Spring is being a bit shy this year.

Doesn’t Spring know how much we love and miss her? It has thankfully warmed up a lot, but last Friday was so gray, colorless, windy, gloomy and cold. Hopefully we won’t see another one of those days for a few months.

The weather is much more pleasant than what it has been previously, but it’s still fluctutates so much; and it’s a day-by-day thing trying to decide how to dress my baby for the day. Don’t get me wrong, we have brutal summers here on the Gulf Coast so I am in no hurry for that type of dangerous and miserably hot weather. Spring (and Autumn), already usually very very short, is usually the best time of year for outdoor activities.

 

Vibrant colors, pleasant temperatures, gentle breezes, sun kisses, and dancing butterflies–We love Spring and hope to see more of it very soon!

 

Butterfly Kisses: A Collection of Butterfly Gift Ideas

(Part 1)

For Baby’s Nursery

Purple Butterfly Mobile- Multi-Layered Spiral Nylon Butterflies

Pink Butterfly Baby Nursery Crib Bedding Set

Butterfly Wooden Rocking Chair

“Butterfly Dreams” Personalized Ceramic Wall Tiles

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Photos courtesy of partner sites.

Bye-Bye Stars

Baby Talk

These past few weeks, when Megan and I take a night-time trip to the store, she will look up, point at the sky, and say “stars.” She will also start singing ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” sometimes. She’s just a baby, so she wouldn’t worry about other people being able to hear her. Her main focus is on singing loud enough for the stars to hear her. And when our night-time shopping trip is over and I’m carrying her back into the house, she looks in the sky, waves and says, “Bye-bye stars.”

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In some areas there are not a lot of street lights, and any other lights are pretty dim. So this allows us to clearly see the quiet, dark sky and the peaceful brilliance of the stars. It’s all certainly one of nature’s many gifts to us. As she gets older, I’m sure the stars will remain magical to her. And she’ll ask the old age question of ‘Why is the moon following us.’ When I was little, I certainly thought I was extra special because the moon kept following me as dad and mom drove us around town. As Meg gets older, a telescope as well as some nice, backyard camping nights will be a treat for us.

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The Gift of ‘Moon & Stars’

In my blog that centers around gift ideas for babies, I use themes to keep me organized and focused. One theme for my gift ideas is Moon & Stars. Looking back on some of my old photos, I decided to see what type of photos I can find that relate to this theme. Well, I certainly  don’t have any photos of stars in the sky. I am thinking that very specialized equipment is needed for those type of photos.

But I do have a picture of a star! This star is not in the sky,but it’s a star. Just look inside this yellow flower, and there’s a perfectly shaped star. And the star sits within a pentagon. I am a nature-lover and find some of the little details of nature so fascinating. I try to learn the names of the flowers that I photograph, but I haven’t been able to find the name of this flower.

Little Star

The photo below was taken with a point and shoot, and very little experience. It’s the best moon photo I’ve been able to get. With an equipment upgrade and more time to practice, I’m sure I’ll have some better ones one day.

To Megan, my nephew and nieces—Always remember I Love You to the moon and back.

Sweet Little Bunnies (Easter 2013)

Easter 2013 was overall, a lovely day. There were, of course some hectic moments at certain points, but the funny thing about looking back is that those memories fade away; and what I remember most is the sweetness, children’s laughter and excitement, and nice weather from that day.

This was a year of Easter firsts: Meg’s first time dyeing eggs, first time getting an Easter basket, and first time participating in an Easter egg hunt. We also had a photo shoot with her in her Easter dress as she marveled over the pink Easter basket grass and a little bunny that came with her basket.

One thing I like about Easter is that it still has a sense of old-time traditions. The PAAS egg coloring kit doesn’t look like it has changed much since I was a kid. And though this generation of kids don’t seem to get excited over certain simple things like we used to, it’s joyous to see them excited over some of the same things we used to love: coloring Easter eggs and hunting for Easter eggs.

 

The family put together a backyard Easter egg hunt for the little ones in the family.

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It’s come to be known as Resurrection Day by many churches; and of course utmost respect goes to the modern-day Christian observance of Easter.

According to some Easter reading/research I did, the origin of Easter centers around the fact that bunnies are extra fertile around Spring time and give birth to lots of baby bunnies. That is why Easter eggs are traditionally dyed bright, Spring colors.

I had a lot of pets growing up, but never a bunny. They seem like they are friendly and wonderful pets for children, and they definitely make beautiful, artistic subjects for a variety of items room decorations:

(These photos below are courtesy of a partner site)

More bunny gift ideas 

My Baby is 2 Years Old!

(3-7-11).

On March 7th our darling turned 2-years-old!

Time is really zooming by. Looks like it has been 5 months since I’ve posted here. Well a 5-month gap isn’t too bad (lol). I’ve been super-busy with so many things. Who isn’t super-busy these days? I really do long for simpler times.

For my daughter’s first birthday, I made this post: My Baby is One Years Old

Here are some photos from that post:

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So what I am using my business blog for is to not only post gift ideas, baby shower ideas and birthday party ideas, but to also provide the information where various gifts and products can be purchased.

(These photos below are courtesy of a partner site)

So for anyone looking for (butterfly-themed) birthday party ideas, this post on my other blog gives a great place to start and shows you where the party decorations above can be purchased.

All About Megan

I started this blog on November 22nd, 2011. My very first post was “7 Things About Megan.” She was 8 months-old when I made that post. She’s now 20- months-old (as of November 7th). To say the time has flown would be an understatement. When the little ones are this young, the changes that occur from month to month are major. I intended on making this post several months ago, so some of these things she’s actually moved on from. Well it’s definitely time for an update.

Marvelous Things about Megan

• She loves the Jeopardy theme music. Particularly during Final Jeopardy, we noticed that she would stop whatever she is doing and head towards the TV. She started doing this months ago actually. She now smiles and dances when she hears the music. Daddy does well answering those questions. Mom…not so much. Though I used to do well answering the science questions, I haven’t gotten an answer correct in a while.
• She pretends she’s talking on the phone. She first started grabbing my phone and saying “buy bye” a few months ago. We fell out with laughter. It was the cutest thing ever. Now she’s older, she does a lot of baby talk with the phone and one time even picked up the calculator and remote control and put them to her ear and talked. She is definitely imitating mommy with this one.
• She blows kisses. Usually when it was time for bed–As I would get ready to take her in her room and tuck her in, her and dad would blow kisses to each other. I was surprised when she recently started saying nite nite. I always say ‘goodnight’ after I tuck her in, and I didn’t even know she was picking up on that and able to associate it with bed time.

• She’s a little dancer. She loves to dance. When I was pregnant, I said that if I had a girl I want her to be a dancer. When I made her baby photo book, I made a section called “I Hope You Dance”. I dedicate that lovely song to her when I was pregnant. I will talk about this more in a separate post. I’m so busy and it takes me so long to make some posts (I have so many unfinished drafted posts), that I hope I can make the post before she wins the TV dancing contest, “So You Think You Can Dance.” LOL, :+)
• Our little professora. The learning process for counting and saying her ABCs has begun. She’s saying more and more letters each day. She says “W” very well. Since B-C-D-E rhyme, she definitely has a pattern going where she’s learning to sound out those type of letters. Also, if I say “one” she says 2. She was about 6 months-old when she started associating words with books, and imitating reading books.

• She always has a blast with her older cousins. She loves her cousins. She has five close cousins ranging in from ages 3 to 10. We live about 40 minutes way so she doesn’t get to see them as often as I hope she can as time goes on. So they definitely smother her with love when she’s around. It’s funny how she knows the difference between her cousins and her playmates at school. She loves nursery school, but she just lights up when she’s around her cousins. It’s like she knows they are all family; and what a great and close family we are raising the next generation to be. Always there for each other, loving and kind to each other, just the way my sisters and I were raised.

October 17th is Black Poetry Day

Latest blog post from Bella Gifts…

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October 17th is Black Poetry Day

 Looking for a unique birthday gift for someone born in October, born on October 17th or someone who is a poetry lover? Consider combining the person’s birthday month with their interests and give them a birthday gift rooted in history and inspiration.

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 Jupiter Hammon was born on October 17 in 1711 and became the first black writer to be published in the present-day United States. Additional poems and sermons were also published. Hammon was born into slavery and was never emancipated. He was a  devout Christian, and is considered one of the founders of African American literature. (wikipedia)

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Click here for some birthday gift ideas relating to literature.

Beside the Still Waters

The Gift of Nature: Sunsets

 The title of this nature photograph comes from Psalm 23…..”He leads me beside the still waters.”

Song of the Day: Black Butterfly

Click here to listen to this inspirational, powerful and beautiful song. “Black Butterfly” was released in 1984 and is sung by Deniece Williams. She has the voice of an angel. I like to interpret this song as being a dedication from a parent to their child, or little angel.

I will often post a “Song of the Day” and then later post gift ideas relating to this song of the day.

“Black Butterfly”

Morning light, silken dream to flight
As the darkness gave way to dawn
You’ve survived, now your moment has arrived
Now your dream has finally been born

Chorus:
Black Butterfly, sailed across the waters
tell your sons and daughters
what the struggle brings
Black Butterfly, set the skies on fire
rise up even higher
so the ageless winds of time can catch your wings

ooh…ooh

While you slept, the promise was unkept
But your faith was as sure as the stars
Now you’re free, and the world has come to see
Just how proud and beautiful you are

Chorus

Let the current lift your heart and send it soaring
Write the timeless message clear across the sky
So that all of can read it and remember when we need it
That a dream conceived in truth can never die
Butterfly

Cause now that you’re free and the world has come to see
Just how proud and beautiful you are

Chorus

Fly
Butterfly
Yeah, yeah, yes
Fly

Prayer Break

This is my favorite and most moving scripture, and one I certainly need to read and meditate on every day.

The Lord is My Shepard

A psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me besides the still waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
 Surely goodness and mercy will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

-Psalm23

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Worth a Thousand Wednesday: Garden Walks

I really love garden walks. I don’t live close to any gardens anymore, so this past Labor Day weekend was Megan’s first visit to a garden. The weather has to be just right, and that it was. She really had a great time. Sometimes she’s let me hold her hand, and sometimes she’d break away and run, like in the photo below.

Megan & Megan’s Mom

Friday Night at the Pier

The pier is Megan’s and my hangout spot. Dad comes along sometimes, but he is not as much of a nature lover like Megan and me. A few times we have been able to go early in the morning. The air feels different early in the morning, and it’s so refreshing and a great way to start the day. 

I’ve learned that it’s best to take the stroller along. When she first started walking, she was okay with holding my hand and letting me lead the way. Now that she’s gone through some growth spurts, she’s become so much more independent and adventurous.

Just being out isn’t enough for her anymore. She wants to truly interact with the environment and her surroundings. One morning when we went to the pier, she kept pulling her hand away from mine, and she’d take off running away from me. We’d go to the beach area and she really thought it was okay to just walk straight into the Bay.

If you see a tiny 5’2″ mama with a pink polka dot diaper bag chasing a gorgeous little 1-year-old….that would be Megan and me. Sometimes I’m like, “I have become one of those parents I used to always look at and say–”Woops, their baby is wilding out.” LOL.

We both really have a great time though. And so many people are always smiling and speaking to her, no matter where we go, she brings  smiles to so many people’s faces.

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Friday night at the pier was smooth sailing. A great outing.

I usually don’t carry my DSLR with me anymore. It’s just too big and gets in the way now that I have so much mommy and baby stuff to do. I debated whether I should take it and said, “Well you never know when it comes to nature, there may be some good shots to take.”

It’s always a lot of people fishing and they take it seriously; boy I tell they concentrate hard, lol. But I’ve never seen so many people, about 25, gathered in one spot and looking in the water.

So I thought I’d just stand and look too. I was trying to see who looked kind enough for me to ask what’s going on, but then I saw this scene:

And this one:

I later found out that everyone was looking at a man standing on the rocks fishing. He had been struggling with a fish for quite a while. Someone told me that when it takes that long to pull in a fish, it means it’s a big fish and people have to tire the fish out  in order to pull it in.

I don’t know anything about fishing, but learned something that night. Sure enough he pulled out a fish about as long as a toddler. Everybody started clapping, and Megan was ready to continue her breezy Friday night stroller ride. 

Will we have an Autumn season?

After this torturous heat wave that we all experienced this summer, I’m amazed and delighted that the humidity has decreased, and it actually feels breezy and cozy; like the Fall season is just around the corner.

I don’t ever remember it getting this breezy so soon. Usually August and September remain scorching hot here. Also, along with the frequent thunder storms, another interesting thing about my area’s weather is that, despite what the calendar says, we really don’t have much of a Fall season.

Around this time of year, the pattern goes like this: scorching hot, and then about a week of a brief but lovely Autumn season, and then straight to the grey, gloomy, and frigid Winter days.

Sounds weird, but that’s how it is here. Thus, we rarely get to see the delightful and vivid colors of Autumn that I see in photos from so many other places.

Maybe things will be different this year? The weather is always so unpredictable. What a treat it would be for us to have a true Autumn season and have the vivid colors that come along with this time of year.

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The photos below are the closest I’ve ever come to capturing Autumn colors.

These were taken in November 2010. I was 4 months pregnant with our little princess! I used to love to go on garden walks. We’ve since moved so the garden walks have been replaced by the pier.

I was on a small bridge when I took the photo below. My movement was very restricted, so I decided that I’ll come back in a week to get better angles of the trees. I decided to go ahead and snap a quick photo, thinking that I would be able to come back and take many more photos of the scene.

I did come back a week later, and you guessed it, the Autumn colors were completely gone. The exact scene was dull and lifeless just a week later. It taught me that there are so many missed opportunities with nature photography. Capture whatever you can in that very moment.

Olympics Opening Ceremony: Mission Accomplished

I love education, learning, and teaching!

I even incorporated education into my baby’s 1st birthday party. Earlier this year when I realized that my oldest nieces (ages 9 & 10) and my nephew (age 6) weren’t familiar with the Olympics ——and knowing that they each have a love and talent for certain sports (track & field, basketball, gymnastics), I thought it would be a great idea to make the Olympics an educational experience for them.

I didn’t have time for the photos and lesson plans, but everything still went wonderful.

As a mom of a toddler, there’s always so much to do. The opening ceremonies were about to start in 2 minutes, and I was just realizing how quickly the time and snuck up on us. The children were in the living room playing; & I had them to stop playing (which is hard to do) and told them it was time to watch the opening ceremonies.

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I had been telling them that the opening ceremonies will be filled with singing, dancing, special effects, lots of colors, and just all types of amazing things. Well to my surprise it took awhile to get to the actual festivities in the stadium. There was quite a long introduction of some past Olympic moments. The kids are used to constant excitement and action, and they were getting skeptical and wanting to return to playing.

I needed to get them excited so I decided to take that time to throw in an Olympic crash course explaining more about what the Olympics is, who competes, how many people compete, where the Olympics started, and other basic Olympic facts. I made sure to be enthusiastic because I wanted them to know that they were about to witness something amazing.

Thankfully, they became very attentive and were starting to get really excited!

I started quizzing the kids, and I ended up asking, “What year did the Olympics start?”

And my little babies were just so excited and were throwing out answers and trying hard and hoping they had the correct answer. And then I said, “Ooopps, you know I’m gonna have to Google this one. I really can’t remember.”

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Finally, they start showing the stadium and the countdown begins. But wait, where are the fairytale colors, thousands of dancers, acrobats, and everything I had hyped this up to be?

Well once again, to my surprise, London had a rather unique thing going on. The beginning of the festivities was definitely straight from a history book.

The kids were quickly losing interest. With displeased tones in their voices, they began asking, “Why are they dressed like that? What are they doing? What is this again? I’m bored; can we go back and play?”

I had looked forward to this moment for months. I also knew that we would never have this opportunity again until 4 years from now, but then, they would be much older. Now was the time to have them appreciate and be introduced to the spirit, fantasy, and amazement of the Olympics.

I decided to jump right into some interesting history facts that related to what was being shown on TV. I knew that I also had to relate these facts directly to the kids’ lives.

There was a lot of talking going on. I’m throwing out information about the industrial revolution, England, the world wars, Adolf H., the 4th of July, and so on.

The kids began to make a connection to what they were seeing on TV, and their interest level skyrocketed. They pretty much stayed glued to the television for the entire opening ceremonies! Wow!

Throughout most of the event, I’m answering questions or giving information, my sister is answering their questions, several questions are being asked, my nephew started playing the drums, Megan decided to help him play the drums….so you can imagine just how loud it was, but there was so much laughter, learning & love.

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I have a graduate degree in education and I am certified to teach grades K-6. Though I do not plan to return to the classroom as a formal teacher, I know that I will always still be a teacher in some capacity.

In my experience, the most important and long-lasting education lessons takes place outside of the school or classroom. It was a gift to share in this wonderful opportunity with the little ones in my family. They’ve learned some lessons that I’m sure they will keep with them always.