perhaps I'll have my little artist afterall!

Ainsley's imagination has completely taken over these past few weeks. Without effort or prompting she makes up elaborate stories, plays them out with her dolls and toys and us. She sparkles as a little girl should, as her mind fills with magical places and scenes and I love being brought back to that sacred place of childhood wonder with her.

Nuggets::

Last night Auntie Sonya came over for dinner and us 4 girls went for a post dinner walk. Ainsley had one baby strapped to her back (like you do mama) and one in a stroller. She RAN down the block and while Sonya and I talked about adult stuff like life and love and childbirth Ainsley screeched at her baby in her best mama impression voice "you don't understand baby! You don't understand what I'm saying!" Ha. I must say that a lot. Really, she didn't understand what WE were saying and was talking to us through her play. I love this stage.

Then later in the walk I was about to lose it as she paused YET AGAIN in the middle of the street we were crossing to do goodness knows what. Just as I was about to swoop down and pluck her little disobedient self up her face lit up. "Oh! What's that!" giggle giggle run twirl jump try to catch. It was a moth. A simple little flapping moth just out of her reach and like a little girl in a perfectly scripted film she poetically and joyfully ran after it trying to catch it's wonder in her little hands. Sonya and I looked at her and smiled. What a little girl she is.

Nuggets::

Louise is talking. Not just babbling and signing but communicating with words we understand. She has said about 15 recognizable words and repeats a lot of what we say. This morning she woke up too early and after a little milk and unsuccessful play I asked her "Louise do yuo need to go back to sleep?" she NODDED and said "yea". She says "up" when she wants to climb the stairs, her new favorite sport. She is switching over from baby babble to full long strings of sounds that sound more and more like sentences every day. We carry on conversations all day long and though I have no clue what she's saying most of the time I love every second.

Nuggets:

The library is our new favorite place. We've been twice this week so far and while I'm becoming increasingly worried about keeping track of all the books I am delighted with our finds and the girls enthusiasm about new material. I picked out some penguin books for Ainsley and she thanked me profusely for my finds. Louise too has her preference in lift the flap books. She'll sit and "read" them to herself over and over while carefully lifting the flaps. I love that they love books so much.

Nuggets::

Musikgarten started this week and we're in a baby class for Louise and a 3 year old class for Ainsley. We decided to move Ainsley up after our very large and young session today. I am so excited for the new material and friends to be made. The girls LOVE it as always, almost to a ridiculous degree. Louise wants to sit right in the middle of the circle with her sister and literally just claps and laughs the whole time. I'm glad to have found such a great activity for them.

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So this week has been good. Today I am thankful for music class and playdates despite the rain, for slow cooker meals and a clean house thanks to a productive early morning. I look forward to another successful playschool drop off tomorrow and new music class on Friday. I can't wait for fun festivals and dates this weekend, new projects on the horizon and harvest in the air.

Happy Hump Day out there!