Jam-packed Post

Once again I haven't blogged in a month and am having to cram everything into one post!  We have just been so busy enjoying the last few weeks of Summer Break that I have neglected blogging all together. To finish out August, the boys completed swim lessons for the Summer, we spent an afternoon at Lost River Cave in BG with my brother and his fiance' (it was on Ethan's to do list from the beginning of the Summer), and we spent the last Saturday of the month checking out a model train show in TN and then going over to Indian Lakes to see the Smurf movie.  Swim lessons were a complete success!  Both boys are confident in the water now and Ethan swims like a pro.  I must admit I was not looking forward to the trip to Lost River (I just didn't think it would interest me) but it turned out to be a fun adventure and Ethan thoroughly enjoyed it!  He asked questions at every opportunity and is already planning a trip back. 

The model train show was the smallest one we've ever been to so we were a little disappointed but it was nothing an afternoon at the movies couldn't fix.  Landen has been to the movie theater several times but this was the first time that he sat in a seat by himself.  He found those little blue people mesmerizing!

The week before school started back we went to Monkey Joe's with my friend Amanda and her kids.  I thought Landen would enjoy it but he wasn't really feeling the bouncy houses. He just enjoyed running around and having me chase after him, ha!  Ethan, however, had a blast...

 We also took a Saturday trip to The Adventure Science Center the weekend before school began.  We had been to one in North Carolina last year but we had never checked out the one in Nashville.  The boys had such a great time just checking everything out....

That concluded our Summer Break Fun and last Wednesday Ethan began first grade!  We kind of got off to a rocky start but everything is good now and he is enjoying the new "bigger and way cooler playground"! 

 

Both of my sweet boys are learning and changing so quickly!  Landen is now 19 and half months old.  His vocabulary is expanding so very quickly!  His new words are "car (pronounced like "caw"), please, buh-bye, gone (and he holds his little hands up and looks around to add emphasis), thank you (pronounced "tank ewe"), bite (as country as he can possibly say it), Papa, Ethan (until now he has always just said "Bubba"), and "quack-quack".  Landen does some of the cutest things now.  When he's ready to go to sleep he HAS to hold your hand.  I'm not kidding if he's almost out and you take your hand away he will jump straight up looking for your hand.  I love this and cherish rocking him and holding his sweet hand.  When he wants your attention he claps his hands or if he's sitting he will slap his legs to get you to look at him.  And he knows all about the pantry now.  He has realized that there is lots of snack foods in there and his VERY favorite....chocolate!  He will take anyone he can find by the hand, lead them to the pantry, and grunt until you open it for him.  The kid is a chocoholic and we have to endure many meltdowns each day when we tell him "no" to the multiple chocolate requests.  I let him have it on occasion and in moderation but he wants it OFTEN!  Along with chocolate he has fallen in love with Cheerios, fruit chews, ham sandwiches, yogurt, tomatoes and his all time favorite....salad!  I kid you not, the boy will eat an entire pre-dinner salad!  His favorite are Longhorn's but he'll tear into one from anywhere.  Guess that makes up for the chocolate obsession....maybe?!?!?  It makes me feel better to think so anyway :)

 

My two greatest blessings!

Right now we are working on redecorating both boy's rooms.....we'll share pics next time and hopefully it won't be another month this time!

Enjoying Every Second of This Crazy, Beautiful Life...

So, Landen turned 18 months (Yes a year and half already.....seriously!) the day of my last post and I have failed to do an official "18 month post" so I will just summarize.  His 18 month checkup went as well as it could.  We went thinking he didn't have to have any shots and he ended up with three, so that part wasn't fun. But, he now weighs 34 pounds!!!  He is still cutting his canine teeth.  His favorite words right now are ball, tractor, and still "uh-oh".  I expressed a little concern to the ped. that his vocabulary isn't expanding as much as I'd like but he said as long as he's understanding us and expressing himself when needed then he is doing fine.  His vocabulary may just be a little behind his ability to comprehend how to communicate.  Well, he communicates fine!  He drags us by the hand to the fridge, or pantry, or toy box, and points at what he wants.  We are working hard to attach words with what he points at but he just looks at us and nods.  Landen still loves any type of toy automobile and has perfected his motor sound.  He is just too much fun! 

June 28th was also our 8 year wedding anniversary!  My hubby planned a wonderful day for me to go the spa and have lunch with a dear friend.  And then, that night he took me to see "Fast Five" (Yes, he offered to go to a chic flick with me but I love all of the "Fast and The Furious" movies) and then we were supposed to get dinner somewhere nice BUT (here's the funny part) we were so tired by 10pm that we went through the drive-thru at White Castle and headed to Mom's to get the boys, lol!  Now if that's not a sure sign that we are getting old...I don't know what is!!! Anyway, I am so blessed to have spent the last 12 years of my life with such a wonderful man and the past 8 married to him.

No, I am not wearing a coat in June....this was Valentine's Day, lol.

On Friday night, July 1st we met up with some good friends of ours, The Harris Family at the theater to see Cars 2.  I had taken one of the Harris boys, Roddick and Ethan to see RIO back in May and they saw the Cars 2 poster and have been looking forward to seeing it together ever since!

I forgot to mention in my last post that we have added a new member to our family!  His name is Ricardo and he is so sweet!

Ethan earned a new pet by earning 500 points on his job chart, which is basically a program that we use to teach him independence and responsibility.  If you like to check it out go to http://www.myjobchart.com/.

On Sunday July 3rd, we celebrated Josh's 30th birthday along with Independence Day with a cookout complete with good food, great friends and family, corn hole, water play and an inflatable for the kids, and fireworks!  It was a blast!!!  Of course I failed to take ANY pictures but I do have a couple pictures of Ethan & Josh on his new toy...

On Monday July 4th, we headed to KY lake with my grandparents and parents.  During the week, Amanda and her family came over and then for the weekend our good friends The Sanford's and The Ferguson's joined us.  It was a great week filled with lots of fun and wonderful memories!!!

Landen with his Grammy

Josh caught the biggest bass he's ever caught!

Ethan learned to put his head under water

Alera tubed!

Jennifer gave L a mo hawk and Ben kept him afloat

Alera & Echo

Richard took each kid for a ride on the jet ski (here with Erin) .

My little man just chillin'!

Since we got back home, the boys have been taking swim lessons.  Ethan is doing wonderful!  He can now swim underwater like a fish.  He has learned two different strokes and he doesn't hold his nose anymore!  He can touch his but to the bottom and float on his back.  I don't have any pictures of them at lessons because I have to get in the water with Landen but this is what they look like on the ride home...

 

LoL....it absolutely wears them out!

After a middle of the week, last minute trip to Georgia for Josh's job we are all exhausted!  We are hoping things calm down for us in the next few weeks so we can savor the few weeks we have left of  "Summer Break".

First Days of Summer

Well, Ethan's ball team didn't win the championship but they did come in first in their division!  They are a great group of boys and we could not be prouder of them...especially our #1 little ball player.

He doesn't want to play any other sports so we are debating about signing him up for Fall Ball in Bowling Green.  That way he would get more experience on the field and it would keep him active.  We all enjoyed this baseball season very much.  Even Landen will miss his little park buddies. He has even been practicing to be a little ball player himself...

Ethan has been practicing riding his bike without training wheels with the help of his dad.  He hasn't mastered it yet but our goal is for him to by the end of Summer.

Both of my boys are growing by leaps and bounds both in size and in achievments.  Ethan has been sleeping in his own bed for almost 2 weeks now.  Up until now he has been in our bed and every birthday he says "I'll start sleeping in my own bed next year."  Well, he got a sunburn a couple weeks ago because he refused to wear sunscreen and so he was sleeping on the couch to keep us from hitting his sunburn while we slept.  One day I said, " You know if you can sleep on the couch by yourself you could sleep in your own bed and be a big boy.  It isn't that much farther across the house and Dad and I would be right across the house if you needed us." And that was it.  That night he slept in his own bed (all night long might I add) and has been in there ever since!  The first night was a little rough on me but I sleep SO much better without his feet in my ribs and I am way to impressed and proud to be sad!

Landen is following in his big brother's footsteps.  Recently, we put his crib up and got out Ethan's old toddler bed for him.  He isn't sleeping in there at night yet (though we may try that soon) but he is taking naps in there.  He is such a big boy and so very independent!!! 

We brought in the actual "first day of Summer" with some back yard fun...

 

We celebrated Father's Day with all of the family and a fish dinner.  We even had strawberry and cherry cheesecake for dessert...yum!  Landen hadn't had a good nap and refused to be in a picture but I did manage to get one of Ethan & Josh even though Ethan is being silly...

I am so blessed to have such a wonderful father to my kiddos.  We couldn't imagine our lives without him!!!

Yesterday, the boys and I along with Ethan's friend Alera went to the movie theater to see "Mr. Popper's Penguins".  It was a really cute movie and the kids really enjoyed it....once we got to the right theater, lol!!  I am losing my mind these days!  I had looked up the show times online the night before and saw that it was playing at the Greenwood Mall theater but for some reason I still went to the Great Escape 12.  We rolled in with five minutes to spare in which we had to take a bathroom break, get a snack and our tickets.  When I asked for the tickets they advised me it was at the other theater.  I felt like an insane person!  So, we loaded back up (with our big Great Escape cup of drink, mind you) and headed to the correct theater.  We were too late to watch it at the time we had planned so we had 30 minutes to kill just hanging out in the theater.  We even asked if we could take our Great Escape drink in with us instead of buying another one.....DORK!  That's what the nice movie workers were thinking about me, I am sure.  It is hilarious today but not so much as it was happening!

Now, for this week we are off to Landen's 18 month checkup on Wednesday, meeting up with family friends on Friday to see Cars 2, Celebrating Independence Day and Josh's 30th birthday with a cookout on Sunday, and then we head to the lake next Monday.   I'll tell you all about it allsoon, but until then....

Shoveling his snacks in with both hands.

Sooo sleepy....

Landen's Latest...

 

Landen is hilarious these days!  He turned 17 months old on May 28th while we were in Florida.  He is such a funny boy......jabbering up a storm all of the time.  His vocabulary hasn't expanded a lot since 16 months but he is adding a few words here and there.  His favorite are still 'uh-oh" and "bye-bye".  He pretends everything is a telephone and he'll put it up to his ear and just jabber away like he's carrying on a conversation. 

His temper/attitude is really developing and I have a feeling we are hitting the "terrible two's" a little early!  When things don't go his way he will throw himself on the floor and throw a fit.  He is also hitting.  He knows not to do it because he looks at me waiting for me to reprimand him.  Oh my, I sure hope it passes soon! 

For the most part though he is a happy go lucky little guy.  He is full force walking now. He barely crawls and it's so cute the way he toddles around!  He can get himself in and out of his little wagon all by himself with a few grunts along the way.  He follows his big brother everywhere and tries to do everything that Ethan does. Landen is now feeding himself.  He will let you put the food onto the fork/spoon but then he wants to put it into his mouth.  He is very independent these days....on one hand anyway.  At other times, he is still very much a "mama's boy" and when he decides he wants me, no one else will do. 

Landen can now sit in the bath tub without his bath chair.  He could probably have done this a while back but I love his bath chair....it keeps me from worrying that he will slip sideways.  Anyway, we finally put it up and he is sitting (and standing if I don't watch like a hawk) like a big boy and loves his new freedom.  When we dress him he raises his arms for his shirt to go on and tries to put his shoes on himself.  He also loves to brush his hair and it is too cute.  He also puts his chubby little hand out for me to give him some lotion and then he rubs it on his belly, lol. 

We have been to the doctor for one more ear infection.  This one was his worst one yet though.  The ped. says on a scale of 1-10 it was an 8!  We had to do a strong antibiotic and then go back for a re-check, where the doc was surprised to see that his ear was completely cleared up.  He weighs 32 pounds and 14 ounces.  He is 34 inches long.  He is wearing 3t clothes (4t pajamas) and a size 5.5-6 shoe.  He is still a BIG boy!!!

Landen, we love you with all our hearts and watching you grow and learn each day is such a blessing!  We CANNOT believe that you will be a year and a half old in 18 days!!!!  Where does the time go???

The Month of May Minimized

Since I blogged last we have done SO many fun things!  Ethan had his kindergarten field trip to Chaney's Dairy Barn followed by a trip to the park on Three Springs Rd. and I was able to attend with him.  We both really enjoyed the entire day....

We went to Lilly Ferguson's birthday swim party in Russellville followed by seeing a BG Hot Rods baseball game with Jennifer & Ben.  Ethan really enjoyed both!  The game had fireworks following it and they were awesome! 












Ethan's baseball team, the Angels, have played eight more games and won all of them except one.  They are the number one team in their division and we are now in tournament games.  We have another tournament game Saturday morning and if they win that one, they will play one more later Saturday for the championship!  Josh and I are SO proud of how much Ethan has improved since he first started back in March.  He hits the ball everytime he gets up to bat now and he really gives 110% all of the time. 

We celebrated Mother's Day here at our house and all of the family came over to grill and play corn hole.  It was a wonderful evening.  Josh & the boys even surprised me with tickets to see Jason Aldean, Chris Young, & Thompson Square in August!!!

Being party of the PTO at Ethan's school, I was able to help put together the FES Spring Festival and Ethan had a blast.  We had several bounce houses, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and pizza.  Something about those bounce houses kids just LOVE!!!  Ethan had been to baseball practice right before the Spring Festival so needless to say, he slept WELL that night, lol! 

Ethan also said goodbye to his kindergarten teachers and his friends in May.  It was kind of bittersweet for him.  He was very much looking forward to the Summer break but it was hard for him to leave them behind.  I cannot believe he will be a 1st grader this coming school year!!!  My how the time flies.  I am so very proud of how he handled kindergarten though.  Ethan is an intelligent, talkative, friendly, happy little boy that I am so proud to call my son! I am one lucky mama to have two wonderful little boys....

We ended May with a family trip to Destin, FL.  It was beautiful there and my brother and his girlfriend got engaged while we were there!  It was a wonderful trip and the boys had a ball!!!


Our Family



My brother & his fiance'



Landen playing in the sand



Ethan relaxing in the ocean

Ethan & his Uncle Derek

Josh & I before dinner

Mom & me

The ocean the night before we left :0( 
I wanna' go back!