our favorite shows for babies and preschoolers.

Around the time Iris was born, Marius and I made a decision to cancel our cable and basic television subscriptions. We switched to streaming from Netflix and buying any of the other shows we wanted to watch. Part of our reasoning for this was because in our opinion, much of what is on tv these days is junk. It's loaded with commercials, so even watching a good show or two at night was tedious for us.

Like most parents, we are choosy about what shows we allow Iris to watch. The lack of regular tv has allowed us to research and choose exactly what media Iris ingests. Below is a list of  the shows we feel are the most educational and emotionally intelligent shows for kids to learn from and enjoy.

Harold and the Purple Crayon was Iris' first television show when she was a baby. The main character, Harold, is easy for small children to relate to. Harold is a young boy who imagines "what if..." scenarios and draws them out with his purple crayon. Each short episode is full of fun and song, while still being unflashy and simple to understand. The show teaches that it's a good thing to ask questions, and that exploring the world is a wonderful experience. Harold creates his own adventures while learning about life - just as we all do!

Based on the books by Maurice Sendak, Little Bear follows the simple and heartwarming experiences of the main character, Little Bear. The show focuses on Little Bear's personal relationships with his family and friends, each of whom has a unique personality.  Iris has always gravitated to Little Bear's soft music and gentle way of walking through emotions and situations. Serene, is the best word for this show. Little Bear is actually more like reading a book, than watching a tv show.

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood intends to continue the legacy of the beloved Fred Rogers. Daniel is the son of characters in Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, and the show takes places in The Land of Make Believe. Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood continues to spread the messages that Fred Rogers is so well loved for. Iris has learned all the little "jingles" each episode provides to explain feelings and ideas to children. For example, "when we do something new, let's talk about what we'll do!"  This show encompasses a great deal of the gentle, honest way of life taught by Fred Rogers.

The Magic School Bus, paves the way to a love of science. An eccentric teacher called Ms. Frizzle takes her fourth grade class on field trips to explore the world in depth. Each episode focuses on a new aspect of science, during which the kids are learning by experience. I'd say the show targets age 5 and up, though Iris still loves this show and she grasps a basic understanding. From tide pools to outer space, to the digestive system - the magic school bus can go anywhere! It's never too early to start learning!

lately.

Marius and Iris at the Frankenstein Castle Halloween family day!

Enjoying - the cooler weather which has now fully settled into the bones of Germany. We're certainly missing our sunny days; autumn, winter and spring are known to be vastly occupied by unbroken cloud cover. However, there's something magical to me about this season. I love that first hot cloud of my own breath in the air as I step outside. The coziness of a mug of hot tea whilst cocooning myself in blankets and snuggling with my dearest ones will win over sweating in the sun any day!

Reading - rather, rereading the book 1-2-3 Magic. If you have children, this book is an absolute must in my opinion. When Iris was a baby, I thought I was above the idea of giving time-outs. For many years now, Marius and I have both been implementing the ideas found in the book P.E.T (which I also highly recommend as a form of learning how to better communicate.) While these methods have helped her grow into an enormously empathetic, intelligent and logical person, it just hasn't been enough to handle the often irrational toddler brain. 1-2-3 Magic really does work and I recommend it to all of those who give childcare!

Watching - a lot of Mulan, which is Iris' most favorite movie right now. I also just finished Season 2 of Once Upon a Time and Marius and I have just started watching Season 1 so he can catch up on the story too. I can hardly wait until the third season of Game of Thrones comes out on blu-ray! We've also been completely obsessed with The Big Bang Theory and Iris often asks, "are we going to watch Sheldon??"

Planning - for Christmas! I've already bought all of the presents for extended family and will be working on wrapping and packaging next week! It feels nice to get everything finished and not have to worry about rushing to get things shipped out at the last minute.

Anticipating - the Christmas Markets here in Europe! The larger markets typically begin running in mid to late November and go through Christmas. Most of the small towns here have weekend events during which entire town centers are shut down and dedicated to enjoying the Christmas spirit and shopping for locally made goods. The gluwein is boiling hot to stave off the freezing wind, the sugary scent of hot Belgian waffles and melty crepes fills the air, and that special Christmas warmth of everyone around is enough to make anyone smile (even if you are freezing half to death.)

I've missed blogging and I know many of you have missed the posts of photos and stories about Iris. Feel free to comment with what you have been up to lately and let's get back in touch!

gymnastics girl.

Iris has been participating in the base-run gymnastics program for a couple of months now. She has come a long way in terms of being physical with her environment. A few weeks in gymnastics has her running, hopping, tiptoeing, rolling, balancing and more. The class is just 30 minutes once a week, but it's been precious to her. She absolutely adores it, as you can see by the joy and confidence in her face!

Stretching time - touch your toes!

Doing her "Table" pose.

Doing the Bear Crawl.

Leap! 

Roll!

I did it!

Balancing Bear Crawl.

TA-DA!

Straddle walk.

Balancing on the bar.

Hanging onto the bar for as long as she can.

Balance beam with Papa!

Feet in the circle for stamps and stickers at the end of class!

Iris' 2nd birthday party.

Iris was born almost two years ago on the date 10.10.10. It's truly hard to believe how the time flies! We had her 2nd birthday party today and she had such a wonderful time. I planned the party loosely around a woodland theme because Iris loves the movie Bambi. I handmade a birthday crown for Iris and also one for each of her three friends. I made a chocolate fudge cake with chocolate buttercream frosting and mini vanilla cupcakes to mimic toadstools. I was also inspired to make chocolate and Nutter Butter acorns and a cheese and almond hedgehog to suit the theme. I didn't want to go too crazy with decorating, but we did hang streamers across the ceiling and inflated lots of balloons for the kids to play with. Thank you to my friend for taking all of the photos below so that we could fully enjoy the day with our baby.

Iris was especially focused on everything today and was in such high spirits. Today, she gladly shared all of her toys, even the ones close to her heart. She smiled and giggled so often that if there was even one frown, I don't remember it. She wore her birthday crown with pride all afternoon. After about an hour of playing with toys, bouncing balloons across the room and snacking on assorted meats and cheeses, Iris proclaimed - "cake?!" We of course obliged and she sat in her Papa's lap as she awaited the cake's arrival. We sang Happy Birthday to her and she grinned and knew immediately to blow out the candles! She then helped me cut the cake and proceeded to occasionally ask me for "more chocolate? more cake?" for the rest of the day. 

With great interest and patience, she opened each one of her presents and marveled at all of them. She received many books, blocks and puzzles, along with several toys simply for the sake of play, all of which she immediately fell in love with. The deer decoration on her cake also became her very own "Bambi!" The grand finale of her presents - a piano which plays many different sounds including meowing, and Rody the bouncy horse! 

After the party we treated her to her favorite dinner and dessert - pizza and pomegranate seeds. She watched her new Little Bear movie as her eyes grew heavier, and fed pomegranate to her new toys. Marius and I asked her, "Iris, what was your favorite present today?" My sweet one, she replied, "friends." 

As I put her to bed tonight, it was one of the last times I will ever snuggle my one year old. 

Happy Birthday, my baby.

Eating a chocolate acorn and waiting for her guests to arrive. 

The girls patiently waiting for the boys to arrive.

The cheese and almond hedgehog I made.

The chocolate and nutter-butter acorns I made.

The cake! Can't see the birthday bunting here but there are the toad stool cupcakes. 

Family photo with our birthday girl. 

Bonking Papa with balloons!

One of her favorite games!

Overseeing the boy's activities.

Everyone playing so well together. 

Waiting for her cake to be brought out!

Happy Birthday!

This is the part where I barely managed to keep from bursting out crying.

Helping me cut the cake.

Very focused.

Licking the candles, a children's birthday staple!

Opening her presents!

One of the many books she received.

Using her muscles to "rip it!"

So excited to get Penguin Race from her Granny!

Hugging her new dragon stuffed animal.

Mama and Papa smiling both at Iris being cute... and wondering why we bought the most annoying toy ever!

The girls playing the meowing piano together.

It's RODY!!

Bouncing together!

Happy 2nd birthday, my baby.

little creations.

Yesterday afternoon, as I was chopping vegetables, I decided to give Iris a handful of carrots, olives and celery to explore. I didn't suggest anything or show her what to do, just let her have a few minutes of completely open play. First, she squirted some juice over the veggies and took a few nibbles.

Then, she created...

I asked her, "would you tell me about what you're making?"

"Carrots," she replied.

twenty-two months.

I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but some time between last month and this one, something shifted within you. You are starting to firmly grasp independence, really taking chances on your own by initiating change. 

Thus far in your life, you have seemed to be more intellectual than physical. While other kids your age run around, getting into everything, you prefer to watch and talk about what you're observing. Now that you are becoming more interested in socializing, you're taking more chances and stepping outside of your usual comfort zone. At a squadron picnic this weekend, there was a bouncy castle. You screamed with joy - "TOY!" while laughing and pointing at the other kids "BOUNCE!" You wanted to try, so we took your shoes off and placed you on the edge of the castle... but the first two times we tried, you got scared and immediately asked to get down. It was apparent that you still really wanted to try. The third time, you connected with another toddler who was throwing herself joyfully around on the bouncy castle and you joined her, tentatively at first. By the time we left you were bouncing around all by yourself. 

On top of this new breaking of your old boundaries, you are further amazing us with full sentences. For example, the other day you patted my arm and told me "it'll be okay," as a loud motorcycle went by us. You are asking for specific food items that you want, such as "cheese and bread?" We usually walk to the market together every few days, and you excitedly name the fruits and veggies in the product section, "carrot! apple! tomato! pepper!" while also saying "hi!" to everyone we pass. You've also got remarkable manners for your age, demonstrated by your energetic "thank-you!!!" every time one of your needs or wants is met. You are also learning to say "please" when asking for something. When you want one of us to do something for you, you push our legs in the direction you want while commanding, "go!" or "come!"

Your favorite foods at home are yogurt, oatmeal and waffles. When we go grocery shopping, you know to ask for your other favorite foods - "a yummy?!" I usually buy you a little treat to keep you entertained while I shop, such as a carton of raspberries or a little chocolate pastry. You enjoy lounging on the beanbag in your play area while talking to your stuffed animals. You've learned to simultaneously run across the lawn and kick your ball while exclaiming, "kick it!" We draw with chalk on the patio almost daily, and you tell me that you're drawing "blub blub" (fish) or "meow" (cats), even adding recognizable little details such as eyes and whiskers. When you want a change of scenery, you will ask to "go room?" to play upstairs in your room. 

You have also learned to tell your first knock knock joke! You say, "knock knock!" and we reply "who's there?" You throw your arms open wide and say "...a little baby!!" Your newest word obsessions are pointing to an insect and saying, "a bee!" or "a fly!" and you shoo it away. You have also started being a copy-cat for language, repeating things that we say like "not cool!"

The most illustrative and surprising change, is your own decision to night-wean. Since your birth, you have woken multiple times a night for me to nurse you. I would go to bed with your Papa, and you'd wake me crying not long after. I would spend the rest of the night in your bed with you, and I so enjoyed those nights we spent snuggling. You whimpered and nuzzled me a few times every night, until your need for milk and comfort was met, and you would fall back asleep. The last two nights, instead of crying out for me to come to your room for milk, you took a different route. You found your ladybug nightlight, turned on her soft light and fell back to sleep all by yourself. Without me. Without milk. 

I got the first full nights of sleep I've had in two years - except for when I abruptly woke up wondering how I could possibly still be in my own bed! The first night, your Papa and I jumped up to make sure you were okay.... and there you were curled up in bed, bathed in a blue glow and fast asleep. I never imagined you would give up your nightly feedings and cosleeping so easily, that you would transition so beautifully. This is truly an example of my belief that children will hit milestones when they are ready. I have been so patient, and this reward is more than I could ever have asked for. 

I am so very proud of you.