The Joy of Being the Leader: Jude's Yes Day

I wanted to start off with an apology. I have been far more absent than I had originally intended. If you follow our Instagram or Facebook, you may have seen our big announcement last week. Jude is being promoted to big brother in early October. This pregnancy has been exponentially worse than Jude's. I spend my days feeling like I'm on a tilt-a-whirl ride, and all of my free time goes to napping. I am hoping for that second trimester energy spike near the end of March, but prepare for randomly spaced out blog posts. I am looking forward to sharing this journey with y'all and getting to come up to activities to amuse a baby and a toddler at the same time!

Now that we got that out of the way, I wanted to blog about something that was so simple yet so powerful that Jude and I did yesterday. I let him be the leader. We spend a lot of time socializing with other toddlers and moms, so when we are out, it's easiest that the adults guide the play and the pace to keep the peace. While Jude always has a really great time, we don't always get to do what he wants.

So yesterday was a playdate day, but when plans fell through, Jude and I headed to the Newport Aquarium with HahHah for a Jude guided adventure. We went knowing that Jude would guide us to where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do. We left the Keenz in the car and just had our backpack and a smile.

It was lovely. And exhausting. But importantly, Jude was so very happy.

Jude realized quickly that he was running the show and would pull us from fish tank to fish tank marveling at the "ishies" and their colors. If he got bored, he would just head off to the next. We spent a lot of time watching the sharks and rays and going back to do it again and again. Jude touched nearly everything in the touch tanks and touched the sting rays for the first time. He picked what he wanted in the cafe for a snack. He braved the shark bridge and picked his own shark to bring home to remember our special day.

It feels so easy. Like, duh, of course you should let your kid lead, but it's something that I know personally I forget to do. It was special for Jude. You could tell that he felt in charge and independent and most importantly he felt heard. Independence is something that is so hard to help a toddler feel, especially when it's so much easier just to do it for them. Try having a yes day with your toddler. Stock up on coffee beforehand and get ready to chase, but it will be so worth it!

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The Joy of Being the Leader: Jude's Yes Day

Bouncing Away the Winter Blues

I'm not sure what it is about this specific winter, but goodness has it been hard to beat the winter blues. Jude and I are both tired and grumpy most of the time. Our motivation is low. It hasn't been great. While reflecting on this the other day, I realized that when we are stuck inside, Jude is most happy when he is physically moving around. So, here is a list of activities and toys we have used this winter to bounce away the winter blues!

1. Movement Songs on our Google Mini

This is a surefire way to get Jude to smile. Some of our favorites are on the playlist below!
CCM-Movement Playlist

2. Nugget Comfort Couch

I sing the praises of the Nugget often on this blog, but truly it's saved us this winter season. Jude is getting more excited and more brave about climbing and sliding down. He's also getting strong enough to start moving some of the cushions how he wants. Just dragging them from place to place helps get some energy out as well. If you don't have a nugget, couch cushions and pillow forts could take the place of this energy busting activity too!

3. Trampoline

We have a Little Tikes Trampoline in the playroom. In the fussiest of moments, I will ask Jude if he needs to go bounce, and he will take his pouty self to the trampoline and bounce away. It's good for his vestibular system and honestly just a whole lot of fun. 

4. Pikler Triangle

We have had our pikler for almost a year now. Jude used it to start pulling up. He climbed on it before he could even fully crawl. It's our number one energy buster no matter the season. He just learned recently how to climb over the top of it and go down the other side. He spends hours during the day going up and down and up and down, and he is just so proud when he does! It gives off a very playground activity vibe which helps us both pretend that we are spending our days outside.

5. Tumbling

I cannot recommend more going to a tumbling class if you have a kids gym near you. We have been going weekly since Jude was 2 months old to Kids First Sports Center in Blue Ash, and it has done wonders for him. He gets to socialize with other similarly aged children. He gets to play on thousands of dollars of equipment that I could never provide for him. And best of all, especially during this cold dark winter, tumbling puts Jude in his best mood. He leaves happy. He spends the rest of the day happy. It's lovely. 

Winter is the worst. It is even worse when you have a toddler that thrives on physical activity. I hope you got a few ideas from this, and if you have any suggestions, I would love to see them in the comments! 

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Bouncing Away the Winter Blues