Footprint Ornament and Life lately.

For those of you who know me ( I have some family members who like to stalk my blog).  Or who pay attention to this blog regularly.  You guys know that I am expecting another little boy in less than two weeks!  ( YES. I KNOW.  I panic inside a short every time I realize how close it is!)

So If you are noticing that I am posting less and less…Well…that is why.   I am swamped preparing for this baby PLUS prepping for Christmas!  ( I am proud to say that my Christmas shopping and wrapping is FINALLY done!)

Since my two-year-old is only going to be an only child for another week or two, I have been making sure to take some extra time to do some additional special activities with him before his brother arrives.   I have been putting domestic duties on hold to sit and read with him whenever he wants.  I have been trying to have ” talks” with him about how his brother will look up to him.  I have also been taking time to bake, and do art projects with him., basically cherishing the little time we have left, just the two of us.

Part of me has total mom guilt that ” another child” is going to be in the picture.  But I know that having two boys just two years apart is going to be the best.  They will have a better time playing with each other and be best friends.

SO ANYWHO

Now that Evan is 2.  He is talking up a storm AND interested in so many more activities!  Art projects are one of those things he enjoys.  I thought it would be adorable for  Evan to make cute Christmas ornaments for his Grandma’s for Christmas.  After a few failed attempts at Salt Dough projects, I found these lovely tiles in the Craft Department at Wal-Mart.  I decided to help him with some footprints.

( We tried handprints, but he didn’t have it. AT ALL)

I searched Pinterest to find a cute poem for the back of this ornament.  I ended up finding this poem but changed it to ” footprint” instead of handprints.  I Heart Pinterest.

How to make a footprint ornament with a toddler 

1) If you still have a high chair out, put him in it.  This way, he won’t run around the entire house and get paint everywhere. 

2) Take off his shirt if he will let you.  You don’t want to destroy clothes!

3) Do a few ” practice” prints on paper before printing the real project. 

4) If they won’t let you paint their hands or feet.  Bribe them with some of the old Halloween candy in your house.  Worked like a charm for me!

5) Tell them they are doing an excellent job throughout the process.  

6) DON’T let them out of the high chair until ALL the paint is cleaned up!