Baby Squared

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• Activity of the Week: Happy Birthday To You

  I haven't done an 'Activity of the Week' in a while, I guess because with the weather being better and the girls being more self-sufficient, it hasn't been as much of a challenge to figure out ways to keep them entertained. And actually, this particular activity is one that they pretty much came up and do all by themselves. I just keep them supplied with the necessary materials, and suggest helpful enhancements from time to time, when they'll let me.   See, Clio and Elsa are obsessed with birthdays. This began shortly after their own birthday, back at the end of the December, and kicked into high gear when they went to their friend Amelia's 2nd birthday in Februrary. The obsession has manifested itself in a variety of ways: first, they just sang the Birthday Song constantly. Then, they started constantly asking for / calling everything sweet "Happy to you" cake. (We successfully introduced the idea of *pretend* happy to you cake, as well.) The, for a while, they wanted us to draw birthday cakes for them. If you looked through our recycling bin anytime this March through May, you would find page upon page of crayon drawings of birthday cakes -- usually double tiered, with lots of fancy, squiggly decorations, and candles, of course. (I really honed my birthday cake-drawing technique. If for some reason you ever need a drawing of a birthday cake, I'm your gal.)   Pics after the jump    Read More... Posted Jun 08 2009, 07:06 AM by Roper with | with 7 comment(s) Filed under: twins, writing, toddlers, twin toddlers, entertaining toddlers, activities for toddlers, toddler artwork, balance, working moms, being a working mother

• Our Celebrity Play Date

  You know, I love being a world famous blogger and all. The parties, the award shows, the late night talk show appearances...I can't complain. And I don't mind it when fans -- I mean, readers -- come up and tell me how much they love my blog or ask for an autograph, or take pictures of the girls. But sometimes it gets awfully tiring not being able to go out in public and just enjoy ourselves like any other family, you know?   You'd think that, of all people, other celebrities would understand. As we found out this weekend, however, that's not necessarily the case. At least not when it comes to the Affleck family.     Read More... Posted May 17 2009, 09:00 AM by Roper with | with 14 comment(s) Filed under: twins, twin toddlers, activities for toddlers, celebrities, Jennifer Garner, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, nursery school, Violet Affleck

• Activity of the Week: Play-Dough Sans Pants

  We've made home-made play-dough a few times before in the Baby Squared household, but today was special, because we did it without pants. That is, the girls did. Elsa started it. We were all just hanging out in the living room, reading books and doing puzzles and stuff, and she suddenly decided to pull her pants down. (Her very favorite pants, too -- the black pleather ones her grandma scored from the thrift shop!) I asked her if she wanted to go to the potty (not like she ever does), but she said no, and started shuffling around with her pants around her ankles, grinning. "Elsa funny?" she asked. "Yeah," I replied. "You're pretty funny." She eventually took them all the way off, and Clio decided that this seemed like a pretty good idea, so I helped her take her pants off too. Both girls suggested that I follow suit, but I declined. My legs aren't nearly as cute as theirs are.   The pants stayed off all afternoon. I think this made the play-dough making experience extra special. The girls got to feel more connected to their medium, while at the same time saving their pants from wet flour paste and food coloring stains. (This is especially good for Elsa, who asks to wear her black pleather pants almost every day.) It was also gave the whole thing a summery sort of feel, in spite of the fact that outside it was 29 degrees, with a foot of snow on the ground.   So, without further ado, here you go: Play-Dough Sans Pants. Or Pantless Play-dough, if you don't like the French. (Apologies to my French readers. I like you.)           Read More... Posted Mar 05 2009, 07:07 AM by Roper with | with 10 comment(s) Filed under: twins, toddlers, twin toddlers, entertaining toddlers, activities for toddlers, the French, play dough

• Activity of the Week: Ice Cookery

  This weekend I went out to western Mass. overnight for a friend's bachelorette party, and returned with precious little voice. This was mostly on account of my having been sick (I'm currently host to a roving virus that's been making a leisurely tour of my body over the past week, wreaking havoc everywhere it goes -- latest stop, my larynx) but the nonstop gabbing and laughing, the wine, and the dip in the outdoor hot tub probably didn't help either.   In any case, yesterday afternoon when I got home, I was in search of an activity that would require minimal talking on my part. Play-dough was one option. We've made some of our own recently, and the girls have enjoyed the process of making it and then "cooking" with it afteward -- shoving it into measuring cups, mashing it with the potato masher, stabbing it with spoons. But yesterday, they were very emphatic about the fact that they did not want to play with play-dough, but they did want to cook. I was not feeling ambitious enough to undertake an actual cooking project with them, and so, Ice Cookery was born!    Read More... Posted Feb 09 2009, 07:54 PM by Roper with | with 8 comment(s) Filed under: twins, twin toddlers, entertaining toddlers, activities for toddlers, ice, entertaining twins

• Activity of the week: Clementines

  As some recent articles here on Babble have attested, it can be tough to think of things to do with your young'uns when the weather outside is frightful. (And even when it's not) I, too, struggle to come up with new activities to keep our gals occupied, and am always looking for new ideas, so when I hit on this little gem of an activity this week, I thought: I must share.   What is it? In a word: clementines. You know -- those super-easy-to-peel, seedless little oranges that are in season now somewhere, that you can buy by the pound or by the crate.   Age range: 18 months - 3 years  Materials needed: At least one clementine orange per child Prep time: None, unless you count buying the clementines. Time it will keep your kids quietly, safely occupied: Up to 10 minutes per orange, depending on level of manual dexterity.  Developmental benefits: Enhances small motor skills, prevents scurvy      Read More... Posted Jan 30 2009, 05:30 PM by Roper with | with 10 comment(s) Filed under: twins, twin toddlers, entertaining toddlers, preschool, pillows, activities for toddlers, scurvy, cabin fever, clementine oranges