The return of Mondays with Mommy...

The last two Mondays I've stayed home with Banner because I'm finally (knock on wood) healthy, and wanted to catch up with my favorite little man.

This week, we started the day with a playdate with Tessa and Grant at our house, followed by lunch and a two hour nap.  Which was amazing and totally unexpected since I had to wake his little butt up at 9 AM.  I sort of assumed the late wake up call would result in a naplessness afternoon, but I guess the combination of his trip to the Arboretum on Sunday followed by dinner at the club with The Fabulous Auntie Mimi and Uncle Bud really wore him out! 

Which, by the way, did you know that Banner can say "Hi" and "Uh-oh"?  Neither did we, but on Sunday night, after he finished eating, the little dude was on a roll.  He'd wander off in to the ball room, get bored, turn around, walk back on to the porch and announce his presence to all of the other diners with a giant, "HI!".  Luckily, everyone there either had youngsters themselves or seemed to enjoy Banner's antics.  Several even yelled "Hi!" back, and got up to greet him.

Ah, the kindness of strangers.

Banner also says "Uh-oh!" every time he falls down, throws his sippy cup on the floor, does something he knows is wrong or drops food or a toy on the ground.  No idea where he picked this little gem up...

("Uh-oh, Gypsy Kitty!  Uh-oh!")

Tessa also commented during our playdate that Banner consistently signs "more" when he...well, wants more of something (i.e. Grant's gram crackers).  I had never noticed (mother of the year, OMG).  This prompted me to make some inquiries at day care, and - sure enough - he has quite the little sign vocabulary.  Who knew?

(Whoops.)

But, I digress.  Back to Monday:

Around three, Auntie Amy and Uncle Adam came over and we fed the ducks at White Rock and burned off some of our extra energy running around the Arboretum like a maniac.

Because we always have extra energy these days!

(See?  I told you to expect many more mentions and photos of the Arboretum!)

When the Arboretum closed at 5 PM, the group of us returned home to our house.  I thought the B-Man would be winding down for the day, but NO.  He was still raring to go.  So, I took him into the backyard to burn off some steam.  The dogs were in the dog run, and it was hysterical to watch Banner interact with them.  He LOVES being able toddle up to the fence and pet them without being knocked over or licked to death.  It never gets old.  Over and over again, he would run up to the chain link gate, scream "DA!", reach through the gaps for puppy dog kisses before walking away (only to return 15 seconds later to do it all over again).

It was possibly the cutest thing ever.

Haskell is Banner's special buddy.

Trying to show the dogs the squirrel in the tree.
None of the resident canines noticed, which answers the age-old question:
Who is smarter; a dog or one year old?

I love that he is such a big animal lover.  The only thing that worries me is that he had no fear, and thinks that all dogs are just as sweet and patient as his own. 

In other news, I was rearended on Saturday.  Dealing with insurance companies is about as much fun as snorting wasabi.  Especially when you find yourself trying to explain to the guy-who-hit-me's insurance company (who has assumed liabilty for my damages) that it is going to take several days to a week to repair my vehicle and I need a rental car in the interim.  But not just any rental.  A rental that has four doors and a back seat.  Don't get me wrong:  Mini Coopers are adorable, but the insurance company said that it would pay for me to let a comparable sized vehicle while mine was in the shop.  And, well, the last time I checked my GMC Envoy is considerably larger than that tiny two door compact with nonexistant legroom.  I'm not saying I need an Escalade here.  I'm just 5'10 with a child who still rides in a rear facing car seat.  Both of us need to fit, and - call me crazy - I would also like to be able to access said car seat without moving seats and contorting my very not flexible body in order to get my son in and out of the vehicle.

I know, I know:  I'm super high maintenance.

But all my b*tching worked out in the end (and by "end" I mean "two hours later"), because I'm now sporting around town in a slightly funky smelling Nissan Altima.  Not that I'm complaining, mind you.  Because the mental image of me trying to get Banner's carseat in the two door Mini is still painfully fresh in my mind.