Keeping busy at home

Because Logan and I share one car, I have to find creative ways to spend my day at home when he takes the car to work all day. I have come up with a few strategies to help Leah play and not get bored at home (though she usually gets bored with me so we visit the neighbor's kids). Here's what we have been up to. Ever since we started drawing pictures with sidewalk chalk, she can't get enough of it. It first started when our neighbor was outside tracing around her son with the chalk. So she wanted me to do that to her.

Then I began drawing pictures of her favorite things: dogs, cats, mermaids and princesses (she's really into the Disney movies these days). Now she wants to try her hand at drawing and sometimes she doesn't even notice if I'm outside with her or not. I'm grateful for this simple pleasure of chalk that with keep her busy.

Next I have found that Play-Doh works wonders with her while I'm trying to prepare dinner. She will usually want help making certain figures using my cookie cutters. But she will sit and play as long as I'm close by in the kitchen.













Sometimes she just likes to be silly outside and hang on the back of this metal swing in the yard. I sit and swing while she stands on the back and pats my head. Or she wants me to turn around and give her a kiss. These are the little moments that help me get through a long day at home.













Another favorite of hers is arranging bows and brushing my hair. Usually Logan or I will have to help her get the bows in my hair, but she's pretty good at ripping them out. I remember doing this with my mom when I was a little girl. I would try to fit as many bows in her hair as possible. And then I would proudly show my dad what I had done. She is definitely becoming a girly girl.













And last but not least, painting finger nails. Today she saw me taking off the paint on my toe nails, and I asked if she wanted me to paint hers and she said "yeah". So she held each hand very still while I painted her little nails. And then I held her hands still while we sat on the couch and watched a cartoon. I'm glad I bought the 60-second dry polish so it didn't take long before she could start playing again. But she was so excited to show her pretty nails off to Logan and everyone else we saw today. I even painted my finger and toe nails as well to match hers. It's fun having a little girl! (I'm so excited for my sis-in-law to be having a girl after four boys. This is what she has to look forward to)