BEEing A Mom: Rainy Days

My family and I awoke this morning to a cold and rainy day. What should Hayden and I do today? I wondered as I peered outside. It was too frigid and wet for outdoor activities. Hayden watched a few cartoons on PBS this morning, but I did not want us to sit in front of the TV all day. So together we discovered five simple activities perfect for a rainy (or snowy) day.

#1: Drinking Hot Cocoa



As I sat at my desk working earlier this morning, I heard Hayden enter my office. I glanced up at him and laughed at the sight before me. In his mismatched pajamas, he stood in front of me wearing his red Lightning McQueen baseball cap and Batman clogs, twirling an open umbrella above his head.

"I wanna go outside in the rain," he said under the canopy of the umbrella.

Grinning, I led him to the back door and allowed him to stand out on the deck with his umbrella for a few moments. I listened as the rain pitter-pattered on his umbrella and our wooden deck, then shivered from a cold breeze pushing through the open door into my living room where I stood. Seconds later, Hayden cried, "I'm cold. I wanna go in."

I reached out onto the deck to retrieve his umbrella and then guided him into the living room and closed the door.

"How about some hot cocoa?" I asked.

He nodded. Minutes later, he sipped on a cup of hot chocolate with a big smile on his face. It's amazing how hot cocoa on chilly day can solve almost any problem!

#2: Making A Mailbox

Remember when I mentioned in an earlier post that I am not a "crafty" mama? I must admit I had so much fun with last week's craft I decided to try another. Today we made a custom mailbox for Hayden.

Using a shoebox, I helped Hayden decorate it with an assortment of scrapbooking paper. We cut a long rectangular hole on top to insert mail and added a flag with a giraffe on the side. Placing my hand over his, we spelled his name and "mailbox" on a piece of paper and glued it to the front. I hope to fill his mailbox at least once a week with something special, like stickers and a letter to him.
#3: Baking Cookies

After lunch, we mixed batter for oatmeal cookies. Hayden enjoyed dumping the ingredients in the mixing bowl, turning the mixer on and off, sampling the cookie dough, and dropping the cookies on the baking sheet. Ten minutes later, I served him one of his specially made cookies with a cup of cold milk. Life is good! :-)



#4: Reading Books

On any day, reading a stack of books with Hayden is such a joy. And today was no different. We sat in our reading chair in our den, and I read a few books to him.

Each summer we participate in our library's reading program. If we read for at least eight hours, Hayden receives a free book of his choice from the library. I decided I would like to continue recording our reading habits, and for every eight hours we read, I thought it would be a treat to go to the bookstore and select a book to add to our own home library. So today I created a "pirate" themed recording sheet and attached it to the bulletin board. I anticipate we will be visiting the bookstore soon to select our first book.

#5: Taking A Nap

After a morning and afternoon filled with activities, Hayden and I lay down for a nap. Oh how cozy it was to curl up with him and a blanket for a snooze on a cold and wet day. Hayden slept for about three hours.

I have come to love a rainy day every so often because it allows me to slow down and spend some quality one-on-one time with my little boy. And by doing this, I'm truly savoring the sweetness of life!