Have Books. Let's Read!

Found this cute idea on Pinterest and had to have it for Maddie's room.  It helps because instead of just grabbing a book she has to ask me for it.  It helps with her speech and it looks so cute!

Her favorite current books are: A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni, It's OK to be Different by Todd Parr (a gift from her cousin, Tillie), Pete the Cat and his four Groovy Buttons by James Dean & Eric Litwin Olivia save the Circus by Ian Falconer, Llama Llama Night Nighty by Anna Dewdney & Night Night book by Marianne Richmond

We went to our first Speech evaluation last week.  Maddie scored above average for her language skills but we really need to work on our articulation.   She is talking so much more now, singing all the time and to make things more difficult she is incorporating Vietnamese into her speech too.  As her mama, I of course understand everything that she says but for others not so much.  We will be starting speech therapy in a few weeks but until then we have some homework for Maddie.  She has to start to learn to blow from her mouth and not her nose.  So, that means practicing blowing bubbles, blowing water from a straw or in the pool.  And our two main letters to practice are B and P.  

Tweet Tweet Birdie

Since December we have subscribed to Kiwi Crates Kit Club.  I love the fact the the green box contains two craft ideas for the kids and they are educational too.  Yesterday when I came home Maddie was sitting at the table and pointing to the green box that came in the mail.  She knows it is for her (it's addressed to her - but she doesn't know that yet) and she knows it means something fun.  So, being excited myself as to what was in the box I sat down and begin to explore with her.  This month she got to make her own bird costume and a bird nest filled with two eggs to decorate.

After making her mask and wings we went outside to explore! 

* if you are interested in trying out Kiwi Crate email me for a $10 off your first kit!

IPad Invasion

I've lost my IPAD ..... to my 2 year old!  Yes, it's no longer mama's IPad it's Maddie's IPad.  As soon as I sit down to check email, FB or do some online shopping, Maddie runs up and says "Mr Potato Head?"  And it ends up in her lap.

Her favorite apps are Mrs. Potato, Ginger, Endless ABCs and Toca Tailor. It makes me smile because she doesn't realize how educational some of these apps are.

Got a Cookie, Let's go for a Walk!

Yesterday we went for our daily afternoon stroll around the neighborhood, where Maddie said HI to everyone that pass by us.  Before leaving the house she had to ask Daddy for a cookie for the road.  She loves picking up sticks and picking flowers.  Literally stopping to smell the flowers and asking mama to smell them too. 

Milestone: Last night after bath time and while playing with her new train set (YES, her train set) she came up to me and said she had to go pee pee and we ran to the bathroom and she went pee pee in the potty! WAHOO!  I was in shock and so happy.  We did a happy dance and she said "go downstairs to tell daddy, Maddie went pee pee in potty" Yes, let's go tell daddy and get some Rapunzel stickers to celebrate this moment.  I know this does not mean she is potty trained but it's a BIG step towards it!

Mother's Day

Maddie has been talking so much more since we returned from Vietnam. She is like a parrot who repeats what you say and listens to your every word.  That's not to say that she follows through on what you are asking of her.  Lucy is no longer Lulu but Lucy, every time you ask her something she responds with a "ok, that's fine"  We are slowly trying to potty train her and have to come to the conclusion she will go when she's ready.  A conversation between her and Grandma went as follows:  Maddie "Ba Ngoai apples please" Ba Ngoai "you can have a slice of apple when you use the potty" Maddie turning to me and says "It's not Ngoai's apples, it's Maddie's apples".  LOL

Today we took Ba Ngoai, Ba Ngoai Hai and Ba Ngoai Nam out for brunch for Mother's day.  (of course the men tagged along too)

Hope everyone had a great Mother's Day!

Spring Days

The weather has been gorgeous and that means it time to go outside.  Maddie usually loves to ride her bike, push around her dolly "Molly" in the baby carriage or get a ride in the "pink" wagon on the way to the pool.

Christmas 2012

Maddie was up bright and early at 6:30am this morning.  I don't know if she knows it was Christmas but she knew something was up.  She ran down the stairs and saw her new friend, Max (rocking horse) and baby dolly Molly.  She opens her presents slowly, so slowly we didn't finish opening presents until Christmas night.  Every present got her undivided attention.  She was a lucky girl to received so much love from family near and far.  I couldn't tell you which was her favorite gift, OK maybe Max but besides that she loved it all!