Potty Training

Ahhhh the joy of cleaning little pee pee puddles...4 today for our first day with big boy underwear all day long. Landon did really well and I think it started to click by the very end of the day when he asked to go pee pee in the potty twice in a row!! Victory!

I would love to bend the ear of an experienced boy mom- it seems that girls care more about getting wet than little boys...or that is what I have heard. Landon just says, "Uh-oh mommy, pee pee in the floor" and keeps on playing. :)

I do think he wants to please me though- after peeing in the floor the last time of the night, he said, "Mommy happy?" How do you respond to that? I know I am not supposed to discipline and I don't want to be angry... So, I said, "Mommy is not happy, but I am not mad. I would be happy if you would tell me you need to pee pee so I don't have to clean it off the floor." He repeated, "Mommy happy?" This time I said, "Yes".

Following this exchange was when he told me twice in a row that he had to go to the potty.

It is one of those things- a little frustrating, but also a little of a rite of passage...I can't believe I am putting him in big boy underwear. I can't believe he is sleeping in a big boy bed. I can't believe he is talking and understanding things I say to him. I can't believe he is going to a 3 year old birthday party tomorrow. I can't believe he is going to be a big brother. I can't believe he is understanding emotion so sweetly (he comes up so often and randomly to kiss me on the cheek). I can't believe he sat with me for an hour today an colored and did crafts. My little buddy is growing up. It is just so fast. I am so grateful to be able to work part time and enjoy him. Enjoy the following photos from today- a neat craft - egg carton turtles which he LOVED b/c he is obsessed with ocean life.

Carolina Beach 2009 Memories

We had a great trip to Carolina Beach with Mike, Allison and Caroline. The highlight of the trip was taking Landon to the NC Aquarium. You can see his delight in this picture. He just loves fish of all kinds and names then all fish from the movie Nemo. Let me say that seeing him at the Aquarium was a pure delight- better than chocolate chip cookies. It was one of those times as a parent that I just sat back and thought, this is good. So good. Thank you God for the privilege of being his mother.

We also enjoyed a great time on the beach where Landon and Caroline ran "around and around and around" as Landon describes it. Stan and Mike built a little pool for the two of them that they ran around in, sat and kicked their feet and just had a blast. They even SHARED it with another little boy! That was quite an accomplishment for two 2 year olds (the other boy was quite a bit bigger though...)! We had 4th of July Funnel Cakes (homemade). We went to Landon's first fair with a Ferris Wheel... And had Landon's 2nd full ice cream cone. Let me say that I DID get all of it out of his clothes, possibly my greatest accomplishment in laundry to date. Notice the sign he is pointing at, I hope this is not foreshadowing of our future...

And, try as we might have, I think this is the best picture I have of Landon and Caroline together...What can I say, they are 2. Landon sure does look like he knows he is a rascal in that picture...

Perhaps another highlight of the trip was that I was able to reflect a bit on this challenge of raising a 2 year old who is...let's say..."Spirited". I wouldn't change him for anything, but I have been in need of some quite time, good talks with Stan, good books, time for reflection and prayer and support of my best friends on how best to teach him to be respectful, mindful and disciplined while still being allowed to be a curious 2 year old. I got all that this weekend and...a good cry. You know how, sometimes that can be the most cleansing thing? Well, it was. We are doing great post-vacation with new and consistent discipline techniques in place, Stan and I are on the same page and have once again shown each other that through the challenges, our love only grows stronger. I am so thankful for Stan and to God for our family. I am also grateful that we have had this opportunity to spend some time figuring Landon out before our next little buddy arrives. Make no mistake, I know I have a lot to learn, I just feel a lot better about where we are now than before we left for the weekend. Happy Summer to all.

Firetruck Extravaganza Cont.

Perfect timing for a play date at the fire station in Durham! Landon got to see real BIG TRUCKS and the firemen gave several demonstrations, letting the kids get in the truck, hang on the poles, hear the siren and see the lights, watch them put all their HOT gear on in 90 degree weather and taught us mommies a lot about taking care of Durham as firefighters. Apparently Durham has a lot more fires than Raleigh due to the infrastructure of the buildings. They taught us about the ladder trucks (4 in Durham) and 15 fire stations in Durham. Landon loved this play date and we are very grateful to our friends Meredith and Samuel for inviting us! Enjoy the pictures.

Here Samuel was teaching Landon all about the hoses of a fire truck- wouldn't you have liked to have heard this conversation? Landon does seem to be intently listening... :)

Firetruck Extravaganza!

Stan and I showed Landon his new room for the first time last night! He was so pumped, he even convinced himself and us that he wanted to sleep there...

But, we ended up back in his crib. He slept through the night, so all is well. He wanted to play in his new room first, so we are one step closer thanks to my parents for coming down this past weekend and helping put the room together. They were a HUGE blessing, esp. since me getting up on a step ladder is not such a great idea any more. Well, I have to run, more later!

Landon catches his first fish!

Landon had his first experience fishing this weekend at Stan's Surprise 30th Birthday Party. Pop was the instructor and Landon was the enthusiastic pupil. I will post more from the party later...had to share these.

Fingerpainting Friday

Landon seems to be saying, "Mom! The sun is too bright to smile, so I will humor you with this look!"

Landon showed me his new and improved finger painting skills today as we beat the summer heat and got outside by 9:00am! He made a pond for all his Nemo's and we put all the Nemo stickers in the water. He also made a house for them. He was quite proud. What fun!

We are finding other ways to beat the summer heat...

Landon and his friend, Porter, enjoying popsicles- one of Landon's favorite things to eat and one of Landon's favorite friends.

We have been to the beach 3 times already this summer! Pictures to follow from our fabulous friend beach trips- one Memorial Day with our annual crew and one last weekend with Heather, Ryan and Emma...Landon is a regular fish and I am beginning to look like a beached whale...

Beach Report

Landon had a great time at the beach this year. He was such a big boy and really loved the pool and his water squirter (notice I did not say "gun"). He even was able to squirt his aunt Anna by surprise!Landon loved the ocean and he and I spent time searching for the little sea crabs that burrow into the sand after the waves recede. It brought back so many memories for me of my dad and I sitting at the water's edge and doing the same thing. It is amazing how those memories seem like yesterday when they were years ago. I really felt like Stan and I were making memories with this little fellow this time that he could very possible recall when he and his kids sit at the ocean years from now.

Landon loved to watch Stan dig and learned how to perfect his digging abilities very quickly. Stan really didn't mind himself and it was such a joy to watch the two of them playing together.We ended our week at a wedding of one of my dearest childhood friends. Stan and I had a honeymoon night away as Kay and LD kept Landon. I thought you all would enjoy the growing belly pictured here. :)