Baby Brains and Literacy!

Via First Things First

Hi Y'all!  Happy Thursday!  I really hope your week if flying by, gosh... mine sure is!  I still haven't made it to Express (or the mall, actually...) to buy some cute new work clothes in prep for my first day on my new job next week, but I have been spending some time reading some interesting information on young children.  If there is one thing that I cannot stress enough, it is the importance of understanding the impact we have on your children.  It just kills me when I see parents, grandparents, or just people in general who don't realize how much of an impact they have on children.  Whether its because they don't care or they just don't know, it is sooo important to educate everyone!

I think that picture at the top of this post says it all: The brain is the only organ not developed fully when a baby is born.  What does that mean?  It is constantly developing in the early years... and we are they key in that development!

So in short, what can you do today to help encourage learning and brain development?  Well, the list can go on forever, but we can start by focusing on literacy in the early years.  It is as simple as that- read to your babies!

1. Read to young children EVERYDAY! (It doesn't matter if they are a newborn or a 4 year old!)
2. Talk to your babies, regardless of age, and explain to them what you are doing.  Ask them questions (even if they cannot talk yet!)
3. Take young children to the library.  Let them see you reading.
4. Tell your children stories.  Make up stories with their name. 
5. Read nursery rhymes, or even better, make up your own rhymes!  Sing them, chant them, whatever you want to do!
6. Point out letters around you. Read alphabet books.  Play with Alphabet magnets.

I leave you with this awesome statistic, below.  Now, go READ to your babies! :)

Our weekend recap in pictures!

Well, we meet again Monday.  Ugh.  This is my last week of working from home, before I start a 'real' job again.  I am very excited, a bit nervous, and somewhat bummed at the idea of actually having to wake up, dress up, and go to work.  Luckily, the only person who will have to deal with the transition is me, as Ledoux has been in childcare for a while now, and has developed quite the 'second' family there.  I think a trip to Express to stock up on some cute work clothes is in order this week.  Twist my arm.


Anyhoo, I hope y'all had a most fab father's day weekend!  We celebrated Lee's first Father's Day on Saturday, because my honey works Sundays.  So Saturday morning, we just lounged around as a family, and gave Lee is father's day gifts.  We got him a date-vitiation which he loved.  He also got a high powered pellet gun, so he can sit on the balcony, and keep the nasty little Arizona critters off of our piece of desert.  We decided the bunny rabbits, birds, and lizards are free from the wrath of Lee, but the snakes and spiders are free game.  Not to mention the wild pigs, coyotes, etc. that often make their way down the wash to our front door.

We spent the afternoon re-decorating our loft area.  We have an entire second level, that has a huge open space and our master bedroom bath, and we have had the hardest time deciding what to do with it.  Although it is far from done, we spend almost all of our time up there thanks to it being the only area of the house with carpet, that is totally baby proof (so Doo can move and groove to her hearts desire!)  I made her a little spot that is all her own, and I think she loves it!  Her favorite part?  Staring at pictures of herself.  Of course.  It is meant to be a fun place for her to lounge, read books, and maybe...someday...curl up and take a nap!? Yeah right.

 That evening, I surprised Lee with a date night to the zoo!  Ok, ok, I know you are thinking that sounds lame!  It was a special, after hours event at the zoo called 'Brews at the Zoo' and it was so fun!  For 3 hours, 15 or so different breweries set up shop in the zoo, and we walked around, sampled beers, and played at the zoo.  There is nothing I love more than the zoo, paired with unlimited amounts of beer...?  Count me in!

Since my hubs had to work Sunday, it was just me and Doodle!  We designed her 1st birthday cards (and old west theme is what we decided on!) and did some grocery shopping.  And yes, she actually loves to wear sunglasses.  She takes on a whole new 'tude when she puts them on, and I love it.  So sassy.  Soooooo sassy. She wore mine through the store, the whole time were there.

I hope everyone had a most fab weekend, and that your Monday flies by!  Only 4.5 days until the weekend, you can do it!!