Monday, August 22 - Wednesday, August 24

This week we...

Finally got back on track.  First, we had a week of preparing to leave for Florida.  Then, we had a week of Mommy having a really bad cold.  Next, we had a week of intense anticipation as we waited to hear some job news...which never came, and we are still waiting for, but at least now waiting for more calmly (I guess after a certain amount of time, you get so used to waiting that it is just part of life).  This week, we finally got back to life as usual.

On Monday morning, we decided to excavate the toy tub in the living room.  I was looking for a specific book (which I did not find, and still haven't found), but it is always good to bring the bottom toys up to the top so they seem "new" again.  Here is Jasper discovering some old friends.

On Monday afternoon, we went to the Londonderry playground.  We got there at around 3, and stayed until about 6:30.  We saw lots of friends there--Sabina and Milo, Tiffany and Alanna, and then Joanna and Liam.  Then Daddy showed up.  So did John, Liam's Daddy.  Jasper had fun.  Kurt and I had fun catching up with friends. 

Tuesday morning was rather calm.  Jasper enjoyed his very juicy peach from Mack's.  Peach season is short here, so you have to enjoy them while you can.

After nap, we joined Katie and Eli at the Chester playground.  We had a good time.  For some reason, Jasper likes to snack there more than he likes to play.  I haven't completely figured that out yet.  I did not bring the camera because my bag was already so heavy with both of our full water bottles.  Hopefully I'll remember next time.

Today, we went out to the driveway for a fun new experience--sidewalk chalk!  Jasper had lots of fun drawing.

I didn't quite anticipate the mess.  Luckily, it washed/brushed right off.

Drawing eventually ended when Jasper noticed a dandelion in full bloom in the grass nearby.  He made a beeline for it and picked it.  Then, he had to find the perfect place to display it.  He chose to place it on a brick that was centered on a tree stump.  Then, he climbed up on the tree stump and admired his work.

After nap, we went to the Derry farmer's market, where we met Katie and Eli.  Unfortunately, my camera's batteries had died and I didn't have replacements.  It's really too bad, because there were some great photo ops.  We bought a peach and an apple and ate them while listening to some live music.  Then, we got two slices of pizza (Mommy's request, but Jasper ate the majority of it), also while listening to the music.  We had a great time walking among the vendors and people watching.  I couldn't believe we stayed for almost two hours!  Maybe next week, my camera will have some juice.

Hope you have had a great week so far, too.

Friday, July 29 & Saturday July 30

Today we...

Hung out at home all morning.  Jasper has decided he and Ernie are inseparable.  It's very cute, but it does make travel a bit more difficult.  If we try to pull out of the driveway without Ernie in the car, Jasper begins screaming, "Duckie!  Duckie!" (He calls Ernie "Duckie" because of the rubber duckie songs.)  I try to remember that this, too, is a phase.  Here is Jasper chilling on the couch with "Duckie" and "Grove."

After nap, I decided to try to bake with Jasper.  I picked out a very simple muffin recipe.  Apparently, 19 months is still too young to bake.  Jasper was far more interested in removing the flour from the bowl than putting it in or stirring it.  So, Jasper ate the remainder of a container of applesauce that we had used as an ingredient while I finished up the muffins.  At least he got practice using a spoon unsupervised?  Here is Jasper enjoying his snack instead of baking.

Auntie Sara, Anna and baby Johnny came over to play in the afternoon.  We all had lots of fun.  Somehow, I forgot to pull out the camera.  Or maybe it was that I was so enjoying sitting on the couch while Sara entertained Jasper.  I don't get that luxury very often.  It was a great afternoon.

On Saturday, we woke up early (Jasper's initiative).  That worked out okay, since we were going blueberry picking as early as we could.  We got to the farm at around 7:30 AM.  That was nice because it was sunny, but still a bearable temperature.  We all got our own buckets.  Jasper did very well with the picking.  After being shown a few times, he was picking all on his own, and was very good at only picking blue ones.  We got a pound of blueberries.  A far cry from the ten pounds Kurt and I used to pick on our own, but better than expected.  Daddy showing Jasper how to pick.

Picking like an old pro.

After picking, we walked back to the car.  Then, we discovered that there were some animals across the street.  We went over to check them out.  There were two goats and two sheep, all apparently very hungry for a snack and curious as to whether or not we had brought them one (we hadn't).  Jasper still got a kick out of them.  He kept yelling "Baaa!" (correct) and "Ooooooooo!" (not so correct--that's what he thinks cows say).  The whole way home, he was still shouting out his animal sounds.

Other, less photographed (meaning, um, not at all photographed) highlights of our day included eating lots and lots of broccoli for lunch (Jasper's choice--not ours), helping Daddy pull weeds, and Skyping with Grandma and Pappa Bru. 

Two good days.  What did you do?

Thursday, July 28

Today we...

Finished our fishie project.  I cut the fish out, and let Jasper decide where we would glue them down.  This is the finished product:

We hung the picture on the fridge so that we can admire it whenever we pass by, or stop for some milk or water.  I want to hang an "art strinng" in the doorway between the living room and kitchen for future projects.  Then, we can hang artwork using clothes pins or binder clips for everyone to see.  Bonus--the string can be two-sided so we can see different pictures from the living room and the kitchen.

After finishing the fishie project, Jasper hadn't quite had his arts and crafts fill.  So, we pulled out a fresh piece of paper and the Do-A-Dot paints.  Here is Jasper hard at work.

Jasper worked on his painting in spurts for the remainder of the day.

Today, Jasper decided he was only going to eat plants for lunch.  He had grape tomatoes, raisins, and blueberries.  Not exactly a balanced meal, but Mommy didn't feel like fighting about it today.

After nap, we went to the playground in Londonderry with Katie and Eli.  Jasper was very excited to see Eli--it had been about two weeks.  He spent a lot of time on the swings and playing in the bark mulch.  Maybe one day climbing will have its appeal, too.

That was our day.  What did you do?

Wednesday, July 27

Today we...

Painted for the first time.  First, we put on a smock.  It was a bit big--I think it was made for a preschooler.  Notice Jasper's "Mommy, are you serious?" look.

Then, we got down to the fun of actually painting.  Jasper really enjoyed the process.  He especially loved dipping the brush into the paint.

Later, Jasper learned to stomp his feet.  We were down in the basement, printing off shipping labels for Swaptree, and singing "If You're Happy and You Know It."  To my surprise, he stomped right along with me.  When we got upstairs, I took this video.  Warning--my voice is loud, and my singing, as always, is terrible.

After barely nibbling on his real lunch, Jasper chowed down on a big, juicy plum.  He ate right down to the pit.  Ah, summer.  We will miss the fruit dearly come winter.

After lunch, Jasper really wanted to play with the paint brushes again.  I let him play with them dry for a bit while I set up the next phase of our art project.  This part involved crumpling blue tissue paper and gluing it to the bottom of the painted blue paper to create 3-D "waves."  Crumpling was good fun.  Gluing was not Jasper's thing.  He liked pushing the pieces down, but then immediately wanted to remove them to do it again.  So, Jasper crumpled, and Mommy glued.

This is what the project looked like when we were finished for the day.  Tomorrow, we will glue some fishies into the water.  I just need to make them before craft time begins (don't think Jasper is quite ready to man the scissors yet).

After all that crafting, we took a nap.  Then, we went to Nashua to pick up Sabina and Milo's CSA share.  Sabina and Milo are away, vacationing on the West Coast.  We miss them, but we appreciated the veggies.  We got to talk about the bumpy summer squash, the yellow zucchini, and the stinky onions.  We met many nice CSA members, with whom Jasper was only too happy to chat.  Jasper didn't want to leave the pick up--it was so much fun!  But, we finally did get in the car to return home and wait for Daddy to arrive.  While we waited, Jasper ate some farm-fresh sliced cucumbers with dressing for dipping, and then waited at the window, saying, "Daddy soon!" 

That was our day.  How was yours?

"Today We..." My Mission

Being a Mommy can be hard.  There are days when you're just so tired, just so frustrated, or just so distracted.  Lately, I've been thinking a lot about being mindful of every day that passes with my 19-month-old child.  Everywhere we go, people remind us that these days of early childhood speed by very fast. 

This blog is an attempt to slow down and notice the small moments of the day.  It's a chance to keep a living, online journal of our adventures and triumphs together.  It's a way to stop and realize that, even though we had our rough moments in our day--what toddler doesn't?--we also had moments of fun and discovery.  Those are the momets that I want to capture, so that we can look back on them together for years to come.

This online journal was inspired by projects like the 365 Project (but I'm just not a great photographer--more of a writer).  It was inspired by books I've been reading about parenting with intent and striving to find a place for creativity in our own lives and the lives of our children.  Most of all, this journal is inspired by my spirited, funny, and sometimes quirky toddler, Jasper.

Please feel free to read along with us as we try to stop and notice the moments of joy throughout our days.