Boots, Longhorns and BBQ in Cowtown

So this week Jordan took us on a business trip with him to Fort Worth, Texas and let me say, so far I am really enjoying this whole "taking the family" along thing!  Business trips as a family = awesome.  Jordan had meetings all day, but G and I hit the nearby Stockyards with a mission: Find G some wicked cowboy boots, see the cattle run and eat some BBQ something.  And we did all three! 

I am pretty sure that G won't fit those boots until he's at least three years old. We got them at one of the best stores in town, here.  But honestly, when are we going to be in Texas ever again.  If you are going to have cowboy boots, they have to be the real deal and you can't get more real than that!   And G just loved them.  The first thing he did.  Took them off and tried to chew them. We also spotted some really great antler chandeliers that I KNOW J wants for his future man cave.  But he'll have to wait on that.

We got to see the longhorn cattle run through the downtown core of the stockyards.  Honestly, how do they keep their heads up??  G and I sneaked over to the cattle yard to have a private look at the cattle just lowing in the field.  They were incredible.  But, lets just say that there was one completely freaky moment when all 20 of the longhorns stopped what they were doing, and turned with their HUGE longhorns and looked us (all 20 of them) dead in the eye, as seen below.... It was a little unnerving to say the least.  We packed up the camera pretty quick and hightailed it out of there.  

G and I hit up a pretty juicy BBQ place called Riscky's for lunch and G chowed down on ribs, although I am pretty sure most of the food ended up on the floor, although, he seemed to fully enjoy himself. 

And we finished off the afternoon at the best antique store.  It was full of the largest collection of dead and stuffed animals (if you are into that kind of thing) that I've ever witnessed along with some pretty fantastic wooden furniture, antler chandeliers, tin roosters, fur stockings, etc. 

Tips: Cheerios are a baby's best friend. Let's count the ways....

Cheerios.

To Annie: From her story on how to get baby pictures taken without tears. 

To: Margaret and to Darian, both of which will be flying their 11 month and 12 month babies all the way to Seattle.  Good luck my mama friends. 

So we took a three hour plane trip from Baltimore to Dallas with our 10 month old son.  Not sure how sitting still for a 10 month old baby was going to go.  Especially for a child who naps solid 1.5-2 hour naps and then flies around the house like a spinning top while awake.  How would he possibly be able to stay within the confines of two laps (approximately 4 ft by 2 feet) for three hours.  But he did.  Miraculously.  And even had a little nap thanks to his blanket and learning to sleep forward-facing. One of our trade secrets for this trip.  Cheerios.

Edible: Baby can eat them.   Always good to have a "toy" that you can eat.  And really, I think they are pretty healthy.  Better than other options we've been given at recent restaurants.  Cheez Whiz or Fruit roll-ups.  Seriously.

Easy: You don't have to refrigerate Cheerios.  In fact, if they are stale, baby doesn't even seem to mind.  Although, I'm not really touting that you should feed your baby stale food.  That's not nice.  But you get my drift.  They last FOREVER.

Time-manager: You are on a plane.  You have three hours to kill.  Most of this three hours (at least with Gabriel) can be spent trying to eat a container of Cheerios.  It takes FOREVER and it's wonderful.

Musical: Once they are in a container, they are an instant instrument.  You can sing, he can shake OR he can shake and you can sing.  Or he can sing AND shake.

Educational: You can use them to count.  I guess.  If you'd like.

Interactive:  I don't know about you, but Gabriel loves to play around with Cheerios.  In fact, if you put any more than three, count 'em 3, cheerios in his tray, he likes to play with them like they are a video game console more than eat them.  They go flying every where and it's fun.  Especially if you aren't the one who has to vacuum, say if you are on a plane.  Sorry flight attendants.  But it was either that or mushy baby food!

Clean-messy: which brings me to this point.  They are a bit messy, but not really.  You can pick them up, sweep them, vacuum them.  Whatever is easiest.  What you don't have to do is mop them, scrub them, etc or find them mashed into your hair, his hair or either of your articles of clothing with say avocado or mashed up bits of broccoli. 

Aside from that.  Other things that worked:  The table tray which he put up and down no less than 100 times.  Watching the trucks at take-off (Thank you Barney's book about trucks).  Milk. Milk. Milk.  (Stored in individually portioned ziplock bags).  And lots of little things stuffed in the front seat pockets that we would put in and he would take out over and over and over.  And flirting with all of the other passengers beside, in front and behind us. 

What I'd like to know is... what are the tricks for sharing a hotel room with a toddler.  Any tips mama friends?

I didn't need a fortune cookie to tell me this

I am incredibly blessed, especially by these two pumpkins and an incredible partner and husband.