...simple pleasures

 I had one of those 'toddler days' this week when we just couldn't get along. I didn't want to play what he wanted to play and he didn't want to play what I wanted to play. 

BOY. HOW DO I ENTERTAIN YOU. 

So I put him in front of Sesame Street and turned to pinterest. There are loads of toddler activity ideas - however most of them seem too old for Big D or just lame or require special prep. 

This is what I came up with...

Q-Tip in a Jar

Worked pretty good. Card board lid and kept his attention for 5 minutes. That's pretty good for his age. And he wanted to go back to it later. So that's a win. 

...look at those little hands... :)

Sort Easter Eggs:

Too many things say 'sort' on pinterest for toddler activities. "Sort" means "toss all over the place til bored". Egg "sort" was good at first. Big D didn't really sort them as he just liked to open them to see what's inside. Really liked it - less them 2 minutes of entertainment now what he can get them open easy. But! He always goes back to them. Could recycle if put new things in eggs: treats, cars, cereal, etc.

"Sort" 

More attempt at sorting. Big D really was interested in this apple holder from costco.. until I tried to make him sort puff balls, cereal bits, mallows...even punching holes in the top to push there. Bust.  

Magnet Board

This one is pretty good. The big magnets hold his attention the longest. Unfortunately I only have 12. What's really funny is he likes it until I start quizzing him. 

Don't try and make me learn Mom. :)

 

After all my tricks were out of the bag ... you know what worked the best? What was the most fun? What kept him busy the longest?

...

Ramming his bus against the wall. 

So I think sometimes... we try too hard.  :)

Simple Pleasures 

..Is picking blackberries at Gpa's

Spent the weekend in Salt Lake City with family. Gpa has a LARGE patch of blackberries that Big D was wild over.  

This pained look on his face is because he is worried about the thorns. At our old house we had a wild blackberry bush that Big D would graze on. However the thorns were horrid and often he'd come back to me crying covered in purple juice and scratches. One time his lips were bleeding! What'd you do?!

 BITE THE BUSH?

Gpa's bush on the other hand has no thorns and the berries and 900 times larger. :) Big D still wouldn't touch the branch - he would point and squeal at a berry until you picked it for him. 

I hope Gpa keeps up these bushes. I hope to find Big D sneaking berries with no fear of thorns in the coming years.