I LOVE LOVE LOVE listening to this little man of ours chatter. He's started to babble more, but sometimes he still just likes to hear the sound of his own voice.
Hmmm, he likes to talk? Wonder where he got that from... :)
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Video GaGa
Chris and I got a video camera for Christmas. Ever since, we've been slightly obsessed with taking videos of Cole - which is evident by the titles of our videos:
"Cole laughing." "Cole talking." "Cole screaming." "Cole kicking his feet." "Cole sleeping." "Cole picking his nose."
(Ok, just kidding on the last one.)
I've decided that there isn't anything he does that isn't amazing.
Hey, at least we don't have "Cole going to the bathroom."...YET! You know, he IS amazingly adorable in everything he does...maybe I SHOULD take a video of him pooping!
If nothing else, it will be excellent to show all future girlfriends.
(Ok, just kidding on the last one.)
I've decided that there isn't anything he does that isn't amazing.
Hey, at least we don't have "Cole going to the bathroom."...YET! You know, he IS amazingly adorable in everything he does...maybe I SHOULD take a video of him pooping!
If nothing else, it will be excellent to show all future girlfriends.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Toys Toys Toys
I came across this article the other day - and it just couldn't have expressed how I feel about toys any better!
As a teacher, I am faced with the daily struggles of trying to teach students that have increasingly shorter attention spans and less interest in learning and curiosity each year - a problem that I believe is partly due to our toy obsession in our country.
Children are consistently given more and more toys, and taught to value quantity, not quality. Toys that do too much work for the child, instead of making the child's imagination and creativity work. Toys where kids stand around and observe, instead of create and play. Toys that only have one way of playing with them, instead of many opportunities for open-ended creation.
It is my desire to lessen Cole's exposure to the plastic, buzzing, blinking, beeping, battery-sucking obnoxiousness that pass as toys nowadays. I don't want to deny him anything, but am I wrong in thinking that replacing toys like this:
with toys like this:
will increase his learning and development? I want him to have a childhood full of imagination and creative thinking, rather than stuff him full of mass produced plastic Walmart toys with no meaning. I want him to value his possessions, which cannot happen when he has a roomful of "toys". I want Cole to value experiences over possessions - how many of us truly remember and value every toy we were given as a gift, but how many of us truly remember the time someone spent with us? A trip to the zoo, a fishing trip, a walk to the park, a visit to the library or museum: these are the true experiences of a well-rounded childhood.
And when it does come to toys, we're hoping to keep coming back to those timeless toys that have stood the test of time: a tricycle, a wagon, story books, musical instruments, blocks, paint and puppets (or homemade wood puzzles). Toys that offer open-ended play and can be passed down to younger brothers and sisters, not thrown into a landfill.
I know Cole will eventually beg and plead for the newest "it" toy or video game...but I'm hoping to instill in him a love for experiences and memories with people you love - undivided attention and time - rather than an affection for noisy, obnoxious toys that will be forgotten in a few months' time.
As a teacher, I am faced with the daily struggles of trying to teach students that have increasingly shorter attention spans and less interest in learning and curiosity each year - a problem that I believe is partly due to our toy obsession in our country.
Children are consistently given more and more toys, and taught to value quantity, not quality. Toys that do too much work for the child, instead of making the child's imagination and creativity work. Toys where kids stand around and observe, instead of create and play. Toys that only have one way of playing with them, instead of many opportunities for open-ended creation.
It is my desire to lessen Cole's exposure to the plastic, buzzing, blinking, beeping, battery-sucking obnoxiousness that pass as toys nowadays. I don't want to deny him anything, but am I wrong in thinking that replacing toys like this:
And when it does come to toys, we're hoping to keep coming back to those timeless toys that have stood the test of time: a tricycle, a wagon, story books, musical instruments, blocks, paint and puppets (or homemade wood puzzles). Toys that offer open-ended play and can be passed down to younger brothers and sisters, not thrown into a landfill.
I know Cole will eventually beg and plead for the newest "it" toy or video game...but I'm hoping to instill in him a love for experiences and memories with people you love - undivided attention and time - rather than an affection for noisy, obnoxious toys that will be forgotten in a few months' time.
GOOOO STEELERS!!!!
Cole is getting ready to cheer on his second favorite team (favorite is, of course, Daddy's 49ers) at the Superbowl! 
Yay Steelers!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
smilin'
Our son has THE BIGGEST HAPPIEST smile - it lights up his whole face. One of my favorite things is when strangers come up to admire his adorableness and Cole gives them this grin:
I love it!
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