Building a Kids Tool Box

See, just a little guy!

Ever since he was just a little guy, Godzilla has been in love with tools. It started when he was just walking, and he picked up my cordless drill (no bit in it of course) and carried it around with him, with the biggest grin on his face. We knew right then, what he would be getting for Christmas that year.

Fast forward four years to today. He got some money for his birthday, so we made a trip to Toys R Us. What did he find to buy, but a tool set. While we had looked at everything, from Lego to superheros to cars and trains, once we found a real tool set with a real tool belt, and a wooden dump truck he could build with it, the decision was made.

Then we came home and he let me know in no uncertain terms that he would not be building his truck until he had a tool box to keep his new tools in.

USP - Unscheduled Sleep Positions IV

If you take a toddler to the store, he'll be too tired to walk, so he'll ask to ride in the cart. And if he's riding in the cart because he's too tired to walk, he'll probably fall asleep. And if he falls asleep in the cart, you're likely to have a peaceful shopping trip.

Birthday Bash at Legoland Discovery Center, Chicago

We try to do something special for the kids birthdays each year. Last year we visited Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City, MI. The kids loved the waterpark and all that goes along with it and begged to go back, and while we look forward to our next visit, we like to keep things fresh, so we planned something new this year.

Nat wanted to visit the American Girl store located in Watertower Place on Michigan Ave right in the heart of downtown Chicago, while Godzilla has been begging to go to Legoland D.C. just up the highway in lovely Schaumburg, IL. So, to make things easier, and to keep me from going crazy at the A.G. store (seriously, have you ever seen that place?) Kate took Nat for her special day, and after dropping them off on the Magnificent Mile, I took the boy on the short drive out to the 'burbs and the glory of a day full of a billion bricks.

Milk Planets

I opened the fridge today and found we had a ton of milk. Now, this is an odd occurrence, but I had an idea on how to make the most of it. We have been collecting bottle lids all summer, planning to use them to make milk planets. It doesn't take much, and it has a little science lesson to go along with it.

You start with a little milk (whole is better than skim - see the science below for why), three or four food colors, several lids, some dish soap and a few cotton swabs.

Stuff My Wife Says III

"I pulled a you."

Where'd he go, I can't find my son!

I'm a guy, so you know... I can never find anything. Its one of my gender's most endearing traits. (Of course, we just do it to make our wifes feel more useful.) Just yesterday I had gone to the store looking for a birthday gift for Godzilla, but left not able to find the item I was looking for. So, today Kate went in and found it right away. It was right where she told me it would be, and where I had been looking in vain. Then she went to look for soap, and could not find it for the life of her. Only when she talked to an employee did she find it... right where she had been looking.