So, I decided it made a lot more sense to set up an area where he could explore in the living room. It's where I spend most of my time, either in the kitchen or the living room.
I find most of my Montessori treasures at Goodwill since I can't really afford to order all the wonderful materials that I see online. (I REALLY wish I could sometimes, but I also ::LOVE:: to find cool things at Goodwill!) But, baskets and small shelves can be used easily (and are great chew toys!) and purchased for cheap!
I found this wooden mirror for $10 at Goodwill. It's a super nice mirror and will someday be perfect for Jack's room when he's big enough to use it for dressing purposes. In the meantime, it sits on it's side while being drooled on, banged on, gummed to death, and smiled at. Jack LOVES to smile at it. Soon will come the day that it needs to be attached to the wall as he is getting close to kicking it over-I'm actually quite worried about this! :/
I've been wanting a lambskin rug. They are so soft and squishy and I wish I had one big enough to lie on. I was looking online and was surprised and saddened by how expensive they are. BUT, (Oh, I have such GREAT friends!) I went to visit a friend and she had an extra. SCORE!
I love to read Montessori blogs about infant materials. I loved all the different teething toys in this blog. I knew that I could easily make some cloth rattles so I made one just to see if he'd like it. Guess what?! My .50 toy is a complete success. There are few toys he can actually squish down enough to get into his mouth. He gets it nice and soggy with drool. So fun.
I know that Sophie the Giraffe isn't Montessori per say but Jack loves her and she's the perfect squishy size for his hands. <3 Many times we've caught her head all the way in his mouth! Silly baby!
The weird thing hanging down is my wind chime from
outside a friend from college gave to Paul and I about 5 years ago. I was in search of a wind chime or something.
He loves to grab onto the circles and gnaw on them. He also loves to watch it move and to have it make noise. He's pretty observant.
Another part of Montessori that we (ha, I)
have started enjoying is Elimination Communication. After a few days of 'misses' we catch a good majority when I'm hanging out with him. It's so funny to see him relax and use his cute little potty. It's definitely not the approach that many family's take, but I enjoy being able to read his cues and that he communicates with me when he needs to pee.
I feel like this area will continue to change and morph as our needs change. I love this little area for him and he enjoys exploring it. It's a great place for him to learn about his surroundings and the bigger world, which is ultimately, my biggest hope for him: To know that he is part of something bigger. <3
