Loving his new owl canvas toy bag from The Container Store

 

Creating baby art time at home

we've started doing *art time* at home. I bring out the sketchbook and we color and draw (well, right now Phoenix hits the sketchbook like it's a drum with a crayon and I draw boats and shapes and animals) but learning is about observing and Phoenix is always curious about what I'm doing with my crayon, and I will get more creative with our *art time* soon, but I like introducing Phoenix to hands on art at a young age. I want to check out these art drop in sessions: http://www.cmany.org/weearts/ and these hands on art classes for babies look cool too: www.kidsatworknyc.com

Fourth of July pics

 

We had a nice time in Coney Island and went to the aquarium and Luna Park and walked around on the boardwalk :) 

Sit home with baby or go out and explore? EXPLORE!

Someone at the Central Park Zoo told me today I was brave to come to the zoo by myself with my baby, I told her "Thanks" with a smile but really what I've learned about parenting in the city is, it's about diving in. You can sit home or go out and get to see and do all the city offers and it allows your baby to grow and learn and you also become better at it: going out into the pavement jungle with a baby :)

Sure, holding a baby, a diaper bad while folding a stroller yourself it not easy (I think it's especially hard for petites) but we did it today and yes I was a little worried but we did it! And that feels great as a Mom.

:)
GO EXPLORE!
Isobella & Phoenix

Summer reading for babies! Yes it's true! Now get on that!

We were at the library today, getting back into our "library reads" features at the www.phoenixbabybookclub.blogspot.com and excited for it, I checked out the library summer reading program and did you know there is a program for babies, whoo hoo we have One, Two Buckle My Shoe on reserve :) http://summerreading.org/booklists.php#gb

Share with your baby a book each day and to stay excited choose books that YOU like as a parent and books of all types, they don't have to be strictly baby books.  Pick books that relate to what's going on in your world, ex: we just got a zoo membership so we are reading lots of animal books! Books that involve animal characters and real fiction based animal books too. :)

Phoenix getting down with nature at Bryce Canyon this summer.

Our trip to the Southwest was amazing!

Grand Canyon! Bryce Canyon, Lake Powell and Zion Park! Amazing trip to the beautiful Southwest!  Also check out the books we bought on the trip to read during the car rides and at bedtime, and the Southwest book we discovered while in Arizona too.

Grand Canyon

Sedona 

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Lake Powell

Lake Powell

Rainbow Bridge

Bryce Canyon Hoodooos

Phoenix with his prairie dog :)

Zion national park 

Vegas 

A book from the Southwest: How Jackrabbit Got His Very Long Ears

During our trip to the Southwest we purchased a cute book called How Jackrabbit Got His Very Long Ears at Zoolikins, Arizona's Natural Parenting store.

This beautiful story by Heather Irbinskas and illustrated by Kenneth Spengler is about noticing the greatness in us all, and it starts with The Great Spirit creating the desert and the animals that would live there. Jackrabbit is nominated by The Great Spirit to being all the desert animals to their new home and share with them how their characteristics can help them survive in the desert. Although Jackrabbit didn't listen to what The Great Spirit said and put down the animals for being too slow, not able to fly as high or not being as smart as him. When The Great Spirit finds out about this he comforts the animals and lets them know they are special and how to use their characteristics to survive in the desert and The Great Spirit gives the Jackrabbit bigger ears so he can listen better.

Overall I loved the illustrations and thought the story was creative, heart touching and a good lesson about paying attention to the special things about us all great and small. I only wish the reader got to see the Jackrabbit say he was sorry or make amends with the animals of the desert that he put down, it would have been nice to show him using his ears to help others. 

Check out How Jackrabbit Got His Very Long Ears on Amazon
Check out How Jackrabbit Got His Very Long Ears on BN.com