http://www.lilnutmeg.com For the love of literature for little ones. Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:04:44 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en [caption id="attachment_260" align="alignleft" width="110" caption="The Staircase That Swallowed People"][/caption]I was very flattered to receive an advance copy of a new children's book: The Staircase that Swallowed People by Jade McBlade. I must admit the title struck me as a bit unusual at first but then I saw the charming cover ... http://www.lilnutmeg.com/2010/03/author-interview-jade-mcblade/ [caption id="attachment_233" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Wool Felt Play Food"][/caption]"Leprechauns! Those sneaky leprechauns!" This is the refrain you'll hear in our house these days when anything is amiss. The overdue library book is nowhere to be found? Leprechauns! Homework folder is not where you left it? Leprechauns! These little creatures seem to ... http://www.lilnutmeg.com/2010/03/leapin-leprechauns/ Wiley and I carried on our tradition of making our own Valentine's Day cards for his classmates. We went with a penguin theme this year, inspired by this adorable picture book, My Penguin Osbert in Love. This is the second in the "Osbert" series. The first book, My Penguin Osbert ... http://www.lilnutmeg.com/2010/02/penguin-valentines-inspired-by-the-my-penguin-osbert-picture-book/ [caption id="attachment_203" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Indestructibles"][/caption]As we creep ever closer to the one year anniversary of her exciting arrival, little Piper reveals a little more of her personality each day. One of our favorite things to watch is her reaction to food. She does a little dance (a little bouncing and ... http://www.lilnutmeg.com/2010/02/on-the-menu-indestructibles-books-for-babies/ Little Nutmeg’s Winter Book Selections & One of a Kind Gift Guide [caption id="attachment_130" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Celebrate the Season with Picture Books about Winter"][/caption]Do you remember your own winter ramblings as a child? Over the next few weeks we’ll be provided with time away from our everyday commitments. There may be ... http://www.lilnutmeg.com/2009/12/gifts-that-cultivate-a-sense-of-wonder-of-the-natural-world/ With only two days until Thanksgiving I realized it may be a good time to review table etiquette with my little one. As much as I love this holiday we will be the only couple with chilldren at my family's celebratory feast this year! Ack! That means lots of adult ... http://www.lilnutmeg.com/2009/11/table-manners-tea-party/ It’s late October and I am chilled to the bone in a drafty gymnasium pen and paper in hand awaiting Frankenstein. (Not the Frankenstein you would expect to hear about so close to Halloween!) The very savvy Diane Frankenstein author of Reading Together: Everything You Need to Know to Raise ... http://www.lilnutmeg.com/2009/11/create-a-haven-for-reading/ It's the day after Halloween and you’ve got a bag full of Tootsie Rolls, Dots, Jolly Ranchers, LifeSavers, Gummy Bears and Hershey bars from your trick or treating masquerades. If you are like me, you are not delighted about the prospect of your little one ingesting copious amounts of refined ... http://www.lilnutmeg.com/2009/10/got-candy-your-little-ones-can-enjoy-it-without-ingesting-it/ Last week I met with Wiley’s Kindergarten teacher to discuss planning for the Halloween Party. She gave me a list of items to use to create a sign up sheet for parents to volunteer. We need the usual plates, napkins, juice boxes, fruit, mini bagels and a small sweet treat. ... http://www.lilnutmeg.com/2009/10/kindergarten-class-halloween-party-planning/ When I was pregnant with my first child, I found that most of the best gifts I received were from other mothers, especially mothers of little ones. Now that I have 5 years of experience under my belt, I like to think that now I am that very savvy, mom ... http://www.lilnutmeg.com/2009/10/best-books-for-a-baby-shower-gifts/