Ben has various foam balls and larger bouncy balls…but the boy needed a real kickball! We picked one up at Target today and he happily held it through the store, saying “bah, bah, bah” the whole time. When we got home we bounced it, rolled it and kicked it. We were having all sorts of fun until he decided to dive after it and ended up biting his lip. After a little bit of blood and tears, he was back in the game.

Sidenotes:
I know nobody but me (and maybe a few others) notice, but I’m plagued by bad lighting in the playroom. It was also dinner time and the sun was setting…so you get a grainy Benjamin :-P

I’m reading ToddlerWise right now. I checked it out at the library with a few other books and as silly as I feel admitting I’m reading parenting books…I think this one is pretty valuable. It takes you through the thought process of not just how to parent, but why you’re making these decisions. Helping me understand the difference between reactive and proactive parenting. Ok, sounds cheesy…but it’s putting into words some of the things I want to be doing with Ben. An example, teaching him it’s not acceptable to grab at his lunch that’s sitting on the table until he’s strapped in and I’ve put his food on his tray. It’s not just curbing an annoying habit, it’s teaching him patience, we wait to be served. I was doing this before even reading the book, but I’m half way through and it’s been good confirmation. It’s not just going with the flow, it’s being intentional about parenting. *steps off soapbox*

The first year was so much easier by comparison! Harder in some regards (ie: I don’t know how to take care of a baby). But that’s all it really was, looking after the physical needs of baby (with lots of snuggling thrown in). Apparently, the toddler is a whole different species all together :)

Oh yeah, I found this really great resource online for things to do with your kids. Learning games and activities for babies, toddlers and children. Fun stuff!