Hi all!

Well its been a while since I have been around. Thanks so much for all the lovely messages - I've missed posting and chatting to you guys too!!! The thing is this last 3 months I have felt like crap! Yes, pretty much like that. Totally exhausted, sick, grumpy...mmmm....wonder why?

Yep, I'm preggas! Up the duff. Bun in the oven. All of that. Phew.

Hence the absence of posts and, to be honest, the absence of much new on our Monti shelf. But I'm starting to feel a bit more energy so I may start posting a bit more as I go along...or not. My energy has moved in different ways since being pregnant with different priorities and focuses coming forth and I have been following them - as I needed to.

My sickness has mainly been in the evening and has been difficult to deal with emotionally. And to be honest I also think I had a mild case of antenatal depression. I write this because I think its so important to share our stories, especially when you are expected to only feel a certain way.

I have already gone on a big journey of reflection and I believe while the depression and freak out (despite G and I planning to be pregnant by the end of the year!) is a combination of various things, but that the central part comes from fear and emotional residue from a difficult first year with my little girl. We came through and we are fabulous, but the first year was hard for both of us. It was not the image you see on the motherhood posters and it was a shock - obviously one still in my body and coming up again. I am seeing my kinesologist soon which I know will help - she is fabulous - and look forward to coming to a place of balance and peace with this issue.

But apart from that things have been fun - we have been on holiday (our first time camping), laughing lots, singing songs, cuddling, swimming in the ocean and dancing around the house. Little Bird is wonderful and tiring and I cant help sneaking in to her bedroom every night to watch her sleep in her lovely new big bed. (:

Anyway, I wanted to just pop in and say hi, I'm ok, I'm pregnant and I am looking forward to catching up with you all along the way.



(:

Slime!

Today Little Bird and I made some slime. It was VERY cool and you have to give it a go. Its like no other material I have ever played with. Was very weird!!!

First we mixed cornflour and water,


played with the white slime,


then added some green food colouring to make it dinky di green slime.



Experiment with more and less water/flour to see different results. Very fun and intriguing for all ages (and very easy to clean up!).

Toddler Art Collective - 6

Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles.

At this arty gathering we painted on bubble wrap with rollers,


and our our hands. (:

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Used bubble mixture combined with food colouring to make fun patterns on paper (and blow everywhere)










We demolished another amazing array of delicious food,


and finished off by playing in the garden, swinging, chatting, blowing more bubbles, and of course our goodbye circle.

Circle Time and Fergus

We continue to have circle time once or twice a week and I find it a really great way to spend some special time with Little Bird as well as introducing new concepts or activities. Fergus the Cat seems very keen on it too. She has joined in for the last two circles. In this photo she even has her own bean bag for the song we are singing. (:


In this circle I introduced how to pull a tissue out of a box. Little Bird has had a cold for a while and seems to like me to wipe and blow her nose, so we dedicated some circle time on helping her do it on her own. I notice that since then she seems happier to do it on her own, though for some reason there is nothing quite like mum's wiping ways. (:

HomeBirth Rally!

Today Little Bird went on her first official rally! What a little activist! It was to campaign to ensure homebirth remains an option in Australia. Currently there is legislation that will effectively make it illegal - yes you heard right ILLEGAL to use an independent midiwfe!

Having given birth to Little Bird at home and being an advocate of it as a wonderful choice for women it was important for us to be there. There were rallies all across Australia! We took the train into our city and meet with a couple of hundred other mums and babes. In the rally infront of Parliament House in Canberra there were thousands!! Hurray!

Here we are (that's Little Bird on the steps with her banner):


Im so glad we went. And I have faith that the power, passion and intelligent arguments of those advocating homebirth with independent midwives will ensure such options remain open for my daughter. But we have to keep vocal and highlighting the issue.



xx

A lovely little playdate

After our last art group lovely little Q stayed for some soup and games. It was so sweet to see two little ones having such lovely interactions.

First they drew with chalk in puddles (this is a great activity!),


got cosy between the rainwater tanks,


searched for and discovered snails,


got to know them better,


and finished with a tea party.



So sweet.

My library recently purchased Baraba Issacs' book Bringing the Montessori Approach to Your Early Years Practice. It focuses mainly on 3-6, but also includes 0-3. I find it useful for understanding and re-remembering Montessori philosophy and theory and how it informs practice...and then how to incorporate it.


The other day I read the following expert and it rang so true to me so I thought I would share it. It talks about the book Montessori Method and how in it 'Montessori described children as:

being capable of extended periods of concentration;

enjoying repetition and order;

revelling in the freedom and movement of choice;

enjoying purposeful activities;

self-motivated, displaying behaviors that did not require either punishment or rewards;

taking delight in silence and harmony of the environment;

possessing personal dignity and spontaneous self-discipline;

being capable of learning to read and write.'

So so true - reading this helps me to guide my approach with Little Bird.

If you are a beginner like me, this book is lovely and easy to read, and yet still provides a good background and exploration of the theory behind the practice. Check out your library - you never know. They also do one on Steiner education I would be keen to read - its sort of like the 'idot's guide'.(:

Toddler Art Collective - 5

This week we explored drawing on different textures (sand paper and smooth paper),



and drawing with oil pastels which we then painted over with water colours (the oil pastels reflect the water colours and you end up with some specky looking art work).








Another lovely day with lovely little and big people.


xx

Action from the shelf

Matching and sorting - this week it involves shells, stones and bark chips.


Learning to ring a bell - harder than it looks. (:


Pouring with a teapot. Little Bird got this fabbo pressie for her birthday from some very lovely friends. The tea-set is made out of recycle materials by Green Toys. She loves it, though after using it for 20 minutes she had to visit the loo 5 times within half an hour! Well, at least we know she is not dehydrated!


Matching cardboard shapes


Squeezing sponges to transfer coloured water.


Animal matching - I laminated these ages ago and finally found them when doing a clean up of the 'spare room' (read junk room).


Memory matching game with some animal figurines


Cutting fruit - kiwi fruit this week



And, of course playing with the latest toy from the library - a marble maze. Very cool. Very fun.

Montessori Pasting Tray OR Thanks Maria!

Since her first foray into pasting, Little Bird has been keen to do more. However the pasting we have done so far has been adult prepared and I was keen to get 'Monti on it'...so today I set up a tray so she can go to it when she wants.

The tray consists of a few pieces of A5 cardboard, a container of scrap paper and the ol' Clag glue (I used to have this when I was a kid!!), and another container with a sponge and a glass of water. Between the containers are some paper towels.

The deal: Little Bird puts her smock on, gets out the container of paper and glue and pops it on the left hand side of her table. She then gets out the cardboard and gets pasting. (I still have to help get the glue lid off, but am happy for this at the moment till I know she def has the hang of gluing - i.e. not on the furniture. (: )


After she is finished she pours the water into the container with the sponge and wipes her hands, followed by the table. The paper towels (soon to be cloth) are for drying her hands and table. Then the masterpiece is placed outside to dry.


To help keep the paoer tray full I have set up a tearning paper activity tray.



It is so inspiring to see that with the right presentation at the right time the little ones can manage things easily and efficiently - especially inspiring when it involves activities adults think can only result in mess. It reminds me not to overlook all the amazing capabilities and potentials in our littlies, and also that they thrive on activities with order and independence/freedom. Order and independence/freedom - Little Bird responds to this so much at the moment.

I would never have imagined giving a just-2year old a gluing tray had not Montessori come into our lives. It was so wonderful to watch Little Bird set up her activity, engage with it and then efficiently put it away and clean up. Big smiles and thanks to an amazing woman who brought these insights to us so many years ago. Thanks Maria!