What Mouse is Doing Today: We get to sleep in just a little on Saturdays, but even Mouse is not too excited about waking up to the alarm on Saturdays. Mention that it's a soccer day though, and she's immediately wide awake. Most of the time. Today was not one of those days. It took a little coaxing to get her up, and ready for the day.
What Mouse Needs: New shoes. Her feet have grown yet again. So, another activity to add to the list of things to do today. Shoe shopping.
What Mouse is Talking About: Mostly she is into telling stories right now. It's so fun to witness her imagination take flight. She may not have many life experiences to build on, but she can be quite creative when she wants to be.
She is also talking a lot about her birthday. She even has it all planned out. Who she is inviting. What her theme will be. Who will bring and do what. I think the talk stems from the fact that so many other children in her school have birthdays this coming month. She even can tell you the order of their birthdays before it's her turn.
She goes through phases where she sometimes calls me Mommy, Mom or Mama. We are going through a Mama phase right now.
What Mouse is Playing:
What Mouse is Listening to: "Not talk music, Mommy." I do not generally listen to an audio book or talk radio when Mouse is in the car, but occasionally it's on when I turn the car on. At the moment we are listening to the third CD of a children's song set. The Wheels on the Bus is her favorite from this particular CD. She also has been singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider song quite often lately as well as making up her own songs.
What Mouse is Watching: All week it has been all about Caillou. Yesterday she was in the mood for Jake and the Neverland Pirates. While there are several shows she likes to watch, she often fixates on one at a time.
What Mouse is Reading:
Mr. Peabody's Apples by Madonna, illustrated by Loren Long
Callaway, 2003
Children's; 40 pgs
My daughter has an extensive book collection, but, true to her age, she often has a favorite she likes us to read to her over and over. The favored book changes frequently, which is nice in a way. Just when my husband and I are ready to hide a book because we just can't read it one more time, she fixates on another book.
One of her most recent favorites came as a surprise. A surprise because I had forgotten it was on her shelf. My aunt and uncle had gotten it for her the year before last. The other reason I find it surprising my daughter likes this book is because of its length. I am not sure she fully grasps what the story is about just yet, but it's a lesson well worth learning. Madonna admits the story is not a new one, based on one that has been told in one version or another for over 300 years.
Mr. Peabody is a well liked teacher who is witnessed taking an apple from a fruit stand without paying for it. Soon everyone in town thinks Mr. Peabody is a thief. This is the story of what happens when a person spreads a rumor instead of first seeking out the truth.
This book has an overall good message, and the author does a good job of getting her point across in a way children will understand. I think the biggest draw for both my daughter and I though are the illustrations, which complement the story very well. The book is set in 1949, and the pictures have a late 1940 feel to them in terms of details and characterizations.
Mouse's Final Thoughts: Have a Happy Saturday! And don't play with the light switch.
© 2014, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
I had no idea Madonna had a childrens book out. Mr. Peabody's Apples sounds like a nice story.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like Mouse is at a fun age. I remember my kids listening to those childrens songs like he Wheels on the Bus, those get stuck in your head for the rest of the day...lol.
Naida - I said that both when I first saw the book and then again when Mouse showed interest in it. LOL I think she has at least two out that I'm aware of. Maybe more.
DeleteYes, those children songs are real ear worms!
It is always nice to have Mouse updates. :)
ReplyDeleteKelly - If I were braver, I'd talk about parenting issues. LOL
DeleteIt's fun to see our kids develop their own little personalities, isn't it? She is so inquisitive and smart and she always has that sweet expression on her face. Enjoy these times!
ReplyDeleteTi - Yes it is! And what a personality she has! I'm just in awe of her.
DeleteMouse is just adorable. I'm sure she keeps you entertained and on your toes!
ReplyDeleteKathy - Thank you! Yes, she definitely keeps me on my toes. She's at the stage right now where she wants to try everything on her own. It's so cute, but it's been hard. I know it will only get harder the older she gets because the fight for independence will continue on for the rest of her childhood and into her early adulthood. But I am so proud of her too, so it balances out :-)
DeleteWow who would have thought Madonna has a future in children's books. I love it when they tell stories. I want to make a set of story stones for J (google them) they are basically story telling prompts which i think would be fun.
ReplyDeleteMandy - It took me by surprise too that she was an author.
DeleteMost of Mouse's stories make no sense, but they are fun to listen to anyway. At least for the parent. LOL I love the idea of story stones. I think that would be fun!
If the cover illustration is any indication, I bet the pictures are wonderful. My kids are too old for this one, but it sounds like a great story!
ReplyDeleteStacie - They illustrations in the book are wonderful. I think this book is probably more geared toward 5 to 7 year olds rather than 3 year olds like my daughter, but I am glad she enjoys it so much.
DeleteHow wonderful that Mouse makes up her own stories! I'm so impressed that she can tell you the order of her classmates birthdays for this month. Wow, she's intelligent. What theme does she want for her birthday? Will she stick with the same ideas right up till her birthday or does she change her mind? I love the photo of what she's playing with because it's a barn and a live cat is peeking through her arm! lol
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a good Saturday. Enjoy your Sunday, Mouse!
Amy - I have a feeling the list of birthdays is something she's memorized from school. They make big deals of everyone's birthdays there. :-)
DeleteRight now Mouse is hoping for a pirate theme, which is what her best friend had this past November. I am hoping she'll stick to it since Grandma is already shopping for pirate party favors. But we'll see. She was pretty set on being a princess for Halloween, but changed her mind at the last minute and was a pirate.
So cute! I love the pictures of kids just doing their own thing though those can be the hardest to get. We go back and forth on shows here too. Right now we're fixated on Jake and the Neverland Pirates and Sheriff Callie. We haven't read that book yet but it sounds well worth hunting down!
ReplyDeleteKatherine - Getting photos of Mouse used to be so easy--when she hardly moved. Now it's next to impossible. LOL I still try though.
DeleteI don't think we've seen Sheriff Callie. Jake is definitely a favorite here--it was all weekend and I'm sure will continue today.
Thank you for sharing this Mouse update! How fun to read about what her interests are. Can't wait to hear about her birthday party!
ReplyDeleteIliana - She's way ahead of me in planning for her birthday. :-) I am just hoping the sun is shining that day so she's not disappointed like she was last year. She really wants a jumper and we had to cancel it last year because of the rain. :-(
DeleteI'm always reminded of my kids' childhoods when you share stories about Mouse. My daughter especially LOVED to plan her birthdays. Her BFF had a birthday two days after hers, so he did a lot of combined parties and they were a huge event. She also loved her music (Raffi and Disney) and her books. When my kids were around 5 - 10, we listened to many audios, until they decided that I was enjoying them too much. Then they complained. Little boogers. Now my daughter is analyzing Great Expectations. It all comes back around :)
ReplyDeleteSandy - I look forward to the day Maggie and I can listen to audio books together. I've kind of started her on that track with a couple of children's books, but I think she's still too young yet to really appreciate the art. Like you with your kids, I'm thinking 5 and up will be a better age for her. She does love her music though. :-)
DeleteWhen my kids were growing up, it was a matter of habit to have to buy new shoes frequently. When they had stopped growing, I kept forgetting when they needed new shoes since their toes weren't poking through!
ReplyDeleteLisa - We go through shoes so fast in our house. Mouse is very picky about her shoes too. She has a favorite pair and that's all she wants to wear. This time, we bought two of the same pair to save some of the headache later when she wears one down. LOL
DeleteWhat a lovely post, its great to follow Mouse's development.
ReplyDeleteTracy - Thank you! She's growing up so fast.
DeleteLove your Mouse updates!:) Keep them coming.. she's such a darling! I haven't read Mr. Peabody's Apples with Laya.. I should pick it up sometime and see what she thinks of it.. When is Mouse's birthday??
ReplyDeleteRamya - Thanks! She really is a sweetheart. I love her dearly. :-) Mouse's birthday is in March. It seems so far away, and yet I know the time will fly.
DeleteGage is currently fixated on Madagascar. Since he's been sick today I think we've seen most of it at least 3 times.
ReplyDeleteStacy - Mouse hasn't seen Madagascar yet. She's so particular about what she wants to watch. I need to just put it in and she'll eventually be mesmerized by it. LOL
DeleteI hope Gage is feeling better!