Christmas Gifts

I am almost done Christmas shopping for Quinn (birthday too!). My most recent purchase I just had to share because it was such a steal!

Where to find it:
Does your Walmart have a clearance toy aisle? Well mine does and I go down it frequently to spot deals like this.

What is it:
It is a wooden Noah's Ark toy set made by Garanimal's. Quinn loves flat toys (like the wooden dress up dolls) so I figure that this will totally be a keeper with all of the animals!

How much was it:
$2.50
Yup, that is it!!! I couldn't believe it when I took the box over to the self-scanner price checker. (I actually scanned it twice to make sure, hehe)

Here is a link to it from Amazon

There were only around 3 left at my Walmart. I wanted to buy them all and give them out but I didn't for some reason. (Oh, right... because I had a crying girl in my cart that NEEDED the play kitty that was hidden directly under her in the cart. Sneakiness is SO hard!)

I just might go back and see if I can snatch them up.

Smithsonian

Two weekends ago we went to the Smithsonian.

Quinn was in LOVE with the Dinosaur exhibit.

More specifically, this guy- "Big Al" as he is known around here.

Quinn rode on her Daddy's shoulders the whole time.

1/3 because she was too short to see
1/3 because she gets tired was too easily

and 1/3 because it was SO packed in there and I was a nervous wreck!

This guy is another favorite around here: the Pteranodon.

She loved exploring the other exhibits too (but they couldn't hold a candle to the dinos!)

Then we went to a fun little deli chain and shared a yummy panini!
Talk about fun family day trip!
(oh and notice her shirt?!?! Mom got it for her and she loves it)

Storyville

Our local library has Storyville. It is amazing and fun and best of all... FREE!

While at Storyville Quinn gets to play:

Architect

Cook / Mommy



Actor

Star in Puppet Show



Griller

and even go shopping.

In Storyville, there is also a library, post office, house, train, and woods.
She has so much fun there. We have been a couple times and she loves it. Only problem, we left there the last time and each got the sniffles :(

new LOVE

My girl LOVES dinosaurs. We got her this new "Spooky" hat from the dollar store and she feels so cool when she wears it.

and this treasure is "Big Al". (The allosaurus) I made him for Quinn without any plan in mind and well... you can tell. We actually had to change his eyes after one day. He had pearl eyes but now has orange plastic eyes. Quinn thinks that he is amazing and well, I won't tell her any differently!



and these...

I just thought that she looked darling. :)

strawberries

Recently Quinn has been a handful. She threw her first real temper tantrum ever the other day... and we were out getting produce. It was seriously horrific. (involved screams, foot stomping, me throwing basket towards employee yelling at me for running out the door with said basket, and lots and lots of yelling- she might have even growled at one point)

I was so lost as for what to do in the situation. Normally, I can just talk to her. If that doesn't work, I can give her the threat of having to be in time out. Most of the time the threat alone is enough but there have been times when she has actually had to sit there for a moment or two.

Well at the store:
*I tried to talk to her
*To come up with a solution to her problem
*To get away from the situation that was stressing her out
*To talk to her again, to tell her that "this behavior is NOT acceptable!" in a firm voice
*To even threaten time out
*To take away her toys in the car and explain that this type of behavior doesn't get fun rewards

then I actually threatened to spank her.
yup

Quinn doesn't get spanked. I don't really have a problem with other parents doing it, I just know that it isn't what is right for Quinn, Dan and myself. I would never want to spank/hit/smack my baby while I was mad and well, at this point I was pretty livid.

Anyway, we made it home and I put her in her room to let her (and myself) calm down.
(we talked and everything has been pretty much fine since)
****************************************************************

A few days later I heard Quinn playing in her room and talking to her toys.
She said, "my Mommy spanks me all of the time" or something like that.
So I went in and talked to her and explain that she hasn't been spanked and I explained exactly what that is. I told her how spankings hurt and time out doesn't.

Then she looked at me with tears in her eyes and her little bottom lip quivering and said, "but Mommy- time out hurts me. It hurts my heart"

oh boy, she is so sweet and this parenting thing can be kind of tough sometimes

The Duo

I love Daddy/Daughter time.

so does Quinn! Check out the soap bubbles on her face!

He is such a good Daddy and Huzz.

♥ my girl ♥

isn't she wonderful?