Doing well
Miranda's generally doing well. She's very much enjoying pre-school and she also goes to music sessions with Nanna and goes to a playgroup/childcare session once a week, as well.
At home, she's doing lots of activities, including rubber stamps, playing with playdough, coloring, reading, etc.
She's also completely potty trained, yay! She's even dry at night. No more nappies!
The BEST Play Dough Recipe
This is a really good play dough with a really nice, firm texture. It lasts for a couple of weeks if stored in an airtight container (I like a big ziplock bag). My kids just love this stuff (and so do I).
Best Play Dough Ever
2 cups flour
1/2 cup salt
2 cups water
2 tablespoons oil
1/4 cup cream of tartar
Food coloring (totally optional)
1) Put water and salt in a saucepan, mix thoroughly until salt is dissolved. Add oil. If you're using food coloring, this is a good time to add that, generally several drops. You may find you need to use more coloring as the mixture is cooking (and you can knead in more later, though that's not as effective as putting it in from the start).
2) In a bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix well. Slowly add this mixture to the water mixture in the saucepan, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
3) Cook and stir over low/medium heat until play dough is completely formed and no longer sticky. Cooked dough will look very like thick mashed potatoes.
4) Allow to cool somewhat. Turn dough onto a board and knead until smooth and cooled. Store in an air tight container or zip lock bag.
Playgroup
Miranda went to playgroup today and was thrilled. By the time I had her signed in she was seated very happily at an activity table.
When I returned to pick her up, the director asked me if Miranda had been upset when I left. I said, "No.... why?" Turns out Miranda had sat in her chair and shook all over a bit, and they thought that very strange.
Heh, that's her "I'm so excited and happy," move, which I explained. They admitted that it made sense, given that she had a wonderful time all day (and cried when I arrived, because she didn't want to leave all the fun behind).
Apparently, she's decided to recite the names of all the people there, children included!
How about.... playgroup?
Miranda had a wonderful time at preschool today. So wonderful, in fact, that she didn't say goodbye to me at all, and when I arrived to pick her up she saw me, started to cry, and flopped down on the floor because she didn't want to leave! The teachers thought it was kind of funny, so I guess it doesn't happen that often, but I've seen her do it plenty of times, and the childcare folks have told me they see it pretty routinely in lots of kids.
When I finally got her in the car, she said, "Miranda playgroup?" because on Wednesdays, we drop off Zoë at preschool (same one Miranda attends, although in a different age group, of course) and then I take Miranda to childcare/playgroup (and have a couple hours all to myself, woohoo). I told her that we'll do that tomorrow. She cried. All the way home she tried to persuade me to take her somewhere else, and cried off and on.
Finally when we got home she tried one last time as we pulled into the driveway.
"How about.... playgroup?" she suggested.
She's in a better mood now that we've had lunch and she's had a cup of fruit tea (non-caffeinated, of course). Nothing like a hot lunch and a nice cup of tea to soothe a troubled spirit, I think.
Preschool and such
Miranda's attending the same preschool Zoë goes to (one day a week) and also goes to childcare/kinder (same one they both went to last year) one day a week. So far, all is well. She enjoyed preschool and had a happy, fun day, the same at childcare/kinder.
She didn't go to morning music group with Nanna this week because Nanna is in Queensland at the moment, but when she gets back, that'll be on the agenda, too.
Pretty busy for a three-year-old!
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