The weather was gorgeous this weekend! Like, spend as much time as you possibly can, gorgeous. So we did! We spent almost the entire afternoon at the park on Saturday. Bliss, pure bliss. Landon had just about as much fun running around the huge grassy field as he did playing on the play structure. I think we might have spent more time chasing each other, finding pine cones, playing hide and seek, visiting dogs and picking dandelions.
Daddy taught Landon all about dandelions. Or, as Landon calls them, "fathers," (flowers). He would run off, find a dandelion, exclaim, "FATHER!" pick it and blow all the petals away. When he got tired of blowing them he'd pick them and come running back to me, "Mommy father! Mommy father!"
I couldn't help but melt right there, my little guy picking flowers for his Mommy.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
Hoppy Easter!
We all had a wonderful time celebrating Easter this year! Landon wasn't a fan of the Easter Bunny himself...
but on Easter morning after the Bunny dropped off a basket full of goodies for Landon he decided the Easter Bunny is an okay guy after all and now talks about him non-stop ('Eater' Bunny this, 'Eater' Bunny that...)
We were hoping for bright, sunny skies on Easter but were instead greeted with gray, rainy weather. It held up in the morning and all the kids at church were able to have their Easter egg hunt outside. Landon LOVED it!
He had a good time playing with his cousins and comparing Easter egg loot
Then we headed off to brunch with the whole family. Landon chowed down on some salmon courtesy of Granddad, strawberries courtesy of Auntie, Amadeen's (Grandma Jean's) salad and lemon tart from Bama. Those were the favorites anyway.
The atrium where brunch was served has a ginormous koi pond that runs throughout the entire room. Landon's excitement with the fishies was contageous and he had more fun running around trying to climb into the water.
We could hardly keep his attention to snap a quick family photo, all he wanted were the fishies!
We stopped by Grandma Phyllis' for a quick visit before heading over to Grandma Jean's for another Easter egg hunt
Grandma Jean had more fun putting together the egg hunt. She had all sorts of fun, non-traditional prizes that provided for some awesome afternoon entertainment.
All in all it was a fantastic day! We were all tired and probably are still full from brunch. Next up, Disneyland! We all leave bright and early tomorrow morning for a few days in the Happiest Place on Earth. Did you see that the Easter Bunny knew all about our trip and brought a few Mickey Mouse goodies for Landon? It was all we could do to pry 'Foofy' (Goofy) out of his arms and take his Mickey Mouse sunglasses off before going to daycare this morning. Although he doesn't really know what he's in for yet Landon is talking about going to Mickey's house. Stay tuned!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
A conversation with Landon
It's totally cliche, but a toddler's mind is like a sponge. Seriously. Mine is no exception, I think I've mentioned this before. I love this age, and I would love to dive into that little brain of Landon's and see what his train of thought is like.
He's talking constantly these days and has started stringing words together to form phrases. It's so much fun conversing with him when we're driving somewhere, when he's glued to his high chair, when we're out for a walk and he's discovering new things (or re-discovering the flower that we've walked by and oogled every day for a week). It's just plain fun. Tonight Landon and I chatted about his day in the bathtub. I smiled from the inside out as this was the first time he's been able to recount the day all on his own. Usually while we're on our way home from daycare I'll ask him how his day was and what he did. It's a one-way conversation though and I'm the one reminding him that he went to the park, had lunch, etc. I couldn't wait for the day when he'd tell me all about what he did, and today was that day.
Landon: Daddy, work?
Mommy: No, Daddy's bowling.
Landon: Mommy work. Landon, Irma's.
Mommy: Yes, you go to Irma's when Mommy is at work.
Landon: Noble Irma's.
Mommy: Did you play with Noble at Irma's today?
Landon: Yes. Jenna.
Mommy: Did you play with Jenna too?
Landon: Park.
Mommy: Did you go to the park with Irma today?
Landon: Yes. Jenna, Noble too.
Mommy: Did you play with Jenna and Noble at the park?
Landon: SLIDE! Noble, Jenna, slide!
Mommy: You played on the slide today?
Landon: Around. (While he motions his hand in a circle.)
Mommy: Yes, you go around and up and then down the slide again?
Landon: YES!
Mommy: Sounds like fun! Did you have fun?
Landon: Yes. Swings! WEEE!!!
Mommy: Ooh, yes, the swings are fun. Did Irma push you on the swings?
Landon: Yes. Firetruck. Loud.
Mommy: Did a firetruck drive by?
Landon: Yes. LOUD!
Mommy: Yes, firetrucks are loud.
It went on from there. We chit chatted for a good three minutes or so, it was so cute. When did my baby boy get to be such a big boy?
He's talking constantly these days and has started stringing words together to form phrases. It's so much fun conversing with him when we're driving somewhere, when he's glued to his high chair, when we're out for a walk and he's discovering new things (or re-discovering the flower that we've walked by and oogled every day for a week). It's just plain fun. Tonight Landon and I chatted about his day in the bathtub. I smiled from the inside out as this was the first time he's been able to recount the day all on his own. Usually while we're on our way home from daycare I'll ask him how his day was and what he did. It's a one-way conversation though and I'm the one reminding him that he went to the park, had lunch, etc. I couldn't wait for the day when he'd tell me all about what he did, and today was that day.
Landon: Daddy, work?
Mommy: No, Daddy's bowling.
Landon: Mommy work. Landon, Irma's.
Mommy: Yes, you go to Irma's when Mommy is at work.
Landon: Noble Irma's.
Mommy: Did you play with Noble at Irma's today?
Landon: Yes. Jenna.
Mommy: Did you play with Jenna too?
Landon: Park.
Mommy: Did you go to the park with Irma today?
Landon: Yes. Jenna, Noble too.
Mommy: Did you play with Jenna and Noble at the park?
Landon: SLIDE! Noble, Jenna, slide!
Mommy: You played on the slide today?
Landon: Around. (While he motions his hand in a circle.)
Mommy: Yes, you go around and up and then down the slide again?
Landon: YES!
Mommy: Sounds like fun! Did you have fun?
Landon: Yes. Swings! WEEE!!!
Mommy: Ooh, yes, the swings are fun. Did Irma push you on the swings?
Landon: Yes. Firetruck. Loud.
Mommy: Did a firetruck drive by?
Landon: Yes. LOUD!
Mommy: Yes, firetrucks are loud.
It went on from there. We chit chatted for a good three minutes or so, it was so cute. When did my baby boy get to be such a big boy?
Monday, March 22, 2010
It's the small things
Life with a toddler slows you down. The term 'baby steps' has new meaning and the mind of a toddler is a thirsty sponge that never seems to saturate. Everything is new and amazing and full of wonder and refreshing.
I found myself driving to work after dropping Landon off at daycare last week, stuck in traffic, still listening to the Barenaked Ladies Snacktime CD (those songs are kinda catchy) and admiring an airplane flying high above my little SUV. I knew Landon wasn't in the car with me, I looked back at his carseat through my rearview mirror a little sad that he wasn't there for me to point it out for him. So I sat there in the middle of what must have been tens upon tens of cars waiting fairly impatiently to get to their destination, and I smiled as I watched that airplane move across the sky. Suddenly the traffic didn't seem so bad.
As much as I know I'm teaching that little sponge of mine, he's returning the favor whether he knows it right now or not.
I found myself driving to work after dropping Landon off at daycare last week, stuck in traffic, still listening to the Barenaked Ladies Snacktime CD (those songs are kinda catchy) and admiring an airplane flying high above my little SUV. I knew Landon wasn't in the car with me, I looked back at his carseat through my rearview mirror a little sad that he wasn't there for me to point it out for him. So I sat there in the middle of what must have been tens upon tens of cars waiting fairly impatiently to get to their destination, and I smiled as I watched that airplane move across the sky. Suddenly the traffic didn't seem so bad.
As much as I know I'm teaching that little sponge of mine, he's returning the favor whether he knows it right now or not.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
River Rafting vs. Motherhood
Motherhood is like river rafting trip. You do everything you can to prepare for this trip; get all your gear packed, plan out what you're going to wear and the route you're going to take, preparing mentally for this exciting and fun time you're going to have. Maybe you read some books and talk to friends who have taken a journey like this before. They'll tell you all about their fun times and enough horror stories to make you reconsider your trip for a quick second. What you don’t realize though is that you just don't know what it's going to be like until you're there in the middle of it.
Pregnancy, parenting, newborns, toddlers, same deal. Forest Gump knows exactly what he's talking about. Life IS like a box of chocolates, you just don't know what you're going to get. Well, except for when they include one of those little maps in your box...but inevitabley someone will push a cherry creme where a caramel is supposed to be and the map is no good (and you have an awful cherry creme in your mouth that you'd like to spit in the garbage). You can prepare and try to read maps and talk to friends and buy the latest and greatest thing that's going to be the handiest device to ever exist. And then you head to labor and delivery, birth plan in hand (het het).
The day has finally come, your bags are packed and you're ready to head out on the rafting trip of your life. The weather is great and you're looking forward to climbing in the raft. Your guide gives an overview of what to do in select scenarios, falling out of the boat or how to paddle effectively as a group before turning you loose in the water. You’re excited to start out, the first half an hour is exhilirating and you’re having the time of your life. Whitecap waves, rocks and logs seem to have materialized from nowhere. Rapids. You knew they were here, you knew there would be challenges, and you were up for it at the time but now? You’re not so sure. Jostled is an understatement and you go flying out of the raft as it capsizes. Oh crap. What do you do now? You’re terrified and are second-guessing the entire trip. Your guide is shouting directions but you’re floundering; trying to remember the crash course right before you got into the water, you rush through the catalogue of stories in your mind. Swim to an eddy. Okay. Your guide rights the raft and you manage to swim yourself to it. There’s an outstretched arm waiting for you, it’s not your guide but the brunette that was sitting behind you. She smiles as she pulls you back onto the raft. Tricking through the rest of the rapids is awesome. No other word describes it. It’s awesome. Exciting, scary, fun, fabulous; even better now that you’ve made a few new friends on the raft. The waters start to calm before you round a corner and come to a clearing. The air is crisp, the sky blue, the trees reflecting off of the mirror of water below. You look around and realize that you’ve arrived. And it was worth it. Almost unthinkable, but you kind of want to do it again.
Yes, motherhood is like a rafting adventure. Scratch that, motherhood IS a rafting adventure. Exciting as it is, your raft will inevitably capsize at some point. You will make new friends they’ll reach their arms out to pull you back in the raft. You’ll pull them back onto the raft when they fall out, you’ll laugh and paddle together. You’ll also realize that no matter how much preparation you do, what gadgets you’ve got or how many stories you hear there just isn’t anything that prepares you for it. You’ll arrive at a clearing, look back at some point at all that it took to get here and you’ll admire yourself and will be in awe of this little being, this little life that’s been entrusted to you. Words cannot describe the love, the difficulty, the joy, the anguish, the fun, the stress, the sheer awesomeness that is your child. It’s as if your heart and soul jumps out of your chest, you hold it close for a time before letting it go to run around the playground at the park.
Then, just as he poops in the bathtub for the third night in a row you’ll second guess yourself wanting to do it all over again. True story.
Pregnancy, parenting, newborns, toddlers, same deal. Forest Gump knows exactly what he's talking about. Life IS like a box of chocolates, you just don't know what you're going to get. Well, except for when they include one of those little maps in your box...but inevitabley someone will push a cherry creme where a caramel is supposed to be and the map is no good (and you have an awful cherry creme in your mouth that you'd like to spit in the garbage). You can prepare and try to read maps and talk to friends and buy the latest and greatest thing that's going to be the handiest device to ever exist. And then you head to labor and delivery, birth plan in hand (het het).
The day has finally come, your bags are packed and you're ready to head out on the rafting trip of your life. The weather is great and you're looking forward to climbing in the raft. Your guide gives an overview of what to do in select scenarios, falling out of the boat or how to paddle effectively as a group before turning you loose in the water. You’re excited to start out, the first half an hour is exhilirating and you’re having the time of your life. Whitecap waves, rocks and logs seem to have materialized from nowhere. Rapids. You knew they were here, you knew there would be challenges, and you were up for it at the time but now? You’re not so sure. Jostled is an understatement and you go flying out of the raft as it capsizes. Oh crap. What do you do now? You’re terrified and are second-guessing the entire trip. Your guide is shouting directions but you’re floundering; trying to remember the crash course right before you got into the water, you rush through the catalogue of stories in your mind. Swim to an eddy. Okay. Your guide rights the raft and you manage to swim yourself to it. There’s an outstretched arm waiting for you, it’s not your guide but the brunette that was sitting behind you. She smiles as she pulls you back onto the raft. Tricking through the rest of the rapids is awesome. No other word describes it. It’s awesome. Exciting, scary, fun, fabulous; even better now that you’ve made a few new friends on the raft. The waters start to calm before you round a corner and come to a clearing. The air is crisp, the sky blue, the trees reflecting off of the mirror of water below. You look around and realize that you’ve arrived. And it was worth it. Almost unthinkable, but you kind of want to do it again.
Yes, motherhood is like a rafting adventure. Scratch that, motherhood IS a rafting adventure. Exciting as it is, your raft will inevitably capsize at some point. You will make new friends they’ll reach their arms out to pull you back in the raft. You’ll pull them back onto the raft when they fall out, you’ll laugh and paddle together. You’ll also realize that no matter how much preparation you do, what gadgets you’ve got or how many stories you hear there just isn’t anything that prepares you for it. You’ll arrive at a clearing, look back at some point at all that it took to get here and you’ll admire yourself and will be in awe of this little being, this little life that’s been entrusted to you. Words cannot describe the love, the difficulty, the joy, the anguish, the fun, the stress, the sheer awesomeness that is your child. It’s as if your heart and soul jumps out of your chest, you hold it close for a time before letting it go to run around the playground at the park.
Then, just as he poops in the bathtub for the third night in a row you’ll second guess yourself wanting to do it all over again. True story.
Monday, March 1, 2010
He Dropped a Bomb
An S bomb, that is. And Daddy is pretty thrilled that it was all Mommy's fault. I was unloading groceries on Saturday and cut my finger on a yogurt container coming out of the bag, "oww, $h!t." For the next five minutes Landon ran around extending his arm out, pulling it back and saying, "oww, $h!t, oww $h!t." I had to turn away from him so he would see me chuckle.
Baby's first curse word. Apparently now is the time we must start watching what we say.
Baby's first curse word. Apparently now is the time we must start watching what we say.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Toddler-Speak
I'm speaking a new language these days, only they don't offer classes in toddler-speak. It's all trial by fire but worry not, we're getting the hang of it. Sentances are emerging. Actual sentances with words strung together, three or four or five deep. Communication at last! We still get the grunting and pointing deal, but it's so much easier to go straight to the milk instead of playing twenty questions and picking up seven random objects playing our own version of hot and cold.
Bebe tot teetee pot (Baby Ant Has Stinky Pants, Landon's current favorite book)
Amada (Banana, he'd eat them all day long if we let him, maybe a monkey in a past life?)
Teetoo (Thank you, what a polite little guy)
Tajoo (Carro, car)
BoBo (Noble, one of his daycare buddies)
Hap Pesh (Help please, again, loving the politeness)
E-we-bo-dee (Everybody! I don't know what it is about this word but Landon loves to repeat it over and over and over)
Peedy (Pretty, aka, jewelry)
Basha, basha, basha (Brush 'em, brush 'em, brush 'em. Teeth, that is)
Ah-foos (Waffles. Breakfast yumminess)
Gogurt (Yogurt)
Bip (Dip. Bonus points if Landon can 'bip' his 'ah-foos' in his 'gogurt')
Bebe tot teetee pot (Baby Ant Has Stinky Pants, Landon's current favorite book)
Amada (Banana, he'd eat them all day long if we let him, maybe a monkey in a past life?)
Teetoo (Thank you, what a polite little guy)
Tajoo (Carro, car)
BoBo (Noble, one of his daycare buddies)
Hap Pesh (Help please, again, loving the politeness)
E-we-bo-dee (Everybody! I don't know what it is about this word but Landon loves to repeat it over and over and over)
Peedy (Pretty, aka, jewelry)
Basha, basha, basha (Brush 'em, brush 'em, brush 'em. Teeth, that is)
Ah-foos (Waffles. Breakfast yumminess)
Gogurt (Yogurt)
Bip (Dip. Bonus points if Landon can 'bip' his 'ah-foos' in his 'gogurt')
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)