The Week After the Party Weekend

With all the fun and partying we did last weekend, this week been a quieter one spending our time together in the evenings.  As much as it was great to celebrate Hannah’s 2nd Birthday and party, party party, I can tell by her reactions this week that she’s needed some quiet time.  When I’d arrive at daycare she’d hop up into my arms, look me in the eye and pleadingly ask, ‘Homa?’ Yes baby girl, we’re going homa and not leaving the house until morning.  Lately she’s realized where our house is and as we get closer in the car I hear ‘Homa.  Homa!’ from the back seat.  She is still rear facing (not sure for how much longer as I’m struggling with turning her around as rear facing is so much safer) so she knows we’re almost home by the landmarks she can see on our drive home.

Our evenings have been all about the 2 of us hanging out together, making supper with her on my hip in the sling, reading, playing and more.  I love to hear the words ‘sit down Mommy’ even though they conjure up feelings of guilt as I’m struggling with trying to make supper as we’re both hungry and needing to eat vs. stopping and giving her my full attention.  Oh how my heart aches when I’m trying to chop veggies and feel her pushing into my legs almost as if she can’t get close enough.  She gently calls out ‘uppie’ and reaches up to me.  I quickly finish what I need to do with two hands and then scoop her up and we do the rest together.  Yes, it takes a little longer and it’s often messier but truly, so much fun!

After supper the dishes remain on the table and in the sink and playtime begins in earnest.   Imaginary play has arrived so we enjoy tea parties (with little pieces of plastic cake in our tea cups :o),  building blocks, playing with her dollhouse, cuddling dollies and so much more.  Hannah’s attention time for reading has also increased greatly lately so we spend more time reading books and talking about the pictures.  She loves the little books with flaps and her favourite ones by far are the Fisher-Price flap books.  We have a number  of these and read them over and over again.  If you have little ones around the 2yo age that you’re looking to buy a fun, bright book for, these are great! 

We continue playing until either bath time or bed time arrives.  After at attempt at clean-up (which begins with great intentions until a new toy catches her eye) we head upstairs to get her ready for bed, more stories, a final bottle while we say our bedtime prayers and then she falls asleep fairly quickly.

I’ve mentioned the book, ‘Mommy’s Best Kisses’ before and it’s still one we enjoy before bed but is now much more interactive.  I love this fun time that we share as one of our final moments before sleep

So, it’s been a fun post-birthday week filled with lots of Mommy & Me time.  Perfect!!

On a funny side note, we’ve also been finishing up the last of her birthday cake as dessert after supper.  Each night when I get the cake out of the fridge she begins to sing, ‘Happy Noo Noo to you!’ so once again we light the candle, sing and then blow it out together.  Fun!  Last night Hannah was with my parents at my niece’s birthday party (I was home teaching piano) and when the candles were lit on Rebecca’s cake Hannah hopped up on the couch looking as proud as could be but was surprised when the cake went to Rebecca rather than her.  That took a little explaining but when her dish of ice cream arrived all was right in her little world once again!