Vday & PJ's

The calendar on the wall is part of Ethan's gift.  He wanted one just like they have at school!

I know that I am late about posting the boys Vday pictures. I got so excited about in the last post about Landen taking his first steps that I skipped right over the boys Valentine's Day celebrations. Since Josh and I were going out of town last Saturday to celebrate Vday alone we gave the boys their gifts that morning as sort of a consolation for us leaving them. I know that's probably bad but Ethan has a really hard time with us leaving him overnight so.....as parents, you do what you need to do. Ethan was so unhappy about us leaving him that he wouldn't pose with his gifts but I took a pic of them anyway. Landen on the other hand was overjoyed with his presents!

My little monkey loved his vday gifts!

He was absolutely thrilled!!

When I told him to stand up and let me take his picture this is what he did!

On Monday (which was actually Valentine's Day) I, along with a couple of other homeroom moms, put together Ethan's class Valentine's party.  We decorated...

Had fun food such as heart shaped sandwiches, chips, cake pops, heart shaped cookies, and juice boxes...

We also played games such as Valentine Memory Match and Pin the Heart on the Bee and did a craft where we made heart shaped magnetic picture frames.  The kids loved it all and my little man was extremely happy to have me there with him during his party...

On the way home from school that day he told me I was "the best mom ever".  It made me tear up because you know, that is the VERY best compliment I could EVER receive.  Being the best momma I can be to both of my boys is my first priority in this life next to serving the Lord.

I don't know why every picture that I have taken of Landen lately has been in his pj's.....maybe it's because we play together a lot in the mornings before our day gets busy and I usually take pictures of him during playtime. Anyway, I took this picture this morning of him standing like a big boy.....

Yes, that is a smile behind the pacifier but they are few and far between these days. With his stomach and eye teeth coming in he has been a force to be reckoned with.  Oh well, "This too shall pass" and I will have my smiling, laid back, happy boy back before we know it!  Until then, I may have to pass him off to Josh in the evening and lock myself in a room for a little alone time to keep myself sane, LoL!

Step By Step!

We ended a week full of snow days last week with the Lonestar Rodeo on Friday night.  The boys loved it and both watched very intently.  Besides a half mile walk in the ice/snow holding a 30 pound child and slipping several times but not falling and a few high school boys who were fighting and upset Ethan we had a GREAT time!  They boys loved the calf roping and bull riding.  Ethan thought the clown who rode in a go cart was hilarious.  We will definitely be going back next year. 

On Saturday the boys spent the day with Josh's grandmother and the night with my mom while Josh and I took an overnight trip to Nashville for Vday.  It was way overdue!  To start out our fun we watched "Just Go With It" with Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston and it made me laugh out loud (that rarely happens in the movie theater).  Next, we went to the Lebanon Outlet Mall and bought some summer clothes for the boys to start out the season with.  After going to the hotel and changing we headed to dinner at Stony River where we had great wine and a steak that would melt in your mouth! 

Sunday morning, we met my mom and the boys at church and then the whole family headed to BG for dinner at Cheddar's to celebrate my brother's girlfriend and my grandfather's birthday.  After dinner we came back to our house for cake and gifts.  While the whole gang was here Landen decided to take his first steps!!!  He took three and loved all of the applause and attention that he was rewarded with.  It is so bittersweet for me that he took steps.  Of course, I was overjoyed and teary eyed but there's this little part of me that isn't ready to give up holding my sweet boy in my arms so often.  In spite of that, I have been trying to get him to practice walking since Sunday and he has had zero interest.  But this afternoon he took off again and I captured a picture or two to share with you. 

To update you on Ethan.....he has been doing accelerated reader at school.  That is where they read a book and then take a test over it.  He has taken 10 tests and made a perfect score on 9 of them (he only missed 1 question on the other one)!  He is an excellent reader and loves to read.  This morning he read an entire pamphlet at the doctor's office with me only helping him with 2 words!!!!  We are also excited that we are signing him up for Pee Wee baseball this Saturday.  Bring on Spring!