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Jun 22, 2013

Mommy Time! Favorite Things for Baby

People sometimes ask me what my favorite gifts were for Lilly.  Well I truly loved all of the gifts I received for Lilly and some of these things were gifts but some I bought myself. Also, these are my favorite things as of now (6 months in!) I am guessing that in the next 6 months, my favorites may change as Lilly has new needs!!!


1. Philips Soothie Pacifier

Lilly won't take Amy other pacifier. Now, I put this under my favorite things, but please know that I can't stand these things. I wish she'd use one of those cute pacifiers that doesn't bounce and fly all over the place every time she decides to spit it out or whip it across the room. However, if we are talking about things I can't live without as a mommy, this is a must in our house. She refuses any other type. Be sure to register for a few kinds of pacifiers, some babies are picky! 
2. Fisher Price Rock n Play Sleeper

L-O-V-E! I am in love with this thing. We have definitely got our money's worth! This is something I purchased myself before she was born and we use it everyday! She loved napping in it as a newborn because its slightly raised up and not flat. It folds up to take to Granny's house or anywhere else. I love love love it and I'm not sure if it will even last for another child because we have got so much use out of it!!! I'm sure it will, but I'd be willing to buy a new one too, because its so great!!

Please note: There was a voluntary recall on the product because of mold after washed and not let to dry completely. When you do take it apart to wash it (which you'll have to if your baby uses it as much as Lilly!) just make sure it completely dries before replacing it. I put mine right in the drier, no problem!!!



3. Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Soothe and Glow Seahorse (pink or blue)

I always call this Lilly's "glow worm". Duh! It's not a glow worm, it's a seahorse. LOL but its LIKE our glows worms as kids, right??? 

Simply said, can't live (or sleep) without this! The first night Lilly was home from hospital, we started using this when she went to bed in her bassinet as part of her bedtime routine (along with Halo Sleepsack). Still, at 6 months, it's mesmerizing to her! If I lay her down sleepy, but still awake, she sees the glow and hears the music, she stares at it and her eyes close within minutes. For us, it's a must have. I had found a blue one at a garage sale in great shape, so I'm sending that one to stay at her Granny's. (in case we ever forget it!!) 

Remember when you register for baby, register for toys too!!! This is something I registered for. Once baby is here and you are busy, you might not be out and about shopping for anything but diapers and wipes!!!!  Also, I find this to always be a good, inexpensive baby shower gift. I like to have those gifts in mind that you can give to new moms that you really know worked for your baby! 




4. Taggies

Lilly loves her taggie blanket. In fact, I need a spare so I can wash it!!




5. Bumbo

I think this is a pretty common baby item these days. I don't know what I'd do without it. It's very helpful all the time. Great to use for feeding baby food when they are still too wobbly for high chair and just great for sitting and watching while you are working in kitchen, etc. 




6. Halo Sleepsack 

This is a must-have. I had registered for other sleep sacks, but our hospital sent us home with a fleece Halo Sleepsack as a gift and we all became addicted to it. Swaddling Lilly up was so easy and she slept great in it. I don't know if it was the combination of "glow worm" and Sleepsack routine or just that I have an angel baby, but she was a great sleeper from the start. However, I never tried a night without those two things to experiment!! I needed my rest! :-) I do remember the day that Lilly outgrew the one the hospital sent home with us, I was on a mission to Target right away to get another one the next size up. Suddenly $30 didn't seem too expensive at all!!! For a perfect sleeper, $30 was a bargain! I also had a Halo one with just the sack part and not the wrap around swaddle panels, which I didn't use at all. Those ones seem to be more just to keep them warm, where the one with the Velcro swaddling panels holds them nice and tight around their tummy.... Perfect for sleeping in my house. :-) Eventually she started sleeping with her arms out, then later when she was rolling, she was comfortable sleeping without the Sleepsack (about 4 months old). The other question you maybe have is how many you need. I only had one. I'd wash it once or twice a week, more often if she happen to spit up on it. Also, I only used at bedtime and took her right out when she got up in the morning. This may have also helped with her understanding "bedtime" and our routine. 




7. Eric Carle Ladybug

The World of Eric Carle: Developmental Ladybug by Kids Preferred


Not too much to say besides that I love these toys and babies do too!!! This particular one has a mirror on the bottom which seems to be a hit with most babies!


8. Onesies 

CAN-NEVER-HAVE-TOO-MANY!!!
















Jun 21, 2013

Workstation Mega Packets

This workstation mega packet has been my most popular item of all on Teachers Pay Teachers! Yay! 140 pages of fun! (and learning too!) :)

Literacy Center Mega Pack #1



Since they were such a big hit, I ended up adding some more mega packs of literacy centers!!!



 
 
 
 

 
Next up, packets 5 & 6! These centers happen to be the centers from my Treasures packets, so please note: If you have purchased my Treasures packets, you ALREADY have all of these centers! :)




 
 
 

Wrapping Up the Week

Well, I'm finishing up my 2nd week of summer break. It's been a busy one. Typical cleaning and laundry. Plus taking the girls to the zoo, Splash Pad, and hanging out in the their kiddie pool.






I spent Friday at a real pool with my wonderful teaching friends. I love the summertime when we have time to catch up in a "non-school related" kind of way! Friday night was date night with my hubby...always enjoyable and doesn't happen often enough! At one point this week, I looked around at my mess-of-a-house and told myself, it must have been a perfect summer day if the house looks like this! The mess meant that we were enjoying the great weather outside and not stuck inside cleaning and picking up toys all day!

 Looking forward to catching up on some things around the house this next week. I will admit...I haven't done much as a TEACHER these last two weeks. Sounds perfect to me! I've worked a little bit on items for our new reading series: Reading Wonders. Also, I'm going backward a bit and creating a spelling packet for 2nd Grade Treasures if anyone is interested. It shouldn't take me too long and I'll have it posted on TpT soon! Loving finding new ideas on Pinterest..that always gets me excited for the new school year!











Jun 20, 2013

iPads!!!

When we started the school year, we received the AMAZING news that our school would be a pilot school for iPads!! Not only were teachers getting iPads, but so were the students. Upper grades got iPads for each student and lower grades got one for every two students. Awesome!!! I have to admit that I was excited, yet a little nervous about implementing all of the great ideas because I was only there a few months before I left on maternity leave. I wasn't sure how I was going to teach the kids all of the things I wanted to on the iPads (added to our normal curriculum) before I left, but guess what??? Most of the kids could teach me things by the time I returned!!!


Anyone use iPads in the classroom? 



One of the first things we tried were QR codes, fun and easy!! These QR codes get the kids up and moving around the classroom, completing tasks that they may normally do in their seats. Students complete the task, then use the iPad to check their answer by scanning the QR code. I wish I had more pictures of my students actually using the QR codes. They love it!! Did you know you can create QR codes for anything? Simple answers like below, websites, videos, pictures, etc. 




We also used the program Educreations to create electronic book report slide shows. Loved it !!! I'll try to get some examples up here (need to find some without student pictures!)


The best news is that is summer I have been invited to attend an iPad teaching conference in Chicago! I can't wait for all that the conference will have to offer!! I have a feeling that ill be overwhelmed and not even know where to start when I get back. But you know what? I love that feeling!! It gets me so pumped for teaching!!! I need to add that excitement back to my career again. 



Jun 19, 2013

Hands On Equations

Algebra in 2nd grade! My students love it!!! Have you ever worked with this program? (Hands On Equations)



Normally the program isn't started in our school until 3rd grade, but our teaching ouch has adapted some of the lessons so they can be started in 2nd. This year we did 4 lessons. After the first lesson, the kids seemed so confused that I wasn't sure this class was ready for the challenge. However, patience paid off and by days 3 and 4, they were ROCKING Hands On Equations!!!

Jun 18, 2013

I'm Back! (Again!?)

Okay, I keep saying that I'm going to keep up with this, but now SUMMER IS HERE, so I have no excuse right!?!?!

Since the last time I blogged, I've had a lot going on....like a new baby! Lilly was born in December and just turned 6 months old.

So I guess you could say that I've been busy. I was away from teaching December through March. I had a little bit of a hard time returning, which I'm sure is understandable, and I feel like I just went back to basically finish up the school year and complete the end of year testing. With that said, I'm VERY excited for a totally new school year, to start over, start fresh, and be there the entire year! :)

I'm only one week into summer, but I do have plans to accomplish a lot! Some plans I have this summer:

  • Trying to keep on this blog!
  • Find new and fresh teaching ideas for my new school year (Common Core!?)
  • Attending an iPad conference in Chicago!
  • Preparing for using our new reading series Reading Wonders in my classroom, which means I am creating a lot of new materials for Teachers Pay Teachers. Anyone else using Reading Wonders?
  • Spending as much quality time as possibly with my beautiful baby girl!!
  • Finishing up some other TPT materials that I have ideas for. I keep adding to my ideas in my TPT journal, they are never ending! :)
  • Finding time for the pool! :)
  • Gaining some new followers of my blog and Facebook site (Stuckey in Second). The more followers, the more ideas I get for my own classroom and I can add to my excitement for the new year!

I have already completed my resource packet for the first week of Reading Wonders! Reading Wonders, Grade 2, Unit 1, Week 1


 
 
I also finally completed all 6 units of my Treasures Resources (my previous reading series!) When I decided to create the packets, I started with Unit 3 (what I was teaching at the time!), but they were such a big hit and people were requesting all of the units, so after finishing Units 3-6, I then went back and completed Units 1 and 2.
 
Click here for all of the Treasures Resources in my TPT Store:Treasures Resources!
 
 
I have so many more ideas, so stay tuned!!!


Allison Stuckey