Well, we missed last month's 17 month update, and King Penguin turned 18 months old a few days ago...and I am just now getting around to updating the blog. Does that make me the worst mom ever?
First, we know what 'boom!' means, at least most of the time: it's a fan. (Although on occasion, it's also the cardboard tube from a roll of wrapping paper and the broom.) For whatever reason, the little boy has a fascination with ceiling fans, and he loves to point them out at every opportunity. Almost every morning, he waves at the fan in his bedroom and says, "Hi, boom!"
In addition to understanding the question, "What does a kitty say?", and being able to answer it with, "Meow!, he also knows what a cow says ("Boo!") and will tell you what a chicken says ("Cuck cuck!). If you ask him to hand you a purple crayon, he will give you the right color. He speaks in sentences frequently, like "Uh-oh, Dada!" or "Mama bed!" He answers questions, like "Do you want picked up?" or "Are you thirsty?" He is getting really good at doing his puzzles and can match things up. He tries to read to himself, especially Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.
He loves Mater from Cars, and recognizes him whenever he sees him. He not only points Mater out, but will tell you who he is if you ask. Only...it doesn't come out like Mater. No, King Penguin has dubbed Mater Mama.
Speaking of Mama, he's finally getting around to saying Mama more. He's called me Mama for a while, but mostly only when he was scared or upset and wanted comforted. "Mama! Mama!" usually was accompanied by tears and wails. Now, he loves to point out Mama wherever we go, and he always is calling for me and asking for me. He shoves away from Brian and says, "No! Mama! Mama!" For the first time ever, he calls for me at night, instead of just for a ba-ba.
We are headed to Ohio right after Christmas, so hopefully we'll have some good pictures and stories to share. Sorry posts have been few and far between (not to mention short when they come around!), but we've been crazy at work and getting ready for Christmas. Can't wait for Landon to open his gifts...Santa is bringing him one in particular that he is going to LOVE!
Monday, December 17, 2012
A month of Thanksgiving and Gratefulness - update!
I never finished update my month of Thanksgiving...but given the events of the last week, above all else, I'm grateful for Landon. I cannot comprehend what the Sandy Hook families are going through. I held Landon Friday night, and it hit me that there were 20 families out there, wishing for just one more night like I had. Wishing for an opportunity to say goodbye for real, like you would if you knew it was the last time you'd see your little boy, instead of a quick hug and kiss and a wave goodbye.
I let Landon sleep with me the other night since his teeth were bothering him and I was so upset. At first, it was perfect...until I actually tried to sleep. Then I was getting elbowed every time I dozed off, getting smacked by flailing arms, kicked by tiny toes, kneed in the gut and somehow the chin. And even though it was uncomfortable, and even though I just wanted to sleep without being poked in the eye, I was thankful for every elbow, knee and kick...because it meant I still had a chance to hold him, to make memories and to appreciate everything.
I can't imagine how lonely those families must be. Everyone is saying, "You're not alone..." and while that's a great sentiment, the truth is, they are alone. Unless it's happened to you, there is no way you can appreciate the gut-wrenching pain. Just thinking about how I would react if I were in there situation makes me want to throw up and bawl....and I still have my little boy to cherish.
I can't fathom the emptiness. As a parent, you feel whole because of your child, and the possibilities they bring. Your child has the potential to change the world. I mean, Landon could be the one who cures cancer, who colonizes Mars, who alters the course of human history. The potential is endless. Now, instead of imaging the great things their children will do, those families are preparing for funerals and fighting off media.
Aside from the loss of life, the worst part is that instead of taking moments to concentrate on the memories of those lost and honoring them, our society has instantly made this about gun control, mental illness, terrorism. Those discussions need to happen...but by taking the focus off the children who were killed and lamenting how more gun control or better healthcare could have made the difference, we are dishonoring those children and their memories. There will be plenty of time for discourse and discussion....but for now, remember those lost. Look at those faces. Consider the families whose children and family members were cut down. And concentrate on the blessings in your life: hug your children. Spoil them for the night. Let them slept with you. Appreciate your family and every person around you, because as this event has proven, we never known what is around the corner.
November 1 - Grateful that we made it through the Hurricane unscathed and with very little damage, and that our biggest issue right now is that Brian is working an insane amount of overtime.
November 2 - Thankful that it's Friday. Even though I was only in the office two days this week because of the storm, Friday took forever to get here.
November 3 - Appreciative a weekend of (relative!) normalcy! No running to the store to stock up on water, no worrying about an apocalyptic storm.
November 4 - Thankful that my mom, sister and grandma will be here in less than a week! They haven't seen Landon (or me and Brian, for that matter!) since July.
November 5 - Appreciative that I have a job I like...even it means getting up extra early on a Monday for a 8 a.m. meeting in Philly :-)
November 6 - Grateful to live in a country where I'm afforded the right to vote and partake in political discourse.
November 7 - Extremely thankful that we have power and heat for this Nor'easter - thoughts and prayers with those still without power from the Hurricane last week who will be hit again with this storm.
November 8 - Thankful that the snow will be gone by the end of day and that tomorrow is Friday.
November 9-11 - Grateful for the chance to see Mom, Alissa and Mamaw this weekend. They each are worth a day!
November 12 - Thankful for a great birthday weekend and for my new iPad, courtesy of Landon and Brian.
November 13 - Grateful for my cats. No matter what mood I am in or how they day went, they are always ready to cuddle at night.
November 14 - Thankful that Landon's follow up with the cardiologist went well and that his heart murmur is completely benign!
November 15 - Grateful for a reliable car that I enjoy driving...even it's not the SRT8 Challenger that I still want.
November 16 - THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY! 'Nuff said :)
I let Landon sleep with me the other night since his teeth were bothering him and I was so upset. At first, it was perfect...until I actually tried to sleep. Then I was getting elbowed every time I dozed off, getting smacked by flailing arms, kicked by tiny toes, kneed in the gut and somehow the chin. And even though it was uncomfortable, and even though I just wanted to sleep without being poked in the eye, I was thankful for every elbow, knee and kick...because it meant I still had a chance to hold him, to make memories and to appreciate everything.
I can't imagine how lonely those families must be. Everyone is saying, "You're not alone..." and while that's a great sentiment, the truth is, they are alone. Unless it's happened to you, there is no way you can appreciate the gut-wrenching pain. Just thinking about how I would react if I were in there situation makes me want to throw up and bawl....and I still have my little boy to cherish.
I can't fathom the emptiness. As a parent, you feel whole because of your child, and the possibilities they bring. Your child has the potential to change the world. I mean, Landon could be the one who cures cancer, who colonizes Mars, who alters the course of human history. The potential is endless. Now, instead of imaging the great things their children will do, those families are preparing for funerals and fighting off media.
Aside from the loss of life, the worst part is that instead of taking moments to concentrate on the memories of those lost and honoring them, our society has instantly made this about gun control, mental illness, terrorism. Those discussions need to happen...but by taking the focus off the children who were killed and lamenting how more gun control or better healthcare could have made the difference, we are dishonoring those children and their memories. There will be plenty of time for discourse and discussion....but for now, remember those lost. Look at those faces. Consider the families whose children and family members were cut down. And concentrate on the blessings in your life: hug your children. Spoil them for the night. Let them slept with you. Appreciate your family and every person around you, because as this event has proven, we never known what is around the corner.
November 1 - Grateful that we made it through the Hurricane unscathed and with very little damage, and that our biggest issue right now is that Brian is working an insane amount of overtime.
November 2 - Thankful that it's Friday. Even though I was only in the office two days this week because of the storm, Friday took forever to get here.
November 3 - Appreciative a weekend of (relative!) normalcy! No running to the store to stock up on water, no worrying about an apocalyptic storm.
November 4 - Thankful that my mom, sister and grandma will be here in less than a week! They haven't seen Landon (or me and Brian, for that matter!) since July.
November 5 - Appreciative that I have a job I like...even it means getting up extra early on a Monday for a 8 a.m. meeting in Philly :-)
November 6 - Grateful to live in a country where I'm afforded the right to vote and partake in political discourse.
November 7 - Extremely thankful that we have power and heat for this Nor'easter - thoughts and prayers with those still without power from the Hurricane last week who will be hit again with this storm.
November 8 - Thankful that the snow will be gone by the end of day and that tomorrow is Friday.
November 9-11 - Grateful for the chance to see Mom, Alissa and Mamaw this weekend. They each are worth a day!
November 12 - Thankful for a great birthday weekend and for my new iPad, courtesy of Landon and Brian.
November 13 - Grateful for my cats. No matter what mood I am in or how they day went, they are always ready to cuddle at night.
November 14 - Thankful that Landon's follow up with the cardiologist went well and that his heart murmur is completely benign!
November 15 - Grateful for a reliable car that I enjoy driving...even it's not the SRT8 Challenger that I still want.
November 16 - THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY! 'Nuff said :)
Monday, November 5, 2012
Thursday, November 1, 2012
A hauntingly fun Halloween!
Our little Superman had spooky and special Halloween this year. We started the night at McDonald's, where Landon saw a lady wearing cat ears, and immediately started staring and pointing and saying, "Kitty! Hi, kitty! Meow! Meow, kitty!"
God bless her, the lady smiled and meowed back at Landon. All through dinner, they meowed and jabbered at each other. As she and her family were getting ready to leave, Landon waved at her and said, "Bye, kitty! Meow, meow! Bye-bye, kitty!"
Then we headed home to change into his costume. He cried when I put it on him, so I didn't think we make it that far on the trick-or-treat trail. But the little super hero was a real trooper and we made it to every house in the neighborhood. Landon tried to remember his manners, but most of the time forgot to say thank you until we were away from the houses and back on sidewalk. He invited himself into someone's house and walked right in the front door. He chase the other kids and jabbered and chattered away to them. Instead of saying, "Trick or treat!"to a few people, he decided they'd be more interested in hearing what a kitty says.
In short, he had a great time!
Once we got home, he was exhausted but wired. We spent some time playing and running around before he conked out for the night.
God bless her, the lady smiled and meowed back at Landon. All through dinner, they meowed and jabbered at each other. As she and her family were getting ready to leave, Landon waved at her and said, "Bye, kitty! Meow, meow! Bye-bye, kitty!"
Then we headed home to change into his costume. He cried when I put it on him, so I didn't think we make it that far on the trick-or-treat trail. But the little super hero was a real trooper and we made it to every house in the neighborhood. Landon tried to remember his manners, but most of the time forgot to say thank you until we were away from the houses and back on sidewalk. He invited himself into someone's house and walked right in the front door. He chase the other kids and jabbered and chattered away to them. Instead of saying, "Trick or treat!"to a few people, he decided they'd be more interested in hearing what a kitty says.
In short, he had a great time!
Once we got home, he was exhausted but wired. We spent some time playing and running around before he conked out for the night.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Landon Update
So this post is a day late...but it's really difficult to update the blog on the weekend...especially now that Landon seems to have fully embraced his (early) terrible twos.
So without further ado, here is this month's Landon Update:
Words
- Mama
- Dada
- Kitty!
- Baba (bottle)
- Ball
- Bird
- Car
- Cookie
- Book
- Uh-oh!
- Bye-bye!
- Papa (for Pop-Pop)
- Cracker
- Duck
- Clock
- Gaga (Grammie)
- Boo!
- Apple
- Ta-da!!
- Starr (for Grammie's girl poodle)
- Tickle-tickle
- Thank you!
- Truck
- BaBOOM! (Still trying to figure out exactly what this means. He says it to fans, airplanes and in general, whenever he feels like it)
- oh, no! (too adorable - this comes out as, "No-no!")
- Where did it go? (Wit goo?)
- Where is the kitty? (Wee kitty?)
- Tractor
- Daddy (Brian now has two names...)
- keys
- Meow
- Bang
We're still working on motorcycle (it's coming out exactly like truck). I'm also trying to teach him "Trick or Treat!" by Halloween. He says it back every once in a while, but he's not consistent yet.
He also understands a lot of phrases including: shut the door, peek a boo, sit down!, give me a kiss/hug, outside, do you want some milk?, come here, give that to Mommy (or Daddy, or Grammie, or Papa), take that to Mommy, no!, give me a hug, where's the kitty?, get a book
He also understands a lot of phrases including: shut the door, peek a boo, sit down!, give me a kiss/hug, outside, do you want some milk?, come here, give that to Mommy (or Daddy, or Grammie, or Papa), take that to Mommy, no!, give me a hug, where's the kitty?, get a book
FAVORITES
TV Show - Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Sesame Street, The Big Bang Theory (he LOVES that jingle!)
Songs/Jingles - He LOVES music in general, and gets excited whenever our iPhones start playing music. Among his favorites are: Big Bang Theory theme, "We Buy Any Car" jingle, the Hot Dog Dance, No Matter What, Simple Man
Songs/Jingles - He LOVES music in general, and gets excited whenever our iPhones start playing music. Among his favorites are: Big Bang Theory theme, "We Buy Any Car" jingle, the Hot Dog Dance, No Matter What, Simple Man
Food - the boy loves food, so this category is difficult. He loves any and all fruit, yogurt, crackers, animal crackers, gold fish, turkey, chicken, hot dogs, fruit snacks, and macaroni, but I think his favorite, hands down, is spaghetti and garlic bread!
Thing at the park - slides - especially if he can go down himself! Merry-Go-Round. Swings
Thing at the park - slides - especially if he can go down himself! Merry-Go-Round. Swings
Animal - a kitty! Although he also loves to watch birds and squirrels too, and he is always up for petting a puppy.
Game - boo, being chased, trucks, his shapes, chasing the kitty, steal the phone or remote control
Books - On the Night You Were Born, Mr. Brown Can Moo, Ladybug's Lesson
NEW THINGS
Saying, "BaBOOM!"
Coloring every day
"Reading" to himself or Mom/Dad
Coloring every day
"Reading" to himself or Mom/Dad
Walking around and "talking" on the phone...typically to Dada.
Monday, October 8, 2012
October-fun!
I'm too little to enjoy Oktoberfest...but I'm big enough to enjoy October-fun! Mom took me to a pumpkin patch this weekend, and I. Had. A. Ball.
Not only did I get to pick TWO pumpkins, but I had my first hay ride. (The tractor that pulled the wagon was sooo big! At first I didn't even want to look at pumpkins because I was so excited by the tractor.) I met a baby pig (it tried to bit Mom!), went in a hay maze, played in the Kiddie Korral and rode a big kitty. Actually, Mom says I rode a pony. Whatever. I know a kitty when I see one, and that was a big kitty!
The Kiddie Korral was lots of fun! They had a HUGE tunnel! Mom says I was a tunnel hog because I wouldn't let the other kids in, but really, I just wanted them to play with me!
...I tried to pick it up, but it was too heavy.
So I pushed it over.
Not only did I get to pick TWO pumpkins, but I had my first hay ride. (The tractor that pulled the wagon was sooo big! At first I didn't even want to look at pumpkins because I was so excited by the tractor.) I met a baby pig (it tried to bit Mom!), went in a hay maze, played in the Kiddie Korral and rode a big kitty. Actually, Mom says I rode a pony. Whatever. I know a kitty when I see one, and that was a big kitty!
The Kiddie Korral was lots of fun! They had a HUGE tunnel! Mom says I was a tunnel hog because I wouldn't let the other kids in, but really, I just wanted them to play with me!
Then, I played in the corn crib. So. Much. Fun! There were so many trucks and buckets, I couldn't stay in one place! I stole a bucket from a bigger kid, and Mom told me to give it back. I didn't want to, but then I saw the trucks again, so it was OK.
Next, Mom took me on the hayride to the pumpkin patch. As soon as we got in the wagon, I ran to the front to stare at the tractor. Then Mom sat me in the hay to take some pictures. I wasn't sure I liked the feeling of hay on me...it's itchy.
Then we made it the pumpkin patch itself. At first I thought it was a field of balls and started yelling, "Ball! Ball!" but Mom said they weren't balls. So then I thought they might be big apples, so I kept saying, "Bapple! Bapple!" Finally, Mom explained they were pumpkins. That's hard to say, so I just kept saying "Bapple" instead.
Mom said I could pick out one pumpkin for me and one for Dad, but I had to be able to carry the one I picked out for myself. I found one I really, really liked...
...I tried to pick it up, but it was too heavy.
So I pushed it over.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Workplace woes
Typically, I try to limit my posts to gush on and on about how adorable Landon is (for the record, he's beyond cute) or what funny things he's done lately (he thinks making me put a colander on my is the funniest thing in the world), etc., etc.
But today, I'm dumbfounded. I've encountered a situation that I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.
I mean, in general, humans are perplexing creatures. Someone is always doing something that you simply don't get.
But today's incident truly boggles my mind.
I went into the kitchen at work today to heat up soup for lunch. I walked to the microwave and saw that someone else was using it. Ok, not a problem - in an office setting, it's not an unexpected occurrence for someone else to beat you to the microwave, especially when you office is as small as ours, and there are only eight employees.
What was unexpected was the amount of time the person expected to tie up the (only) microwave: the timer was set for 28 minutes.
Yes, you read that correctly.
When I first looked at the countdown, I thought I mis-read the readout and that it really said 2.5 minutes. Nope. It was definitely 28 minutes.
Aside from the first question that popped into my mind - what the HELL is this person making for lunch that takes 28 minutes to microwave?!? - I also have to ask: What is with people? Who uses a communal microwave for that long, without at least giving people a warning - especially when there is only one microwave for all staff to share? If it had been me, I would have walked around the office and let everyone know that I was going to hijack the microwave for a while and to feel free to use it if they wanted to heat their lunches up first, since it would be in use for so long.
Jeez.
But today, I'm dumbfounded. I've encountered a situation that I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.
I mean, in general, humans are perplexing creatures. Someone is always doing something that you simply don't get.
But today's incident truly boggles my mind.
I went into the kitchen at work today to heat up soup for lunch. I walked to the microwave and saw that someone else was using it. Ok, not a problem - in an office setting, it's not an unexpected occurrence for someone else to beat you to the microwave, especially when you office is as small as ours, and there are only eight employees.
What was unexpected was the amount of time the person expected to tie up the (only) microwave: the timer was set for 28 minutes.
Yes, you read that correctly.
When I first looked at the countdown, I thought I mis-read the readout and that it really said 2.5 minutes. Nope. It was definitely 28 minutes.
Aside from the first question that popped into my mind - what the HELL is this person making for lunch that takes 28 minutes to microwave?!? - I also have to ask: What is with people? Who uses a communal microwave for that long, without at least giving people a warning - especially when there is only one microwave for all staff to share? If it had been me, I would have walked around the office and let everyone know that I was going to hijack the microwave for a while and to feel free to use it if they wanted to heat their lunches up first, since it would be in use for so long.
Jeez.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Landon's 15 month appointment
On Monday, we had Landon's 15 month well-visit. At least, I thought we did. It turns out that his appointment actually was supposed to be on Friday. (I maintain that the doctor's office mis-scheduled it. I specifically took a sick day for Landon's appointment, which I intentionally scheduled the same day as my doctor's appointment.) At any rate, being fabulous and wonderful as always, the front desk ladies worked us in and we saw the doctor.
The consensus is Landon is growing well! He is pretty tall - in the 77th percentile, although his weight is only in the 62nd percentile. His head size is the real talk of the town - it is in the 100th percentile.
He's doing great developmentally. Most 15 month olds know 3-6 words. As you probably gathered from the last post, Landon knows 22. (Actually, he knows 23 words. He recently added BANG! to his repertoire. He loves the jingle from the Big Bang Theory, and at the end, when they yell, "Bang!" he always adds his own bang, albiet a few seconds too late.)
So our boy is in great shape, although we need to get blood work done to check glucose levels, since he drinks a bit excessively, and schedule another follow up with the cardiologist to get an echo to check his heart murmur.
The consensus is Landon is growing well! He is pretty tall - in the 77th percentile, although his weight is only in the 62nd percentile. His head size is the real talk of the town - it is in the 100th percentile.
He's doing great developmentally. Most 15 month olds know 3-6 words. As you probably gathered from the last post, Landon knows 22. (Actually, he knows 23 words. He recently added BANG! to his repertoire. He loves the jingle from the Big Bang Theory, and at the end, when they yell, "Bang!" he always adds his own bang, albiet a few seconds too late.)
So our boy is in great shape, although we need to get blood work done to check glucose levels, since he drinks a bit excessively, and schedule another follow up with the cardiologist to get an echo to check his heart murmur.
Friday, September 14, 2012
King Penguin is 15 months old!
Today marks 15 months since Landon made his appearance in the world. He gets cuter, smarter and more interactive each day, and never fails to surprise us with his energy, affection and desire to learn. It's hard to believe that one year ago today, we were celebrating three months with our King Penguin by taking him for his first ride in the Vette.
I'm going to start a tradition of updating Landon's vocabulary and favorite lists each month on his birthday - I was a record to really show his progress, and since they say once something's posted on the Internet, it's there forever, I figure this way I can't lose my updates!
So without further ado, enjoy this month's KP Update:
Words
I'm going to start a tradition of updating Landon's vocabulary and favorite lists each month on his birthday - I was a record to really show his progress, and since they say once something's posted on the Internet, it's there forever, I figure this way I can't lose my updates!
So without further ado, enjoy this month's KP Update:
Words
- Mama
- Dada
- Kitty!
- Baba (bottle)
- Ball
- Bird
- Car
- Cookie
- Book
- Uh-oh!
- Bye-bye!
- Papa (for Pop-Pop)
- Cracker
- Duck
- Clock
- Gaga (Grammie)
- Boo!
- Apple
- Ta-da!!
- Starr (for Grammie's girl poodle)
- Tickle-tickle
- Thank you!
He is trying to get out truck and motorcycle, but their not quite consistent yet...maybe we'll be adding them to the list by next month!
He also understands a lot of phrases including: shut the door, peek a boo, sit down!, give me a kiss/hug, outside, do you want some milk?, come here, give that to Mommy (or Daddy, or Grammie, or Papa), take that to Mommy, no!, give me a hug.
FAVORITES
TV Show - Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Sesame Street, The Big Bang Theory (he LOVES that jingle!)
Songs/Jingles - Big Bang Theory theme, "We Buy Any Car" jingle, the Hot Dog Dance, No Matter What, Simple Man
Songs/Jingles - Big Bang Theory theme, "We Buy Any Car" jingle, the Hot Dog Dance, No Matter What, Simple Man
Food - the boy loves food, so this category is difficult. He loves any and all fruit, yogurt, crackers, animal crackers, gold fish, turkey, chicken, hot dogs and macaroni, but I think his favorite, hands down, is spaghetti and garlic bread!
Thing at the park - slides - especially if he can go down himself! Merry-Go-Round. Swings
Thing at the park - slides - especially if he can go down himself! Merry-Go-Round. Swings
Animal - a kitty! Although he also loves to watch birds and squirrels too, and he is always up for petting a puppy.
Game - boo, being chased, trucks, his shapes, chasing the kitty, steal the phone or remote control
Books - On the Night You Were Born, Mr. Brown Can Moo, Ladybug's Lesson
NEW THINGS
spinning himself around to get dizzy
walking around, nodding his head up and down and saying "Ma, ma, ma"
yelling to talk on the phone
trying to put on his own shoes
trying to put on his own shoes
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Pictures of our "official toddler"!
I wanted to add some other pictures of Landon to the haircut post, but these just didn't seem to fit with the theme...so enjoy an unprecedented second post today!
 |
| Duck head! |
When Landon first came home from the hospital, we took pictures of him nestled inside Brian's helmet. Well, his body no longer fits inside the helmet...but he's developing an affinity for wearing the helmet the right way! It's still too heavy for him to manage by himself, but that doesn't stop him from trying to stuff his head in at any opportunity.
I got the haircut blues
On Sunday, we decided that Landon needed a haircut. This is something we'd been putting off a long time. Despite the fact that locks of his hair invaded his eyes, and tufts stuck out from all sides of his head, giving him an Einstein-esque look, I was adamant - WE WERE NOT CUTTING HIS HAIR! Cutting Landon's hair would mean he was "officially" a toddler and no longer my baby.
As you may recall, I've already posted other instances of what makes Landon "officially" a toddler. His first birthday. His ever-growing vocabulary. His always-improving mobility skills.
Well, here's another one to that to the "Landon's an official toddler because..." list: his first hair cut. Although I've called him an "official" toddler before, the hair cut marks the stage where official officially becomes official. (Kudos to you if you followed that!)
My stance on the hair cut changed when Brian told me that someone asked him in Landon was his daughter. I couldn't stomach the thought of my rough-and-tumble, handsome, all-boy son being mistaken for a girl. So, I swallowed the lump in my throat, took a deep breath...and agreed to cut the baby's hair. Oops, sorry! I agreed to cut the "official toddler's" hair.
I have to admit, he looks better. I just have to adjust to the fact that his baby face is looking more and more mature everyday.
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| Before the haircut - he was a little disconcerted. "Uh, mom? You're not really getting that close to me with those scissors are you?" |
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| All smiles afterward! |
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| Check me out! I'm one handsome boy! |
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Aaannnd...we're back
This summer has been crazy-busy, so Landon, Brian and I apologize for the lack of updates. I know everyone must be going through Landon withdrawal. (I go through it if I'm away from him for more than a day, so I can't imagine how all of you are dealing with it!)
Things should slow down slightly, as I begin a role at work next week as Communications Manager. For the last nine or 10 months, I've had a split role - fundraising and communications. Effective September 4, I officially am only communications, so I hope to have more time to breathe and blog.
Landon remains adorable. In fact, I'm pretty certain that his cuteness factor increased exponentially since my last post. Hard to believe, I know, but it's an observation based in fact.
His antics are getting cuter and cuter as well. Earlier this week, Landon was dining on some turkey breast, fruit and bread. I turned around for a second, and when I looked back, his turkey was gone. There was no way he ate it that fast, because he was jabbering the whole time my back was turned. It turns out that he needed a place to hold his turkey while he talked. And apparently his head was just right:
It must be exhausting to be that cute, because he fell asleep in his highchair right after I took the turkey off his head. I'll post the video as soon as it makes it from my phone to my inbox.
Finally, last night Landon stole my phone and took some pictures himself. I have to admit, the boy has pretty cute toes!
Things should slow down slightly, as I begin a role at work next week as Communications Manager. For the last nine or 10 months, I've had a split role - fundraising and communications. Effective September 4, I officially am only communications, so I hope to have more time to breathe and blog.
Landon remains adorable. In fact, I'm pretty certain that his cuteness factor increased exponentially since my last post. Hard to believe, I know, but it's an observation based in fact.
His antics are getting cuter and cuter as well. Earlier this week, Landon was dining on some turkey breast, fruit and bread. I turned around for a second, and when I looked back, his turkey was gone. There was no way he ate it that fast, because he was jabbering the whole time my back was turned. It turns out that he needed a place to hold his turkey while he talked. And apparently his head was just right:
It must be exhausting to be that cute, because he fell asleep in his highchair right after I took the turkey off his head. I'll post the video as soon as it makes it from my phone to my inbox.
Finally, last night Landon stole my phone and took some pictures himself. I have to admit, the boy has pretty cute toes!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
14 months
Well, it's official. Landon is 14 months old today. I know it's cliched, and I know everyone always says it, but boy, does time fly! It was right around this time last year that I went back to work, leaving behind an eight week old baby King Penguin.
When our King Penguin was born, he weighed 7 pounds and was 20 inches long. Now, he's about 23.5 pounds (he's weight is fluctuating since he is getting over a bad virus and his appetite's not quite normal) and is a whopping 30.5 inches tall. And my goodness, does the boy chatter! Not only does he jabber away in his own language, he's quickly learning new words. His vocabulary includes:
- Mama
- Dada
- Kitty!
- Baba (bottle)
- Ball
- Bird
- Car
- Cookie
- Book
- Uh-oh!
- Bye-bye!
- Papa (for Pop-Pop)
As anyone with a child understands, it's amazing to watch them grow and learn, although I'll admit that I wish he could stay 14 months old for a little while longer. My little man is getting big too fast!
Monday, August 6, 2012
Introducing today's guest blogger: Alissa the Great
Aunt Alissa asked to guest blog today's entry so she could share just how much she adores her Penguin nephew:
Greetings from Columbus, Ohio! Last Friday, I had the honor to spend the evening with a handsome lad – a real blonde-haired, blue-eyed stud. Since Abby and Brian had a wedding to attend in Tallmadge and Grams was flying to Alaska, I was asked to babysit my nephew. After much thought and deliberation, I agreed. Oh – who am I kidding?!? I jumped at the chance to spend some quality time with my dear little ‘Landoncake’, as I call him. Admittedly, I was a little nervous. I haven’t spent too much time around 13 month old babies, so I wasn’t exactly sure what to do. What do I feed him? Where can I take him? What do I take with me? Answer: Anything (except peanut butter), wherever (within reason, of course), and diapers/food/drinks. That’s pretty much it.
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| Finn and his cat-brother Calvin wait for Bob to come home from work. |
Needless to say, I was extremely excited to be able to watch Landon, as I only get to see him a few times a year. I want him to know me and better yet, to like me. And I’ll admit it; I want to be the ‘cool’ aunt. I guess getting him math and statistics-themed presents hasn’t exactly secured my ‘cool’ status – but he’ll appreciate it when he knows calculus in 5th grade. He’ll be the coolest 5th grader EVER. I digress… So I want to be the cool auntie. Someone he’s always excited about seeing, who he recognizes as the best auntie ever. I was determined to make this a fun night that a 13 month old won’t forget. At least for a few hours… I’m not sure exactly how much memory they retain… Suffice it to say – I wanted to plan an epic night. I brainstormed ideas of things to do: the Summit County fair (it rained), my friends’ volleyball game (people smoking), going swimming (we don’t have a pool), going to the park (what can a 13 month old do at a park?), taking him for a walk (what kind of places are baby friendly?), etc etc etc.
By the time I arrived at my parents’ house Friday in the early afternoon (yes, I took ½ day vacation for the little guy), I still hadn’t decided how Landon and I would spend our evening of fun together. When I arrived, Finnigan raced up in front of me to greet everyone and I brought up the rear – toting Finnigan’s overnight bag (complete with food, toys, treats, a tie-out rope, a food bowl, and more treats). As I’m getting Finnigan situated at trying to calm him, I realize it’s not that different than having a baby (in my mind anyway – I’m sure there are people willing to disagree…). I had to have his food, toys for distraction, ensure he had a place other than the carpet to do is business, and make sure he had plenty of water and entertainment. I needed to plan ahead so that Finnigan’s mind and body were satisfactorily engaged. If I can handle a crazy 11 month old Labrador-Schnauzer puppy (who loves everybody and everything and gets so excited he just can’t contain himself), I think I can handle Landon. After reflecting on the weekend, I think Landon is easier to handle than Finnigan.
Once I settle Finnigan in, my attention immediately turns to Landon, who has clearly been waiting for me. He’s on his Da-Da’s lap, and when he saw me, he immediately smiled and put his hands up. My. Heart. Melted. I’m pretty sure he recognized me. So naturally, I go pick him up and give him hugs and kisses. He takes it all in – he just loves attention. We babble back and forth for a little bit and sit down for lunch. I take the seat beside Landon and willingly share my pizza with him. It’s no joke that this kid loves food. And he likes pizza! A few minutes later, Grumps had Landon on his lap, and Landon was eating a small piece of pepperoni. Landon, ever the sweet boy he is, decided Finnigan would like a piece of pepperoni, and offered it to Finn. Finnigan, ever the ‘starved’ dog that he is, took Landon up on his offer, and gave the pepperoni a few licks. My Dad immediately took away the pepperoni that was bound for Landon’s mouth. He. Had. A. Fit. Grumps took his pepperoni away! Can you believe it? Abby brought Landon another piece and all was well. But I don’t think Landon forgave Grumps right away.
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| Landon and Grumps after the pepperoni fiasco. |
Abby and Brian didn’t leave too many instructions. Just feed him when he gets up from his nap, he eats dinner around 6:30, and goes to bed around 8-8:30. And no peanut butter. When they left for the wedding, Landon was still napping. My Dad had to take Hollie Belle (my parents’ dog) to the vet, so he was gone too. I was all alone. I went to check on baby, and found him up and alert, but not crying. What a good boy! I changed his diaper and set him in the high chair for snacks and to discuss our evening.
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| This boy loves food! Here he is looking for more snack after his nap. |
It was decided that first, we would play. So we got out several of his toys and went to town. He started drumming, then he worked on learning shapes, and finally settled on playing with cars and making engine noises. He’s really good at engine noises. I on the other hand, am not. I’m convinced it must be something little boys are inherently born with. After a short while, I figured Finnigan needs to go relieve himself, so I picked up baby and somehow managed to tie Finnigan out on his cable. Since Landon’s still making car sounds, we watch the street and point out the passing cars together. Finnigan was a little upset he was left out, so I put his leash on him and let him drag me around the yard. We sat on the swing until Grumps got home. Landon was so excited to see Grumps – or so we thought. Turns out, he just wanted Grumps to let him drive the car around the block. He stood on the front seat of the van, put both hands on the wheel, and continued making his engine noises.
We decided to go out to eat for dinner, and ultimately chose Swensons. (Side note – if you don’t know what Swensons is then A – I’m sorry and I feel bad for you, and B – Swensons deserves its own post.) Once at Swensons, we ordered our food, complete with a grilled cheese for Landoncake. He was a good boy at Swensons – eating his grilled cheese and a little bit of my cheeseburger. Once his belly was full, he tried feeding the cheese to his toes. Sorry little boy, toes don’t eat cheese…
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| "Whoa! No one told me Swenson's was THIS good! I'm speechless!" (And it takes a lot for this Babble King to be speechless!) |
After dinner, we go home and see that Uncle Bob arrived! I gave Landon to Bob and went up to get his bath ready. Apparently, Landon didn’t remember Bob, because he started crying for his auntie. I took him and the little sweetheart wrapped his little sausage arms around my necks and gave me a giant hug! Once we got the bath water ready and cleaned up a smelly, smelly diaper, we plopped him in the bath tub. To say Landon likes baths is an understatement - he LOVES them. We washed him down, and he grabbed the washcloth and showed us the ‘right way’ to do it. He cried when we pulled him out and dressed him in his jammies. I tried to brush his hair, but like any independent child, he wanted to do it himself. He settled into Bob’s lap to prepare for bed (apparently forgetting that he threw a fit not 15 minutes earlier) while I made him a bottle. Seeing him slowly passing out on Bob’s lap was very precious. See for yourself:
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| Chillin' with Uncle Bob before bed |
I put him in his pack’n’play, and he went right to sleep. No fussing or crying or anything. What an angel. Although we didn’t do anything I originally planned, I wouldn’t have wanted the evening to be any different. I think the best thing was just being with him one-on-one.
On Saturday, Abby, Landon, and Brian came down to Columbus to spend the day and night before heading back to NJ. We left Tallmadge early, saying bye to Grumps, and down we drove to Columbus. When we were leaving, Landon gave Grumps a HUGE hug. My dad was babbling back to him, and Landon looked at him, waved, said “Bye Bye!” and turned to go in the car. Apparently, he was done saying goodbye to Grumps and was ready to leave. We took Landon to the zoo and he had a great time. We started by lunching at Culvers. Landon ate some of his chicken tenders and fries, but some ended up on the floor. Once at the zoo, we went to see so much! We saw fishies in the aquarium, manatees, howler monkeys, kangaroos, koalas, and goats at the petting zoo, rhinos, elephants, birds, and tigers! Landon even went on a pony ride! I’ll admit I was pretty exhausted by the end of it.
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| Even the fish were "kitties". |
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| We have a regular ol' John Wayne on our hands! |
We went to Jason’s Deli for dinner, where Landon managed to poo in his diaper twice in 5 minutes. It was pretty smelly. Needless to say, I only ate half my sandwich. Abby didn’t bring the diaper bag in, so she had to run out and get it. Landon thought she abandoned him in his time of need, and told the entire restaurant his Ma-Ma just left. Once he had a clean diaper, he was better… for about five minutes, when it happened all over again…
Once home, Abby and I bathed Landon and got him ready for bed. He loves cats, so I brought Calvin over for him to pet. The smile on his face was huge! That boy lights up every time he sees a cat. After he was asleep, the four of us played a new board game, Bezzerwizzer. It’s a game of trivia and tactics, and turned out to be pretty fun (albiet difficult)! Bob and I managed a huge comeback and ended up winning the first game, with Abby’s help. Abby thought she and Brian had already won, but in Bezzerwizzer, it’s not necessarily the first team to the end wins. You have to finish out the round. So, thinking she and Brian already had the game in the bag, she helped me and Bob on our final ‘Language’ question – which awarded us the correct number of points to reach the final box! Since we both ‘won’, we had to go back and forth answering questions until there is only one victorious team. Bob and I ultimately won, although we wouldn’t have been able to without Abby’s help.
Sunday morning Abby and Brian packed up and headed out. Landon waved and yelled “bye bye” all the way to the car. It was a very fun, enjoyable weekend.
I may be biased, but Landon is definitely the cutest little guy ever. And he’s so much fun. He’s loving and affectionate, always willing to give smiles and hugs. Thanks to Abby and Brian for entrusting your child’s safety to me. And thanks for visiting and letting me be a guest blogger.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Ocean City ramblings
On Sunday, we took Landon down to Ocean City for a few hours. Despite being 30 minutes from the ocean, we still haven't made it to the shore yet this year, so I was excited to see the water and spend a little time in the sun. Unfortunately, I knew we weren't going to actually make it onto the beach, since Ocean City requires you to pay for passes if you want to access any part of the beach - and I was not going to spend money to stand in sand for 10 minutes. So Landon's first actual ocean experience is still a trip (or two!) away.
Before we headed to OC, Landon ate lunch. At least, I guess you could call it lunch. It amounted to about four blueberries, a quarter slice of cheese and a huge mess on the carpet. In hindsight, I should have tried to get him to eat more, but since his appetite is getting smaller, I didn't really think anything of it.
Once we got to OC, we had to drive and drive and drive in our grand expedition for parking. Have you ever driven and backtracked and searched for parking with a frustrated, bored toddler in the back? And have you ever done that while driving your huge truck, making it even harder to find parking? If not, I don't suggest it. We hadn't even gotten out of the truck, and I was ready to turn around.
I gave up trying to find free parking and settled for a $10 lot. We *finally* got on the boardwalk. Landon leaned back in his stroller and just took in the sights - the seagulls, the people, the kites, the ocean, the para-sailor, and the shops. As we walked towards the end of the boardwalk, Landon started getting restless, fussing and throwing his cup on the ground every six steps. (Side note: you'd think that this time, I would think back on his itty-bitty lunch and think, "Hmm, I wonder if my baby is hungry." No, I didn't do that. Time would show that to be a mistake.)
We finally made our way down to the amusement park. Landon stared at the rides, pointed at the Thomas the Tank Engine train making its way around, oohed and ahhed at the other kids and pointed at the dump truck ride and said, "Car!" While we waited for the kid in the "car" to finish her ride, Landon started fussing again, squirming against Brian and trying to break free. (Again, you'd think I make the connection and realize the poor kid was hungry. Nope!) We finally got him on the ride, and he enjoyed it for a few minutes, before trying to escape.
After his ride, Landon ran to the stroller, fussing all the way and pulled out his yogurt snacks. He started wailing as soon as I took the snacks again from him. We finally put it together, and headed to the food court, where the little stinker ate an entire hot dog, drank most of our lemonade and pilfered our french fries. But at least his tummy was full and his disposition improved.
We finally made our way to one the best shops on the Boardwalk - the Beachcomber. It has some great beach-themed gifts, as well as household items and other fun stuff. Landon surveyed the store while Brian and I looked at wall art for the dining room. Suddenly, Landon's face lit up and he screeched, "KITTY"while pointing indiscriminately around the store. I took him off to investigate and he lead me to the huge pile of stuffed animals, at which point he started pulling them off the shelves, hugging them, and exclaiming, "KITTY" as he assessed each one. The one that attracted his attention was a HUGE, round stuffed whale - and at $26, he wasn't going to get it. I showed him a smaller (and cheaper) one, and said that if he wanted it, he had to ask Daddy. I didn't think he'd understand, but his eye brightened, and he turned away from me and hollered, "Da-da! Dada! DADA!!!" Brian came running, and of course we told King Penguin he could have his toy. I set it in the stroller, and he immediately started putting the rest of the stuffed animals in, continuing his mantra of "Kitty! Kitty!" I told him to pick one "kitty" and, of course, he just looked at me. While his back was turned, I kept one "kitty" (it was actually a penguin), shoved the rest back in their places and high-tailed it out of the stuffed animal section.
We finally made it home, "kitty" in tow. And a few days later, the baby is still exhausted for his adventure at the shore.
Before we headed to OC, Landon ate lunch. At least, I guess you could call it lunch. It amounted to about four blueberries, a quarter slice of cheese and a huge mess on the carpet. In hindsight, I should have tried to get him to eat more, but since his appetite is getting smaller, I didn't really think anything of it.
Once we got to OC, we had to drive and drive and drive in our grand expedition for parking. Have you ever driven and backtracked and searched for parking with a frustrated, bored toddler in the back? And have you ever done that while driving your huge truck, making it even harder to find parking? If not, I don't suggest it. We hadn't even gotten out of the truck, and I was ready to turn around.
I gave up trying to find free parking and settled for a $10 lot. We *finally* got on the boardwalk. Landon leaned back in his stroller and just took in the sights - the seagulls, the people, the kites, the ocean, the para-sailor, and the shops. As we walked towards the end of the boardwalk, Landon started getting restless, fussing and throwing his cup on the ground every six steps. (Side note: you'd think that this time, I would think back on his itty-bitty lunch and think, "Hmm, I wonder if my baby is hungry." No, I didn't do that. Time would show that to be a mistake.)
We finally made our way down to the amusement park. Landon stared at the rides, pointed at the Thomas the Tank Engine train making its way around, oohed and ahhed at the other kids and pointed at the dump truck ride and said, "Car!" While we waited for the kid in the "car" to finish her ride, Landon started fussing again, squirming against Brian and trying to break free. (Again, you'd think I make the connection and realize the poor kid was hungry. Nope!) We finally got him on the ride, and he enjoyed it for a few minutes, before trying to escape.
After his ride, Landon ran to the stroller, fussing all the way and pulled out his yogurt snacks. He started wailing as soon as I took the snacks again from him. We finally put it together, and headed to the food court, where the little stinker ate an entire hot dog, drank most of our lemonade and pilfered our french fries. But at least his tummy was full and his disposition improved.
We finally made our way to one the best shops on the Boardwalk - the Beachcomber. It has some great beach-themed gifts, as well as household items and other fun stuff. Landon surveyed the store while Brian and I looked at wall art for the dining room. Suddenly, Landon's face lit up and he screeched, "KITTY"while pointing indiscriminately around the store. I took him off to investigate and he lead me to the huge pile of stuffed animals, at which point he started pulling them off the shelves, hugging them, and exclaiming, "KITTY" as he assessed each one. The one that attracted his attention was a HUGE, round stuffed whale - and at $26, he wasn't going to get it. I showed him a smaller (and cheaper) one, and said that if he wanted it, he had to ask Daddy. I didn't think he'd understand, but his eye brightened, and he turned away from me and hollered, "Da-da! Dada! DADA!!!" Brian came running, and of course we told King Penguin he could have his toy. I set it in the stroller, and he immediately started putting the rest of the stuffed animals in, continuing his mantra of "Kitty! Kitty!" I told him to pick one "kitty" and, of course, he just looked at me. While his back was turned, I kept one "kitty" (it was actually a penguin), shoved the rest back in their places and high-tailed it out of the stuffed animal section.
We finally made it home, "kitty" in tow. And a few days later, the baby is still exhausted for his adventure at the shore.
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