Our Play Spaces

As I mentioned in the last bit on toys (why we sold most of our toys), we've been paring down and clearing out. These are the two play spaces we now have in our home. (I guess I should also mention Ada's doll closet in her room. I will get to that another day.). 

Why two?

Because the basement one doesn't get tons of use in the warmer months. In winter, we're down there a lot. So, it's worth having an extra area in the family room. It is also adjacent to my desk and workspace, which is helpful if I'm finishing a deadline, like today, and need the kids occupied.

Anyway, here they are after our clear out:

I wish I had snapped before photos. But I did this all on a very crazy nesting high. Basically, the living room benches had tons of random toys in them that would spill out all over the first level of our home. And the basement had two 9-cube organizers overflowing with toys and puzzles, blocks all over the ground, and a bunch of other multiples of things like dolls, puppets, and other assorted things the girls never played with.

Picture chaos.

Yeah.

That's it.

I have the highest hope for the cart in the living room, so I thought I'd show you what's in it. I have always complained about the age difference between my girls, but these toys seem to occupy them both nicely. And, OK. I'm not trying to drink the punch . . . but I'm getting more and more into Waldorf philosophies with regard to play and child-rearing.

I don't plan to follow all of it or send my kids to a specific Waldorf school (or homeschool, here's why). But I have always felt like organized sports/activities for younger kids and coached education from young ages . . . well, it just wasn't something I agreed with. Waldorf says kids need to play and explore and be exposed to the world without that type of structure. Toys are very open-ended and made from natural materials. Nature is priority. Seasons and holidays are to be celebrated with ritual. And predictable rhythm is so very important. I won't get into all the details right now, but it jibes with lots of stuff I've absentmindedly been striving for and is cool to see it in one place.

Here's where I'm starting in our home.

With the play cart.


This leads into another discussion and more explanation. But -- microblogging. Today I simply wanted to show you our spaces. We have so much less than we used to have. It might still be more than you care to have or you may -- instead -- feel like we don't have much. Who knows. Whatever the case, I'd love to gather questions or other directions you guys want me to take (the stuff you want to hear about) for the next post.

Leave a comment on the blog or on another platform so I can gather them! I will also discuss some of the homemade stuff we've put in the play cart to lower the price tag of all the expensive things you can buy. Because you can go crazy with Waldorf-style toys. They're gorgeous. But I cannot afford them. I digress!

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Aldi // Foods Picky Toddlers + Kids

I get lots of questions about my favorite Aldi foods. So, today I thought I'd give you guys a quick post about what foods I get for Ada and Eloise. Ada's pretty good about trying new things and getting at least some variety. Eloise, on the other hand, is asserting her toddler independence and is a super picky eater, so it's a challenge finding things she will try and potentially love.

As I have mentioned in the past, we are raising our children vegetarian, so the foods I'll be mentioning are all vegetarian or vegan-friendly. Here's what's in our pantry right now. We have actually eaten through a good chunk of what I bought last week (we adults snack on a lot of these foods, too)!

In no particular order.

• Simply Nature White Cheddar Puffs
• Clancy's Veggie Straws
• Pretzel sticks
• Multigrain tortilla chips
• Graham crackers
• Simply Nature Fruit Squeezes
• Fruit + Veggie Pouches (we used these when E was a baby)
• Eggs
• Milk
• Rolled oats (for making homemade snacks)
• Fresh bulk produce, especially when it's local and in-season
• Freeze Dried Strawberries 
• Plain nuts and various trail mixes
• Lookin' Sharp Granola
• Little Journey Yogurt Bites
• Happy Farms cheese sticks, in bulk when possible
• Hummus, various flavors -- but my kids like plain best
• Guacamole
• Yogurt tubes and pouches
• Organic canned beans
• Simply Nature Organic Mac + Cheese
• Simply Nature Organic Frozen Fruit Bars
• Rainbow organic baby carrots
• Broccoli slaw
• Avocados
• Clementine oranges
• (I realize I mentioned produce, but those are some favorites)
• Frozen peas
• Coconut water, mix in with plain water in a 1/3 to 2/3 ratio
• Sparkling water, Ada doesn't like but Eloise LOVES
• Simply Nature Organic Juice Boxes
• Breakfast Best French Toast Sticks
• Simply Nature Organic Apple Instant Oatmeal
• Organic pasta
• Organic pasta sauces

I provided links where they were easy find with a quick Google search. Otherwise, we just get whatever they have at the store. It's usually just one brand for a lot of the things I didn't link. Occasionally you'll come across store brands at good deals, like LaCroix, so we do take advantage of those.

Here's an example of an all-Aldi nibble tray I made for Eloise this week.

Some kid stuff we don't tend to buy at Aldi include things like peanut butter, bread, frozen fruit, granola bars, and gummies. It's not that we don't like the Aldi brand, we're just able to buy larger quantities for less money elsewhere (like Sam's or Wegman's store brand). I thought it would be good to include a list of things the girls DON'T like from Aldi, but honestly . . . they pretty much eat everything we've bought. So, now I'm wondering why I called Eloise picky!

Scratch that. We DO NOT like Aldi bananas. They are always green at the store and either don't ripen OR they get REALLY weirdly mushy. My girls love bananas, so we buy them at Wegman's (we also get our non-dairy milk, tofu, and a few other items, like large jars of peanut butter there).

Oh, and if you're curious about how we organize our kid plates, etc.

While writing this post, I also discovered that Aldi has a section on its website with snack recipes using their products! And I am also sure I'm missing a whole swath of things I usually buy. Be sure to share your favorites in the comments!

Also: I need to update my Vegetarian Staples at Aldi post! They have so many more options since the last time I wrote about it. Still no tofu, though. Boo!

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DIY Mermaid Sensory Board

We have a children's space totally dedicated to sensory play where I live. It has all sorts of cool things to touch and see. One of my favorites has always been these little frames filled with that mermaid flip sequin fabric. I don't think that's what it's called, but you get me. They are around six inches to a foot in size and are anchored to the walls for kids to play with.

Naturally, I wanted to bring this idea home.

In a BIG way . . .

I actually bought the fabric for this project before Christmas and just never got around to finishing it. Not that it takes long at all. And I kind of winged the execution, so this "tutorial" is more of a "see what I did, try it and maybe improve upon my method" kind of thing. In its current iteration, it works great. But I'm sure it could be refined.

First, you need your sequin fabric. I bought mine on Amazon, though I'm sure you may be able to find this stuff at your local craft shop. I chose the classic mermaid blue/green and black. It comes in an impressive array of shades, though, so you could get this to match any decor. You know, because this will be living in your living room, most likely.

So, a yard is 36" x 47". Massive.


All I did with the fabric is stretch + mount it inside a cheap plastic poster frame I had bought at Target eons ago. So, for me this project only cost the amount of the fabric. You can get a similar frame for around $10-$15. Alternatively, you could also put the fabric on the wall and then frame around it with wood trim, if you are extra handy.

There really was no trick to stretching it. I just placed the clear plastic frame insert (that would go over the poster) in the center of my fabric. I pulled the fabric taught around it and folded the extra pieces flat. I then put it in the frame and put the backing of the frame over top of the folded pieces. Then I pressed down all those tabs on the back of the frame to keep everything in place.

Note: Keeping the folded pieces there wasn't just laziness -- it helps hold everything tight. You could also cut the fabric to size and glue it to the clear insert. I'm sure there are many ways that would work.

And then we got to playing:


Again, this isn't a very technical tutorial. Ada and Eloise love this thing equally. And it's big enough that they can both play with it at the same time. I think we'll end up putting it in the play room, attached to the wall. But it's also nice to place on a table or the floor.

Oh! If you don't feel like going to all this trouble or spending much money, you can also get those sequin fabric pillows to toss about. They're super fun, too. And most cost around $7. Boom!

Let me know if you try this project! I was incredibly surprised how easily it came together.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

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Sharing Thoughts on Picky Toddler Eating

So many of you have asked me how Eloise's eating is these days. I wish I could say we've turned a corner. But, we've hit, like, an even higher peak of picky eating lately. It isn't all bad, but we're definitely in one of those periods of eating ONE big meal every few days and picking the rest of the time. So, it's not all bad . . . just inconsistent and frustrating.

I remember distinctly that she only ate the blueberries:

Despite all my efforts to cook and serve healthy, interesting, and tasty food . . . I have to remember that this phase isn't going to last forever. Or, as a couple of my friends tell me, maybe Eloise will always just be super incredibly picky and never grow out of it and always be super small and never grow much, etc.

Thanks, friends.
That helps.
Sarcasm.

Ada was also picky at this age, but it wasn't quite as frustrating. Some tricks worked with her. Like serving smoothies or pouches when she wouldn't eat solid foods. Heck, I could even puree up e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g she discarded on her plate and she'd suck it down. I even put scrambled eggs in one of my mixes -- and she didn't notice. Gross but it got the job done.

Ada also loved using the nibble tray. I'd section out different foods -- cheese, fruits, veggies, crackers, tofu, etc. -- and she'd graze for the whole morning to afternoon. I know some people are more for eating proper meals than snacking. I've tried both approaches and Ada's grazing periods were often temporary, punctuated by long stretches of actually eating meals regularly.

With Eloise, I have to take what I can get. The girl will literally starve herself. But at the same time, she'll also eat HUGE meals other days, so I don't think it's necessarily a feeding issue or sensory thing. Last night she ate two scrambled eggs with toast and anything else Stephen would throw at her. She hadn't touched eggs in months. And her preferences of some foods over others isn't consistent enough to pinpoint if anything isn't especially to her liking.

This sounds like a long rant about Eloise. It's not targeted resentment or anything like that. I am just updating to tell everyone that I offer healthy foods. I also offer toddler equivalent junk foods (Goldfish crackers, Nutrigrain bars, etc.). It doesn't seem to matter what it is, my girl is in a picky stage. She eats sometimes. Not others. The doctor isn't worried because she's maintaining her weight and even gaining ever so slightly. So, I'm forging ahead.

I've decided to really give the nibble tray another eager go because when I've tried to wait for proper meals, all hell breaks loose.

I have our old tray, but I cannot find its lid.


And so many of you have asked me where, oh, WHERE can you find this tray!?

Well, here. But it's discontinued and no longer carried by amazon.

Sad face.

So, I'm thinking of buying this oversized silicone ice cube tray that has a lid. It's a 2-pack (glorious!), so I figure I could load one for the morning and one for the afternoon. I like to do berries and peas and other things -- like Cheerios -- that are small and easy to grab.

(This method isn't magic. If you're curious, she only ate the peppers and one section of the Nutrigrain bar.)

PS: If you're interested in what I used to feed Ada -- also vegetarian -- when she was an older toddler/preschooler, check out this Ada's Eats posts with details on that.

Happy Friday!

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DIY Christmas // The Dress-Up Box

This is a re-post of a blog entry I wrote when Ada was two! I am thinking of making something similar for Eloise for Christmas. And if you need more gift ideas for kids, check out my 2017 gift guide. I share exactly what we're getting the girls this year, not just random stuff.

The highlight of Ada's birthday party was her gift, the dress-up box. Now, this isn't really a tutorial so much as it's an inexpensive gift idea for toddlers and little kids. I thought of making this box for Ada when I noticed she liked going around the upstairs + rummaging through drawers. She'd put on socks and shoes and tights and mittens and scarves. Anything and everything she could get her hands on.

The beauty of this "project" is that it can be completely free if you have things around your house to use. It can be low-cost if you want to use thrifted items or even use (or sew!) your own. And if can also be all sorts of fancy if you have the budget to make it that way.

The choice is yours.

STEP #1: Find a nice box.

You can use one you already own or buy new. I had this zippered hat box I received a gift in years ago that had been sitting in our attic. I was at the crossroads of either getting rid of it or finding a new use. And actually that's how this whole gift idea started to take shape. I like having a box that closes well -- Ada knows how to use the zipper, but I can hear her before everything gets thrown about the entire house.  

I also think it'd be cool to somehow place a mirror or reflective surface inside the box. So, keep that in mind. Ada loves dressing up, but seeing herself in her fun outfits gets even more smile points.

(Bonus points if kid can fit inside the box.)


STEP #2: Find stuff to put in the box.

You can buy brand new clothing or actual dress-up clothing + costumes at a store, if you want. I opted to hit up thrift stores for some cheaper finds. It means the clothes don't really coordinate and are of various sizes and styles -- but it's perfect for a toddler.

I ended up getting . . .

• 5 poofy skirts
• 2 long scarves
• 2 bandanas
• 2 fisherman hats
• 1 fuzzy "leopard" poncho
• 1 reversible vest
• 1 pair of sunglasses
• 1 extremely ridiculous clown sweater

 = $12.50 total 


STEP #3: Maintain the box.

Though this step is one I have yet to follow myself, I've decided that I'm going to wash the clothing in the box once a month -- unless something gets really dirty, which I'm sure is bound to happen. I sort of thought everything would just stay clean, but painting + markers and then snacks + milk happened. It's just like regular clothing.

As well, I might add different items as I find things and cull through my own scarves and such. Or if I see something fun at a thrift store or online and the price is right.


TIPS + TRICKS:

• Buy clothing at least one size larger than your child wears. They wear this stuff over their regular clothing, so it makes sense. Sizes for Ada (who is just starting to get into the 2T size) range between 3T to 6. It all goes back to thrift store tips -- sometimes clothing shrinks or just fits different needs.
• Wash absolutely everything before putting it in the box. I've heard some thrift stores spray clothing with a chemical (could be urban legend -- but I believe it), so it's just not worth risking.
• Pick crazy things versus just normal everyday clothing. You can this stuff to look ridiculous, but also appeal to the insane style choices of a toddler. The weirder, the better, at least in my opinion.
• Think beyond play. This whole dress-up thing is also a chance to teach kids how to dress and undress themselves, which is a real life skill. Try to choose clothing that facilitates that development -- bigger neck openings on shirts, for example, make it easier for little hands to navigate these learning waters.

Does your toddler like playing dress-up?

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We’ve Weaned -- Now What?

Thank you for all your comments and messages regarding my last post -- how I’m feeling overwhelmed and like I need CHANGE. It was definitely a brain-dump about things I’ve been thinking about for quite some time, and it felt good to sort things out on the screen so I could take a few days and think. While I definitely feel wrapped up in craziness lately, I know that I could probably being doing more to help my situation. When you’re in the thick of it, trying to tunnel a way out can feel absolutely impossible, though.

I wasn’t planning on weaning Eloise this weekend, but it happened because I knew I needed it off my plate. I also knew we were ready (heck -- I wrote about weaning her back in June!). We had been down to just the nighttime feed for a month or so. Stephen was having a long Saturday and getting home several hours after he had initially planned . . . and something told me to just buy a ticket for the 7PM showing of It and have him take over bedtime. Such a small thing felt wildly rebellious in the moment.

As I clicked “order” I immediately felt a sense of relief. And also guilt. But mostly sweet, sweet relief.

Eloise turned 15 months last week. I’ve had trouble with the demands of breastfeeding this time around. Still, we forged through together and made it. I texted Stephen from the theater to wish him luck. I worried so much that she’d be crying her head off because I had abandoned her with no warning. And he quickly texted me back that she was already sound asleep with ZERO issues. He said that I was the one who needed luck sleeping after watching that clown run around town, tormenting those children.

True.

It’s been a few days, and Eloise has had no issues going to bed at night without breastfeeding. It’s closing yet another chapter in her babyhood. I’m proud that I was able to breastfeeding both of my girls for a grand total of 32 months. I did it with very few bottles or breaks to speak of. I’m not looking for an award by any means. I am more reflecting on what a crazy commitment nursing is. I won’t paint it with rainbows and kittens. It’s hard work and absolutely maddening at times.

Now that it’s over, I don’t know what that means. I’ve been loosely tracking my cycles, but shying from trying to conceive a third child. I don’t feel quite ready yet. And now that I have my body back, I may just want to take a few months to enjoy being me and having that autonomy again. Weaning was a small step in carving out more sanity for myself. I’m hoping to follow this action with more that will bring me that feeling of inner-peace I’ve been craving.

But for today, I just wanted to tell this story. It’s bittersweet, as always. Our children grow so quickly. I feel like I spend so much time trying to catch the next stage. Then, when it happens . . . it feels all sorts of ways I wasn’t expecting. That said, I’m loving this new toddler stage. I’ll do an update on what Eloise is up to these days very soon!

Happy hump day!

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