McDonald's

Ok, I just want to say that I really don't like McDonalds. Justin likes it well enough (especially the fries), but we never go unless we're really desperate because I just can't stomach it and can never find anything that sounds even remotely good (except for maybe the yogurt parfait and ice cream :)). 

Yet, somehow, the big yellow arches have pulled us in and we've become regulars. What has changed?

Nolan.

Nolan + the McDonald's Play Place.

We went for the first time on our way out of town to Las Vegas. I had gotten my haircut at my friend Amber's house in Springville and there was literally no other option before getting on the freeway. 

Game changer.

Nolan was in absolute heaven! Even though he's a bit small for many of the big toys, he is perfectly happy to run around, climb up a few steps, go down slides, etc. 

Of course the other big draw to McDonald's for him is the "fies!!" He'll come over to us and grab a fry, go play just long enough to finish chewing it, then come back for another. It's adorable. And you know what made me the most happy? Watching how happy Justin was watching Nolan having so much fun. My heart was melting all over the sticky floor.

Oh and do I even need to mention the fun toys that come in kids meals? Nolan has loved his Angry Birds toys and Skylander car.

That first time at McDonald's I took him up through the tubes and down the big slide one time. You had to go up a big circular staircase, turn right through a tube, then part way through that tube turn left and go up, then turn right to get to the slide. So it wasn't simple by any means. As soon as we slid down he of course said "again" but before I could decide if I wanted to go through that again, he started going up by himself! Justin and I looked at each other and said, "well, let's see how he does I guess!" We could see him get all the way up the circular staircase and make the correct first turn, but after that there were no windows and we couldn't see him. I went to the bottom of the slide and Justin walked around everywhere trying to get an angle to see him to make sure he was ok. After a minute or two I yelled from the bottom of the slide for Nolan to come down, hoping he was up there and just needed some encouragement to go down. He didn't answer, but sure enough, a few seconds later he came down! A couple kids probably 1 year older than him came down right behind him so I'm not entirely sure if he took the plunge himself or if he was given a little push haha, but he had a smile on his face when he came down!

We were seriously SO impressed that 1. he was brave enough to just go up in there by himself, and 2. that he could remember after just one time how to get through the maze and to the slide! I'm guessing he got that memory from his daddy.

Justin after a seriously fun time at McDonald's with his cute boy

Give this kid some "fies" and he's in heaven

Justin is even willing to crawl in the tubes sometimes ♥