Box and Backpack

When my Skip Hop diaper bag started to rip, I sent a picture to customer service. The next day I received a gift certificate for enough money to replace my bag and for much of a purchase for a backpack for Eva. I love a company willing to stand by their product and give good customer service!  

When the bags arrived, the kids were ecstatic that they came in huge boxes. Eva spotted her backpack and shouted "BA-PA! BA-PA!" (backpack in Eva speech.)  She knew it was for her. She spent that afternoon playing with the backpack strapped to her back.  

Elijah ran and got his backpack and the two of them played "school" sitting in boxes.  Elijah set up their backpacks as you see in the picture below. He's still a little vague on what happens in school, but sitting in boxes seemed like something you might do!

Later they dragged the boxes into the living room so they could watch a little Dinosaur Train "Drive-In Movie style." There is nothing like a box for good play!

Book+Activity: Chopsticks!

Our good friend Ruthie recommended this charming book to us. "Chopsticks" by Amy Rosenthal is a charming book about a pair of chopsticks that get into adventures together.  Ruthie was right, Amy Rosenthal is quickly becoming one of my favorite picture book authors! Her books are incredibly witty, imaginative, with the most fun and quirky illustrations. "Chopsticks" is a companion book to "Spoon" that is an utterly adorable book about a young spoon learning how special he is.

After reading "Chopsticks," I brought out the kids' training chopsticks and made gyoza with rice. I had purchased their training chopsticks at "Bed Bath and Beyond" a few weeks before and was interested in how they would help the kids.  They were pretty terrible.  The spring holding the two sticks together kept popping out, and they were not easy to maneuver. Still, the kids loved using them.  Elijah discovered that if he flipped the chopsticks around, he could use the top much better than the bottom. He is so inventive!  Eva pretty much stabbed at her food.  Both kids devoured the meal, making me inspired to continue cooking Japanese food for them!

I'm noticing a pattern with these book+activities... Lots of food-related books!  And at least one more to come!

Like Poppi!

Yesterday I made cinnamon and sugar tortillas (though pretty light on both!) for the kids, telling them this was one of their Poppi's favorite treats. I sat down with my coffee and I hear Elijah saying, "Eva! You're like Poppi!" I assumed he meant because of the treat they were eating. Then I looked up and saw Eva's face brown with cinnamon and sugar, in the shape of a beard and moustache. Looking like Poppi! That's what Elijah meant! I just laughed and laughed!

I think she opened up the tortilla and licked, rubbing it over her face!

A note...

Elijah: "Here Mommy, read this note I wrote. It says 'Dear God, Thank you for making me so special.'"

So sweet. Written on a rock.