Sunday, August 29, 2010

The Great Minnesota Get Together

Leo's first Footlong!

Grammy's favorites!


Crazy Carni blowing bubbles at Leo



Look at all the people!



What is Leo so interested in?


The baby pigs!


What does he see now?


The Sheep!


Kevin is taller than Sven!


Kevin's favorite person at the fair, the miracle chopper guy in the Grandstand!



My favortie, Cheese Curds!



So tired...sweet, sleepy Leo

We took Leo to the MN State Fair today. It was his first time going to the Fair that Kevin and I have gone to nearly every year of our lives. We left early this morning to get there before the crowds and the heat. In previous years, we have spent the entire day at the fair, looking at the animals, eating, going on rides, eating, walking around, eating and going to shows while eating. Today we were on a mission to make the most out of the few hours we had until nap time. We saw a few animals, walked through the midway, did some people watching and ate the following: a footlong, mini doughnuts, cheese curds, Sweet Martha's and ice cold milk. Leo tasted all of the food we bought but preferred the applesauce and sandwich we brought for him. We walked around, went into the grandstand and took a few pictures. We left around noon when the sun was in full force and the people were entering by the 100's. Leo amazingly fell asleep within 3 minutes of leaving the fair grounds (he never sleeps in the car) and even transferred to his crib and took a 2 hour nap!!! I think the fair wore him out!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Staycation

Heading out to dinner!
Our view of the Twins stadium from our room at the Graves Hotel

Kevin and I decided to take a "staycation" and spend a few days downtown without Leo. We had a great time relaxing, shopping, eating, and spending time together. It was nice to be able to pick up and go somewhere without packing a diaper bag, eating out at a restaurant without spending half of the meal cutting up food and the other half chowing as fast as you can, and having an adult conversation without the sound of fisher price toys going off in the background. Although we were only gone for two nights, it felt much longer! We were able to do a lot of fun things and have a much needed break. By Wednesday morning, we were more than ready to see Leo again and we decided to skip our lunch plans and pick him up early. He had a great time with Grammy and Gramps and got a good report!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Childrens Museum

















The week that Kevin took off work, we spent a morning at the Children's Museum downtown St. Paul. It was such a great place! I had been there once before on a field trip with 25 kindergartners so this was a much more relaxing and fun trip for me. Leo loved the Habitot room where he could crawl around and play with all of the toys that were just his size. Kevin and I spent the morning chasing him through tunnels, up and down slides and through hallways. It was hard to get good pictures of him because he was always on the move!

Friday, August 20, 2010

Ball Tent







We decided it would be fun to set up the ball tent from Leo's birthday party in the family room. I think we underestimated the size of the tent...it looked much smaller when it was outside in the backyard. When we set it up inside, it took up a good portion of the family room. So for several days, we had a giant colorful tent in the middle of our house that we had to walk around anytime we wanted to go upstairs, to the couch or into the kitchen. I guess that is what happens when you have a small space and a little boy who loves to play in the ball tent!

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Corn









When I was a little kid, I always remember shucking corn on the deck at my parents house. My family LOVES sweet corn and we always ate it in the summer when we were growing up. Last week, we were at my parents house to celebrate Charlie's birthday dinner and Leo helped Molly and I shuck the corn. He loved to feel all the different textures of the corn but he didn't love eating it...maybe next summer!

Monday, August 16, 2010

Silly Face












Leo has a new trick. He loves to make "silly face." Anytime he thinks something is funny he will squint his eyes and open his mouth really wide and laugh. He has also learned to do it on cue. If I say "Leo silly face" he will make the face. What a crazy kid!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Big Wheels

I love this picture of Leo standing next to the giant tractor wheel!
Crawling around in the back of the tractor

Driving the tractor with Mama


Yes, this is the best!

Do I look good in here or what?!


Is this how it works?



Watching the band with Dada

We spent Saturday night at the Carver County Fair. This was our first trip to the small fair in Waconia and we had a great time! First we visited the animal tents and saw camels, monkeys, ostrich's, and a zebra (kind of exotic animals for a county fair if you ask me...) Then we hit the barns and saw chickens, sheep, pigs, cows and horses. Leo liked to look at the animals from a far but did not enjoy getting close to them. I think he was feeling a little overwhelmed by the size of the animals and all of the people. Then we headed to the food tents and had lots of good food including cheese curds :). We ate our fair food in the music tent so Leo could listen to the community band that was playing. Naturally he clapped and tapped along to the music. Then we went to machinery hill which turned out to be Leo's favorite part of the fair. He loved playing in the tractors and crawling around in the back of the haulers. After that we walked through the midway and then back to the car. Luckily Leo is too young to want to ride the rides. I have a feeling that next summer we could be spending a lot more time on the rides and a lot more money on the games! When we got home Leo went straight to the tub after a messy night at the fair!

Friday, August 6, 2010

Big HAIRCUT!

I'm not so sure about this... What's going on back there?
Watching Elmo!



He needed a little help keeping his hands down



I like that bright green comb!


I love my snack cup!


Recovering the snack after it fell!

So handsome with my new haircut!

Doesn't the back look so much better?



Side profile!


So we decided it was time to get Leo's haircut. It was getting pretty shaggy around the ears and it was starting to resemble a mullet. I was a little nervous to get it cut because I wasn't sure how he would do in the chair and I was afraid he would look so much older! We went to Kids Hair in Chan. When we got there, his "stylist" sat him in the chair, turned on Elmo and started cutting very fast! He was a little unsure at first and kept wanting to turn around to see what she was doing. When he started to get squirmy, I gave him his snack cup. The only time he cried is when his snack cup fell on the floor (the boy LOVES to eat). Before we knew it, she was finished and Leo was ready to get out of the chair. He does look so much older but I love the way it turned out. He looks like such a handsome little boy!