Shaving: 101

We went to the library drop-in again this week. There was a big tub of shaving cream for the kids to muck around with. Only the brave Thomas ventured in (though I'm sure little miss Dea would have joined him if she was at the daycare). How fun is this?

Maryam loved the drop-in. Her favourite part by far was the parachute. No surprise there!

Who says you can't have a picnic in the dead of winter? Thomas and Leila set up a feast of play food on a blanket, in the warm comfort of our living room. Not sure if they ever actually got to sit down to pretend to eat. Their focus was on getting as much food as possible onto that blanket. They are such work horses. ;)

I asked them to sit for a picture, and this is the best I could get. You might be wondering, "Is that a potty on the couch, in the background?" Why yes. Yes it is. Leila has started potty training, and it's not pretty, folks. Because of her initial fear, and continuing apprehension with potty training, I am simply trying to get her more comfortable with it by having her sit on it whenever possible. In the living room. Sometimes with food. I know. Gross. It is everything you probably shouldn't do. But I am pulling out all the stops here. I realized long ago that my daughter might just be more stubborn than me, so sometimes, as a parent, you just have to do what you can to survive. So go ahead, judge. I am too busy here in the trenches to worry about what's proper right now! :)

You might be wondering, "Does she use the potty on the couch though!!?" No. We're not that crazy here. (Even I would SO judge people for that! Geesh!) It's just that, even though I always clean it out after use, I still would prefer baby Maryam not to play with it. You see? We still have some standards.

Leila likes to pat Maryam's head as a sign of affection. Maryam loves this, as you can see.

....aaaaaand....she's off to indulge in the picnic.

Maryam really adores Thomas. He is the only one, so far, who has made her laugh. She loves the silly sounds he makes. Just as kids learn so much intellectually from older kids, I really believe that they also learn invaluable social skills from interacting with the younger ones. Caring and empathy are probably just the tip of the iceberg.



Also, I'm convinced this baby is a genius. She can copy almost any sound! AND I've heard her sing! She's not even 1 yet! But most important of all, she is a sweet, happy and engaged little girl, and we love her already.