Spring Flowers: One-to-One Correspondence Activity

Today, I am linking up with Tot School Gathering Place.  We did this spring math activity last week to work on one-to-one correspondence. Isaac usually counts objects correctly, unless he gets excited.  :)  Then, he may leave an object out or count it twice.  

I taped contact paper onto a wall with the sticky side out.

Isaac counted out five flower stems and put them on the contact paper.

Isaac touched and counted the stems in order.  Then, he put the corresponding flower on top of each stem.

Then, he counted the number of dots on each flower and added the same number of leaves to the flower's stem.

In addition to working on one-to-one correspondence, this was also a great activity to work on number recognition.  

I am not much of a gardener, so this is the only flower garden at our house!  :)

Emma Victoria: 14 Months

 Our sweet little girl turned 14 months old this past weekend.  

Emma may be tiny (just barely 16 pounds), but she is FAST!  Apparently, her favorite new game is hiding from Mommy.  :)  In the past few weeks, her new hiding places seem to be any closet and the master bathroom shower. 

checking out the hall closet

"Peek-a-boo, Mommy!  I'm hiding in your closet!"

"And now I'm in your shower!"

All of a sudden, Emma also loves to climb...on the train table, on the dishwasher, on the picnic table, into the bookcase, on the kitchen island, and in the play structure outside.  Whew!  Yes, some days I don't know if I could be any more tired, but I wouldn't trade this busy time of motherhood for anything.  I've never been so thankful to be so tired.

Emma has not yet started walking, though she is starting to get into a standing position completely on her own.  Every time Emma stands by herself, Isaac claps for her.  "Mommy, she's doing it," he shrieks!  I think Isaac will be her biggest cheerleader when she does begin taking steps.  :)

Emma is also starting to feed herself with a spoon...it's quite messy, but she is figuring it out! Her favorite foods seem to be pancakes and yogurt, but she will try almost anything.  

We love our Emma! 

Isaac David: 3 1/2 Years Old

Isaac is officially 3 1/2 years old today.  

If we're "rounding up," that means he is closer to 4 than 3!  

Four--even 3 1/2--sounds so big...here is what my favorite little boy is up to at 3 1/2!

Reading, reading, reading....

I mentioned in a recent post on Isaac's funny sayings that he loves to read.  Our local library has a drive-up (best thing ever!)...so, every time I say we are going to the library, Isaac always asks if we're going to the drive-up to pick up reserved books or going in (his favorite!).  During our last few trips to the library, he has sat at a small table and looked at book after book while I find new books to take home.  He also loves to "give" Emma books in her stroller to read while he reads at the library table.  :)  

Horses

Isaac is quick to tell anyone that "horses are my very favorite."  One day, I asked if I was his favorite, and he said, "No, mommy--horses, hot dogs, and Landrie are my favorites."  :)  He asks to play horses every single night with Daddy.  Often, Isaac will tell Daddy to be a quarter horse and that he (Isaac) will be the big draft horse.  And--in case you ever play horses with Isaac--he will make sure you are walking around on your four hooves, not crawling on your knees.  :)

Isaac loves all animals.  I took this picture of Isaac at Homestead Farms a few weeks ago.  We went there to buy goat milk for Emma; and, of course, we visited the goats.  And, Isaac kissed the goats.  :)

being a big brother...

Isaac continues to love Emma.  Seeing my two children begin to play together and make each other giggle is so precious...it's a dream come true to this mom!

Yesterday, Isaac helped his daddy hang a beautiful cross in Emma's room.  This morning, when Emma woke up, Isaac pointed to the cross and said, "Emma, do you like your cross that I hung with my daddy last night?"  Then he mimicked a little girl's voice and said, "Yes, I do like my cross.  Thank you, big brother!"  

Cooking, Baking, & Helping

Over the past few months, we have moved to dye-free eating in our home, which means that I have been cooking and baking a lot more from scratch.  Isaac loves to help in the kitchen.  Even though it still takes me longer to cook and bake with his help than it would without his help :), I love that he is learning to help in the kitchen AND it's a sweet time together.  

"Look, Mommy, I made the letter 'I'."  :)  

Isaac has also started having consistent chores.  Each morning, he unloads and sorts the silverware from the dishwasher and then reloads dirty dishes & silverware into the bottom rack.  He is also learning to vacuum the kitchen each evening with our small vacuum.  

Uncle Mike

David's youngest brother, Michael, moved in with us in March.  To say that Isaac loves having Uncle Mike around is an understatement.  One Saturday morning, he quietly stood by Uncle Mike's door and waited for Uncle Mike to wake up for a long time.  David & I finally convinced him to come downstairs and play until Uncle Mike woke up and was ready to play.  :)  Isaac also loves to wrestle with Uncle Mike, and this past weekend Uncle Mike started teaching Isaac how to "play" soccer (i.e.: kick, don't throw).  :)

And, Uncle Mike loves to take pictures like this and send them to Mommy while she's out on errands! 

It's definitely bittersweet seeing my little blue-eyed toddler grow (and grow and grow) into a bigger boy.  But, it is such a joy to see Isaac become a fun, spirited, energetic preschooler!  We love our son to pieces.

  

Easter 2013

We had a wonderful Easter weekend celebrating that Jesus is alive! 

Our weekend was busy with Dave and I both serving at Keystone for two services, but it was a privilege--and a lot of fun--to serve on such a huge weekend at our church.  I (Bethany) attended the 11:00 Sunday service at Keystone, and there were so many people that I ended up sitting--along with many, many others--in overflow seating in the lobby.  Keystone also had a petting zoo set up for the kids to visit during each Easter service.  Of course, Isaac was thrilled about the animals and even told me that there was a "bull" in the petting zoo!  :)

Easter has taken on a new meaning as we see Isaac slowly grasp the concept of Jesus' death and life.  Earlier this afternoon, Isaac said: "Jesus died on the cross. He had to take all the bad things that we did.  The soldiers were mean to him.  Jesus died on the cross.  Then he went to a big tomb.  Then he rose again because He had to take all our bad things."  

Yesterday, Isaac was playing dinosaurs and play dough.  Isaac hid the dinosaurs in the middle of play dough, pulled them out, and said, "The dinosaur rose from the dead!"  Well, we have more teaching to do.  :)

Easter baskets on Sunday morning--I think Emma is more interested in looking at Isaac's basket :)

Easter morning at Keystone Church

Emma was already tired by the time we arrived at my parent's for Easter dinner!

After several lamb cake disasters over the past few years, this year's cake turned out.  Isaac was especially happy about the lamb having a green ribbon.  :)

Isaac, Emma, and their cousin Amanda all took naps after Easter dinner, and then we did a little egg hunt outside.   

Uncle Mike gave Isaac this soccer ball for Easter, and he was so attached to it that he wanted to carry it around for most of the egg hunt.

  

 

my grandma with the little ones!  Emma, Amanda, & Isaac

Isaac and Amanda were looking for "Pokey the Turtle" with my dad

Isaac wanted everyone to "play soccer" with him--even Grandma Joan!

We also had a lot of fun at an Easter Egg hunt the previous Friday at a friend's house.

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  John 10:10b
We hope you had a wonderful Easter, too!