About Liza

Favorite board books for toddler.

15 Fun Board Books Great For Young Toddlers

We’ve been lucky that Bubbles has enjoyed books and reading practically since birth. She loves to climb up with Mommy or Daddy and have us read her a book or five, often with multiple readings of each book. She is also equally content to sit and “read” on her own. Recently I observed her sitting with one of her “lift the flap” books where you’re trying to find a certain item, and as she lifted each flap, she’d shake her head and say “no” for each incorrect answer. It was pretty cute to watch.

We’re also fortunate that she has a very thorough library; we received a number of books from her baby showers, and we add to her collection on a regular basis. I loved books as a child and so it’s hard for me to resist buying when I spot a cute one. Some of them she has enjoyed more than others, so I thought I would share a list of 15 of our favorite board books. Most of them are ones that Bubbles brings to us daily, if not multiple times per day. If you know of anyone expecting, a few of these would make a lovely gift! Continue reading »

Today is National Dog Day!

I honestly didn’t even know there was a National Dog Day; when it comes to our dogs, every day seems like a day dedicated to them – we love them that much!

Growing up we always had a dog. My parents got their first one – named Benji – a few weeks before I came home. We literally grew up side by side; I couldn’t have asked for a better friend, and it was heart-breaking when he passed away when I was in junior high. After that there was Dinah, Gabriel (Gabe), Beauregard (Beau), and Mo (named by the shelter, we actually called him Mozilla for some odd reason). Pretty sure that somewhere down the road, Mo’s ancestors had bred with a kangaroo, because I’ve never in my life seen a dog leap three or four feet vertically off the ground.

We don’t currently have a dog but my father-in-law received one for Christmas last year, and she visits us often (much to Bubbles’ delight). So we’d like to say happy National Dog Day to Gus! (Yes, that’s a boy dog name, and Gus is a girl, but hey.)

Happy National Dog Day, Gus!

There’s also another dog that will soon be working his way into everyone’s hearts, and that’s Frankenweenie! He’ll be scampering into theaters on October 5th! Directed by Tim Burton, it’s sure to be an awesome film; The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my favorites! I’ll have more details for you later, but in the meantime you can check Frankenweenie out on Facebook.

Happy National Dog Day Frankenweenie

Do you have a dog? Or maybe you had one growing up? I’d love to hear about them!

Interested in the story of Lincoln?

DreamWorks Pictures/Twentieth Century Fox movie Lincoln with Daniel Day Lewis

Steven Spielberg, who has brought us a number of amazing movies, has turned his attentions to the 16th President. His new movie Lincoln, starring two-time Academy Award® winner Daniel Day Lewis in the title role (the resemblance is uncanny), focuses on the last four months of the President’s life. A war is dividing the country and Lincoln must find a way to unite the people, end the war, and forever outlaw slavery.

Based in part on the book “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln” by Doris Kearns Goodwin, the movie also stars Sally Field, James Spader, Tommy Lee Jones, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I really enjoy history, so I’m excited to see this movie, especially with the great cast they’ve put together.

Daniel Day-Lewis in the DreamWorks Pictures/Twentieth Century Fox movie Lincoln

Daniel Day-Lewis stars as Lincoln

Lincoln is a DreamWorks Pictures/Twentieth Century Fox film, in association with Participant Media, and will be opening in limited release November 9, expanding on November 16, 2012. In the meantime, you can follow the movie on both Facebook and Twitter.

What about you? Are you a history buff and looking forward to the movie?

When do you know it’s time to start potty training?

I’m quickly learning that while cliché it’s true: kids grow up in the blink of an eye. Every time I turn around, Bubbles has mastered some new skill or learned something new that surprises me. Just the other day she was in the bathroom with me while I was getting ready and instead of wedging her finger between the crack of the door and the frame to pry it open, she stretched up and pulled it open using the knob. She turned and looked at me as if to say “Yep, I’m a big girl now.”

Last week she also decided she was a big girl and didn’t want to wear a silly diaper any more. She’ll wiggle out of her shorts and then come up to my husband or I, tugging at her diaper. We explained that she had to wear a diaper until she could learn to go potty, and she immediately tore down the hallway until she reached the bathroom and stood there pointing at the door like “well, then, let’s do this.”

So we took her in, held her on the potty and let her sit there for a minute. She didn’t actually go, but she had a very proud look on her face, and then turned around, flushed the toilet, and applauded for herself. Over the next couple of days, she’d occasionally do the same thing. After that, she kind of seemed to get bored with it, so we dropped it for the moment. We don’t want to push her into something she’s not ready for, and then turn it into a negative instead of a positive.

Over the past couple of days she’s back to trying to pull her diaper off, however, so I think we’re going to order her a potty seat and start taking her in the bathroom in the morning when she gets up and see what happens. Most nights she wakes up with a dry diaper, so I think that’s a good sign? I know girls generally train younger than boys do, but I’m still not sure if 18 months is too young to start.

I’d love to get some feedback from you all! What age did your child start potty training, and do you have any potty training advice to share?

Know someone deserving of school supplies? Bag It Forward!

School is officially back in session in our area, as well as many areas around the country. If you don’t have a student of your own, you probably knew anyway if you’ve been to pretty much any store out there. The Back to School aisles are packed with notebooks, pens, crayons, glue, and oh, yeah – lots of people!

While there are a number of people filling up backpacks this fall the sad fact is that not everyone can afford all that’s needed to have a successful school year. It’s not a new phenomenon but the current economy certainly isn’t helping the situation. After college I spent a year teaching in a rural public school district. The town and school were filled with wonderful, hard-working people, but it certainly wasn’t a wealthy group of folks. I know that I wasn’t the only teacher who purchased a few things out of her own pocket in an effort to ensure the classrooms had everything they needed.

I have participated in two previous Simple Service Projects in conjunction with Champions for Kids, so when I heard about their newest collaboration with Elmer’s that encouraged people to “Bag it Forward” by purchasing school supplies and donating them to a deserving student, teacher, or community group, I was immediately on board. Not only was I a teacher, many of my friends and family members work or have worked in education: my father was a teacher many years ago, my sister-in-law is currently student teaching to finish her degree, my uncle was a superintendent, my aunt was a teacher, my best friend and her husband work in the same school district, and my aunt-in-law is a teacher – just to name a few! Continue reading »

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Liza

15 Board Books For Young Toddlers

Favorite board books for toddler.

Happy National Dog Day!