Sew Liberated

mellow play

Perhaps it was all the hoopla of the run up to the Birthday (anyone who has had a four year-old will know why that is capitalized. It was Such A Big Deal.) Perhaps it's just the pendulum swing of spring weather. Whatever it was, Finn came down with a cold and spent a day on the couch. He's feeling better today, though still not well enough to be out and about doing our normal activities.

After we read through the pile of books, we decided to set up this dinosaur small world play stage. I found the idea from Fantastic Fun and Learning via The P.L.A.Y. Group - a great Pinterest board. 

He loved it, and ended up adding other features like a grass bird's nest and a sandy beach. I'm going to try to keep this set up next to our small, backyard pond until the mosquitos become an issue! 

here we are

It's been a while! Although I didn't intend to put the blog down for a nap, it ended up being a nice, long one and I think we've both emerged from a very refreshing sleep.

I suppose it was only the blog that was napping, though. I spent that extra time being really present with these little boys, without a to-do list nipping at my heels. We gathered with friends. We played games. We did art. We planted our garden. I started going to our local Y three times a week and it's been the best decision that I've made in a long time. And we just celebrated my firstborn's fouth birthday, which is always my Mother's Day.

I'm hoping that those of you who are mamas had a lovely weekend. This quote has provided me with clarity on my journey as of late. May you enjoy your art.

The art of mothering is teaching the art of living to children.

~Elaine Heffner

 

creative play with cards

I've mentioned before that we've become a game playing family. It's bordering on an obsession, and cards have found their way into our EVERY day. I have one deck or another in my purse at all times, and the most commonly heard question from Finn is, "Do you want to play a game?" 

Finn has learned a surprising amount of math from playing cards alone - both with math-specific games like Rat-A-Tat-Cat and with the standard Go Fish, War, and Uno fare. Of course, any game play is an exercise in memory and executive function, as he needs to control his impulses in order to play in turn and within the rules. 

What I didn't expect from Finn's card-playing obsession was a form that he's become familiar with (rules, powers of different cards, etc.) that he now uses as a springboard for his own creative play - making up his own games, as well as using cards as characters in other play. 

That's where our two decks of alphabet cards from Marie-Claire, mom of two boys, come in VERY handy. Marie-Claire sent them along to help her promote her newest kickstarter campaign, and I'm a huge fan. They went into immediate action with both boys.

The cards are sturdy, aesthetically pleasing, and promote lots of creative play besides reinforcing phonics. I'm quite pleased that she's putting together more sets, which will really help to encourage Finn's game-creation interest. Check out the Kickstarter video below, and make a donation if you can to help support the project. Best of all, when you donate, you'll receive a card deck (or more.)

the evolution of a space

Here's our studio, as we call it, just after we moved in. It was one of the first spaces that I put together, knowing that Finn needed a space for independent play amidst the chaos of moving boxes and complete disaster in the rest of the house.

It's an odd room, this studio of ours, as it also serves as our primary entry/exit door. The room is essentially cut in two by an invisible hallway leading from our exterior door to the kitchen, the area with the bookshelves having a tile floor and the rest of the room being painted plywood (until we can afford the hardwood floor.)

It has always housed books and art supplies (both the boys and mine), as well as the occasional basket of blocks and random stuff that seems to settle in this room we use so much.

This little table that I originally brought in to house my own art supplies was quickly comandeered by Finn, and I made it into his letter writing station.

We've tried our cozy reading spot in various locations - looking for the best light, the best use of space.

And here it is today. I moved in the big table from my sewing room to better serve my two artists (as well as myself.) Added the shelves, which house many art supplies that are now freely accessible to Finn. These include acrylic paints, scissors, oil pastels, various crayons, sequins, beads, saved bottle caps and juice tops, googly eyes, glitter glue, watercolor, papers of various sizes, paint brushes and containers, a low-heat hot glue gun, as well as a bunch of recycled materials that I keep in the wire basket under the table. All of his letter writing materials are accessible, too. Lachlan can access the paper, crayons and some washable markers - the rest are (intentionally) too high for him to reach just yet.

Yes, we do have a computer in the space - Finn, at almost four, does 30 minutes of Reading Eggs a day, does the occasional yoga video, and occasionally watches Mathtacular or a science video. If you're conflicted about screen time, I found this post written by Jaime Martin of Steady Mom very helpful in providing me the necessary prospective. Allowing Finn a bit of time on the computer during the weekdays allows me to spend some precious moments focused on Lachlan exclusively - something that's so rare! 

The big, braided rug (an ebay find) really improved the space - now they have a large area for play. I gathered baskets for housing dress up clothes, blocks, car tracks, and puppets. Those small bolga baskets that are hanging from tree branch hooks are homes for our legos, story stones, finger puppets, and felt animal masks. Smaller baskets on the shelf include various toob animals (these are great if you can't afford the more expensive wooden animals - they inspire play just as much!) and a basket for small cars. We also have a bigger basket on the floor for larger cars, as well as a piece of wood that they use to race the smaller cars.

Finally, our snuggly reading nook is just where it needs to be - right by the bookshelves and the cozy bird watching window seat. 

This room is how I keep my two boys, now 2 and nearly 4, busily playing, both independently and together. I'm sure it won't stay this way forever, but it feels like a very sustainable set-up, able to accommodate children of various ages and interests. Right now it feels perfect for us.

I hope you enjoyed the tour!

little brown eggs

As if they had a calendar hanging in their coop, our hens decided that the day before the vernal equinox was the perfect time to lay their first handful of eggs.

We're all delighted, especially the littlest among us, who claimed these mini-eggs as his own, no doubt due to the fact that they fit quite well in his hand. And look at those orange yolks! I suppose the ladies are getting great nutrition by pecking around our yard (and on our compost pile, which I think we'll rename the chicken pile, because they don't leave much food scraps behind.) 

Yesterday was my 32nd birthday, and it was a peaceful, slow day. Today Finn is sort of sick - had a fever last night - so we're laying low and spending the whole day at home. I realize how infrequently that happens. It's just the kind of day to plant some seeds in trays and eat leftovers.

Many of you have requested a series of posts on the activities that the boys are into nowadays that keep them happily busy around the house. I think that sounds like a great idea and I'll be putting together some photos/words for you. 

Warm Spring wishes!