Animal Stacks

The idea of getting a Noah's Ark-style toy for my son has always appealed to me. Not for religious reasons but because what kid doesn't love animals and boats. But the wooden ones are pretty pricey and none of the plastic ones tickled my fancy. And then I saw this one by Tier Toys. The brilliance is that the boat itself is a stacker; each level houses four animals in a puzzle-type fashion; it doubles as a pull toy because it's got wheels on the bottom (though the wheels don't turn all that well); and the plastic is BPA and phthalate free. My son loves the animals and putting them in their homes and/or lining them up on the deck of the boat. It is such a great toy, and I cannot recommend enough! There is also a barnyard stacker, a pet house stacker, and a sea x-plorer.

The Art of Making Lunch

My son loves his snacks. But lately, he's not been that great at eating his lunch. So I bought these fantastic sandwich cutters from Lunch Punch that cut sandwiches to look like a train, airplane, truck and a car. Decorate the plate accordingly with flowers, birds and whatever suits the motif, and voila - I have a lunch eater! Actually, it wasn't as easy as that. We had to drop the morning snack, too.

My masterpieces:

Peanut butter and jelly sandwich shaped like a car; carrots as birds; dried apricots as flowers; green peppers as stems and leaves.

Carrots as hair; leftover purple potatoes as ears; leftover fingerling potato as nose; grilled onion (originally cooked with potatoes) as eyebrows; cucumbers as eyes; tomatoes as lips; leftover chicken as teeth; dried cherries as tongue sticking out (I am told he ate that first).

Avocado and cheese sandwich cut as airplane and clouds (I sorta messed up the clouds but he couldn't tell); carrots and strawberries as flowers; pomegranate seeds as pollen; sliced cucumber as grass and stems.

Knock Knock

Scene:
Husband and I are speaking to each other.
Son runs up and wants my attention.
Son: "Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy."
I say "Just a minute" and continue conversation with Husband.
Son (at my feet, looking up at me): "Knock knock, who's there? Knock knock, who's there? Knock knock, who's there?"

Where does he come up with such cuteness?