Family Time

First things first. Get a load of the sweetest little angel-baby you ever saw. I know it's a sin to be prideful, but I just think my little Landon is the cutest, most lovable little guy. He is such a good baby and I feel so lucky to be his mom!

Okay, enough of that for right now. I didn't make anybody sick with all of that gushing, did I? We had a great weekend, but it went SO fast! We started the weekend off with dinner at the home of some good friends. They have a set of twins who are Tanner's age and an infant who is just a few months ahead of Landon. It was a GREAT time. The boys played nicely together (even the dads ... haha) and all of us really enjoyed ourselves. We got home WAY past Tanner's bedtime, but that was just fine, because he slept in until almost 9:00 the following morning, and we all woke up rather cheerful, ready to be outside and tackle our lawn and landscaping.

Jon did an excellent job mowing as I started pulling weeds, but after two hours, I was OVER IT and quit. I HATE LANDSCAPING. Truly. I feel like I don't know how to do any of it. I don't know what are weeds and what aren't. I feel like all of our plants are overgrown and don't know what to do about it. And mostly, I hate that it's neverending. I couldn've pulled weeds ALL WEEKEND, and still, there would be more to pull by next week. Someday, maybe we can pay to have someone do all of this for us. But for now ... it's Jon's job. I quit.

Anyways, after lunch and naps, we headed out to pick up some ice cream and play at a nearby park. Jon and Tanner played around on all of the playground equipment. I had to leave after just a few minutes and stop watching them. They make me too nervous! Tanner is just like Jon with his desire to constantly be a daredevil. And Jon, of course, nurtures that desire. I just couldn't watch him continue to go down the slide that I knew was meant for kids much older. So ... I retreated to a park bench, pulled my sweet baby out of his stroller, cuddled him, talked to him, and reveled in all of his smiles until my big boys were ready to go. Well, actually, Tanner wasn't quite ready (see pics below), but we had to go anyways.

Right after I took this picture, Tanner flipped over the little fence he was leaning on and got a nasty bump on his head. I felt like such a rotten mom!

Tanner didn't want to hold hands in the parking lot and this is what happened. I was hiding behind the car, just dying laughing as I watched Jon try to deal with this little struggle for independence (i.e. stubborn tantrum). I couldn't help but snap a few pictures. :)

Today was spent mostly juggling the kids between to two of us so we could both get a few things done. Jon went wakeboarding this morning while I took the boys to church. Then, I handed Tanner over and went to Target with just a sleeping baby. I actually got to mosey through the dollar aisle without someone in my cart pointing to every item and saying "Mine!!" It was a very peaceful trip and I loved every minute of it! When I got home, I took the boys while Jon went for a run, and then we switched so that I could go for a little jog. Thanks to Mr. Mary Alice over at Building Cathedrals, I was inspired to try the Couch to 5K program to get back into shape after almost a year of no running. After Tanner it took me almost a year to run 3 miles again. But according to this program, I should be back to 3 miles in just 2 more weeks. I would highly recommend it for anyone who needs a little motivation! I've really enjoyed it so far!

The best thing about this weekend was the time we spent together as a family. Sometimes I think we get so busy with our own personal things that we forget to take time to just spend together as a whole family. Even when we are home in Michigan, most of the time the men are doing something together and the women are doing something separately. It was nice this weekend for the four of us to just be together and enjoy one anothers' company. I'm hoping we can make more of an effort to make this happen on a more regular basis. I just love my boys so very much ... all three of them!

Our Little Big Boy

In case you haven't figured it out already, this has been the best two months of mommyhood so far! I just love love love our newest little addition. We had our two-month appointment this morning. Here are the stats:

14 lbs 4 oz -- 97th percentile

25 inches -- 97th percentile

What a chunk! No wonder he's been waking up 3-4 times every night to eat -- the boy is growing!! Still, though, if we could cut the nighttime feedings down to once or twice a night, this mama wouldn't mind the extra sleep!!

A Trip to the Zoo ...

Well, almost.

We spent an extra-long Memorial Day weekend visiting the grandparents in Michigan. Out of the 5 days we were there, we took 4 trips downtown for dinner, ice cream, shopping, etc. This year, they have gorgeous little statues of various animals out in front of all the shops ... monkeys, tigers, lions, ostriches, llamas, elephants, hippos. Tanner LOVED them and just couldn't get enough!! Just wait until we take him to the REAL zoo this year! (Although he may be a little dissapointed that he can't just hop up onto all the animals!)

We had an awesome weekend and once again, all of the grandparents proved themselves to be truly amazing! You must know that Tanner is the first grandchild on both sides, and is at an age where he loves to be entertained. My brother, who just returned home from West Point for a few weeks, marveled at how everyone makes it their mission to make Tanner "happy" while he is there. (Silly Eric, with three older sisters, he must realize that we did that same for him when he was little!)

Some of the highlights from our weekend:

• Two trips to the beach -- one with Aunt Kat and Grandpa Hall and another with the Grandmas

• A short shopping trip with my sister while Grandpa H babysat. It was hilarious how we would go through the racks of so many random clothes and end up with all the same things in our carts!

• A wedding shower for our dear friend, Catherine K.

• Watching Tanner ride around on the new second-hand power-wheels that we just got him. Thank you, Poppy and Grammy, for fixing it up for us!

• A dinner date with Jon to our favorite winery!! (and being able to have a few glasses!!)

We were entertained the entire time, from start to finish and we loved every second of it! By Saturday, I think Tanner was ready to drop out of sheer exhaustion! Thank goodness for the long nap he took out on Poppy's boat while the guys fished! Landon was a little angel-baby and enjoyed lots of snuggles and kisses from everyone! We can't wait to head back in a few weeks!

Backyard Fun

Today was an AWESOME day to be outside -- the first time it's really felt like summer! We spent all morning at the park and then relaxed in the backyard this evening. Tanner was having a fantastic time "exploring" in our landscaping. He doesn't quite understand that you can't just trample through everything and pick at all of the plants. I have a feeling our landscaping might suffer a bit this summer from all of his curiousity! The lighting outside was great, so I got some good pics. Check em out!

"Hep Me, Pease!!"

My Loves

Dear Tanner,

I love you because ...

• You are my first born. It was you who made me a mommy.
• We asked God to give you to us. We carefully planned for you and prayed for you.
• Since the beginning, you've been full of smiles and personality.
• You put up with a rookie mom, who is still learning every step of the way.
• You love ice cream just as much as I do. The minute you sit in your carseat, you are asking for a "snack-y." And every time we go through a drive-thru you think we're at Starbucks and start screaming "Co-COA!!!" from the backseat. I love it. :)
• You are brilliant. You may not be the first of your friends to walk, develop a vocabulary, or become potty-trained, but every time you do something new I'm certain you are the SMARTEST kid ever.
• You aren't stingy with your kisses and hugs.
• You are an amazing big brother and you don't even realize it yet. You are full of love and gentleness for your little brother and seeing the two of you together warms my heart.

Dear Landon,

I love you because ...

• You are my second-born ... my icing on the cake, and I feel like I can simply ENJOY you!
• You are the best "surprise" of my whole life and a reminder of God's perfect timing.
• You proved to me that a mother's capacity to love grows exponentially with each new child.
• You are so patient with me. Unlike Tanner, sometimes I don't even realize you have a wet diaper until your clothes start getting damp. Your spit-up actually makes it down your chin and onto your clothes before I can get there to catch it. You never get ALL of my attention, but you love me anyways.
• You've made the transition from one to two easy with your laid-back personality and all that sleeping you do!
• You are brilliant. You just are ... moms know these things.
• When things get crazy with Tanner, just cuddling with you reminds me of all the reasons I love being a mom.

I was talking to a dear friend the other day who is expecting her first baby. Like most moms, she's a bit nervous about how the arrival of this little one will change her life. I told her this: I almost never lay in bed at night and think ... I wish I could have seen that movie, I miss going out whenever I want, I miss my life before kids. Instead, I spend each minute up until I fall asleep thanking God over and over for the two precious gifts he has entrusted me with. I love my boys. I love 'em. I love 'em.

Is it really Wednesday???

It feels like a Monday!

The boys and I just got back from an awesome Mother's Day weekend with our parents, and we brought Aunt Kat with us!!! In just a few short days, she has taught Tanner to say her name, and he now follows her around constantly, saying, "Kat! Kat!! Kat!!!" until she acknowledges him.

We had a great time at home. A Mother's Day brunch at my mom's house on Saturday, followed by dinner out with Jon's parents. On Sunday, we went to church, and then dropped the boys off at my dad's boat for some fishing while us girls went shopping. We figured Tanner would last all of an hour before we were called back to come and get him. Boy, were we wrong! He had a blast and the guys stayed out until around 5pm! Jon said Tanner did great and wanted to be a part of everything! He especially loved seeing the fish once they were caught!

Tanner, Landon, and I stayed a few extra days and we finally made our way home yesterday afternoon. Poor Aunt Kat has been put to work since she got here ... I love it!! What a help she is to me!

Okay, I have to get to bed before I fall asleep right here at the computer! Nighttime feedings are no joke! Landon started out sleeping 4-5 hour stretches at night, but now he's down to 2 hour stretches! Doesn't that seem a bit backwards? I'm trying not to stress about it, but just enjoy that time with him.

Enjoy the pics from the last several days!!

Wierd

I was at the store tonight browsing through Mother's Day cards and I actually stumbled upon a few sections titled "MOM from CAT."

For Real??

TWO

Friends ask me all the time lately what life is like with two. After lots of thought, I've come to the conclusion that life with two kids is actually easier than life with a two-year-old.

Do I have my hands full? YES.

Would I have my hands full even if Landon weren't here? YES.

Here's the thing. Despite all of my griping, I do love this age more than I hate it. I love all of the new words and expressions. I love that Tanner is starting to show he understands what I'm saying. He is hilarious and fun to be with, yet he still likes to cuddle (once in a while) and still needs his mama.

However, each day brings lots of frustrations. Nothing happens quickly with an almost two-year-old ... until you have your back turned and there is something to get in to. Just getting out the door to play outside is a 15-minute production. Getting from the back door to the car and into the carseat is another 10 minutes. (We MUST climb in and do the buckle OURSELVES, of course!!) Once we finally get someplace, heaven forbid if we leave before Tanner is ready to go. Yadda yadda. I could go on and on. But I won't ...

The great thing about having a newborn is that the two boys seem to really balance each other out. Just when I'm ready to lose my mind with my toddler, I can snuggle my newborn, inhale his sweet scent, and remember that life is good. During the times when Landon really needs my full attention, I appreciate Tanner's newfound independence and ability to follow direction (even if it is selective).

I can honestly say that I love love love having two. For the past 5 weeks, I have fallen asleep every night thanking GOD over and over for blessing me so abundantly with these little loves.

p.s. Can I just say that I love love love my new camera, too?

Our Weekend in Pictures

Please excuse the number of new pics, but we got a new toy yesterday and have been playing with it since we got it home -- our first digital SLR camera! We LOVE it so far and I can't believe the difference in picture quality.

As you can see, we got to spend lots of time outdoors this weekend. THANK YOU LORD!!! I was about to lose my mind by Thursday, after several days of rain and weather too cold to take the boys outside. I'm just hoping the nice weather continues! What a difference it makes in all of our moods!

I wish I had time to write more, but our house is a DISASTER ... amazing how that happens every weekend. I must do some tidying before bed if I want our week to start out on the right foot. Enjoy the pics and I'll write more tomorrow, hopefully