A full day with mom

LT and I usually have a regular playdate on Thursday mornings with a few of his friends. However, this week, due to different circumstances, it was canceled. LT and I were left with the most perfect weather and a full day to hang out together. I asked LT what he wanted to do and he said, "see monkeys", so we headed to the zoo. I didn't realize that it was a free day for the elderly. We were there early enough, however, that we headed straight to the primate section (which is at one end of the zoo) and ended up having it entirely to ourselves. A gorilla came right up to the window and gave LT a kiss and showed him his breakfast. LT wasn't phased, but I was a little freaked out by the size of this massive primate only a thin piece of glass away.
As usual, LT found little rocks to play with and spent most of the first part of our time just picking them up and putting them in new places.After seeing all the monkeys, we headed to the flamingo exhibit (LT says flamingo in the most adorable way, I won't even do it justice trying to write it, but hopefully you all will hear him say it!) I asked LT what he saw and he said, flamingos and "nemo swimming in water".
This "yittle" cat was pacing back and forth by the window. LT really wanted to pet it. He loves cats despite the rest of our family's dislike for them (mostly due to severe allergies and Bowen's desire to eat them). My good friend and neighbor luckily has two cats that LT loves playing with, and so I don't feel too badly depriving him of a cat. It wouldn't be a trip anyplace without LT having to stop for lots of snacks. He found this nice bench in the shade and asked for his Elmo backpack (which he knows is always stocked with yummy snacks).
When the zoo just got too busy, we headed home for lunch and naptime. But the day wasn't over. My mom suggested taking him to the train museum in Golden (I never knew it even existed, thank goodness for grandmas!) The entrance has a whole gift shop (mostly Thomas items) and a Thomas track set up. LT would have spent the entire time at the Thomas table, but luckily we pryed him away enough to see a few big trains before the museum closed.
My mom has more energy than anyone I know. She works 10-12 hour days (starting no later than 6 AM), picking up the elderly and performing physical therapy with them all day. She also rides her bike 60-80 miles a few times a week, helps my brother and I with anything we ask and loves having friends over and entertaining (which she does fairly often). That doesn't stop her from climbing up and onto all these trains (often with 2 foot steps) carrying my 25 lb son with her to teach him all about how the trains work. They had a blast together.


I often find myself too busy for my liking and not doing things just for LT. Days like this remind me how much fun we have together just exploring different parts of Denver! At the end of our time together, I headed out for some alone time at yoga. LTs day didn't stop though. Brian took him to the grocery store and they got some fried chicken. I don't think Brian took any pictures or videos, but he came home and told me that LT ran around the store yelling, "FRIED CHICKEN, I YIKE IT!" LT must get his energy from grandma.

Go Denver [Nuggets]

LT got to watch his first basketball game on Monday night. He watched for a few minutes and declared, "Bob [the Builder] better." He was asleep before the start of the second half. In spite of all that, Kari did manage to get him to cheer for the home team a little bit and we got a this short video of it.



Go DENVER!

The curious incident of the pink flip-flops in the rain

The DVD player that grandma got LT for the AZ trip came in a little box with a handle that he immediately grabbed and carried around like a brief case.

Apparently he decided he was gong to take his new briefcase to work because, in spite of the heavy rain, he headed out the front door with it in tow. After saying his goodbyes at the door...

He was off...
A brief moment of hesitation...

But then he was cruising down the sidewalk in the rain (presumably headed to the bus stop I sometimes take to work?).

I was very occupied taking pictures and laughing at his antics. So when I finally realized he was pretty serious about going somewhere, I didn't have much time to react. I grabbed the only shoes by the door and ran out into the rain after him. Unfortunately for me, those shoes were Kari's little pink flip-flops. I can only imagine the impression the scene left on any neighbors who might have witnessed it.

When I caught up to him a couple houses down the street, he seemed genuinely disappointed that I cut his adventure short.

little party man

Birthday party season kicked off last weekend and everyone gathered to celebrate Mia turning two years old.

LT was clearly vying for party MVP. We'd only been there for a few minutes before he'd soaked and removed his shirt, put on his party hat, and was trying to serve drinks to anyone nearby (sure it was dirty pool water but it's the thought that counts).

He was also game for any and all the party activities from the tunnel to the pool.

Finally when the party was winding down and people were starting to head home, LT was still going strong. He thought it was hilarious to pick weeds and stuff the leaves down the front of his diaper and then run around laughing hysterically. Thankfully for all of us there's no poison ivy or oak in the Kurt's yard.

I have no idea where he gets this kind of behavior...

Yard work

No double wide

Last weekend Z helped us try out the new stroller we got for LT and his soon to be little brother. We decided to get the Phil and Ted's because it seemed like the smallest and most versatile of the doubles. The double wide BOB feels ridiculously wide and even though LT loves riding in Sofi's double Graco, it is so long it feels like you are driving a bus. Luckly Kari found an almost brand new one for a decent price on Craig's List.

As you can see, it was a hit with the boys as we walked to the playground.

"Driving" the orange car at the playground was also a hit.

AZ

In spite of my swearing off family vacations after last year's stint in a Mexican hospital, we decided to give it another try. This year we stayed a little closer to home and spent 5 days at a wonderful resort in Phoenix.

Shown here is LT, a seasoned traveler by now, on the bus at DIA with his Elmo "pack pack."
Our hotel/resort.

When we got to our room LT went right for the mini-bar. Amazingly, we manged to keep him from opening any of the overpriced candy or booze.

Our hotel was right next to South Mountain Park and we went for several short hikes in the mornings. We got a map from the concierge the first night and LT was determined to help pick out trails. He carried his cup of Life cereal with him almost all the time in the hotel room. By the second day of the trip he was calling our room, "Etti's wooom."

We took the Sit and Stroll with us . It's great for traveling but isn't exactly the ideal car seat for day to day use.

The little guy doesn't seem so little when carrying him in the backpack.

LT was, for some reason, determined to look for monkeys on our hikes. I assume he's pointing out some perceived evidence of monkeys to his mom here.

We always made sure to carry emergency juice and snacks with us on our outings.

We were pretty excited to take LT somewhere with a huge water park but he was most entertained playing with rocks. Everywhere we went, he found rocks to play with.

LT kept his normal routine of a little TV before nap time (sometimes mom didn't even make it though TV for her nap). Lucky for us, Clifford with LT's favorite character T-Bone, came on at the perfect time.

Getting ready to go swimming.

On our way to swim at the water park.

Relaxing after a hard swim in the wave pool.

One evening we drove up to the top of South Mountain and had a little picnic.

Another hike - this time mom carried the little guy on her back and the really little guy in her belly.

LT and Kari took me out for a special birthday dinner near ASU and LT apparently thought they had some pretty good water.


Raiding the mini-bar naked (except for socks) - watch out world, this kid knows how to party!

We went to breakfast a couple times at a very cute little farm. For some reason it reminded me a lot of some of the places we ate in Kenya on our honeymoon.


"Aunt Chilada's" was a nearby restaurant with a nice patio that we went to a few times.

LT played with rocks at the restaurant, of course, but also found some ducks to chase.

The walk home from "Aunt Chilada's."

Sometimes pants are just too restraining.

LT pointing out that he still qualifies as carry on luggage, though not for long because he turns two in a couple weeks.

The entire ride to the airport LT was asking for pizza. When we finally got checked and past security, we went looking for something to eat. When LT spotted the pizza place, he yelled out, "yay! pizza, yay!"


LT was a fantastic traveler thanks to a little portable DVD player (an early birthday present from his grandma) and a sticker book.