well, call me odd but i consider cards to be games. LOL i plan to use them like a game rather and as an 'academic track.' i mean, to an extent, i don't care if hawk reads or does math as a baby. . .i just want to do something with him that both of us would enjoy.

one of my clients just gave me his used printer because it no longer photocopies or scans, so we will soon  be able to download different cards.

but, because we're following the continuum concept, he is usually being held all day. in fact, he is being held as i type this one-handed. he is also nursing right now. LOL

anyway, that's not a lot of time to print things, though i suppose i could learn to do that one-handed too. LOL! i'm not sure that i can cut one-handed though.  .  .

but, in talking to my husband, we're going to start with YBCR (videos and all) and go from there since they include books and flash cards, and then i can see what works for us.

there's a book called RAWvolultion that is very good, and i believe there's one by Juliano called Raw: the Uncookbook.

both are really great.

i am not a raw foodist, but my husband and i do eat a lot of raw foods (we also eat a lot of cooked foods. our dairy is also raw dairy (butter, yogurt, cheese, and milk--which is legal to sell here in PA).

a friend of ours runs a raw food cafe, and we love to eat her food! we go there about every 6 weeks or so (it is expensive!), and it's wonderful. she loaned us these two cookbooks and we dug out our favorite recipes.

my husband loves juliano. here is juliano's web site: http://www.planetraw.com/

i'm in pennsylvania.

and i do feel really lucky to be able to take hawk to work with me. there were places where i worked where they did not want him with me, they wanted me to put him in the day care which we didn't want to do.

so, i only kept those jobs where i could take my baby boy, and it's working out great.

we do sign as well.

our most common sign is part of our elimination communication practice--toilet! he is sort of using it, but he also was born holding his hand in that gesture (thumb tucked under index finger), so it's kinda hard to tell.

also, he can identify body parts. he knows hands and feet, he knows nose, eyes, and mouth as well. he also "tells" a joke. when we play 'nose boop!' he'll go a few rounds of "up, down, booop!" and then he lifts his head on a round and bites your nose. then, squeaks and squeals with joy once he finally lets go! so, his first joke is already in. and adorable too!

i talked with my husband today and he thinks we should start with YBCR series and just work it our way. i also think i want to do math with him as well.

oh, and, our birth was awesome.

we had a peaceful, unassisted homebirth. it was a pleasurable, ecstatic birth. it was beautiful through-and-through and i think exactly what both of us required!

we are very blessed!

of course, we already do a lot of things, but i'm leery of using something that "requires" a tv or computer because we are very much on the go and do not watch a lot of TV.

i want some form of flash cards or program similar to YBCR without the tv/computer component so that they're easy to carry and can be used by anyone any at any time.

starting this sunday, hawk will spend an average of 1.25 hrs/day with a "sitter" of some sort. while he will likely nap during this time (between 9:30 and 11 each day is when he tends to nap), he will also have some great time being alert and interested in conversation, reading, or playing in some way.

he's a very physical child, and the sitters are comfortable with this and already support him in this way. they also converse with him, and some also read to him. this just gives another opportunity for another kind of interaction.

i would prefer not to use dvds and such, but i would if i had to to help with the program. it would just have to be once in the afternoon or such.

i think reading and math games would be a fun place to start.

so, i'm new to this--where or how does one begin?

obviously, i've been 'teaching' my baby from the beginning in one way or another. . .but i'd like "prepackaged" games to do with him. I'm not really into making a bunch of things myself.

but how do i begin? where did you begin? and where can i get these things?

i'm a both. i basically stay at home or take my son with me everywhere. i work as a yoga teacher, so m schedule is set by me and has been very flexible since his birth in august.

i have a sitter who is with me (same building) while i teach so i can nurse him if i need to.

i couldn't NOT work. i love my work and it is good for me to do. but, i also love being with my son basically all the time. it's really wonderful.

right now, i only teach two classes per week and two private lessons. during the classes, i have a sitter for one and my ILs come for the other and watch him. during m private lessons, he comes with and they love it!

so, it works out great for us. i couldn't work 'full time' as i couldnt' stand being away from him for so long, but i can't not work either because i love my career so much!

Hi all!

I'm a new mother to a beautiful 3 month old boy, hawk. I love being a mother!

But, I'm finding mself in a situation where i don't know what to do with my vibrant boy! According to our family doctor, he's physically 'ahead' in many ways, and when i look at him you can see (and many people comment about) the real intelligence in his eyes. He's always engaged and looking for conversation!

in the earlier months, our routine was reading while nursing, reading when he was awake, havin conversations about what we're doing, and fun movement with songs. of course, because he was so sleepy, the schedule was rather easy on me. i would put him in his wrap to sleep and walk or do my housework or other work, and in between i would engage him in our games or reading.

but now, his attention span is much longer. by himself, he's happy to play with his body or just 'exercise' and explore for a good 20 minutes. when he's with an adult who is conversing with him, he'll stay engaged for at least that long if not longer.

in a sense, i'm running out of things to do with him!

the materials that i have read indicate that babies learn quickly, but i've also gotten a lot of criticism about various "academic" programs for babies. i'm nto really looking for an academic program so much as something to keep us occupied and engaged--without having to make anything.

So, i was wondering what sorts of things might work well for us. i just want to play learning games with him, and of course i'll continue to read, communicate, and play in other ways. he's very physical, so we do a lot of physical play already.

i'm also wondering if programs exist that do not rely on videos and computer games as a part of the equation. i mean, can one utilize YBCR materials without the dvds or are those essential?

i'm just curious, looking for insight and new ways to play with my little guy!