A Toddler Sized Tour of a Tractor and Love is a Balloon

It was a sunny, cold day in February. Valentine's Day. Love was in the air.  Toddlers were running wild, everywhere...

Adam and I joined the Wahoo mom's group. We've been meaning to join for awhile but nap times didn't line up with the play group time and we had a pretty busy fall. We took the plunge in Late January. February's outing was a toddler sized tour of the local John Deere dealer. Tractors are a common sight here in Wahoo. Its not uncommon to follow a big huge combine all the way down the highway to Omaha!

The kids had a blast! They climbed on the lawn mowers, the mules, the four wheelers, anything with wheels really and pretended to drive themselves around the imaginary fields. Adam was pretty cautious. Pretty cool. Pretty collected. That's Adam. My little cucumber!

I'll confess. I dressed him green plaid KNOWING we'd be around John Deere tractors. I'm that mom. I make no apologies.

The people running the tour were so sweet to the kids. They offered each tot their own bag of popcorn and even went and checked the popper oil for me to make sure it was free of treenuts and peanuts.  They helped the wild beasts climb on and off the brand new equipment and helped lasso them back to the group every time one or more went astray.

Finally, it was time for the biggest tractor of all! THE COMBINE! The guide told each wannabe farmer to hold their mommy's hand as we made our way through the shop. It was a noisy walk to the featured exhibit as the workers were busy repairing and servicing other tractors. The kids were in awe with the sights and sounds and smells.

Finally a big garage door lifted and there she was in all her glory - THE COMBINE! 

The kids took turns climbing up the stairs and into the combine, turning on the lights, honking the horn. This mom was/is too pregnant to even think about navigating the tiny, narrow steps up into the cabin. I'm about as big as a combine. I can't very well take ME plus my loose cannon up there! No worries, said the guide and he and another gal hoisted him up into the cabin where he sat quietly before signing "All Done". He had seen enough.

The kids also took turns standing in a wheel well. They couldn't believe how big those wheels were!

At the end of the tour, the guide brought out these large green air filled balls that seemed to float in the air. The only thing keeping them from floating up to the sky was a ribbon! My cool, calm, collected toddler lost it. He had never seen a ballon before. Let alone held one. He had never tried to eat one before. He had never sat on one. He had never before in all his 17 months experienced a balloon.

Every emotion that ever existed came flying out. He was ecstatic. He was nervous. He was overjoyed. He was disappointed. He was impatient. He was love struck. He was determined.

My little cucumber fought his way through the 2 and 3 year olds who were holding out their hands waiting for the balloon wrangler to tie one on each of their tiny wrists. I watched my cautious child turn into a bear. Clawing his way to the big green balloon. Shoving aside anyone who dare stop him. Finally, he made it and stretched out his tiny hand, waving it frantically. His hand completely stretched out barely reached the elbows of the older kids. But his persistence paid off as he finally emerged from the mob with a Valentine and a big green John Deere balloon tied to his wrist. He chucked the Valentine in my bag and danced around the store with his balloon, his new best friend.

The next day, the boy who only says "Addy" and "Duck" decided to add "Balloon" to his vocabulary. Not sure when we'll get to hear mama or dada... but we are proud nonetheless that he has made his 3rd word a 2 syllable one.

You know, You make me wanna SHOUT!

What do you guys use to get stubborn stains out? Do you soak? Do you bleach? Do you use non cholorine bleach? I need a Super Laundry Hero to come and give me a lesson. I mastered Laundry 101 years ago... I think I'm ready for Intermediate Laundry. Or Mastering the Art of Toddler Laundry.

Anyway, I'm dedicating this post to Shout. 

Recently, my mom came over to help finish organizing Matthew's room. Did I mention we're naming him Matthew? 

I had already gone through tote after tote of Adam's clothes pulling out what I thought would work. I was blown away at the amount of clothes Adam had as a tiny guy. And he wore most of those clothes too! Then I started seeing little orange stains on lots of the bibs and shirts and I remembered how we often went through 12 outfits in an hour due to his incredible reflux. SHOUT! 

Matthew's room is taking shape. He now has a dresser. (Go here for the saga!) And his clothes are starting to get hung and put away. I've been pretty determined to get this room completely done before March. I think we just might make it! 

Yesterday, the dictator, I mean, toddler decided not to take a nap. I needed someway to entertain him for the entire afternoon! Something that didn't involve the TV. Something that involved sitting. And eating. 

YOGURT PAINTING! 

I took some plain whole milk yogurt and put a couple huge scoops in two shallow bowls. I added red food coloring to one bowl and blue food coloring to the other. I gave adam some paper and a couple paint brushes. Then I sat down with my chocolate cake (Thanks Connie!) and let him go to town while I ate every last crumb on my plate. An hour and half later... SHOUT! AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER! SHOUT AGAIN! AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER!!!!!!! We were ready for a bath. 

After I stripped the tyrant, I mean toddler, I sprayed his clothes liberally with Shout. I think next time, stripping him to his diaper would be wise. But whatever. He played with the yogurt paint for an hour and half and I'd sacrifice any Gymboree outfit for that amount of entertained toddler time any day.

I can't take the creative credit for this craft. I found it on pinterest somewhere. Its messy. Its fun. He loved it! The mess is contained. And it lasted an hour and a half. SHOUT! 

Stay tuned for the big reveal on how the Gymboree outfit survived the yogurt painting.

For all you iphonies - Follow me on Instagram! sjdokulil

Mom's Day Out and a giveaway

I know what you're thinking... What's the giveaway!!! Patience. Grasshopper.

Thursday was a little day of heaven for me as I got to take an entire day off from my grueling 24/7 role as a stay at home mom to an energetic toddler.  My mother in law, Heidi, took care of Adam, while I put on my best pair of stretchy pants and comfy shoes and headed off with my friend, Stacy.

I was on a mission.

By now, you all know I'm 7.5 months pregnant with my 2nd boy. My ability to make decisions, think clearly, focus on anything for more than 30 seconds, or stand without falling over has been comprised. Along with that is that I now feel this impending guilt that I am probably ruining my first child's life by bringing another baby home. He'll probably never forgive me. He'll never forget how it was just us and how much fun I am... He'll forever be resentful. Oh the horror!

So, I decided I could easily fix this by taking his little baby boy room filled with elephants and turtles and turning it into a big brother room - Star Wars style. This is the perfect solution! When he starts to feel abandoned because mommy is always feeding the new baby, or changing the 10th diaper of the new baby, or sleeping because the new baby kept her up all night, he'll run to and look in his new STAR WARS room and be filled with joy and excitement. Problem solved!

But with my inability to make decisions, focus on anything for ore than 30 seconds, or stand without falling over, I had to enlist help. So, after swearing on Stacy's journal that I wouldn't be "matchy matchy" she agreed to take me to Omaha to help get Adam's room styled and accessorized.

We started off our day at Nebraska Furniture Mart where we found a masculine and comfy oversized chair, perfect for reading stores or late night cuddles. Adam will surely be glad for his baby rocker/glider to be out of his room and this new MANLY chair to be in! We also found a circle rug, which I'm told are "fancy" and "hard to find" that resembles a galaxy.

Then it was lunch at Blue. I heart sushi so much! I can't have the real stuff - but the cooked stuff is pretty darn awesome too. We started with some crab rangoon.

Then, to appease Stacy, who is a vintage addict and could very well one day need intervention, we hit up a couple antique stores in the Old Market. One store was very scary. A girl who worked there, with fire engine red hair, assured us she was sober and didn't trip. I started to tell her how I always trip and can hardly walk a straight line but stopped in time as I realized we may not be talking about the same thing. 

We also hit up a vintage candy score where I ate one too many sour gummy worms.

At our last vintage stop, I made the ultimate find.

I found this awesome orange frame which will go perfectly with the galaxy rug. Thinking of painting a chalkboard on the wall and framing it with this. TO BE CONTINUED! STAY TUNED!

Then we hit up target and whole foods. By the end of the day we were pooped! It turned out that Stacy's SUV was a lot like Mary Poppin's purse. We packed that sucker full of our finds including the furniture and rug and it just kept holding more!

It was a treat to get out with a great friend. I laughed my butt off. In fact, I had so much fun that I had to come home and put a heating pad on my butt. It was THAT good. 

Now the giveaway! There's a catch, you know. There's always a catch with giveaways. Try to follow - its going to get confusing...

In order to win MY giveaway you have to help me win a different giveaway. All you have to do is:

1) Go to Stacy Ideus Photography Facebook page. (Click on the words Stacy Ideus Photography Facebook page and it will take you to the link.) 

2) Scroll down her page just a tiny bit to where she talks about her Valentine's Giveaway and look for my comment about why my hubby is so sweet. 

3) Click "Like"

4) Leave a comment on THIS blog telling me that you voted for me. 

What's in it for you, you ask? Well, besides just helping this very pregnant mom out and making her so happy by helping her win Stacy's cool giveaway you'll be entered in a chance to win a brand new 2012 calendar and a matching ink pen! How exciting right?!?!?! 

Winner will be chosen at random on Monday, February 6th. 

HURRY! ACT NOW! TIME'S RUNNING OUT!