Fun with Fall

Fall is finally here and I couldn't be more excited. It's my favorite time of year. Crisp air, crunchy, colorful leaves, and pumpkin everything. Plus, everything is orange - which is quite possibly my favorite color. What's not to love?

So, when I ventured to Joann's Fabric yesterday in search of inspiration for Baby Bug's nursery, I couldn't help but sneak a peak at the fall decor aisle.

And guess what? Fall decor was 60% off! Imagine my glee.

Initially I picked up about seven or eight odd decor items: rustic brown "welcome" blocks, two or three "Thankful" signs, a pumpkin candle holder, and way too many orange and brown paisley napkins and paper plates.

Eventually, I came to my senses and realized that I already have more fall decor than I can display and settled on just one door sign and one harvest-themed wall hanging - for a combined price tag of a mere $9 I might add.

But just as I was about to kiss the fall aisle goodbye, I spotted these little babies:

Fall static cling and gel window decorations. Now, normally I shy away from anything cheap or cheesy  when it comes to my home. Still, something told me that little toddler boys might love cheap and cheesy.

Hmmm, I thought, I wonder if MJ would play with these? After all, he LOVED the colorful window gels at the Crocker Tot Land. Of course, he also loved them a bit too much and completely destroyed them - ripping them to shreds before I took them away and quietly donated $5 on my way out to cover their replacement cost.

Still, at $1 a pop, I was willing to give cheesy window decor another try.

I took them home and showed them to MJ. His eyes immediately lit up.

"Open; open," he immediately requested, pulling at the plastic.

I did and handed them to him, simply stating, "Look; they stick to the window." He didn't need much instruction. He instantly starting peeling the gold, orange, and purple leaf gels off the plastic and excitedly sticking them to the window.

This is fun, Mommy!

He'd put each one up and name the colors before he did. Reb, puppple, innge.

Then he'd rearrange them, just to make sure they were at their most beautiful.

Yay! 

Once he was done putting them up, he decided to strip them off and put them on the outside window of our sunporch. 

Look, Mommy. Weef!

I thought they looked even prettier on this window with the afternoon sun shining through. :) Unfortunately, the scenery didn't last very long. MJ immediately started grabbing them down, one by one, and racing across the sunporch to put them back up on the sliding door.

 I have a better idea...

I'm a man on a mission.

Why, yes. This is much better. A masterpiece in fact.

I love it!

This back and forth went on for a while...thirty nine minutes to be exact. That's a LOOOOOOOONG time for a toddler boy to be amused with one toy. I was feeling pretty dang proud of myself for thinking of this "activity". 

Then, around minute 41 of our leaf decorating spree, MJ suddenly announced "all done" and began putting the leaves back on their plastic. He carefully removed each leaf from the sliding door and put it back, much to my amazement. 

When all the leaves were safely home on their protective sheet, MJ picked it up handed it me and said "Yay!"

Um, who is this child and what has he done with Mr. Destructo?

Who cares! MJ played quietly and nicely for nearly 45 minutes and he cleaned up after himself. I'm not going to mess with success by asking too many questions....And I will definitely be visiting Joann's Fabrics more often.