What Are You Doing...?

I am totally late (or so I feel like) in starting the girls in doing more (practiced) fine motor skill development.  SURE we talk about blocks, puzzles, colors, ABC's.. read books, listen to music, and observe our surroundings.  

But, I had yet to set aside time for little 'art' projects for these birds.  They are home ALL day long and we play, a lot.  We listen to music, a lot. We are outside, a lot. 

So, I ask myself why haven't I left little things for their BB or daddy to do with them while I'm at work?

Why haven't I done it with them myself on the days and afternoons home? 

Pinterest is my favorite demise.  I have about 8,000 pins under 'Family Life', to which I started pinning activities for toddlers when they were still in the womb.  

If you are reading this expecting to find some grand plan for toddler projects, you won't find it.  Today - we color.  Its our new thing.  Totally pin-able.  

Jolie is a whiz with the crayons.  They color in the nursery at church, and she's totally got the hang of holding it the most correct way a toddler can hold it just after a couple times of practice.  I am elated for them to bring home their art once we start Mother's Day Out in the Fall.  I have real grand plans for their little art projects to be hung and displayed like this.  My girlfriend, Jacqueline did this in their playroom and I about died over the genius of an idea it was.

Parker is still working through it.  It is amazing to see the different levels of maturity in their skill development.  Parker far exceeds Jolie is some things, and vice versa for Jolie in others.  Eating with a fork and spoon came as a 'no-brainer' for Parker, but holding and using a crayon has been a struggle.  Jolie still, after months of practice, hates the spoon and will use it only half the time during meals, and the other half she will throw it off her tray in frustration.

It is super hard not to compare them.. I've been doing it all their little life.  Size, weight, who is eating what.. and now we've come to this drastic time of skill development, and as a mother I feel like I cannot help but compare them, once again.  A positive comparison, not negatively - I've been really pretty good at keeping myself in check on that.

Up until now we've done everything in their high chair, and after witnessing my children tirelessly fidget while sitting at a kids table at a birthday party, I decided we needed to 'practice' sitting at the table for activity rather than restricting that to our high chairs.

Another mom epiphany of toddler-dom: everything takes practice.  Not just for them, but definitely for me as well.

Recently, I received these Nuby booster seats and we've gotten amazing use out of them.  Before ever strapping them to a 'big girl' chair, we used them as a comfy seat for everywhere.  These kids tote them around like a handbag and love every minute of it. We've taken them to BB's house, Ashley's house, and traveled with them for use while they eat (and we don't need to cart the huge highchair around)

Find them on Amazon HERE

We finally decided to use them for our coloring activity at the table.. and my word.  Just like that there was no more sitting up on top of the table.

That 'anklet'.  Parker has been wearing it for weeks (we take it off at bath).  It is a hair tie and she doesn't even touch it all day.  Puts it on and leaves it.  

Proud mom moment.  My girl accessorizes. 

Coloring at the table has become a family affair- Ginny (and her new hair cut) was waiting patiently for a crayon to fall in hopes it was edible (because it is..) and it would actually taste delicious (but it doesn't).  She couldn't figure it out.  Parker did and spit blue for the following 36 minutes leading up to dinner.

Daddy helping his sweet daughter, and that sweet daughter's look of intent while coloring.  

 My favorite.

Until we get one of those kid tables for the playroom we will be using those booster seats {HERE} for our little arms to reach the table top. 

There will be lots of coloring going on over here this summer.  This coloring had inspired me to go through my Pinterest boards and find some more toddler-friendly activities.  Carly did a blog post for Twin Talk a couple weeks ago about summer fun for twins (well, kiddos in general) {find it HERE} and she had some really fun ideas to share, and, yup- I've pinned it.

All I have is time.  So, mom, lets get busy brained with those twin littles.