This kid is bananas!

Austin's newest, most favoritest thing in the world is... the almighty BANANA. I should be happy, right? It could be chocolate cake. (Because that's what mine is...) But when your child reacts to seeing bananas in a book, a store, on TV, or even the mere mention of the "B" word with screaming and frantic baby sign language asking for said fruit- it can make life a bit complicated. I was recently that woman at the grocery store letting her sweet child chew on a banana bunch as she shopped down the rest of her list in a zen like manner. It wasn't that I was a careless parent, or that I had neglected to feed him that day. It was just that my eyes tend to glaze over after my child screams for something for 10 minutes in public. And lets be honest, he wasn't flipping out over a toy or candy, it was a banana. I'll tell you, it's enough to drive a woman--- well, you know. Bananas.

The little addict taking off with his stash.

Those things get heavy after a while!

"Could you peel one of these for me Mommy? I worked up an appetite!"

Batbaby

Did someone send out the Bat Signal? Maybe a teeny- tiny Bat Signal?

Umm, Mom? There isn't anything in this "utility belt" that I can use to fight crime.

And my pants are too long.

Although I DO look quite dashing. Very "Baby Bruce Wayne".

I'll just take the Tex Mobile.

This is where you push me... so stop taking pictures or I'll be late saving the world.

Kablow!

Summer in the City

This past weekend brought with it a visit from my Mommy and little brother Chase. He just graduated from Army Cavalry Scout School (SO PROUD OF HIM!) and is on leave for a few weeks before shipping off to his next post overseas. Boy was I happy to have him here for a few days! Chase had said a few weeks back that he wanted to see New York City before he left the country. And New York City we provided. It was a whirlwind tour, but we hit the hot spots. And I think for him seeing Ground Zero was a quiet reminder as to why his new job as a soldier is so important. We stopped at Liberty State Park in NJ and were able to see the Manhattan skyline, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty. A big bonus? Austin could run around like a maniac while we took in the sights.

Next was our Nascar inspired drive through Manhattan. I am pretty sure that if I had been driving we would have hit numerous pedestrians, a few Police horses, and a at least a dozen cars. Chris is such an amazing driver. He even commented about how it feels good to drive into the city every now and then, because it keeps his driving skills sharp. Funny, all it does for me is induce mini Strokes.

Resting up for the big day.

The Statue of Liberty (so much smaller than I thought she would be)

Ellis Island (which I would love to tour someday soon - cough, cough, Chris)

The NYC skyline

Mommy, Chase, and the Statue of Liberty (not in that order)

Poopygate 2009

So this blog shall be about the not so cute aspects of a 17 month old boy. Prepare yourselves for poo and temper tantrums.

One evening, just like any other evening, we three Taylors were hanging out in Austin's room watching him play and do cute Austin things. At one point he was running over to the corner where we keep all of his books, and crouching down like he was trying to "drop the kids off at the pool" if you catch my drift. Chris and I were laughing and smiling as he worked on his business over in the corner. It was all fun and games until I noticed that he was HOLDING SOMETHING in his right hand. He was still laughing and smiling, and then proceeded to show us the THREE PIECES OF POO that he was grasping in his hot little hand. Austin had not been dropping the kids off at the pool, he had been pulling them from his diaper. At this point there was some panic on the part of the parents. Being a worst case scenario kind of mother, I was already imagining him popping those bad boys into his mouth like Milk Duds at a movie theater. After 15 seconds I was able to calmly instruct Chris to pick him up as I brushed the offending Poo Duds into the floor. I then had Chris follow me into the bathroom so I could wash Austin's hands and start a bath. Please note that in the 60 seconds that it took us to get from the scene of the crime to our bathroom Chris said "Don't touch my face" about 976 times. We washed off the poo hands, removed the diaper, used copious amounts of baby wipes, and then dropped our little guy into the bath. I walked out of the bathroom to begin the decontamination process of Austin's room (which involved a Hazmat suit, blow torch, a Priest and carpet cleaner) when Chris began shouting frantically. Apparently Austin was in fact NOT finished pooping when we had placed him into the bath. So like a good soldier, he completed his mission while Chris was washing his hair. Thus began the procedure that we have become quite proficient at when Austin drops his kids off into the bath. By 8:30 Austin was clean, poo free, and in bed. Needless to say, Chris and I were totally pooped.

I present to the jury: Exhibit A

Bath time... take 2.

In the last month Austin has perfected the TEMPER TANTRUM. Yes, it is all capitalized letters because it is a capital pain in my rear. We have finally reached the Zen parenting point where he knows that we aren't going to stand there and play into his routine. We let him have his fit and then move on with life. But darn it if that child doesn't manage to look cute even when his head is rotating like that girl in "The Exorcist".

Departure from Happy Town.

Code red! Code red!

Somehow this is all Mommy's fault. Maybe because I was taking flash photography while he was having a melt down?