Little Guppy Birthday Party Planning

It's birthday planning time. I love birthday's! My little man Maxon is going to be turning two. Makes me sad. My baby is now going to be a real toddler.

The theme this year is "Little Guppy." A big  part of my insiration has come from Goldfish Colors crackers

I just finished the bunting/banner this week. I'm in love with it! I do not have a Cricut or a Silhouette machine so all of the cutting of the shapes and letter was by me.

More detailed shot.

After dropping Sophia off at preschool, Max and I went thrifting yesterday. I found these great fish bowls for $2.99 each. I think they will make fun serving bowls for food at the party.

That's just part of what I've got started!

What do you think?

Valentines Crayon Roll-Up

Yep, my mind is already going there. Valentines Day! I made this fun crayon roll-up for Sophia and also one to add to my etsy shop. Don't you just love the fabric! I love the fun and fresh colors and that it does not just say "Valentines" but, could pass for everyday hearts.

Now to just come up with a fun idea for the front door. Stay tuned!

Holiday Crayon Idea

I've started making my gifts for Christmas and one of my projects is a fun stocking stuffer. We are always in need of new crayons in this house. Why not turn ordinary crayons in to fun holiday shapes! What you need is 6 box's of 8 count crayons. Silicone molds and an oven set to 350 degrees.

Start by peeling the paper off the crayons. I used a exacto knife to cut a line strait down the paper to make the peeling easier and faster.  

I was able to find help at a cheap price, candy!

Fill the molds with about three crayons each.

Put in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for about 6-8 min. Just keep checking on them to see if they have melted all the way.

let them sit and cool for about an hour until they are completely cold. If you try to remove them while the slightest bit warm they will break and you will have to re-heat.

Finished and bundled up with a bow for their stockings!

Good Behavior Chart

Alright, so I really had some reservations about sharing this post.  I came to the realization that it was healthy and good to share the so called "real" struggles as a parent. Let's face it child rearing is hard! Besides this is a positive post about how we found a solution. Not a negative rant!

Sophia had been acting out and we had been dealing with a lot of negative behavior for the last year. We called it the "I have a new sibling syndrome"  and then some of it is just naturally the age. Think about it, how hard does that have to be on them? They go from being the center of attention to feeling totally displaced. Goodness I would act out too!

We (Keith, husband) did try to spend alone time and do special "date nights" with Sophia but, it still was not helping change the bad behavior. While visiting my sister we were talking with her sister in law Angie about how hard this age frame (3-4) is. Angie is a preschool teacher, so she is used to dealing with this age everyday. She suggested a Behavior chart. Hmm..... I was not so sure at first as I had thought that it was rewarding the bad behavior. I learned it was more about reinforcing the good things and modifying the bad behavior.

When I got home I searched the web for charts and found this one.  It's simple, visual and easy for Sophia to see the goal she is after. After Sophia fills all the lady bugs spots with stickers, she gets to pick one special treat from her "Treasure Box." I filled it with candy, a small coloring book and little things she loves. Each treasure under $3.

I also did some behavior modification of my own.  I stopped venting to Keith about the struggles of the day. I noticed that Sophia started saying "Mom tell daddy about what I did." Meaning the bad things she did that day. Broke my heart realizing a big part of the problem was me. Hey, it's a learning process for parents too! We are making a point to praise her and talk about all the good thing she does during the day every night. You should just see the big smile on that sweet face and how she lights up when when do.

I'm happy to report that Sophia is doing great! She has turned a corner and even my mother-in-law has noticed. She is on her third chart in less then four weeks! She is using her manors all the time, sharing toys with her brother with out being asked, less whining, and I see her tender side again.  Makes me tear up just telling you about it! We are so proud of her and best of all she is so proud of herself too!