Eight Months Old Already?!?!

Believe it or not, Landen turned 8 months old on August 28th!  I was looking back at pictures from right after we brought him home from the hospital and it is AMAZING how much he has changed and grown since then.  My little guy now has three teeth on the top and a fourth one about to break through, along with the two on the bottom.  So he has a total of five teeth and is working on six!  Everywhere we go people are amazed by what a laid-back baby Landen is.  He just goes with the flow and smiles the whole time.  At the mall this week one lady asked me if she could touch his toes and another lady told me to take him away or she would eat him!  Of course, he loves all of the attention and does everything he can to keep it as long as possible.  He will clap, smile, tilt his head from side to side, click his tongue, or coo just as long as everyone is looking at him.  Just in the past week he has developed a temper and when things don't go his way he stiffens up, holds his breath, turns red, yells, and twists his wrists like he is revving up a motorcycle.  I have no idea why he does that with his wrists but if I can ever catch it on camera I will post the picture so you can see it.  Landen is becoming more mobile each day but still not crawling quite yet.  He is curious about everything though and once he starts crawling I am sure he will learn what "no, no" means very quickly!!

They love taking a bath together!

Ethan is doing great in school.  His dad and I attended parent teacher conference last week and his teacher said that he is a joy to have in class.  She said Ethan is her little helper and likes to keep the other students in line.  That is our little Ethan.....a bit bossy but will make a very good leader throughout life.  She advised he has trouble cutting paper which we knew and we believe it is due to him being left-handed.  Ethan is such a sweet child most of the time and in the mornings when I drop him off at school he says the sweetest things like "Mom, you are the greatest mom ever".  But when I pick him up in the afternoon it is like he has been replaced by a stubborn, grumpy, disagreeable old man!  I think it is because he is overly tired in the afternoons and refuses to take a nap. So, we have been trying to get him in the bed earlier so that we can try to resolve this issue and keep our sweet little boy from getting into BIG trouble for his attitude! 

We went to the lake for Labor Day weekend with our family and had a ton of fun!  Both of the boys enjoyed the pool, as usual, and Ethan went fishing a couple of times.  It was a nice break for all of us.  I have pictures to share but haven't uploaded them yet and it is late so I will get them on here soon. 

This weekend we have several fun events going on......Jennifer and Ben's wedding shower is Saturday morning and then we are supposed to go to Balloons, Tunes, and BBQ in BG with Amanda and her kiddos if it doesn't rain.  Then on Sunday after church everyone is coming over to celebrate my mom's birthday and grandparents day.  Should be a weekend packed with excitement!!

Landen is a funny boy!  This is right after a bath.

My little chef!

Ethan is still enjoying school. His teacher sent a weekly report home last week with a note at the top that read as follows: "I complimented Ethan today on being so well behaved. He winked at me! I cracked up. His face turned red and he started laughing - He's too cute!" I love that he brings his teacher as much joy as he brings to us! Everyday he amazes me! Not only is he very smart but he also has an amazing capacity to love! He enjoys helping others and that is an amazing and rare quality. Yes, he is also so strong-willed that at times I just want to scream but the good outweighs the bad a million times over! We went camping with Jennifer & Ben last weekend and he really enjoyed it. He got to hang out with Ben's niece Erin. They watched a movie on the lawn there, drove pedal cars, played in the game room, swam, and rode on the boat! Ethan acted out while we were there but I think it was because (1) he didn't have enough sleep and (2) he wanted to be cool like Erin (she is 4 years older than him)! Once we got in the car to leave he took a nap and after he woke up he acted like his old self again.

Landen now has three teeth (the third one just came in this past couple of weeks)! He is working on his fourth one and it isn't making him very happy :( He is still trying to crawl and I have been trying continuously to get him to say "mama"! I know he will talk when he is ready but I don't want him to forget what he should say first, lol!! We had to go to the pediatrician last week due to a cold and Landen now weighs 25 pounds!!!! The other day a cashier called him a "juicy baby"! That's the first time I had ever heard that one. He now reaches his arms out when he wants to be held and it is the sweetest thing <3

This is Landen while watching his "Praise Baby" dvd. He usually doesn't take his eyes off of the tv but then when he saw that I had the camera out he just had to smile for me :)

I fall more and more in love with my boys every day!!!

A Change is Gonna' Come

Being able to watch these boys grow, change, and learn is such a blessing! If you aren't a parent yourself you just can't fully understand the pride, love, and joy your children bring you. Even though sometimes I crave a day out with the girl's or a little "me time", there is nothing more precious to me than my children.

In the past two and half weeks we have experienced a drastic change in our day to day life.....Ethan began kindergarten! For the past 5 years, 9 months, and 1 week I have dreaded the day that I would have to let my baby boy go to school and one week ago today that dread turned to pride as I watched my intelligent, independent, amazing, wonderful little man tackle the first day of kindergarten with no fear. He never ceases to amaze me! Ethan was so brave on his first day. He wouldn't hold my hand walking in but made sure to hug me bye :) He was a little unsure of his dad and I leaving but just kept coloring away! So, Landen and I came home to our awkwardly quiet house and counted down the hours until we could go pick Ethan up. As soon as he got into the vehicle he started telling me how "great" his day was and all of the details of his day. He wanted to know if I missed him and if I had cried! Ethan is a very observant little boy. So, I answered him honestly...."Yes, I missed you a ton!! And I cried a little because I was sad to leave you but then I thought of all of the fun you would have and I didn't cry anymore." He seemed satisfied with that answer. The highlights of Ethan's school days so far have been....winking at his teacher (he told me that he "cracks her up"), being bathroom monitor, playing outside (of course), and having Popsicles. His favorite time of the day is lunchtime but he also enjoys having books read to him in the library. Ethan has made several new friends in kindergarten but the one he talks about the most is Luke. They arrived at school this morning at the same time and he could barely wait for me to stop the car so he could go catch Luke so that they could walk into school together! I am so glad that he is enjoying school and I cannot wait to go eat lunch with him or visit his classroom soon.

Landen isn't making things any easier on me! He is growing and changing very quickly too. He is now outgrowing some 12 month clothes and he isn't even 8 months old yet!!! In addition to formula and baby food, he is now eating Gerber yogurt blends, Cheerios, Gerber puffs, biter cookies, bananas, and cantaloupe. We have also discovered that he doesn't like strawberries. It is almost impossible to hold him these days unless you are walking around with him. He constantly arches his back like he wants to get down. But then when you set him down he gets mad because he can't go anywhere! His favorite toy right now is his play mat but instead of laying under the toys he sits up and bats at them. Landen is suffering from separation anxiety (which I read is common at his age) so the only way I can get housework done is to put him in his stroller and roll him from room to room as I clean. Which has led me to discover that he is AMAZED by the vacuum. Those big, gorgeous brown eyes go back and forth as I push it and never do the lose sight of the vacuum as long as it is running! His sleep habits vary right now....some nights he will sleep 6 hours straight and some nights he is up every 2 hours! Oh well, he will only be a baby once.....sleep is overrated anyway. (Remind me that I said that on a morning after one of his "up every 2 hours" nights :) I love those little round cheeks and that sweet little grin with two little teeth shining <3>

"When you become a mother, you stop being the picture and become the frame."

A Day at the Train Station

This past Saturday Josh and I decided to let Ethan pick what he wanted to do for the day....and of course we ended up at the Kentucky Railway Museum in New Haven, Ky (2 hours from home). Ethan was in heaven the entire trip and Landen had a pretty good time too. Ethan wasn't happy that you had to be at least 7 to ride with the engineer but quickly got over it when we got permission to go up in the engine and check things out! He loved it. I have never seen a kid so crazy over trains! Landen was a trooper and didn't cry the entire two hour drive there!! We really enjoyed our little family outing and Ethan is already planning for us to go back and ride the steam engine, lol! Also, in my last post I mentioned that Landen was starting to try to clap his hands. Well, he mastered it over the weekend! Now all you have to do is say "pat-a-cake" and those chubby little hands start clapping and he grins because he has learned that we will "oooh and aaahhh" when he does it.

Oh my goodness! My baby is becoming a big boy SO fast!! Landen will be 7 months old in 5 days. He is moving quickly into new sizes. For example, the shirt he has on today is 12 months and the shorts are 18-24 months....isn't that unbelievable? We had to go for his 6 month checkup at the beginning of July and I was dreading the shots but he took it really well. He only cried for a second and as soon as I picked him up he gave the nurse a great big grin! He hates to lay flat on his back. He really doesn't even want to be held sitting up, he arches his back and wants down. The problem is he can't crawl yet or set up completely on his own. He can sit up as long as he leans forward but if he ever leans even the slightest bit backward or to the side he falls right over. So, we put pillows all around him or sit him in his bumbo seat. However, the other day he arched his back so much he almost flipped his bumbo over so we are going to have to retire it soon! Landen is such a happy baby and as several people have commented he is very laid back. He is perfectly content just going with the flow. And it's a good thing too because his big brother gives him a run for his money! When Ethan walks in the room a big smile spreads across Landen's face immediately. He loves his big brother and wants to do and play with everything Ethan does. Landen now shakes his head "no" and he does it best for Ethan. He is also learning how to clap his hands which is so very exciting! I caught him just today for the first time practicing hitting his hands together. I think Landen is getting a little attached to his momma. He thinks I should be in his sight at all times and if I leave the room he lets me know he isn't happy about it. The other day Josh's grandmother was playing with him and he was laughing but every few seconds he would glance over to make sure I was still nearby. I love that he loves me but I can't get a darn thing done unless he is napping! Oh well, they are only little for a while.

We had a great time at the lake the second weekend in July. As you can see Landen enjoyed the pool and sported his new shades. He also drove the boat with his daddy which he thought was grand. Ethan also enjoyed the pool and was thrilled that he could swim around his little brother.

The boys and I went this week and registered Ethan for kindergarten. He is SO excited! He has Mrs. Gregory and next Tuesday night we go open house at his school to meet her. I still haven't fully wrapped my mind around the fact the my baby will be a kindergartner but I am going to have to adjust real soon. Ethan will do great, I have no doubt. He is a very smart, sociable, kind little man. We have all school clothes and supplies bought and he is counting down the days. I went through his closet before we went school shopping and let's just say Landen isn't the only one growing rapidly! I had to put away 7 pair of pants, 14 pair of shorts, 8 shirts, 3 sets of swim clothes, and 1 pair of shoes!!!! His closet looked so bare. Of course as sad as I was about him growing out of all size 5's I was equally as excited to have a good excuse to shop, shop, shop! Ethan is full of ideas and creative thoughts. He is always telling me made up stories and how to build different inventions. He is a little chatterbox and I have to drag him out of places because he engages in conversation with even the most random strangers!

This upcoming weekend I am going to leave my boys with my parents and grandparents and take weekend for myself to go camping with my husband and a couple of great friends! I am very excited about my much needed break but am also very unsure about leaving my youngest for the first time overnight! I am sure he will be well taken care of but I don't know how I will d0. The first time I left Ethan I spent the whole trip crying. We shall see....

Josh had a wonderful first Father's Day as the father of two! We grilled here at the house after church and our family came over to celebrate with us. The boys and I got him a new fishing rod and reel and a cover for his iphone. He enjoyed spending the day with his boys.

Ethan had his tonsils out last Friday. He was very brave and is doing pretty well! It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do to let him go back to the operating room by himself. But he took his puppy named Polka Dots back with him and they both came through fine :) His voice sounds a little different and his speech too but they information packet the doctors gave us said those things are to be expected. Hopefully, he will make a full recovery soon.

Landen is 6 months old today! He is talking more and growing SO fast. He is wearing mostly 9 month clothes (he can still squeeze into a few 6 months). His favorite food is sweet potatoes. He kicks like crazy when he sees that he is about to get fed.

We are looking forward to the upcoming 4th of July weekend. I am sure by the time it gets here we will all three be house burned and ready for a change of scenery!

Ethan graduated from Mother's Day Out. Of course, I cried! The program the kids did was ADORABLE. Each child in Ethan's class told their name, age (5), favorite food(spaghetti...which he says "pasghetti"), favorite color (red), what the want to be when they grow up (an engineer), and their favorite thing to do at MDO (watching movies). About a week after graduation Ethan said to his dad one day "Dad, I think I have changed my mind about wanting to be an engineer when I grown up". So Josh of course asked why. Ethan then said "Zander said that train engineers have to work all day so I think I want to be a birdwatcher"! I don't think Ethan fully grasps the concept that he won't be going back to MDO. He asked me the other day if it was a school day and I had to remind him again. However, he has made several comments that lead me to believe he is beginning to look forward to Kindergarten. As much as the thought of my baby going to kindergarten breaks my heart, it helps me to see that he is getting excited.

We took a family trip to Kentucky Lake for a long weekend to celebrate Memorial Day. The boys enjoyed the pool and Ethan joined the guys for a little fishing. It was a much needed break from the hustle and bustle of day to day life.

Ethan is enjoying the summer break by spending time with his cousins. His cousin Kelci came last Wednesday and spent the day with us. We hadn't seen her in a while and Ethan and her played golf on the Wii and she taught Ethan this little trick where you walk up behind someone and use your knee to hit the back of their knee so that their leg falls out from under them. Yeah, let's just say Ethan finds it entertaining! He also went last Thursday to play with his cousin Zoe and they caught fire flies. When one of them died Zoe prayed for it and Ethan has been talking about it all week....he has seen us pray many times but never for a fire fly he says :)

Ethan's last tball game was Saturday morning (so many lasts lately....it makes me sad). He played great and all of the players received a trophy after the game. He was SO proud of his trophy! Jennifer and Ben were there to watch him play and he really enjoyed that. When we originally tried to talk him into playing he wasn't interested at all but after a little coaxing he decided to give it a try. He ended up LOVING it and we loved to watch him play! We are gonna' miss it but hopefully he will play next season because he wants to and not just because WE want him to.

Ethan is full of questions ALL of the time. He is constantly wanting to know how, or why, or when, or who. The questions never end and his little wheels are constantly turning. This week he asked me if he would have a playset in heaven! He is a very smart little boy and very eager to learn more! Ethan has a very big heart and is very concerned about preserving the Earth. He loves to recycle and do things for other people.

Landen is growing VERY quickly! He will soon be 6 months old. He is outgrowing clothes quicker than I can buy them. He is wearing 6/9 months and some 12 months. Eating an entire jar of baby food in one setting is no problem for him now! Landen is a very happy little boy who LOVES to be talked to. His bottom two front teeth have finally broken through the gum and are SO adorable!

Being "Mommy" to these boys is the BEST job I have Ever been blessed with!!!!!

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