cutting away, Emmett ready to help
The Haircut
The latest game to hone those fine motor skills is cutting with scissors. Stella wants to cut and cut and cut. We try and limit the cutting to just paper but sometimes it doesn’t always stay that way.
Petting the minature Shetland
Currently she is in a state of limbo. Not really wanting her afternoon nap although needing it. Sometimes when she does take it, it is all the harder for her to come down in the evening and go to sleep. On such an occasion I had trimmed her bangs earlier in the evening. After rearranging her room and packing her things for “work” she decided that her hair was still a little too long.
riding the big horse
She found the scissors (which have subsequently been moved to higher ground) and proceeded to trim her hair. Luckly just enough that it isn’t noticeable. When she was finished she went to town one of her puppets. When mommy came up to see what was going on Stella proudly proclaimed that maria can see much better now that the bangs are out of her face, holding up a doll with a huge patch of hair missing.
climbing after something
Snails Trail
Emmett the explorer. It is hard to keep him pinned down any more. He is all over the place, climbing up the stairs or chairs, leaving a snail’s trail or walking in your hands. Even trying to stand on his own. Today he stood up at the kids table, grabbed a cup of coffee that was sitting there, let go of the table and then turned the coffee cup upside down, spilling coffee all over the living room.
climbing around at Karls strawberry farm in Warnemunde
Bored with TV
A proud moment for a parent. While visiting family, the kids were sitting in front of the TV. Stella joined in. At first she enjoyed what ever was on the screen. A short while later I peeked in the room and saw her playing with the flashlight. Seeing that she was bored with the TV I asked her if she wanted to draw instead. With a quick yeah she dropped the flashlight and ran into the other room.
She’d rather draw, cut or create something.
Drawing and writing
Besides enjoying books Stella really taken to drawing and lately writing. Her scribbles are with a purpose. If she doesn’t proudly proclaim what it is when she is done she can tell you the details when asked.
Moreover She draws specific pictures for people now. “I made this one for Opa” This one is for you Mommy.”
experimenting with stilts
She has even begun to write messages. “This says I love you Daddy” just makes your heart melt.
She knows that Grandma and Opa’s birthday are coming soon. When we returned from our trip she said she wanted to pack something for Opa. Mommy thought she wanted to make something and gladly gave her the wrapping paper. Instead stella rounded up two books, a small rattle and a pen and tried to wrap it up as a present for Opa.
Balonrad (balloon wheel)
Last weekend we visited family in Ostfriesland (by the Dutch border). We learned of another innovation that is apparently only found in this area. Or at least we don’t know of it in northern Germany.
Maja’s cousin pulled a Ballonrad or balloon wheel as it is directly translated, from the shed. A hybrid bicycle/tricycle. This bike is for small kids and is a next step from the Laufrad to the bicycle without needed training wheels.
Stella hopped right on and gave it a go. She has the balance down from her time on the Laufrad but with her feet as brakes she doesn’t have a feel for the pedals and brakes. This offers her the chance to work on braking, pedaling and most importantly, looking where she is going before she combines this with the balancing part.
After three days of practice she was really able to take off. Maja’s cousin offered to loan it to Stella since it was collecting dust in the barn.
A proud Stella had to ride it over to show the neighbors as soon as we got home. And today she road it all the way to Kindergarten and back. The longest trek she has done with it yet and here it is hilly.
The real innovation is that you can convert this bike form the three wheels to two. Therefore they have the comfort of a bike they know how to handle and you can convert them to two wheels.
Stay tuned for progress.
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