Socializing and Getting Domestic

 I've been trying to get adjusted to my new found role as "homemaker".  Yes, I have been working from home for well over a year and a half, but there is a HUGE difference between running a home daycare and just being in charge of your own child.  Lots of bonuses - I can run errands during the day, do laundry during the day, do cleaning during the day, plan and prepare meals and so on.  However, there are some drawbacks too - I swear having other kids around really makes it easier to watch your own child.  They entertain each other so you can get little things done, like load the dishwasher without a child putting a strong hold on your leg.  Doing daycare also helps keep you and the kids on a schedule so you don't loose track of time and you typically have planned activities that help teach lessons or foster creativity and confidence.  It is also kind of fun (usually) having all those kids around and teaching them and doing fun things with them!

One big reason I did home daycare back in Maryland was because I wanted Little Lady to be socialized and spend time with other kids.  I've been getting involved in playgroups here to make sure she gets that interaction.  She really misses the daycare kids!  Meetup.com has been great for that and we've gone to a couple "events" through the Boise Babies and Tots group. 

Our first "event" was playing in the fountains Downtown.  It was perfect weather, sunny and hot!

Enjoying herself - dancing to her own tune!

Getting more comfortable, hanging out with the kids now.

There is a local gym that has a free "class" every Wednesday. It is really just kids dancing to songs together, doing stretches, doing some music and listening to stories - but hey, she loves it and it is FREE! Right up my alley.

She is a bit shy when we go, we've only been twice so far.  She is warming up to it!

Following along.

Apparently having a "Super Star" moment.  Sometimes she marches to the beat of her own drum. :)

We have also found, and joined, a local Catholic church.  They have a play group as well that meets every Friday.  This has been a GREAT find.  It is a smaller group so it is easier for her, and ME, to socialize and get to know people.  She also then gets to see the kids on Sundays when we go to mass.  They only have one mass on Sunday, so everyone is there at the same time.  I've been told they planned it that way because a large part of church is supposed to be the community - so when they built it they made sure the whole congregation could fit at once and made the schedule to encourage the whole community to be there at the same time.  Lots of kids and families at this parish.  Perfect setting.  The first playgroup we attended there happened to be their yearly "field trip" to the library. 

Little Lady already had her very own library card she picked out earlier.  Love this girl's taste!

We rode the public bus to the Downtown library.  Her first ride on a bus!  She loved it!

Playing with the kiddos outside the library.

I think this group will be great for all of us and look forward to a summer full of play with them all!

As we are getting settled in, I'm also getting back to some things we enjoy, like baking.  Little Lady LOVES to help with that and I think it is great hands on learning stuff for her.  We'll have to host a play date here for some kids to do some baking.  I think it is great for teaching measuring, patience and taking turns.  I love when Colette will stop stirring something and say "Mommy turn" - handing me the spoon so I can have a turn. :-)  I hope to have more regular activities like this planned to ensure we are doing meaningful activities together, instead of me just cleaning and unpacking while she plays.  Together time is such an important thing but can be so easily missed.  I already worry about splitting up my time when Bambino gets here, but - hey, parent's do it every day, right!?  I'll figure it out!

We made Creamy Whole Wheat Flax Seed Biscuits.  Another find from Delia Creates.  You can find the specific recipe here.  I just had regular flax seeds, so I sprinkled them in and it still came out nicely.  Honey is one of Colette's favorite things, so she especially liked that ingredient.  Funny story:  we were at the Coop the other week and I wanted to get some local honey.  She saw the containers and started shouting "Yay, please honey milk please?" - I had no idea what honey milk was.  I asked her if it was one of Papa's creations for her but she just kept repeating "Please, honey milk, please."  I later asked him about it and it was a honey variation on his "Pirates Milk" (milk, vanilla and sugar) where he just mixed honey in.  Apparently he hadn't made it for her in months, but it left an impression on her!

Using one of her cups to cut out the biscuit.

Lifting it up to put on the tray.  I'm a huge fan of white whole wheat flour now.  Didn't know it existed!  I always just mix whole wheat and white flour when making breads so it doesn't come out too dense.  Very easy recipe that is fun for both of us and minimal cleanup.  Extra bonus: they taste great - and she loved them even more because she helped make them!

So, we are having lots of fun and getting settled into our roles here.  Lots to see and do, but getting back to a "normal" home life and those every day things that we enjoy!