Cutting through the Red Tape

Jonah never just sits and plays. At 16 months old he is a mover and a shaker with a lot and I mean a lot of energy! In fact, I think he stole all of mine when I was pregnant with him and he keeps it on reserve because I seem to have none left these days! Anyway, I try to think of creative ways to keep him entertained in my office long enough so that I can check my emails in the morning while keeping an eye on him (thanks to a little incident with comet and a call to poison control a couple of months ago). So, this morning I found a tape dispenser laying on my desk and handed it to him! It bought me a whopping thirty minutes! I was actually able to check all of my emails and empty my junk mail folder! It's my #1 pick for a random toddler toy. Here is a list of the other items that I have attempted to use to keep him entertained and the number of minutes he spent playing with it. None of them even come close to the tape dispenser's reliability and stamina!

Office phone (unplugged) - 5 minutes (once he realized it didn't work he put it down)
My shoes - 3.2 minutes
Calculator - 4 minutes
Magazine - 6.7 minutes
Stapler - just kidding :)

Here's a question for all the moms out there. I know we've all had to find random things on the fly to give our kids to keep them entertained or calm them down so what's the strangest item you have used as a toy for your little one in a time of need?

Playdate at the Zone

We attended a playdate this week at the Zone in McKinney with my mom's group. Shannon and Ryan were also there. Jonah had a lot of fun jumping in the bounce houses and he and I even went down one of the big bounce slides together. He loved it and I screamed like a little girl!

Bed Head

Jonah suffered from a little bed head after his nap today!

Opa and Oma's visit

Jonah's Opa, Oma, and Aunt Jenn came up on Friday to stay with Jonah so Josh and I could have a date night and sleep in on Saturday and Sunday - something we haven't done in a very long time! Friday night we watched Harry Potter and then Saturday after waking up around noon we ran errands, did a little shopping, and went out for lunch. We didn't have to ask for a high chair, a kid's menu, or extra napkins! There was no food or utensils thrown on the floor and we didn't have to ask for a to-go box before our food actually arrived! It was nice!! Sunday we slept until noon again! I felt like I was back in college! Unfortunately Opa and Oma had to leave Sunday afternoon. I made several attempts to try and talk them into staying the rest of the week but I was not successful. I was starting to get used to sleeping in and could see myself getting spoiled very quickly! So, it was back to reality today as Jonah woke up right on schedule at 8am!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Dallas Arboretum

Yesterday we went with Shannon, Ryan and Jan (Shannon's Mom) to breakfast and then we headed to the Dallas Arboretum to check out all the gardens and hopefully get some good pictures of Ryan and Jonah. Well, of course I forgot my camera so Shannon was my photographer for the day! Have you ever tried to make a 15 month old and a 2 year old pose for photos?? Good Luck! I was standing behind Shannon making goofy faces and noises normally heard in a zoo trying to make the boys smile but they were not having it! It was really hot outside so we gave up and came back home! Maybe we'll try it again in the fall when it's cooler outside or maybe when they are like five! We still had fun seeing all the different gardens and Jonah and Ryan particularly enjoyed seeing a duck sitting on the patio! I think that was the highlight of their day!

Ryan's Birthday

Since my mom was visiting we didn't get to celebrate with Ryan on his birthday so on Tuesday Jonah took Ryan's gift over to his house. They have become big buddies and Jonah gets excited when I ask him if he wants to go see Ryan!

Nana's Visit

My mom came up to visit last week and we had a great time shopping, cooking, and hanging out. We miss her already!

The Grass is Always Greener on the Other Side

This morning my mom and I were outside with Jonah and he decided to take off running through the grass. Since it was wet and the lawn care company had just finished mowing, when Jonah ran back onto the patio his feet were covered in green grass! He started laughing so I had to sneak in a quick pic! As I was taking his picture he decided to say "Cheese!" It was too funny!

Please Note: Josh picked out and dressed him in his PJ's last night which is why he is wearing a long sleeve top with shorts and also why the shirt is from St.Patrick's Day!! Anyone that knows me knows that I would never put these two articles of clothing together on purpose!! However I really did appreciate Josh getting Jonah ready and putting him to bed last night so my Mom and I could catch up while she's visiting!

Animal House Playdate

The McKinney Moms group had a playdate scheduled at Aviator Park today but thanks to our neverending rain storms it was cancelled so they moved the playdate to Animal House in McKinney. This was the first time I had ever been and I was a little skeptical about there not being enough toys for toddlers to play on but actually it was great! There were tons of bounce houses and sectioned off play areas for all age groups! They had huge blowup slides which I'm definately trying out next time we go! Shannon and I got in the bounce houses with Ryan and Jonah and they loved it! The bonus for the moms is that you wear them out right before nap time! :)

Hi, My name is Riley and I'm addicted to Chicken Jerky!

So, for several months now we've been giving our dog Riley these Chicken Jerky treats that you can buy just about anywhere - Target, Albertson's, Wal-Mart, etc. "We" buy them in bulk at Costco because RILEY LOVES THEM! It's like crack for dogs. He will literally sit and bark at his treat dish for hours until you finally breakdown and give him one. He wants one first thing in the morning, after he comes back in from a potty break, before bed, while watching Entourage, and he's even been known to wake us up in the middle of the night to go downstairs to get a treat! It's ridiculous! Yes, we could stop buying them but if you've ever met Riley or heard us talk about him he is one of the pickiest eaters I've ever met so to find a treat that he actually likes was huge!!

I don't know how many people out there give their dogs these treats but let me just tell you that they do not settle well with Riley's digestive system and he can clear a room in a matter of minutes. I tell you this because he just came downstairs into the study and trapped me. Of course then he got up and moved to another room! Typical guy!! :)

So,if you have a dog and you are thinking about giving them Chicken Jerky treats just be prepared they also may get "hooked" and also suffer from the same side effects. Just don't let your dog trap you under the covers or you could be in real trouble and might not make it out alive!!



What Jerky treats????

Today's Newest Achievements

I had to post Jonah's newest achievements for today!
1) He ate off of a plate at lunch and dinner without throwing the plate on the floor! That's a huge accomplishment in my book!
2) He learned two new words today - cracker and movie (pronounced moo-bie)
3) He's learned how to jump. Well, sort of! His feet never actually come off the ground but he tries really hard!

These newest achievements may not be as exciting to some as their first word or the first steps but they are still exciting to me and every time he accomplishes one these new milestones of course I have to call everyone to share the news!! It's just amazing to me how each day is so different and how fast he is changing! For me it's like Christmas Eve everyday because I just wait in anticipation to find out what he will do next!

The McLain Clan visits

Josh's very good friend Greg and his daugther Erin came up this weekend for a visit! Greg was Josh's roomate and also fraternity brother in college. He and his wife Jennifer live in Houston. Erin is 13 months old so she and Jonah hit it off and had a lot of fun playing together. On Saturday they played while Josh and Greg played raquet ball and then we all headed to the pool for awhile and of course I forgot my camera! On Sunday Josh and Greg played Tennis and then we grilled out and watched a movie. Jonah was very kissy kissy with Erin the first day but by the second day he was getting a little jealous of all the attention I was giving Erin! So, I think he was glad to have his mommy all to himself this morning!

We had a great time visiting with them! Now it's our turn to make a trip to Houston!

Happy 4th of July!!!

Hope everyone had a fun and safe 4th of July holiday! Our friends Vicky, Shannon, Bryce and Ryan came over and we grilled out and relaxed. Jonah and Ryan had lots of fun playing outside in the yard and in the baby pool. I'm just so glad the weather cooperated! It turned out to be a beautiful day!

Mall Rats

Since it is never going to stop raining here in Dallas, Shannon and I decided to take Ryan and Jonah to Stonebriar mall today to play on the indoor playland since we obviously can't go to the park! If you have children under the age of 2 you know that you have to plan these events around lunch time and nap time and then to get out the door it takes another 1 or sometimes 2 hours to change their diaper, pack the stroller, pack the toys, pack the sippy cup, restock the diapers, wipes and snacks, and then of course right before you leave there is another diaper change. And remember none of that time includes getting yourself ready! Then once you get to the corner of the street you realize you have forgotten your purse and your cell phone on the counter. So, three hours later when you finally get to the mall the last thing you want to see is a big sign in front of the play area that says "Closed for rennovations until August 11th" Well, that's what happened to us today! So what do you do when you've promised them playtime at playland and it's closed?? Put them in the toy car strollers that you have to pay for and not pay to take them off the holding rack and hope they don't realize the difference. Yea right!! Poor guys! Hopefully the dinner of Mac and Cheese and Chocolate Milk at La Hacienda Ranch made up for it!!

The look on their faces tell me they knew the difference between the toy car and playtime at playland!

Next Calvin Klein Model??

I took these pictures today after Jonah's bath. I think he could be the next Calvin Klein model!! What do you think??

Pool time!

Since we had a break in the clouds on Sunday and had approximately 1 hour of sun before the next storm rolled in, Shannon and I took Ryan and Jonah to the pool! They had a great time playing in the baby pool but even more fun in the big pool playing motor boat and jumping off the side of the pool!




Two most common phrases heard at the baby pool:
1) "That's not your toy!"
2) "Do not throw that!"

Balancing Act

Useless tip for the day:
#1 How to balance a cup on your foot

New Hiding Spot!

So Jonah has decided that our entry table is his new hiding spot! Everyday he takes a blanket or some toy to the table and crawls onto it and hangs out for awhile. He also likes to take his toys and books to the corner beside the table and play. I don't know why he loves this table and corner so much! I swear I've never put him under the table or in the corner as a timeout for misbehaving so I'm not sure what this is all about! At least he will sit there long enough for me to take some pictures and he seems happy so I'm all for it!

Domestic God

I guess from always watching me always clean up after his meals, Jonah has become very intrigued with the broom! So now after he finishes eating he tries to sweep up his own mess. If I could just train his father to do the same! ;) haha!

Our Little Picasso

Last Saturday morning I got out the finger paint for Jonah and instead of painting on the paper he decided to use his tummy as his canvas! It turned out to be quite a masterpiece!

15 months going on 15 years!

Jonah turned 15 months old on June 21st! I'm still in shock that he's already this old! He has changed so much since his first birthday! He's hearing the word "no" a lot these days and has learned to say it back to me! Temper Tantrums are a daily occurrence and I hear that lasts pretty much until they are 21 so I guess I better get used to them! He will sit in a highchair for about 10 minutes at a restaurant before he has a meltdown which means we get a lot of food to go! But aside from those little nuances he is still such a little charmer and really has a wonderful, sweet personality! It seems like everyday he is doing something new! He loves to be around people and he loves to explore! He still amazes us everyday and I think I've finally realized that never stops!


Favorite New Words and Actions:
1. Stinky (taught to us by Shannon)
2. Ri Ri (Riley)
3. Buh Bye
4. Teeth (He loves to brush his teeth!)
5. Mommy and Daddy
6. Nah Nah Nah! (No! No! No!)
7. Turkey (accompained by hand under the chin saying Gobble! Gobble!)
8. Cheese
9. Juice
10. Baby

Favorite New Foods:
1. Popcorn
2. Mandarin Oranges
3. Edamame
4. Waffles
5. Turkey

Dog Days of Summer!

My friend Jenn came over a couple of weeks ago and hung out for a little while before we went out for lunch! So, while we chatted in my study, Riley decided to kick back and relax in the big chair with Jenn! It was so cute that I had to take a picture!

Toilet Paper Bandit

I went to iron a shirt for the day and when I came out of our closet this is what I found outside of our bathroom. Apparently the Toilet Paper Bandit had hit our bathroom but he left a conspicuous trail behind him so he was easy to catch!!

Father's Day 2007

Yes, I know Father's Day was a while back but I'm a little behind on my blog updates! We were in Austin celebrating Kayla's Birthday on Father's Day weekend. On Sunday, Jon grilled out for all of us and we had fun hanging out while Jonah and Kayla played. Jonah gave Josh his father's day gift (Sunglasses) on Friday before we left so he could wear them on the drive down there and on Saturday during the party! I think he liked them!

Jonah and I both are so thankful to have Josh in our life! He is a wonderful husband and father!