Preventing Cabin Fever

Winter can get kind of long here in Kansas (but not as long as in Michigan...), and it seems even longer when you have a toddler hanging on your leg and whining because he's bored. You can't play outside, and sometimes it's just too cold or potentially hazardous to leave the house.

The only good part about winters like this is it forces me as a mom to come up with creative things to entertain Brandon at home. He gets so tired of his toys and books on long days at home, even with my toy rotation!

The following are some pictures from January with some activities we did to help prevent cabin fever!

I wish I could say I did fun, creative activities with Brandon everyday. It really should be my goal to do one novel, creative activity with him each day, but I honestly don't put the mental thought and energy into that as often as I should.

And most of these activities are just silly ones with materials I have around here, so don't be expecting some revolutionary ideas, fellow moms! Here they are:

Digging for toys in the "rice and bean" bucket.

First attempt at an obstacle course. Brandon didn't quite get the point, but he had fun climbing around on things.

What do you do if you don't have a basketball hoop? Make one out of your Costco sized dishwasher detergent canister! Slam dunk!

Brandon's Mimi and Papa got him this awesome easel for Christmas. He loves it! He loves to watch us draw pictures, and he'll tell us what the pictures are. I'm sure you are all envious of my amazing artistic talent to draw a car and a train, right? He likes to scribble with the crayons, but on this particular day, he was way more interested in dropping the crayons through the paint cup hole. And why wouldn't he be?

We use the chalk side of the easel the most often. Check out that tripod grip! This handwriting specialist is very proud. No, 18 month-olds are not supposed to be able to hold crayons and chalk with a tripod grip....but they will if you only give them a tiny broken piece of crayon or chalk. It's the only way to hold something that small. Break your crayons and chalk moms! I know it's hard to damage a perfectly good crayon, but you'll be so glad you did when your child starts writing!

He definitely likes to erase too!

This was NOT part of my winter indoor fun...well not for me anyway. I found him like this after leaving the room for just a second.

Putting stickers on a toilet paper roll. Brandon hasn't had much exposure to stickers yet, and he was both amused and concerned about how they stuck to his fingers.

And finally, what is indoor play without an empty box?

We have seen a few glimpses of spring around here in the past couple weeks, and we cannot wait until we can get outside and play every day!

Snow Fun

We've had some decent sized snows in the Kansas City area in the past month.

I thought it would be fun for you to compare what Brandon looked like in the snow last year to what he looks like now. Here he is at 6 months old, last January:

Cute snowsuit, huh?

Well I'm glad you like it because you are going to be seeing a lot of it in this post. I have not gotten around to buy Brandon a new snowsuit for this year, so I was so pleased that this one still fits him (well...sort of).

Here is a video of Brandon (now 18 months old) going outside in the midst of our first snow of the year. I wanted to take him out this day rather than wait for all the snow to fall and then take him out the following day because we had wind chills of negative 15-20 the following days.




The next snowfall happened a few weeks later, and we got about 8 inches. Here are some pictures:

I love how perfect the snow looks before anyone steps in it, and I love when the snow piles on the trees like that.

Brandon was just not super excited about being outside in the snow. He just stood there and made this face for the first few minutes we were out there. I was expecting him to love it, so here are my theories for why he didn't:
1. He was cold.
2. He loves to run and wasn't able to move very fast in the snow without falling.
3. His crotch was numb because Mommy put him in a 6-9 month snowsuit.
4. All of the above.

When we lived in Michigan we had several sleds, some of which would have been perfect for toddlers. When we moved to NC, we gave them all away except for this one (because it was the most expensive...), but it is hardly toddler friendly because it only has a flat surface like a boogie board (I relate more to boogie boards than to sleds as a girl who grew up on a sub-tropical island). So I did my best to keep Brandon on and pull him around the yard (with some rope I found in the garage and attached to the handles), but it was only marginally fun for both of us. I think we need to invest in a Brandon-friendly sled.

He kind of liked playing with his cups and sand toys in the snow. I think he was wondering the whole time why we couldn't just play with all of these toys inside instead.

I made somewhat of a snow angel. Brandon thought it was funny to see me laying in the snow and flailing around.

So that was our snow play at home. Here are some other winter activities we've done.

We went to the Plaza where they had an ice carving contest. It was really neat to see the works-in-progress and then the final result.

There is a place in Olathe called the Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm that offers horse drawn sled rides some weekends when there is snow, so we took advantage of the opportunity to do something so unique so close to home.

Here we are on the ride! Brandon was mesmerized by the whole experience.

So that is how we've been having fun in the snow this month! It's been fun, but spring can come anytime now... :-)

Christmas 2010

Hi! It's Brandon again. I want to tell you about my 2nd Christmas! This was a very special Holiday season because I started talking a lot more during those few weeks! And I got to spend some quality time with lots of family and friends.

Here is the tree we had in our house in Kansas. Mommy and Daddy thought I would want to touch all the ornaments and pull on the tree, but I was such a good boy! The only think I did was go up to it, point and say, "Tee!" I occasionally poked at a couple of ornaments too, but that's ok, right? None of them fell off...

On December 22 (Daddy's birthday) we flew to SC. Unlike our trip down for Thanksgiving, we didn't get bumped to 1st class because the planes were too small, so it was a pretty exhausting day for all of us - especially me because I didn't even get a nap! Mommy was sick too, so she was miserable on the flights, but we made it.

This is in front of Mimi and Papa's Christmas tree with my monkey that I sometimes call "Gigi."

Here I am with Papa. I love to say "Papa!"

and with my only cousin, Drew (who is 18). I can also say, "Drew." I learned to say almost everyone's name over the Christmas break.

That's Biscuit. The one on the right, I mean. She doesn't like me and pretended the whole 2 weeks that I wasn't there. Apparently this pig is better company. Even though it was difficult, I left her alone (after being told several times that I should not bother her) and we all got along just fine.

Here are some pictures from Christmas Day!

I loved taking things out of my stocking! I kept wanting to put them back in, though.

This picture is kind of dark, but don't I look cute in my Christmas hat? Mommy and Daddy figured out that I was happy sitting in my booster seat to open presents and play with them, and that kept me from running around the house getting into everything else. That tractor was in my stocking, and I started saying "tractor" after playing with it.

This is my great uncle Tim (Mimi's brother). He got me this cool wooden stacking toy for Christmas that I just love! Who needs toys with batteries? Keep it simple people.

Here is part of that toy! I really loved all of the presents that I got and spent a long time playing with each one. I think that made everyone who gave me the gifts feel good. What can I say, I am a gentleman.

Here I am all spiffed up for Christmas dinner (holding part of my wooden toy).

Here are most of the ladies that I love: Cioci Kalina (Daddy's sister), Mommy, Mimi, Aunt Kiki (Mommy's sister), and Aunt Fer Fer (Kiki's sister-in-law). Unfortunately my Babcia had the flu the WHOLE time I was in SC. She couldn't even hold me or spend much time with me, and it was so sad not to get to be with her! That's why she isn't in this picture.

Here are some pictures from the days after Christmas:

On December 26th, we all met up with some of Mommy's friends from high school for brunch. This is Shelley, Cori, and Rebecca. Shelly and Rebecca are both going to have a baby this coming summer! I was such a good boy at brunch...the best I've ever been in a restaurant. I had whole tables of people come up to me and tell me how cute and good I am. Ha! They should see me at home!

This is my wujek (uncle) Stefan and Daddy. We celebrated their birthdays at Babcia and Dziadzia's house the night of the 26th with a dinner and beer tasting. My Cioci Kalina made a great dinner (well so I hear...I only wanted to eat graham crackers and peanut butter...one of my staples). The crowns on their head were from those funny little party "poppers" that have prizes and a crown in them.

I did a good job of keeping everyone entertained during dinner.

By the way, have you seen all my teeth lately?

Here are all the different beers that were part of the beer tasting.

Can you believe they drank all that beer?

Here is everyone who was there.

On December 28th, some people got together at Mimi and Papa's house. It was a beautiful evening, but really cold!

Papa wanted to have an oyster roast because Stefan had never had oysters before, and everyone in the Lowcountry has oyster roasts throughout the fall and winter. Usually you do it outside, but we stayed in the garage because it was so cold!

Here they are! Hot out of the steamer. Yummy! (well that's what they all said. I didn't try any. Maybe next year.)

Mommy's friend Cori came to hang out with us! I really like Cori. She makes me laugh.

Papa! What's all over your face?! It's Cheerios! Give me one of those!

I love my Mommy and Mimi! I was pulling their necks into me in a double hug and wouldn't let go, so they just had to get a picture because I'm so lovable and cute. Even Biscuit looks like she wanted in on that action! Actually Biscuit was probably just concerned because her mommy (Mimi) wasn't paying attention to her.

Here's my Dziadzia!

On the 29th, Mommy and Daddy went to Savannah for the night and left me with Mimi and Papa. Here is where they stayed, the Planter's Inn.

This is the fountain in Forsyth Park.

Here is one of the many Squares in downtown Savannah. The Spanish Moss hanging from the trees in the Lowcountry is so neat and beautiful.

This is on a walk on Pinkney Island. We went with Dziadzia.

New Years Eve! This is Chris & Shelley (Mommy's friend from high school), Cioci Kalina, and Mommy & Daddy.

Daddy and his sister.

Well, that's about it! We had a great time hanging out with family and friends! We just wish Babcia had been feeling better so we could have seen her more, and we wish we could see all these great people more often!

Thanksgiving 2010

Hi Everyone! I can't believe I haven't told you about my 2nd Thanksgiving and Christmas yet! Mommy and Daddy lost their camera, so they didn't get many pictures over Thanksgiving, but I'll show you some that Mimi and Papa took.

Mommy, Daddy, and I went to South Carolina for a week! We started in Hilton Head visiting Mimi & Papa and Babcia and Dziadzia. Then we went to Charleston for Thanksgiving and spent the weekend there with my Aunt Kiki, Uncle Andy, and cousin Drew.

The weather was so great the whole time...in the 70's! So, I got to spend a lot of time playing outside.

One of the coolest parts of our trip was getting there! On all the flights to and from SC except one, we got bumped up to first class! It was Mommy's first time ever. I discovered that I am definitely first class material for the following reasons:
- I really need some extra leg room to kick my feet (without enraging the person in front of me).
- I like having a little room on the floor to play.
- I love setting my toys on the little table between the seats.
- I like to be offered a snack multiple times during the flight
- And probably most importantly, Mommy and Daddy seem to put up with me a lot better after having a couple free drinks.

So, I hope the airlines can continue to accommodate my needs on future flights and support the traveling lifestyle to which I have grown accustomed.

Here are a few pictures from the week.

"Just call me Little Piano Man."

"Here Mimi. You look like you need a Cheerio."

"Check out my cool life jacket! We got to go for a boat ride on Papa's sailboat!"

"Look! I'm driving the boat!"

"I wonder what this button does..."

"I love driving the boat with my Papa!"

Bye Bye for now!