Life Lately with the Little Ones

It has been a busy few weeks in my household! Vinny is learning how to read (more than just his sight words!), he's starting baseball, he's learning addition and subtraction, and he's preparing for graduation in the summer and kindergarten in the fall! Jakey is talking more. A LOT more. He's always been chatty, but he's trying to say more words now. One of the things he's gotten better at is saying his prayers. He says, "God bless Mommy, Daddy, Kuya (Big brother), and me! Amen!" I melt.

Meanwhile, I'm working on Easter crafts for the kids, baskets/gifts, baby showers and dinner parties, and Vinny's 5th birthday party!! It's gonna be a busy (and expensive) next few months. But planning is what I love, so hopefully it'll all pay off! Oh. And did I mention Robbie had strep? Yup. I've been taking care of three babies this week. --Are all men babies when they're sick? :)

On another note, let me take a few steps back to the baby. His attitude is something else! I'm excited that he is talking more, but I'm also afraid of what he might say! Lol...I've never had this problem with Vinny. Jacob is very aggressive and is definitely exercising his independence anyway he can. He's becoming more and more picky with his food too. I'm guessing that's part of his attempt to claim his independence? Idk. He is also standing up for himself more (against Vinny), which is good, but at the same time, he tries to do that with Robbie and I too. I wouldn't say it's become unbearable, but it's definitely taken a lot of extra effort to keep Jakey in line! I think I'm gonna have to revisit my "How to deal with a bossy toddler...Like a Boss" post soon! Gotta keep that post on hand. ;)

Anyway, I can say there's one thing that keeps my baby satisfied...Chick-fil-a milkshakes. Lol! Jakey experienced his first Chick-fil-a milkshake tonight (by stealing Vinny's!!):

How could I stay mad at that face?!

Til next time. Wish me luck with these little monsters! :)

Baby Boy Style: Playtime Plaid

The kids and I went to dinner with my parents last night. Jakey had also just got a fresh haircut (his first!) and I had just unpacked and washed a whole big box of 18 month clothes for him. So of course I had to play dress up! I will do this until my kids don't want me picking out their outfits anymore. HA! Here's what he wore:

Those eyes get me every time!!

And one more of baby boy's fresh first hair cut! (drumroll please)

You can see it good in this picture. We went to Sport Clips. Good service, very fast, and very patient with both my kids and me! I kept circling the barber taking pictures since it was his very first haircut. ;p A mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do!

Red Plaid Shirt || Nautica

Vest || Children's Place

Jeans || Polo (It was a gift from Macy's I think?)

Beanie || Urban Outfitters (Adult-sized beanie)

Shoes || Jordans (from Nordstrom Rack)

Race Car Birthday Party - with Free Printables!

Since he was born, Vinny has always been obsessed with cars! Finally, for his 3rd Birthday, he asked for a Race Car Birthday Party. At that time, I had just started in a new role at my company, and I was also early into my pregnancy with Jacob, so I didn't have a lot of time to dedicate to planning Vinny's birthday party that year. So I kept it simple. Well, my kinda simple. :) See the pics below!

People walked in on a "raceway" made out from black pastic table cloth and white duck tape. It started at the front door and led to the candy/favor table set up in the middle of the foyer. The food was served in the dining room, undecorated. I wanted to do more with it but I couldn't find the time. I've listed the additional ideas I had at the end of this post (just for you!). The details and print outs are below.

• Candy Jars - I purchased the jars from Ikea and I topped them with the R, A, C, and E medallions that I made.
• Red and Yellow Buckets - The kids were able to fill these buckets with goodies from the candy/favor table. They were $1 each from Party City!
• Green Baskets - $1 from Target! I looove the Target dollar section for party/event supplies. I got green to shake up the red and yellow theme I had going on. I figured the colors of the stoplight were appropriate for a race party as well. :)
• Red Backdrop - Red plastic table cloth hung from the ceiling.
• FREE PRINTABLES!! (Click to download)
• "Pit Crew Tools" Napkin Wraps
• Water Bottle Labels
• Happy Birthday Banner
• R-A-C-E Medallions (used for the candy jars, but you can use them for anything you'd like!)

Other ideas for a race car party:

• Fun with food!
• Use the "wheel" shaped noodles for mac n' cheese or pasta
• Serve a pile of mini chocolate donuts and put a sign on top of them labeled, "Spare Tires"
• Create a road/raceway as a table runner, then glue a salt shaker and pepper shaker to the top of two race cars, so when people ask to "pass the salt," you can roll it down the raceway to them!
• Label a bowl of trail mix "Nuts & Bolts"
• Sign for the food table: "Pit Stop"
• Sign for the drink station: "Fuel Up"

Enjoy!

Dealing with a Bossy Toddler...Like A Boss.

These terrible twos are coming up FAST, and if it's one thing I learned, my second child is NOTHING like my first! Jacob is bossy, bossy, bossy. To his defense, Vinny has snatched things and tried to bully him around since he was born, so he kinda earned the right to defend himself. At the same time, he should still know that wrong is wrong. This is as much of a learning curve for me as it is for him! Vinny was never this bossy/demanding/aggressive. LOL

Here are a few things that have worked for me when dealing with "Master Jakey." :p

1. Give them a few options. This worked for Vinny too, when he was exploring his independence. Instead of telling him what to eat or what to play with or what to do, I gave him options. A FEW options--so as not to overwhelm the little 1-2 year old. For instance, if Jacob sees Vinny eating chips (or something I don't want him to eat), and he demands to have some, I'll say no, then offer him one of his snacks (i.e. animal crackers or a granola bar--or yogurt--I always win with yogurt!) This way, I'll get him to eat something else that I approve of, and he still gets to exercise some independence by choosing what he wants.
2. Paying less attention.  I know the struggle all too well--you get so used to coddling and nurturing their every need when they are infants, that making the transition to not giving into their every cry is instantly the hardest thing in the world. Jakey is the baby of the family, and he gets all kinds of attention from everyone and their mother. Literally. I will admit, I smother him with kisses and give him all the attention in the world sometimes. My bad!! But paying less attention when he's making his demands works! I make every effort to make sure he knows he will be taken care of, but I also have to remind him that I'm the parent and he needs to listen to me when I say no. So when he cries, screams, and throws a fit, keeping my composure and ignoring his attitude works for me. Even with Vinny, I let him know that I will not be talking about it with him while he is throwing a fit, and if he needs some time to calm down, he can go to his room and we'll talk when he gets himself together. With Jacob, it's a little harder since he's younger, but he still gets the hint. I found that if you don't respond to their attitude, it is less likely they will continue to have one.
3. Teach them how to ask politely. Personally, I think that it's never too early for this! All toddlers want to do is learn things...they are sponges with everything, so this is the best time to teach them what they need to know. Acknowledge that it's not good to yell or demand things, then teach them how to ask for it politely. If they have an older sibling, you could use them to help teach the little one. For example, when teaching Jakey to say "Please" to ask for things, I'll have Vinny do it first, praise Vinny, then tell Jakey it's his turn, then praise him once he does it. Works every time. Consistency is everything with toddlers, so now that I started him with saying please, I can't stop. Like I said, they are constantly learning, so the minute he learns he can do something the wrong way, he will.
4. Teach healthy competition. Having a bossy toddler makes playing with the kids a little harder. I am constantly intercepting conversations and interactions between my two kids because one of them isn't getting their way. That's normal, I know. But sometimes it gets a little excessive. This one may be for when the baby gets a little bit older, but I'm trying to find creative ways to teach healthy competition. A good friend of mine suggested weekly game night, which I think is a great idea. For Vinny, he's controlling in the sense that he always has to win, and when he doesn't, you'll hear about it for days. What helped him was playing games where everyone was on the same playing field. He did this mainly at school, but I started playing games with him at home so I could help reinforce fairness and to teach him how to deal with losing. In doing this, he also realized very quickly that he can't always get his way.
5. Teach them to give. One of the things Jacob struggles with is taking toys from other kids. Then he gets mad when they snatch it back. We make him give it back every time, even if the other kid doesn't want it anymore. Again, consistency is the big thing here. He needs to know that it's not good to take things whenever he wants it, and how to fix the situation if he did.

Of course the best thing you can do for your bossy child is to show them proper behavior in all things. Do you always shout demands or do you say please and thank you as well? The adults and older siblings in the household are their biggest teachers.

I also believe that a bossy child has the potential to be a great leader. I think their assertiveness and aggressiveness can lead to a successful adulthood, but will be best used and appreciated if they use those traits in a positive manner. I really value the younger years and I think this is best time to teach children these values.

What are some techniques that work for you? I'd love to hear other things I can try with Boss Man Jakey! :)

Owl Be Your Valentine!

Vinny attended his first school vday dance yesterday! Okay more like a party (I mean c'mon they're in Pre-K), but they asked the girls to dress up in dresses and the boys to wear dress pants and a button up, and it was just too cute.

For the party, all the parents were asked to bring in food or items. Things on the list included pizza, cupcakes, cookies, candy, candy...candy...and more candy. And being the crafty mom that I am, I signed up for goodie bags. YUP. I basically shot myself in the foot. There were 28 kids in his class and I had to provide them with goodie bags. The good thing is, they were meant so the kids could collect all the cards and candy from their classmates, so they didn't have to be pre-filled. So there I was thinking, ohh this would be such a great craft to do with Vinny, he'd love it! blah blah blah....I ended up doing it all myself. Lol but I was happy with the end result! Take a look at my Valentines Day goodie bags for Vinny's class:

I know I could've just gone to the store and bought pink goodie bags with hearts all over them buuuuut...that's just not me. :) So I whipped out the glue gun and went to work. Here's what I used:

• Brown paper lunch bags
• Black sharpie
• Colored markers
• Scissors
• Colored paper (I chose neon colors)
• Colored foam sheets (for the wings)
• White cardboard paper (eyes)
• Heart stickers (beak)
• This template from classroomcompulsion.blogspot.com: Owl Cut Out

The parents and teachers loved them! And I was happy to see all the bags standing up in the kids' cubbies while I walked in to pick up Vinny yesterday afternoon. It would've been such a cute picture but I didn't have my phone on me. :( Anyway, it goes to show that not ALL Valentine's Day decorations have to be pink!

Sesame Street Birthday Party

Vinny has a big birthday coming up (5 years old!!) and today he let me know what theme he wants! (I will share that with you soon, so long as Vinny doesn't change his mind! ;) ) Anyway, to get me back into event planning mode, I like to look back on events that I've done in the past, mainly for two reasons:

1. It inspires me and gets the creative juices flowing.
2. It reminds me what things I already have and how I can reuse them or use them differently.

Here's a look at Vinny's 2nd birthday. So much color and so much fun! It was a Sesame Street theme (but really Elmo theme because that's the only character he really knew and loved!). This was one of my favorite party themes to work with. It was so easy and there are so many things you can do and colors to play around with!

When doing events I find that it's easier to focus on matching colors than buying everything according to the theme. You get more options that way and I think it looks less tacky too! :)

Decorations: I bought most of my decorations from Target or Wal-Mart, most of the time they're much cheaper than Party City. I designed all the Sesame Street labels on Photoshop and attached them to ribbon to tie them around the jars and drink dispensers. I bought the banners (on the buffet table and fireplace) from Target. The chairs I found at Wal-Mart, as well as the tablecloths and tableskirts--although I think the bright blue tableskirt may have been from Party City. I already had the kids table and chairs (hand-me-down from Vinny's older cousins), I had the orange rug and pillow, and I bought the red and yellow pillows from Ikea. I find so many good (and cheap) party supplies at Ikea!!

Photobooth: The fabric for the photobooth was from Joanne Fabrics. I made the Polaroid-inspired frame out of foam board and an Xacto knife (thanks to my dad who's an artist and has all these things on hand!) I hung the frame from the ceiling using tape--alot of tape! However, for my events now, I like to use Command Strip hooks since they don't put holes in the wall and provide a sturdy hold. The backdrop is fabric draped over a large flattened cardboard box and it's leaning in a doorway. We also bought funny props and made mustache sticks for people to use in their photos. Credit to my dad for setting my friend up with the California State Penitentiary sign! :p

Party Favors: When choosing favors, I like to give kids things they may actually use and not just small toys that end up all over the floor for their parents to step on. :p Vinny's birthday is in May so the favors were things that kids can use over the summer. The buckets and bags were only a dollar each from Target (bags) and Party City (buckets)! The bags were for the infants and included soft bath books, a Sesame Street snack cup, and a bath toy. The buckets were for the toddlers and older kids and included a Sesame Street coloring book, snack cup, bubble wand, crayons, and a crazy straw. Everything was $1 or less from the Target dollar section.

Now off to plan Vinny's 5th Birthday party! Yes--I always start planning months in advance! :)

A Peek Into the Past

Hello blog world :) It has been a week of FIRSTS!

• First Snow Day of the year
• Vinny's first day of preschool/daycare (after a 1 year hiatus)
• My first time helping a 4-year-old with homework *wipes sweat off my brow*
• My first time running two kids to two different daycares before going to work, then running around to pick them up before closing time to avoid late fees. I am pooped.

Monday was Vinny's first day of preschool! He's been to daycare before, but took a year off when the baby was born (to save costs). Maybe it's because of that that I am feeling reeaally nostalgic today!! I am not sure why, but I am having the baby blues and really missing when my kids were little! They grow up so fast. Soo I started looking through my old pictures...thousands and thousands of pictures...and came across a few I thought I'd share. I figured with all my long long blog entries, we could all use a few visuals on here. :) Reminisce with me! Enjoy pics of the loves of my life...

...

I can't believe Vinny will be starting KINDERGARTEN next year!! I'm not sure how to prepare for that!

What To Look For in a Daycare

Good Evening! I thought I'd share my thoughts on this topic since I have a lot of friends who are pregnant, have small infants or toddlers, or are thinking about having kids, and many have asked me about how to start the daycare process for their kids. When I had my first child, nobody told me about how much daycares cost or how to even start the process, so I'm hoping this post will help someone before they get to that "crunch time" phase of searching for a daycare!

My kids have been in daycare since they were 4 months old. Vinny is now 4 and Jacob is 14 months. They've been with both at-home child care providers and early learning/preschool centers.

The search for a good daycare is a VERY overwhelming process. I will start by saying that I am only speaking from my experience. I live in Northern MD and have researched MANY MANY day cares and day care providers from here to Northern VA. Before you start researching day cares, expect the following:

• They will all be quite expensive--about $800-$2000 a month for an infant (0-2 years old), and about $400-$1500 a month for toddlers (2-4 years old). I'm quoting that based on full-time (5 days a week) child care, and it being a licensed daycare provider or center.
• Many daycares will not have any availability and you may be wait-listed. The first question you should ask when you call a daycare should be if they have any availability for your child's age group.

This is a great site to search for child care in Maryland! I used it to find all my child care providers. You have to create an account but it's free: LOCATE

Here are a few tips and things to look for while searching for a daycare:

1. Decide if daycare is right for you. It's not for everybody. I was 23 when I had my first child, barely making any money, and did not have a clue about child care expenses. If I had the opportunity back then, I probably would've turned to grandparents or other family members to watch my kids. Unfortunately, I had no options and had to put my kids in daycare. In doing so, I actually found great benefits to it. There are many to list, but here are some to name a few:
1. It socialized my children.
2. My kids learned to listen to other adults, not just Mom and Dad.
3. It greatly progressed their speech! Vinny learned how to speak clearly and in full sentences before he was 2!
4. It helped teach them manners. At 18 months, Vinny would put his plate in the sink after dinner and push his chair in. Please and thank yous came so naturally as well!
5. They learned to share very well.
6. They learned to play with kids that didn't look like them. My children are half African-American and half Filipino. I value diversity and want my children to be surrounded by kids of many cultures and races. This was an important factor for me while searching for a daycare.
   
2. Budget accordingly. Know what you're willing to spend and what you can afford before starting this process. This will help you immediately rule out any daycares that are too expensive. There are TONS of daycare options out there, so the more you can rule out off the bat, the better.
3. Always do the tour or schedule an interview. If you're interested in attending an early learning center, which are the large centers/preschools for children from  6 months - 4 years old, they will offer you a tour of the facility before you apply. If you are interested in finding am in-home daycare provider, someone that is licensed and runs their daycare in their house, go to their house and have an interview with them. I would also suggest that you ask if you can come back to observe how they are with the kids. If they allow you to, schedule it. Don't just show up; your surprise visit could distract the kids and mess up the routine of the day, or you might come during nap time and won't be able to observe much.
4. During the tour or interview, ask about everything. Even about things that concern you. Do not be shy. After all, this is your child that you will be leaving with them. Here are a few examples:
1. How many care takers are here and are they here for the whole day?
2. How do you handle visitors that come while the children are here? (This question is very important for an in-home day care.)
3. How well do the children play together?
4. Do they have a place they go to when they do wrong (like a time-out chair)? How do you discipline them?
5. What do they eat during the day? See what meals and snacks are included in your tuition.
6. What do you do if a child gets sick?
7. What is your sick day and vacation policy?
8. How often do they clean and sanitize their toys?
5. During the tour, carefully observe the childrens' environment. Does the facility have hard floors or carpet? Is it toddler-sized furniture or regular size furniture that kids would have to climb? What do they nap on? For in-home daycares, where is the kitchen in relation to the children's area (and ask where the kids go when the care taker has to cook them lunch)? Where are the bathrooms (in relation to the kids' area)? Does the environment have anything that's not appropriate for children? How clean is everything?
6. Bring your child to the interviews. Observe how he or she is with the teachers that are there and with his or her surroundings. A lot of times, your children's behavior can make the decision for you. Especially if they're old enough to communicate it clearly. They know when something is right or wrong. Trust their instincts and yours!
7. Decide where you want the day care to be.  Close to your house or near your job? For me, I wanted my kids near my workplace so that if I needed to run out to get them at any time of the day, I can easily get to them. This was one of the best decisions I made because I have had to run out many times to get my kids when they were sick!! I didn't want to take the chance of making them wait because I got stuck in traffic or something because my kids were too far away from me during the work day.
8. Check to see if your company offers any discounts for daycares in the area. I'm lucky enough to work at a company that does! I save 10% off of Vinny's tuition. That's a lot in the grand scheme of things!
9. Take advantage of Flex spending programs that your job may offer. At the end of the year, you will find that you have spent $10,000 or more on child care services. Flex spending programs allow you to deduct child care costs (up to a certain amount) from your gross income, so that you essentially get that money tax-free! You can't deduct everything, but definitely a good chunk of it.
10. Research is everything. Take the time to read reviews, go to interviews, talk to other parents of current students...your research is everything! You want to get as much information as you can before you make one of the biggest decisions of your life!

Choosing a daycare, and any school for that matter, is a big investment, so you want to make the right one! I hope this helps somebody out there. :)