Two years? No way...

Yes way! Two years ago at this very moment I was snuggling my brand new baby in my arms. Really, it was more chaotic and crazy than it sounds since we were probably trying to figure out how to get him to eat since he was so sleepy (and we were too), but nevertheless, we were snuggling. I couldn't help myself but to snuggle Landon to sleep tonight, only this time his little body wrapped around mine instead of the six pound little package wrapped up in a blanket that I could curl my arm around. Snuggles are snuggles though, and I'll take what I can get since they seem to be even fewer and far between. The last two years seem to have melted away. I can remember those early days like they were yesterday, yet at the same time I have no idea where the time went.

Landon is a tall and skinny little ball of energy these days! He can count to twenty, knows his shapes and colors, LOVES to drive by the "lellehoter" (helicopter) on our way home from daycare and is infatuated with Mickey Mouse and all his friends. His smile and sweet little face will light up any room and brighten any day. He is genuinely the light of our lives and I can't seem to remember what life was like before he was here...nor do I want to.

We had such a fun day today! We all took the day off of work and daycare to play around a little bit. Daddy made a special trip to Johnny's and we had donuts for breakfast, then we played around the house for a bit before venturing over to the mall to get some pictures taken, had some lunch and then we were off to Pixieland! Landon had such a good time and was tall enough to ride on the airplanes! I think this made all of our day. I wasn't sure how he would do since the airplanes are only for little guys and he had to go by himself; I thought for sure he'd scream and we'd have to have them stop the ride to get him off. Quite the opposite though, he ended up riding them four or five times and it was hard to get him off! Teacups, a train ride, the cars and the merry-go-round later we headed home for a much needed nap. After naptime we gave Landon a few presents, played outside and then headed to meet the rest of the family at Chuck E Cheese. Pizza, cake, more presents, rides, whack-a-mole, ski-ball and a few other games later we headed home for bathtime and bed! A fun, crazy, memorable day for our favorite two year old who is now sound asleep in his crib.

Happy birthday, Landon! We love you more and more each day and are having such a wonderful time with you! Thank you for making us laugh, giving the best squeezie hugs, entertaining us with your "hot dog dance" and song singing. I hope one day you're blessed with the opportunity to see just how much joy you bring to our lives.

She's coming home!

Kari and Tony are cousins on my maternal side of the family. They are some of the warmest, easy-going, fun and caring people I know. They decided to adopt a baby girl from China and started the process way back in 2004. Check your calendars, we're in 2010 now; it's been six years. SIX YEARS! Their wait will be over very soon since they will board a plane to China, just the two of them, today and return in a few weeks as a family of three!

Katelyn Xuebin is coming home! I'm so very excited for Kari and Tony and know they're going to be wonderful parents to this little girl, but I'm also excited that Landon will have a cousin that's just his age to play with!

Katie is two years old and will surely provide lots of spunk to her new household. Tony is officially outnumbered but already has a soft spot for his girls. I can't wait to follow their journey as they bring Katie home.

Green Thumbs?

The cold, rainy weather might finally be over. We've been graced with sunshine for the past several days, and it's been glorious! With Mommy's black thumb all of the gardening is usually left up to Daddy. He decided it would finally be a good idea to start the garden, so off he went to pick out plants. Landon helped with the planting and got his very own "weke" (rake) and "fovel" (shovel). He learned all about digging holes and now has a whole new appreciation for dirt. We've got a true boy on our hands, and he LOVES the dirt. The bathtub has gotten quite the scrubbing, and if it's any indication of what's to come we might have to start hosing him off outside!

Taking a little break from gardening.

Proud of his "keeny" - zucchini

Peppers and "matos" with Daddy

Having fun in the castle. Landon LOVES to "side" down the slide.

Some of my favorite memories as a child are of picking vegetables in my Granddad's garden with him. It makes me warm and smiley knowing that these treasures are just beginning with Landon.

So Sweet!

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.

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!

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?

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.