Sunday, January 31, 2010

A Few of My Favorite CDs

Have you ever met a baby who didn't like music?  Not likely.  Something in us must just love hearing a good beat.  I first discovered the CD "A Poodle in Paris" (by Connie Kaldor) from my library and was hooked.  Each song is about something different and has a catchy tune.  I started playing this album while Baby Bear was not yet able to hold her head up, so I often would play the CD while she was on her changing table and could see me well.  Here are some activities we enjoyed doing with some of the songs:
  • "A Poodle in Paris" includes the well-known tune used for can-can dancing, so when Baby Bear was  on her back, she enjoyed doing the kicks to that part of the song.
  • "The Littlest Duck" talks about what various animals like to do.  I made up little movements for each animal and would dance them for Baby Bear.
  • "The Zoo Is Having a Party" has a very catchy tune.  This was a fun one to play holding Baby Bear over my shoulder and dancing around the room.
I thought that this CD might be a soundtrack for a movie.  Unfortunately, it wasn't.  It turns out there is a book that accompanies the CD, based on the individual song "A Poodle in Paris."  I also found a second CD that is just as good, also by Connie Kaldor: "A Duck in New York City" (which also has a book with the same title).  Another favorite of mine.  I ended up purchasing both CDs and both books.  What's nice about the books is that they contain the lyrics to all the songs.  Since my voice could use some work, it was good to know I was at least singing the correct lyrics.

These CDs seem great for children of all ages.  In fact, I had brought "A Poodle in Paris" with me on a family vacation.  By the end, everyone, including the second grader and sixth grader, were singing along!  Definitely a must-have for your CD collection.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Welcome to My Site!

Greetings!  I am excited to launch my new blog just for other parents and grandparents out there looking for little snippets to help make life easier. 

I became a parent for the first time last April.  Although I read What to Expect When You're Expecting and attended all the baby classes I could while pregnant, parenthood still came as a shock. You can plan for parenthood all you want, but you're still going to hit bumps in the road.

The purpose of my blog is to share information I've learned through experience.  I hope that my readers will gain at least one "bite" of information they find useful and will share some of their own in the comments section.

However, I must give this disclaimer: Any information I share is through my own trial and error as a parent.  I am not a doctor or nutritionist and can only offer what I do or have read.  Any time you hear or read something regarding the safety or health of your loved one, it's always a good idea to ask an expert you trust.

With that being said, I'm ready to share what I have learned in my nine short months of being a mama bear.

Enjoy!