"Shopping Trip" to the Mall

7.28.2011

I'm not sure how, but Mommy got her number one wish.  I always wanted to have a little boy or little girl that would become my shopping buddy.  So, when Little Lewie started mentioning that he wanted to go to the mall on a repetitive basis..."Mommy, go mall.  MOMMY, go mall!" I was tickled pink.  Words couldn't express the sense of gratitude I felt that I had a little boy that loved the mall just as much as me!

However, my little boy's love of the mall comes with certain conditions.  When we go, we have to ride the elevator at least a half a dozen times, we have to ride several of the 50 cent kiddie car rides, and we have to go on the trackless train ride.  Oh, a stop for ice cream usually has to be on the agenda too.  So, while Mommy may get about 30 to 40 minutes of shopping done...she spends the other 40 minutes to an hour satisfying Little Lewie's requests...

Here are a few fun videos of our most recent mall experience this week.  (I have to admit that I enjoyed satisfying Little Lewie's requests just as much as I enjoyed shopping!) 


                                        
 The trackless train ride!



The 'Get Your Red Hots' Ride

May you have a wonderful shopping experience with your toddler/s this weekend too!  :)

All Aboard!

7.21.2011

I'm not sure when Little Lewie's fascination with trains started...it may have been when we went on the trackless train ride at the mall...or...it may have been when we visited a little friend of his that had a Thomas the Train wooden train table.  All I know is that Little Lewie has been fascinated by them ever since...It's so much fun to hear him yell, "Choo choo!  Choo choo!" (especially while riding the train at the mall and waving to shoppers).

Since Little Lewie's third birthday is coming up on August 11th, I decided I could either have an elevator party (his other great fascination in life) or a choo choo train party.  Since elevators are hard to come by, we opted for the easier train theme.  I'm still trying to see if I can secure a trackless train for his birthday pary, but in the meantime, we already decided to buy him his birthday gift--his very own train table.  The Thomas the Train wooden tracks and train sets are pretty expensive (even the used ones on eBay), but we did find an awesome Imaginarium train table at Toys "R" Us on clearance for under $100.

Last Sunday, we decided to center the day around getting his present.  Since Toys "R" Us will not deliver the table, we had to use the store locater to find a store that had the item available for pick-up.  The closest store wasn't even in our state, so we opted to drive to Yonkers, NY (an hour and 15 minute drive from our house) to get it.  My husband wasn't thrilled about the idea of driving so far at first, but once we got the table and came home, our little boy's excitement made up for the long ride.  He was such a good boy during the car ride, and he couldn't be happier when Daddy put together his table. 

Here are some highlights from our day including a fun video showing Little Lewie tackling the box and yelling "Choo choo":


One excited little boy!

Giving a thumbs up!

Looking for an opening...

Playing with his train set before Daddy is even finished...

Poor Daddy still trying to put together the thousands of pieces...


Proof that our long trip for the train set was well worth the wait!

These Lazy Days of Summer

7.15.2011

I love the summertime.  Simply put, I don't have to feel guilty about the endless hours of TV watching indoors.  No, but honestly, there's nothing more fun than going for a swim, relaxing under a tree with an ice cream cone, going for an evening stroll, enjoying a good old-fashinoned picnic, roasting marshmellows...etc. etc.

I'm happy to say that we've been enjoying the great outdoors.  Sure our work schedules sometimes get in the way, but over the last few days we've had a chance to take in some rays.  Here's some pictures from our last few adventures...

Swimming in Ninny and Papa's Pool

Happiness is swinging on the "Big Boy" Swing

Shark Attack?!

Getting some R&R on the beach with his pal Ryan.

Scoping the scene for chicks.

Searching for buried treasure.


Watching the campers across the lake.

"May we please have some ice cream?"

"Don't worry.  It's on me today."

Fast asleep. 

The Potty Monster

7.07.2011

Okay, we've created a "potty monster."  If you're not sure what I mean, please...let me explain. 

Scenario 1:
Little Lewie and I are on our way out the door.  I'm late for work and call daycare to let them know that I will be dropping him off later than expected (again).  As I go to lock the door, Little Lewie annouces...
     "Potty Mommy, Potty."
     "What?  Now?  Are you sure you need to go potty now?"
     "Yes, pee pee Mommy, pee pee."
I unlock the door, bring Little Lewie to the bathroom, and help him pull down his pants and pull up.  We stand there for three minutes.  Nothing happens, but Lewie proceeds to tell me that he's done, so he can flush the toilet and celebrate...

Scenario 2:
This lovely picture is provided to
you by Google Images.
We're at the park.  We just finish playing on the swings and instead of being interested in going on the slides, Lewie announces...
     "Potty Mommy, Potty."
Well, what do you know?  Way out younder, yes beyond the parking lot and the ball fields, there's a pavillion that most likely has a potty.  If not, next to the pavillion are porta potties.  Well it must be our lucky day!
     "Are you sure you have to go potty, Lewie?"
     "Yes Mommy, poopy.  Go poopy Mommy.  Go poopy."
I hold his hand, and we walk through the playground, across the parking lot, across several ball fields, and arrive at the pavillion.  There's a bathroom that's open at the pavillion; although Little Lewie has his eyes on the porta potty.  (Even though it's stinky, evidently it's way cooler because it has a swivel lock.)
     "No Lewie.  We're not doing the porta potty.  It's stinky.  Let's go to the regular bathroom."
     "No Mommy. No!" he screams grabbing onto the porta potty door and not letting go.
     "We're going to the other bathroom Lewie," I say sternly, trying to release his grasp on the door.
Now my kid is really screaming.  Fortunately, we're not making too much of a scene since we're pretty far away from the park.  (Although I'm sure some moms can see us out in the distance--me yanking my little boy, and my little boy grabbing onto the porta potty for dear life.)

After what feels like a ten minute struggle, Mommy finally wins, and we get to the regular bathroom.  I proceed to pull down Lewie's pants and realize he's more interested in playing with the stall door.
     "Lewie.  I thought you said you have to go potty."
 He looks at me and continues playing with the lock on the door.
     "I'm not kidding Lewie.  No more playing with the door.  If you have to go potty, we need to go NOW."
The potty never happens; instead my little boy is fixated on playing with the doors, and going potty was just an excuse to get here.

*     *     *

Now don't get me wrong.  I'm very excited that Little Lewie has been doing pee pee on the potty.  He's really trying, and I don't want to discourage or reverse his efforts.  Still, since I made going potty into this fun celebration, Little Lewie wants to do it all the time, even when he really doesn't have to go, just to receive the praise, flush the toilet, or if we're out somewhere, to play with the bathroom stall/lock.  It's become way too fun for him...to the point that I'm battling with him over the difference of using the porta potty vs. playing with the porta potty lock.  Ugh!

Oh yes, and in case you were wondering what eventually happened in Scenario 2...let's just say I ended up carrying my little 45 lb. boy to the car since he still wanted to play with the bathroom doors...Sometimes it's better to go to a park that doesn't have any toilets...at least for now.