Pandemic Preschool for Toddlerbot

 Whoooo boy. Where have I been? The last year has been a blur for me. Working through diagnoses and treatments and trying to get my life to a manageable level. I feel like I'm finally there, I feel like I can finally breathe. I THOUGHT I had everything to a level I could handle, but then 2020 reared it's ugly head and it became apparent I was going to have to home school my preschooler. Huh... so now I have to teach him, and somehow plan safe play dates, and.. go crazy, basically. Fortunately, my doctor is amazing and we decided the best way I could balance my health was to go part time at work. Starting the home part of my day four hours earlier every day has been amazing for getting to bed on time -- which is vital for living with my Fibromyalgia.

So homeschooling a preschooler; that sounds fun and easy right? Play some learning games, go about your day. First of all, if y'all don't appreciate teachers, 2020 is about to learn you a lesson. I have nothing but love and respect, and if I could clear every list I see posted on Twitter, I absolutely would. Teachers and nurses both pop into my head when I think of angels on earth, and they always have. But now... ooh boy.

To add to the insanity, my preschooler is ahead of his curve for a lot of educational milestones, while being limited by his little three year old body. He knows all the shapes and colors and letters and counts (mostly) to 100, but writing is a challenge for him. He's learning phonics, and addition, and subtraction, and I'm just running along after him trying to keep up. He asks questions I am not qualified to answer in any way -- most recently: why is water wet? Why does water touch [him]? This came up when we got new bath toys and discussed density and displacement because he thought the new toys sank because of gravity pulling on their mass (yeah, he's three) and I am NOT QUALIFIED, my dudes.

If you'd like to join us for our prek fun, we'll be here. I promise to not leave this blog behind again. Some posts will be about our learning lessons. Some posts will be venting sessions as all default parents slowly lose their minds. All posts will be fun.. at least I think so.

We use ABCMouse.com for base curriculum,
to fill any gaps I may be missing.

REVIEW // Step 2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table

Troy has been absolutely obsessed with playing in the sink since we got him a bigger step stool that allowed him to reach the water. It's been a long winter in Ohio, and I have been less-than-patiently waiting for the warm weather. With Troy's second birthday coming up, we knew it was the perfect opportunity to get him the Step 2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table. It turned out to be an even better purchase than we expected!

Product: Step 2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table (MSRP $69.99)
Where to find it: Amazon, Target, Walmart, etc
Grade: 4.5/5
TL;DR: My kid loves this table.

Just add water!

It's been a while...

I could launch into apologies for my absence, but if you're a parent, chances are "life happens" is an adequate explanation for why this blog has sat dormant for so long.

The last year has been a wild, exciting ride for the Bots. We moved into our home in July 2018, we married in March 2019, we are adopting a dog TODAY, and we will be celebrating Troy's second birthday this month. There have been some trials along the way, but I wouldn't trade a second of it.. well. Maybe I'd trade a few moments for just a bit more sleep, but you know what I mean.

We had a fantastic year as our family grew into it's new digs.

Work has been crazy, but in the best possible way! I am a trainer now, which means frequent schedule changes and putting my parenting patience into practice, but I am so fortunate to have a village to lean on in my times of need. The move was to bring us physically closer to our family and friends, and it has made a world of difference. Mamas and papas, you need a village. Build it however you see fit, but none of us can do this alone. Beyond the isolation, we are just limited in our endless capacities.

Troy is moving into the most magical and also savage age. He rarely wants to cuddle, but he will grab my face and kiss me good night. He can't tell me what he wants to eat still, but once we figure it out, he can eat relatively independently (depending on how much of a mess I want to deal with). Oh, speaking of messes; he makes them, but he also is interested in cleaning them up. Who knew two would be such a confusing and wonderful time. 🥰

I have a lot of reviews and posts planned. In the meantime, you can get acquainted with our recent activity via the Instagram tab. How have you and your families been this past year? Fill me in below!

Review // Munchkin Weighted Flexi-Straw Cup 7oz

Product: Munchkin Weighted Flexi-Straw Cup ($6.00 MSRP)
Where to find it: Amazon, Target, Walmart, most retailers
Grade: 4.75/5
Grade (10/21/2018): 3.75/5 (leaking is out of control now and moldy straw!)
TLDR; I highly recommend this cup for it's function and design.

When Troy was about 10 months old, he went on a bottle strike. We didn't know it at the time, but he was finally breaking through his first teeth. He didn't want his bottle. He didn't want his sippy spout cups. He didn't want the miracle cups. I was worried about him getting dehydrated and got the Munchkin Weighted Flexi-Straw cup from Prime Now. He immediately took to it. We now own three.

This is his first use. He was comfortable holding the handles,
and was instinctually able to use the straw.