First {faux} fire of the season: you'd have thought it was #christmas !!! #family #kids #toddlers

Last year, we had baby gates up, blocking Nolan's ability to get into the formal living room and formal dining room- it was just easier to NOT babyproof two additional rooms, not to mention keep those rooms clean!

Those gates prevented him from ever being witness to the fires we had almost nightly last winter.

Well, over the summer, the gates came down and thus, Nolan got to see and feel the warmth of the first {faux} fire of the season this past week.

I say "faux" because we use those eco-friendly non-wood logs. They burn so hot, super clean, and leave nearly no "ash".

Nolan was mezmerized.

He kept pointing and squealing, giggling, and leaning up against the screen, we think to get as close as possible. He also sits on heater vents, go figure. That boy loves to be warm!

See that beanie on his head? It's my husbands. Nolan insisted he wear one, too. :)

The next day, Nolan walked up to the fireplace, babbling something that was probably along the lines of "when are you going to fire this thing up again, mom?".