I used to have "special days" as mami called them. Nursery days, mami and me days and mami, papi and me days.
But recently it seems that everyday is mami and me days. One afternoon mami picked me up from nursery, we said bye bye to my friends and teachers and well, come to think of it, I haven't seen them again.
And the truth is I missed them at first, but now I just want to be at home. Don't get me wrong, I had so much fun at nursery and they had lots more toys than I have, but hey, mami is cool too!
I don't really know what is going on, but I am pretty sure that mami is not working at her office anymore. I heard her tell a friend that she "stopped working at the end of July".
Every morning I think she won't be there, but guess what?! She is! We get up, go out, and we do things we hadn't done before like painting, cooking together and even doing vlogs! Mami smiles a lot more and isn't in a rush all of the time. I really like this new set up because we make a great team.
Anyway, mami was always fun, but I think we are both more relaxed now that we have more time together. I listen when she asks me to tidy up and I have stopped siding with papi on everything. I give her lots of hugs and kisses...I mean a lot more than ever before.
I am so happy she is at home with me. Besides, I get to show off everything I learned at nursery - like drawing our hands, she didn't know how to do this!
When she asked me "Do you want to go to nursery?" yesterday I said "No. Only mami casa (home)".
She just stared at me for a few seconds then hugged me super tight.
This past week the weather has been really funny. I mean really strange.
One moment it rains really really hard (so much that the rain drops hurt my head when we got caught outside) and the next the sun is out and it gets very very hot.
But anyway, that's the British summer for you! However when it rains for most of the day it means I can't go outside until it stops so we have to find fun things to do...inside.
I wasn't sure what mami had planned. But I'm happy to report she came up with some very fun ideas - who knew she had it in her?
One day we made a tent and had our lunch inside of it. Even papi who was home joined us.
Another day I made pizza bagels - and I mean it when I say, I MADE THEM. I even got to use a knife, but the rule is I can only use one WITH mami, not alone.
Mami surprised my by bringing out a craft kit that Fairy had sent us with eggs (not real ones!) paints, scissors and string to make athletes in honour of the London Olympics. Sneaky mami had kept this from me but better late than never!
I helped paint and cut out their arms and legs and we glued them on. That was a lot of fun because mami let me do whatever I wanted! We made Dan the Diver - but his swim suit looks like a pair of underwear - so funny!
And of course, we did eventually go outside, and mami put her boots on too and guess what we did? We jumped IN the puddles! Every single one of them on our street! Even the big one on the corner that she usually says I can't jump in.
We both got very wet, but we didn't care!
See? Rainy days can be fun!
Do you have other ideas you can share with us? Because I hear there's a whole lot more rain coming and we need to keep busy!
I could always tell there was something wrong when I asked mami to draw me a big cat or a giraffe.
She would just look at me, then at papi and say, "you draw it" and then she would make circles, or flowers or the usual: a house. She never really tried to draw anything else.
To be honest, I don't really care what her drawings look like as long as she does them with me. I was happy when BiC Kids invited her to a discussion about getting creative.
Mami always said that "she couldn't draw" but after speaking with Early Childhood Development Professor Angela Anning she realised that because she wasn't encouraged she never really tried. BUT that she shouldn't be afraid to try...don't worry mami, I won't judge you! I just want you to draw and get messy with me.
So to get mami started BiC Kids sent us their entire range of crayons, markers, and coloured pencils. The pencils are very difficult to break and you can leave the markers uncapped for 2 months (which I do all the time) and they won't dry out!
They are seriously amazing and I take very good care of them so they last a long time. And they are washable - double good because I was so excited when I got them that I coloured behind my door. Sorry mami!
And to make things even better, Becky from Baby Budgeting who was at the discussion as well sent mami some books that teach her how to draw! You would be amazed at what she's done since...just watch the video!
You've come along way mami!
So let this be a lesson to other mummies and have a go a drawing and crafting. It's all about having a good time. Because when you have fun, WE have fun!
I've got my very own email account. Not shared with mami or papi. Just mine. And it's about time!
I've been blogging for a year and a half and even making videos, but I still didn't have my very own email account.
But now I do! Yesssss!
Mami opened an account for me and I have already received emails from Grandma and Grandpa, my abuelita and my teachers from my nursery said they are going to email soon (they miss me a lot!)
Even mami and papi sent me an email saying that they love me very much.
That's my inbox!
Now my aunts, uncles and family all over the world can send me messages without having to go through mami's email or Facebook page.
This is just for me. And the best part is that I won't lose them. Nope. They will stay in my special folders for a long, long time. So I can read them over and over again when I'm bigger.
Mami says she still loves to read all of the letters my abuelitos wrote to her when she was little.
I feel so grown up and I can't wait to get emails! Besides, us kids we know lots about technology!
What about you, do you email your kids or write them letters? I think this is going to be so much fun!
"Cooking isn't my thing" says mami. But she does do it because "we have to eat".
It's mostly papi who cooks and I want to be just like him!
Anyway, after making carrot cake muffins from another Weight Watchers cookbook last year, they sent mami their latest cookbook, Simply Enjoy and she told papi "you choose a recipe, and I will make it". And that's just what he did.
Mami isn't on the Weight Watchers ProPoints Plan, but likes the book because the "recipes are simple and easy to follow". There are almost 100 yummy recipes that even papi will eat!
So what did she make? TURKEY BALLS in creme fraiche sauce and spinach! Mmmm!
Once she got all of the ingredients out and got going she didn't looked as confused. She said she "enjoyed making it" and is going to try another recipe again.
I think she is even thinking about signing up for a cooking class. Papi almost choked when he heard her say that.
I sure hope so because it's fun to see mami cook. Even if she is a bit messy!
I had never been in a museum. I think it's because mami doesn't like them too much.
There are lots of paintings, statues of people with no clothes on and strange looking things that are really really old and you aren't allowed to touch.
We walked around for a bit and then I had to go potty. "Mami, pee pee" I said. And we took off running to the other end of the building to find a toilet.
I had to go a few more times after that and by then mami and papi got the hint that I was bored and we went outside. And guess what they have there?! A PADDLING POOL!
It had just stopped raining and the sun had come out just in time for me to go in. And so I did! And I got SOAKED! And played with the fountains and ran from one end to the other and back again.
Mami tried to stop me a first, then I saw her just give up and let me play. Yesssss!
We even made me a paper boat - but I got it so wet it mushed together into a ball.
Apparently there are a million fun things to do there, but the paddling pool was all I needed!
You know how it is. Some days the sun is out and other days it is dark and rainy.
Today we were supposed to have a picnic at the park and play baseball with papi.
But it started raining. And it didn't stop. And it still hasn't stopped.
So, mami said we were going to have a picnic inside. I thought, I like that! I get to eat on the floor, at HOME!
Mami packed our food in our lunches boxes (papi had one too!) and we all sat down to eat. When I was ready to play baseball, papi quickly said "no baseball in the house". Ahhhhhhh! I knew it was too good to be true.
But still, I didn't let the rain get me down. I really liked our inside picnic.We even sang a few songs!
I am happy to report that I have been nappy-free ever since. There have been a few incidents but I'm over those. I know that I have to tell mami and papi when I have to go and I am very good at holding it in a little longer when I want to keep playing.
So I tried it. I sat on it. I peed and even pooped in it, but I just didn't want to have to think about when I had to go, so I said "No potty mami" and that was that. Besides, no one likes being asked if they have to "go caca" every five minutes.
Anyway, but back to my potty tales. I am now using my Ducky Potty like a big boy. It has a music for both pee pee and caca, and if you want to use the big toilet, you know the one papi and mami use you can take the seat off and use it so you don't fall in!
So to make things easier, and to celebrate my potty success, Fisher Price has given us one Ducky Potty to giveaway!
All you have to do is:
1. Leave a comment saying "I want to win a Ducky Potty!" 2. Leave your contact details (Twitter, email - however we can get in touch) 3. Subscribe to our blog by email (box on the side) 4. For an extra entry you can tweet I want to win a Fisher Price Ducky Potty with @verybusymama and Little M http://bit.ly/qPJ2ot
One entry per person Winner will be drawn at random Closes 31st August 2011
**THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED**
Good luck to everyone entering and to everyone learning to use the potty.
It's not easy, and remember, it takes time. It took me 3 months overall!
Papi says I look very grown up when I wear them, so I like them even more.
Anyway, back to my story.
I was supposed to be at the official Adidas and Disney Pixar event to launch their new kidswear range just in time for the release of Cars 2.
However, we were not able to make it that day. I think it had something to do with tube closures and rail replacement.
But I still wanted to tell you all about it!
They have all sorts of styles with new characters from the movie likeFinn McMissile, a British secret agent, Italian Francesco Bernoulli who is Lightning McQueen’s top rival, and Shu Todoroki, a race car favourite from Tokyo, Japan.
And if that wasn't cool enough, Adidas have even more exciting news. This autumn and winter they have another special range of trainers coming out that feature the Olympic mascot, Wenlock.
As you know the Olympics will be here in London next summer and it makes sense to have something special to wear for the occasion!
There are two different styles, Mascot Rainbow which is for kids 3-6 (good thing because I turn 3 in January!) and Mascot Champion is for kids 8-12 years old. Both ranges will also have t-shirts, track bottoms with Wenlock on them and the 2012 London Olympics logo. Of course!
In the meantime I'm racing around in my new zapatillas. That's trainers in Spanish.
And speaking of Olympics, Papi is still trying to get tickets. Do you think he will? I hear it's not easy.
There was a BIG BROWN OWL howling in the my room and it was flying at me. I got so scared I screamed out for mami and papi and curled up in my bed with my eyes shut really tight until they came to help me. By the time they came to my room the owl was gone.
But I KNOW it was there. I had seen it. It was looking at me and flapping its wings by the window. Mami held me tight and kissed me and said "Que pasó Little M? Que pasó?"
I cried and said "A BIG owl mami, a biiiiiig owl!" and I pointed to the window where I had seen it.
Mami looked over to the window and said "All gone. The owl is all gone" and tried to put me back to bed. But I held on to mami's neck so tight that she had to take me back to her bed.
Papi said "there's no owl Little M. It's all gone". But I didn't believe him. I just wanted to get out of my room!
I heard her whisper to papi "poor baby, he had a nightmare". A nightmare? I've never heard of that.
If that means scary dreams then I have had them before, but this was the first time I was actually able to tell mami what it is that I saw.
During the day I avoided my room because I still thought the owl was there hiding. I took a nap with mami and made her hold me tight. I don't want it to come back because it is so so so so so so soooooo scary!
Mami and I looked by the window before bed and I didn't see anything. I sure hope it's gone for good and doesn't come back to scare me tonight.
I've been sitting on the pelela or potty for a while now. You know, just to get a feel for it. I may have done something once or twice but I still preferred to do my pee pee and caca in my nappy.
That is until this past week. I just thought, "Bueno ya. I'll give my ducky potty a try" and that's just what I did.
Mami isn't working at the office anymore and I've been hearing her say "I'm going to take your nappy off". And guess what? Yesterday she finally did it.
I woke up and she immediately took off my nappy and put on calzoncillos or underwear. She looked at me and said "if you have to go pee pee or caca you go in the potty". I looked over at it and said "si, mami".
My wet jeans and undies...oops! Mami has been doing a lot of laundry
A little later on I felt a like I wanted to pee pee. I held it in and walked over to the potty and did pee pee there. Mami was folding laundry when I did it, so I took the potty to her and showed her I had done it. "Mami, pee pee, look!" I said, and she jumped up and said "muy bien, muy bien!"
Later that afternoon mami and I went to buy more calzoncillos and I chose the ones with cool robots on them. Before going to bed I used the potty again, and I made it through the night without wetting the bed!
Today we went out for a walk and chased a few squirrels. I was having so much fun I forgot to tell mami I had to go pee pee. Oops! I looked and saw that my trousers were all wet.
Mami said it was okay, but that I had to let her know next time. Si mami.
And then you know what she did?! She took off my clothes on the high street where EVERYONE could see me! Mami, that is so embarrassing!
So now I am going to show mami and papi what a big boy I am and use the potty more and more. I just hope mami doesn't see the puddle of pee pee I left behind my bedroom door this morning.
Trunki must know that our house gets pretty messy because they sent us their Travel ToyBox to try out.
I immediately thought mami would make me tidy up even more than she already does, but what happened next suprised us all. Turns out, she used the ToyBox for HER mess not mine!
She wheeled it in the living room one evening and began going through all the piles of papers and magazines. She said "there is too much junk" and began to sort through everything. She is currently using the ToyBox to store important things like my drawings and paintings.
But to get a better idea, mami and I put together a short video showing you why the Trunki Travel ToyBox (£19.99) is just so cool.
It always seems to cause a lot of discussion everywhere I go. I don't have a problem with it. In fact, I love summer! Having said that, I don't really know any other summer, but I hear this one is "very special".
Anyway, with that in mind, this year mami and papi decided we would stay in the UK and explore areas around here. We started with Cornwall back in April and I got to go to the playa or beach for the first time. It was soooo cool!
Mami had been planning where to go next when she received an invitation from a place called Knoll House Hotel in Studland Bay, Dorset. They wanted us to come and visit for a weekend and review their accommodations. After speaking with them and seeing what weekend would be best, we were booked for early July.
Knoll House Hotel has a long history of being a holiday hotel for families and believe me when I say kids are most welcomed. No one looked at me funny when I was running the halls!
We arrived on a Friday afternoon in time for lunch and we were greeted by the staff who knew our names and had a table reserved for us in the Children's Dining Hall.
Yes, they have a dining hall especially for us kids and a play room too. The idea is for us kids to have lunch (or tea at 5pm) first and then when we are done, we get to play and stay with the childminders while mami and papi go and have lunch in the main dining room. You know, so they get "alone" time. I didn't mind. I need a break too.
The hotel also has a 24 hour kitchen. Meaning you can come in and out of it as you please. Get milk, tea, coffee at any time. It was like being at home! Just walk in, open the fridge and pour your milk.
The hotel provides childminders at night. You can pay extra if you want to leave the hotel, but during dinner time, once we are in bed the childminders stay outside your bedroom door to take care of us. And if you can't sleep (like me!) they would call mami and papi to come back up. Now, we think this is great if you can get to sleep before 8pm, but mami felt too much pressure to be seated for dinner by 8.15pm (which is latest you can be served) and one night mami missed most of the dinner.
During the day we splashed around at the great big pool and a really cool playground for kids. There is a huge pirate ship and the longest slide I have ever seen! Even papi fit in it! This provides hours of fun.
But what we liked the most were the beautiful surroundings. We would walk out of the hotel through a field and down to the beach. The water was just the right temperature and we had a great weekend full of sun. There were lots of other families around and the hotel even packed our lunch to take to the beach!
Knoll House has won many awards for being child friendly, and we give up two hands up! However, we feel that it was difficult to stick to the hotel's timings for lunch, dinner and tea (if you are full board) and mami said she felt she was at a summer camp! Oh, and there were no TVs in the room. Not sure why?
Some may not like having to stick to schedules while on holiday and so this may not be "every one's cup of tea". But the general feeling was that there was a long history of families coming year after year. There were grandparents, parents, kids and dogs enjoying time together and families seemed to all know each other with a strong emphasis on quality time.
You can book a room at Knoll House Hotel either for full board (all meals included) or half board. They are open from just before Easter through November.
We were invited to stay for a weekend (full board) for the purpose of this review. All accommodations were paid for.
They have lots of functions and my red one makes my life so much easier.
It's not just for carrying water or to make sand castles at the beach. It's sooooo much more than just storage for my rock collection, the snails I pick off the wall, the sticks I find at the park or the ladybirds I carry around. I'm serious! My bucket can be used for every day living.
I realised that I was tired of sitting at the same table, eating from the same plate and using the same fork every night for dinner. I mean really mami, that is so boring!
So to make dinner time more fun, I took it upon myself to dump my plate of food into my bucket and eat it.
Mami looked at papi and asked "was the bucket clean?" he just shrugged his shoulders and said "I'm not sure" then they both looked back at me, but it was too late. I had already had the fork in my mouth.
Mmmm! Peas never tasted so good.
After that I had my jelly for dessert in the bucket too and then I made mami wash it out because I wanted to use it in the bath.
At that point mami tried to take it away from me, but I held the handle so tight that it was impossible for her to undue my super strong grip.
So in the bath it went. And I filled it with water and bubbles and poured it on my head.
After the bath I went around to the living room and put my favourite books in the bucket and carried them back to my room so mami could read them to me. Once I was in bed, I filled the bucket with a few toys for the morning and we said our prayers.
What a great end to the day!
See, I told you having a bucket comes in handy. You can use it for everything!
