Jo + Cat

For a few days now, Jo's been playing her toy guitar and singing the same song over & over. It's really clever & cute:

                       

Yesterday, we finally figured out what she's singing: the into to "Peg + Cat!" Once we figured it out, it made her song that much funnier. She does such a good job! My favorite is how she takes the guitar and holds it at her side when she's done.

Here's the link to the YouTube video intro of "Peg + Cat":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhhI6gNPgJg

Oliver was about the same age when he started mimicking videos he watched. I think this age is just the funniest, cutest age ever (minus some of the tantrums, of course!).

Joanna Sings "Happy Birthday" to Daddy

Joanna learned to sing a song! After we had a little birthday celebration for Andrew on Thursday, Jo started singing, "Happy Birthday to You." She was really excited to see another cake today for Andrew and started to sing again. I'm a proud mommy, and I think it's so impressive! She even pretends to blow out the candles as she sings!

                       

Here's us making a cake for Andrew at Grandma Judy & Grandpa Larry's house. We just used a box cake mix, and I used a chocolate frosting recipe from Allrecipes.com (I doubled it). Oliver and Jo sampled the frosting and decided it was pretty good.

Oliver sprinkled a few chocolate chips on top of the first layer. 

I topped the cake with the second layer and frosted it.

Oliver added chocolate chips, sprinkles, and Heath pieces to the top.

And then he added candles.

He wanted to use the frosting bag, too, so I squeezed it while Oliver moved it around.

Here is the finished birthday cake!

Oliver got to help blow out the candles again.

In our family, I guess birthdays turn into birthday weekends! No complaints here. Yum.

Oliver the Entertainer

100 (Attempted) Ways to Entertain a Young Toddler, Day 22: If You're Happy and You Know It

I sing a lot to Oliver throughout the day. Sometimes, I find that easier than talking to him nonstop or narrating what I'm doing. I sing him songs instead! I've learned that the sillier and more interactive a song, the better.

Oliver went in on Friday to get his last Hep A vaccine. Andrew took him to the vaccination area with the nurse because I get too emotional. It's hard watching your little one get a shot, even when you know it's for the best. Andrew told me that Oliver recognized the vaccination area as soon as the nurse took him back. He started crying, and then his cries increased once the shot was administered. Andrew brought him back to me as he checked us out.

Oliver cried and cried in my arms. I started singing, "If You're Happy and You Know It." I made up a few verses to keep his attention, like "If you're happy and you know it, honk a nose. HONK!" Within minutes, he was laughing instead of crying.

That was Friday. Today, I was feeling exhausted, and I sat next to Oliver on the couch. I wanted to play and keep him engaged without having to get up. Pathetic, huh? I started singing, "If You're Happy and You Know It." I probably made up a dozen verses. Many made Oliver shriek with glee. His favorites are "...pop my cheeks," "...honk a nose," "...tickle a foot," "...find a belly button," and "pat your head." I sang and sang and sang, doing each verse two or three times. He was stomping his feet and having a great time. It kept him happy for at least 10 minutes! Every time I would end the song, he'd ask me to sing it again.

I love activities that take little (or, in this case, absolutely no) prep. It's nice to know that there are games to play at a moment's notice for those times we're stuck in lines or waiting at a doctor's office. Perfect! For the simplicity of this "activity" and because of Oliver's enjoyment, I give it an A.

Oliver's First Music Class

Oliver and I had our first parent-tot music class today, courtesy of my mother-in-law. I've been so excited for this class because Oliver loves songs and singing. He wants us to put on music videos for him all the time, and if we sing one song to him, we have to sing ten. He start his day with a song and end it with a song. So, yes, it seemed like a great idea.

The class starts at 9:45am, which is a difficult time because Oliver usually takes a short nap around 9am or 9:30am. We arrived at the class, and he was upset to see all the other kids. He clung to me and buried his head in my lap. The rest of the toddlers ran around, exploring the room, staring at other kids, and playing with the blinds. I was a little jealous of the other moms and kids. It was clear that the other moms all got little breaks while their kids played. With Oliver, we still don't get that. I figure that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, though. Maybe they were jealous that my son is a big snuggler.

The class was designed for ADD toddlers, I swear. Each activity lasted about two minutes. Oliver would just start to get interested in something and grab for the drum, maraca, or whatever was the toy of the minute, and then we'd have to put it away and start the next activity. One song/game involved the teacher playing music faster and faster, but every time she stopped, we'd have to stop moving/walking/dancing. Oliver didn't want to be put down the entire time, so I held him and would walk and bounce to the music. When it'd stop, I'd do an exaggerated freeze. Oliver started cracking up, and then that activity was over, too.

At one point, a boy who just turned one got upset about having to give up his maraca. He let out a scream. That did it for Oliver. He dissolved into a sobbing mess, and laid in my arms like an infant. The teacher thought he was sobbing because he had to give up his maracas. Nope.

To be fair, there was one other girl there who was pretty reserved. She'd turned two in December, and the class is supposed to be up to the age of two. However, because the next age bracket is much louder and rowdier, the instructor let her stay in the tot class for one more season. She was very quiet and didn't talk once. She was interested in the instruments, but she didn't play them. She was the only other kid besides Oliver who wouldn't shake a maraca.

The 45 minutes went by slowly. I felt awful for Oliver because it was clear he was miserable in the class, but I also felt confident that the class would end up being good for him. It's every week for a few months, and I think he'll slowly get used to having the other kids around. It'll help him come out of his shell a bit (I hope). Also, I know that, once he gets the routine of the class down, he'll enjoy it much more. Oliver is one of those children that really thrives on routine. The class was too new for him today, and maybe it will be next week, but I think it'll be a lot better after that.

I have a new plan for next week. I'll leave the house around 8:45am, get a Starbucks, and drive around the neighborhood so Oliver can doze before we head over to the rec center. I'll get some relaxation time, and he won't be so crabby in class!

Oliver Dances to Bryan Adams

Itsy Bitsy Spider

We've been so busy all week with shipping packages, running errands and doing last minute shopping, that today was a designated "stay in jammies all day" day. Oliver and I explored, played, did chores, and sang songs. Here's a minute clip from our day!

The Sixth Beach Boy

Oliver keeps singing, "Buh buh buh buh!" whenever we play the Beach Boys' song, "Barbara Ann."

Oliver Sings to "For What It's Worth."

Stop Singing, Mommy!

I'm sure you all have seen those videos of the dogs who howl at their masters when they're singing or playing the piano (the people, not the dogs). Oliver decided to start going "woooouuuhhh" over me as I sang to him today. Hilarious.