The Doo-Dad Bowl for Developmental Delight

An easy pleaser for Little Biscuit lately has been anything new and different that he can turn into toddler toys. So for a quick activity I fill up a mixing bowl with an assortment of oddments that help him explore and imagine. Puzzle pieces, blocks, chenille stems formed into fun spiral shapes, bendy straws in neon colors - you get the idea. Throw in a big spoon to stir it all up and he just goes at :) It's a sensory sensation too - he likes the sounds he makes when he stirs (and the noisier the better!)...
He can also taste it....mmm, that straw has a bold plastic flavor!Wonder what that bowl smells like inside?Touch it! Hands-on interaction is just as interesting for playing in the bowl - and all those textures are irresistable!Then it's time to dump it out all over the floor! Look at all those fun colors, shapes and sizes :)Do I have any other senses, Mommy? Can I try them all out at once?

Silly Games with Packing Paper

Hide 'n seek...where's Little Biscuit?

Limbo anyone?

Today a package came with some of that ten-mile-long brown packing paper and boy did Little Biscuit ever have a good time with it! His favorite activity was standing under it when I threw the whole mess of it as high as I could into the air and let it fall down all over us. You can't really see the action of the paper falling in these photos, but that's what's going on. He was laughing his heart out and squealing with joy, falling into it and "splashing" in it and whatever he could do to make it a fun new toy. He sure needed something happy today too as he is not recovering as smoothly as we'd hoped from his myringtomies/ear tubes (his temp is still raised and he's having a lot of pain and drainage, so the doc is seeing him again tomorrow). I think he's going to enjoy Christmas so much, even if all he gets to do is play with the wrapping paper off the boxes :D

"Wheeeeeeeeee! Incoming!"
It's smiles like this that especially remind me I wouldn't trade being a mommy for anything!

"Oh boy, it's a TUNNEL!"

He can't jump yet but this "paper jump rope" sure makes him want to try!

"Who says I can't swim with ear tubes? Watch me SPLASH!"

A Nice Day for a Warm Winter Penny Kick

On those cold winter mornings when it's too cold to get out and about, there's nothing like a good old-fashioned pretend picnic with all the stuffed animal pals. Little Biscuit is just learning how to do some imaginative role-playing now and he really had a fun time with this easy indoor activity :) I pulled out the silliest dishes I could find and watched to see what he'd come up with. I don't know if he had a better time feeding his fuzzy friends or chomping on the egg beater and ice cream scoop :) It kept him occupied most of the morning. And the best part was, we didn't attract any ants!

Mystery Septra rash

Okay for all you House fans out there...can you help us out with a diagnosis until we're able to see the doctor in person? Little Biscuit popped out with some spots over the last day or two that don't really look the same as his usual eczema (these are more rounded and in unusual locations for eczema, like his thighs, and on his chest and arms); they do have the same scaly, rough feel as eczema though. They really got worse after his dose of Septra antibiotic last night (a sulfa drug). We called the on-call doc and they had us stop the meds ASAP with no substitutes "just in case" which we have done. In the meantime I took these pics and we'll ask the doc at his surgery if he thinks it's from the meds, but we wondered...is it eczema, or erythema multiforme, or just a general drug reaction rash that's harmless or something else? It doesn't seem to itch a lot, but he has been fussier the last two days - of course the antibiotics aren't working so we know his ears are hurting too so that's probably a big part of the fussiness. He only has a handful of spots but on the teeny tiny chance it could be EM we are not taking any chances whatsoever because if it is and we continue the meds, it could lead to SJS and that is about the scariest sounding condition I can imagine. Any thoughts, anyone? I know you're not docs but anyone with experience, this is your chance to throw out the advice!! Thanks :) I'll try to update this post when we find out the doctor's opinion.

Little Biscuit Helps Bake Christmas Cookies

Biscuit had his ENT appointment today and the doctor scheduled ear tubes for his 18-month birthday, the 16th (next Tuesday). Hopefully this will solve his problem with recurrent infections. But to take our minds off of it (mine really), we had some fun after nap time with making up a batch of sugar cookies to share for Christmas. I wanted it as hands-on as possible for Biscuit (who can't have corn and it's in almost all those fancy icings and frostings) so we kept it as simple as possible with the egg-yolk glaze that goes on before baking. He had a blast using the rolling pin, cookie cutters, paintbrush, mixing bowls and of course, taste-testing all his hard work :D So did I but wow did my tummy hurt afterward. Oh my.

Time to cut out the snowflakes, Christmas trees and gingerbread men from the dough! Little Biscuit even used sound effects pressing out the shapes, grunting loudly every time he pushed one out! :D Too cute!
This was our glaze...Practicing in the bowl first...Then on the real thing (with some help from mom--although frankly I think his turned out prettier than mine!!)

A little diversion while they're in the oven...

And now for a scrumptious sample...mmm!! Biscuit's very first cookie, and boy did he like it!

Ta-da! Christmas cookies with a toddler's touch :)

Surprises in Storage

Some of the most fun toys we've come across for Little Biscuit are ones we already have - most discovered accidentally while searching through old boxes in the basement :) We found a cool brand new mr. potato head that way from a prank gift my hubby got once, and a great electric train set (it will be more fun later on when Biscuit is older). Tonight Big Biscuit brought up his collection of die-cast cars from his childhood! You should have seen Little Biscuit's face light up and the speed with which he ran across the room to check them out when Big Biscuit opened the case... :DWhoa! Look at all those cars!!Let the dumping begin!And the driving!!A new treatment for double ear infections...drive away the pain?!Do we have to put them away?Uh-oh, I found a stow-away--he was hiding one away for later! (This was my personal favorite "surprise in storage!!")(I don't know if he did it on purpose or just sat down on one, but it was hilarious to spot it there!)

Pillow Party

Little Biscuit and I have been down for the count the last few weeks - he's had a double ear infection since the beginning of October that just won't quit (he's on his 4th antibiotic for it and seeing an ENT on Wednesday) and I have either a virus or some kind of relentless allergy. Neither one of us have done a whole ton of playing since our trip to NC for Thanksgiving although we did manage to set up the Christmas tree and decor which he really enjoyed .... yesterday he seemed to be feeling ever so slightly better but not so much today. We did manage to squeeze in a silly pillow party this morning. He loves it when I throw lots of little pillows into his playpen so he can roll in utter delight all over them, doing flips (which he learned from his cousin), collapsing onto them and begging me play "peek-a-bop" (peek-a-boo with a pillow fight twist!). Here are some more pics of the morning fluffy festivities :D

Mall-a-palooza

Sometimes life's simplest and least expensive pleasures are the most fun and memorable :) I say that because Little Biscuit gets such a thrill just from going to the local mall and checking out the sights and sounds. His favorite things to do there (besides the pet shop of course) are watching the carousel and getting on all the kiddie coin rides...he doesn't even really want us to put money in them - he just likes to sit and "drive"! (Good thing too - I can't see myself paying $1 for a 30 second ride!!) Anyway, it was a fun way to spend an evening out last weekend - and free too :D

"Hey look Aunt Hannah, an elephant!" (She collects them...)

"That carousel is so cool - can I have one for Christmas?!"

Gentlemen, start your engines!

Look, Mommy! I've got a backseat driver!

"Somebody needs to clean these windows." :)

"Race ya!"

"I think I can, I think I can...get this train to go!"


"How come the wheels on this bus don't go round and round?"

"The engine on the bus goes clankety-clank; everybody gets off the bus!"