After Dinner Toddler Fun

After dinner last night, Millie Janalee and I decided to have a little fun while Daddy took a shower.  I've been wanting to pull out the fingerpaints Santa brought Millie Janalee, but we just haven't done it yet.  I asked Millie Janalee if she wanted to paint, and she said "Oooooh kaaay!"  Then she followed me around as I got all our supplies together with her arms up.  She couldn't wait to get busy.

When I sat her in the chair with the big fingerpaint paper taped down in front of her, she gasped and whispered "Wow!"  It's the small things that amaze her.  Ha! 

She was so excited!

She wasn't really sure what to do to start, but she stuck her finger in the yellow paint immediately and tasted it.  Yep.  She tasted it.  Why is it that the girl will not eat anything for meals except black eyed peas, fish sticks, and grilled cheese...but she will eat fingerpaint?  Once I showed how we "paint" with it and don't eat it, she was off!

Cautiously checking this out.

Now, she's got it!

She has started this new thing when I pull out the camera.  She stops what she is doing and says, "Cheeeeesh!"  You see below that even the fingerpaint had to take a break for a photo opp.  I wonder why she's so good in front of the camera?!  Haha!

It was right after this picture that she coughed.  If you don't know, she likes to cover her mouth when she coughs.  Well...seeing as how her hands were full of paint...you can imagine how that cough went.  Hmmm...

We heard Russ coming out of the back bedroom just as we were finishing up.  I was able to wipe her face down, but he came into the kitchen to see this.  Quite the after-dinner surprise for a tired working man.  The mess was really minimal.  The paint was super easy to wipe up and clean off.

Then we were off to the next thing! 

We were all watching American Idol in the living room as Millie Janalee played and danced around to the music.  I noticed her working hard on something to my left side.  I looked over to find her foot inside my tennis shoe!  She was able to get both feet inside the shoes and walk a bit with them on.  Hilarious!  She was so proud, and she just kept saying, "Shoooosh.  Shooooosh!"

During commercial breaks, Russ pulled out his guitar and played music for Millie Janalee to dance to.  When they grew tired of the guitar, he pulled out the harmonica.  They sang and played a few rounds of "Old MacDonald" before Millie Janalee wanted a turn.  Russ would show her how to play it.  Then, she would take it, put it up to her mouth, and start humming.  Such a wonderful harmonica player!  Ha!

These are the nights when memories are made.  No plans.  No fuss.  Just a little after-dinner toddler fun!