This is how we feel today.

Boo.

Can we have summer back please?

Highlights...

We had some beautiful days this summer. (Not that you'd know since apparently it's already fall here in the mid-west...)

The Booger and I took advantage of the less than scorching hot days to play outside and check out some fun spots in good ol' Kzoo...

We headed to Bronson Park , downtown. There is beautiful landscaping and two huge fountains that are fun to watch (and play in), as well as an outdoor ampitheater that hosts concerts throughout the spring and summer.

Speaking of landscaping... have you ever seen a tree like this?

Look closely- bright green and purple? I was so impressed. What a pretty tree! Odd leaves, but gorgeous!

Looker closer.

My, what pretty.... flowerpots? Sheesh.

Enough of that silliness. Check out the silliest, cutest toddler you ever did see. And yes, he's really a toddler, not an imitation or a crazy stand designed to look like a toddler.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

highlight reel

Since summer is *tear* wrapping up, I thought I'd pull out a few highlights. One of our favorite adventures was playing with my sister and her family at the super duper cool Children's museum in Saginaw. I have soo many pictures from our fun times together, here are a few extra cute photos.

Make a Smilebox postcard

A question...

The Booger much more cheerfully than me, wonders....

Where did the summer go?

Rainy days

After spending lots of time outside and enjoying summer time lately, we've had a few dreary rainy days lately. Poo. We realized the three of us were mili-seconds from going stir crazy yesterday, and met the limit of lazyness for the week, so we decided to venture out for some good ol' family fun.

Trying to think of something new and different to do can be challenging, but thanks to great sites like Mlive ( you can pick the area of the state, the date, and the type of event) and DiscoverKalamazoo (you can search the calendar for events), along with a little insider knowledge thanks to my jobs that required finding lots of things to entertain children- we came up with a perfect rainy day place....

Bounceland!


The Booger loves him some slides! He's such a little daredevil, more than willing to brave the big kids and the even bigger slides on his own once he got a taste of the fun.

Look at those smiles!

It was a great deal, we only had to pay for him, and we got in free, but still got to join in the bounce-filled fun- for as long as we wanted! Even though all three of us were whipped and ready to head out within the better part of an hour.

This sequence occured moments after exiting the parking lot...

Just settling in...

Moments later...

3.

2.

1.

He totally lost the fight with his eye-lids.

So excited to visit often but even more for him to get bigger so we don't have to haul him to the (very high!) top ourselves. Some less fit than I parents may have very ungracefully returned to the bottom of the upward climb with a wiggly toddler on several occasions... not that I'd know....

It's not blurry because I'm sliding down... when I should be climbing up...no way...

Good times at the Air Zoo

This summer the Air Zoo in Portage is offering free general admision, which I totally wanted to take advantage of! If you're in the area or going to be, it would definetly something to put on your to-do list, especially if someone with you is obessessed with... or ummm enjoys planes, astronauts, space and the like. I'm splitting this up into two posts, as there is so much to do and see there. And this barely even begins to give you an idea! In this building there are planes from the Navy, Army, Nasa, flight simulators, and rides, even a room for little tykes with small arcade type rides, toys, murals, and a magnetic space station to build, and so, so much more.

Make a Smilebox photobook

P.S. Not that it'll be very surprising I'll be away for a few days. (Cause really, despite the fact that I'm the worst commenter and a very stalky lurker thanks for Google Reader, I do visit often!) Very excited to go visit my sister and her lil' bakery this week!

Two for Twos-day

We've been enjoying some family time this summer, thanks to my husband's new much more family friendly schedule. We headed over to the Air Zoo a little bit ago. I have a ton of pictures to post, but thought I'd play along with a long lost (to me...) meme first!

Daddy and the Booger having a little fun on the walk back.

Swing by Debi's and see who else is playing along!

A few tidbits from the morning

The Booger has been full of entertainment this morning! Thought I'd share with you seeing as how I'm soo not cool or techy enough to Twitter.

He found some Desitin in his daycare bag. Immediately sat down and tried to apply it to his foot. I laughed and told him it was for his butt (ask me someday if I regret talking about his butt). He proceeded to spread his legs.



He has wandered through the house adorned with a variety of bracelets, lifting his arms alternately and showing them off glamorously.




We went upstairs to have 25 seconds alone so I could pee play, and he entered the bathroom, walked to the toilet, and pointed. He knew what was up.




While standing on the couch (cause he can get up there now), he looked out the window and then gave me this face...





He'd noticed one the super annoying stray cats that have been ever present lately, laying in his water table. And then he gave it the look.

That is sooo MINE. Get out.

I think the cat got the vibe.



Hope your morning is as entertaining as mine!

Emotions

I recently (sort-of, like recently as in sometime in the past 3 months...) read an article in a parent magazine (might have been Parent or Parenting - also recently realized they are actually two different magazines. oops.)

Anywhooooo. I was reading an article, don't recall about exactly what, cause I'm just not that terrific. But the gist was that toddlers are full of emotions. How they really feel their feelings, with their whole entire being. Despite what we think, they are not being drama queens (and kings) for our benefit to twist our pinky fingers into giving them what they want. At least not completely.... That they really, truly, with all their little 20 something pound body and soul feel what they are feeling.

Come to think of it, it was probably an article with tips on preserving your sanity while your toddler yo-yos from happy as a lark to writhing on the floor at your feet biting your ankles in anger.

But ever since I read that article, it comes to mind whenever my incredibly emotional son is um displaying his feelings. That boy really gets it. He puts his everything into what he's doing and feeling.

He laughs from his belly,

He says 'woah' and 'wow' all the time, because there is just sooo much that amazes him.

He needs to know about every moving vehicle and stationary object we pass in the car, and everywhere else for that matter.

He is so friendly that he says 'hi', waves, and blows kisses to most of the objects we pass in the car and the people we see.

He smiles with his whole face

He trusts me so much that even when I am operating the loud, scary, noisemaker (the vacuum, the hairdryer...), he still runs to me and wants to be held.

He puts his whole self into showing how unhappy he is when he has to come inside.

When he wants something, he will do absolutely anything he can to get it- he nods his head, asks 'yeah?, yeah?', signs 'more' and 'please' over and over, takes your hand (and you) to what he wants, and adds a carefully timed whine or cry for good measure.

He is so proud of himself when he does something new, he loves to hear "Yay!" and claps for himself whenever he accomplishes anything.

He celebrates with other people -at restaurants, on TV, around the neighborhood- if he hears cheering, clapping, or music, he is guaranteed to to join in.

He loves me and his daddy so much that he showers us with wet, slobbery kisses and hugs.

I love how remarkable he is and how lucky I am to have him. He makes me stop and enjoy and pay attention to the world around me and manages to make everything more fun and interesting. Thank you bubba, I love you!

not pregant- published!

I very much appreciate and enjoy 5 minutes for Parenting. ...among a few other 5 minutes for (fill in the blank- so many options!) sites- goodness knows 5 minutes is a completely accurate description of how much spare time I've got some days. It is very relieving, ahem, refreshing that way more experienced, smarter than me, moms, with lots of notches on their mommy belts badges on their sashes, and many more oodles of cupcakes baked (cupcake tally is: them 1,700,992- me 0) still do goofy things, and are as totally and utterly exhausted, I mean, feel just the same way I do some days.

A bit ago I thought it'd be fun to share a few of my posts with Rachel, who hosts a weekly Dose of Humor, featuring a variety of wonderfully captivating, entertaining blogging mommas.

And by golly, I made the cut! ha! Stop by 5 minutes for Parenting today and see me um, read about how I... embarrass myself by telling countless people a funny story about the Booger and I. Gotta love my first time parenting choices...