"hamam!"

We've got quite the master manipulator on our hands! Last night Liam wanted to go downstairs and play instead of going to bed. He's started using hugs as a way to stretch out bedtime as he knows we have a hard time saying no to a demand for a hug. Well, Liam was throwing a fit and ran out of his room towards me saying "hug! hug!" So of course (like a fool) I kneeled down with open arms. He ran into them and gave me a big hug...then wrapped his arms around my neck and his legs around my waist and said "stand up! downstairs!" Ha! Got me! Except Dad came out and dragged him back to his room.

He also has gone back to hating the idea that Dad leaves in the morning. This morning he kept insisting Dad "stay home" (and that I go to work instead). I'm telling you, it's *really hard* to say no to that sad face. I don't know how Brian does it.


One of the best things I ever found at a garage sale is a set of 3 fabric tools in a fabric tool box. It has off and on been his favorite toy ever since the purchase a year and a half ago. Lately he's been "fixing" things around the house with his "hamam," "wents," and "doo dyvah." The tool box even went to the park with us last week. He also likes to take the tools to bed with him and I can hear him "fixing" the crib in the morning when he wakes up.

Last Friday Liam and I went to Morrill Hall to see the dinosaurs and press buttons (they make animal sounds and are his very favorite thing at the museum). His second favorite thing is the "smelling station" in the discovery zone room. You are supposed to guess what smell is in the vial but we mainly just end up taking the lids on and off and pretending to sniff them. For 10 minutes straight. And that's a *long time* on one activity for Liam! For instance, we tried finger painting for the first time the other day--it took me 15 minutes to get everything ready and he only painted for 3 minutes.

Now I'm just waiting for Liam to wake up--I promised him we'd make a snowman if he'd take a nap. Our goal is to beat Uncle Tim's 6 1/2 ft. tall snowman!