Recipe for a Winter Workout

Ingredients:

1 24 lb toddler
24 lb toddler's winter gear (size may vary)
itty bitty sled

Recommended, but not necessary:

6 + inches of snow

backyard with a ridiculous hill

Directions:

Snugly wrap, zip, velcro, or otherwise shove maneuver toddler into winter gear. You'll know you've done it right if said toddler cannot move her arms, hands, or neck. It is a good idea to do the same for yourself. Doing so sets a good example.

Go outside. Buckle toddler securely into sled. After a few test pulls through the snow just to get used to things, bend at the knees and hoist the toddler-filled sled part way up the hill. Carefully turn the sled around, and pull down the hill. For extra fun, let go for the last few feet. Giggle, dust off your snowy bum (you probably fell down at some point along the path), and repeat the process.

Marks of success:

You can "feel" your legs, knees, back, and arms in a whole new way.

Your toddler is ridiculously happy and has internalized the word sled.

Her face might look something like this:

Note:

This workout is best followed by a lunch of warm soup and a long nap.

B-Word of the Week: Book

Book was the Bean's first word. Right after Dada, and before Momma, she began asking to read. As many families probably do, we've gone through several phases of favorite titles, books that she'd ask for night after night. Until recently, however, the Bean would typically request different titles every night to accompany whichever book was the favorite. This is something that I most certainly took for granted, as we've now entered a phase of strict adherence to routine. We've been reading the same three books every night since Thanksgiving, sometimes more than once. Part of me loves this, as the Bean can now read these books to herself pretty well, and part of me is anxious to change up the mix a little bit.

Ultimately, I am grateful that my little girl loves reading so much. It has most certainly contributed to her language development and has helped to satisfy her insatiable interest in everything. It provides wonderful quality time together and acts as a conduit for us to sing, dance, and laugh together. It is also one of the few times my daughter sits almost completely still...in my lap! This is why, no matter what the book Bean chooses for me to read night after night, I will always embrace the opportunity to pick it up and make the story come alive for her once again.

Although the selections may not change frequently, we invite you to read along with us. From now on, we'll share our current bedtime favorites on Bean's very own virtual bookshelf. We look forward to sharing them with you, and to hearing about your favorites, too!

B-Word of the Week: "Bis"

Conversing with a toddler is, I imagine, a little bit like acting as an interpreter/translator for someone from a foreign country. As little ones give new words a try, they come up with plenty of their own pronunciations and even words for objects. One of the words that the Bean uses most consistently and often is "bis." Translation: blankie. Any blankie. From the day she started calling a blanket anything at all, it was a "bis" and has remained so for at least 2 months. Bean's use of the word is so consistent that I am finding it difficult not to use the word myself. I'm not surprised that it's one of the first objects that Bean has named. As soon as she was able to control her arms, she would lay down in bed and pull the blanket up over her face to sleep. Now, she meticulously fluffs and piles her blankets (2-3 of them) to make a nest to sleep in, much like our dachshund does with his bedding. The Bean's blankets are adored, and with such status deserve their own unique name. For that reason, I've deemed "bis" the word of the week...perhaps the word of the year :) Cheers to babyspeak, and to "bis"es everywhere.

4-month-old Bean, asleep under her "bis"