Happy Friday!  And let me just say, TGIF!! I feel like this week has lasted forever.  I’m so ready for the weekend and can’t wait to play with my favorite little boy all day Saturday and Sunday.

Today’s Friday Favorite is our Zany Zoo!  It’s this awesome wooden cube “loopty-loo routes for you to wind through, zigzag paths to race up and down and spinners that spin!”  They say it’s for ages 1 and up but Maxwell loves it now…

We pulled it out of the closet last week and he’s had so much fun exploring it…

There’s entertainment on every side…

Ours was a baby shower gift but you can get them at Target – Zany Zoo

Maxwell loves his so much he gave it a round of applause!

The Zany Zoo is also a good balance tool – as long as it’s pushed up against the couch so it doesn’t slide.  Look at my little dude standing up! So strong!

He holds on tight and can totally keep himself up…

Look, Momma!  One hand!

Of course, we’re still working on balance a little!  🙂

Hope you all have a great weekend!!  See you Monday!

Most days when Robert gets home from work he goes straight for the pantry for a granola bar – just a little something to hold him over until dinner.  Robert always eats the granola bar and hands the wrapper over to Maxwell.  The wrapper always turns into great entertainment in what can be a touchy time of day.  So, today’s Friday Favorite are the silver, shiny Quaker Chewy granola bar wrappers.  Yea, yea…I know this is a silly Friday Favorite, but it’s just something I want to remember.  This little wrapper will literally entertain him for half an hour…

Chocolate chunk is the preferred flavor…

and, of course, it always ends up in his mouth!

Who needs fancy toys when you’ve got shiny wrappers!

On another note, have you realized today is Friday the 13th?!  Let’s all hope for no bad luck today!   Here’s an interesting tidbit from Wikipedia:

According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States are affected by a fear of this day. Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid their normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed. “It’s been estimated that $800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day”.

Who would have thought people really get worked up over it?  If you want to learn more about the origins of Friday the 13th, here you go – Friday the 13th

I hope you all have a day full of GOOD luck and a wonderful weekend!

Now that Maxwell is rockin and rollin’, I finally got out the play mat to put on the floor.  I know there are tons of different versions of these mats out there but I love this one because it’s neutral colors.  It was actually a Christmas present (thanks GJ and Daddo!) and it came from Skip Hop.  It comes with enough squares to make it double the size of what you see below.  It keeps the drool off the rug and provides just enough padding in case his head goes thunk (still working on that balance sometimes!).

Maxwell on his play mat for the first time and not so sure what’s going on…

But then deciding it’s pretty fun!

My sweet little boy watching Baby Einstein…

And chewing on his fingers…

And just being cute.

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!