Month 11: Ta-Da…Fast and Furious

We have been on a roll this month…Landon survived seeing all his grandparents, aunts and uncles in a 12 day span…then we came home and moved!

This month Landon loves eating finger foods and is getting better at eating with a fork everyday. We have entered the adventures of the Happy Meals! Landon is able to finish a 4 piece nugget all on his own. We also just began mixing half of his bottle with whole milk. Just this week he has begun to blow on his food after watching me do it for weeks. He now blows on all his food before putting it in his mouth.

Landon continues to be very active. While the TV may be on or I may try to read him a book he still wants to climb everywhere . He is beginning to show some interest in reading animal books and likes hearing what noises animals make. Landon and I went to storytime at the library twice this month. He enjoys watching the other kids and has begun to try to take the toy he wants from whoever has it. In our new house the stairs and drawers in the kitchen are definitely more popular than his toys!

Landon is getting more and more balanced and has on a few occasions stood on his own for a few seconds. He now says up and reaches out his hands and also swings his hands up to signal TA-DA! when he does something special. David has been wanting him to do Ta-Da forever! It is very cute.

While in Iowa Landon made sure to get a Maid rite sandwich and he LOVED getting to meet his Great Aunts, Uncles & Cousins (Marti, Pat, Jenna, Aubrey, Mark, and Julie). Of course he was also spoiled by Grandma and Grandpa Reeves and Uncle DJ.

A quick stop to Great Aunt Cheryl & Uncle Bruce before and after Iowa gave Landon a chance to play with some toys I played with when I was little. He also got to visit with Great Grandma Motondo. We then went to a wedding and then up to the lake where Landon was spoiled with lots of hugs, kisses, and play time with Grandma Harter, Papa, Jimmy, Trina, Nicole, Matt, Great Grandma & Grandpa Orford, and many more. Landon LOVED the jet ski and kayak rides. I am also sure he was jealous Tyler could get around faster than he could. Next year we are in trouble when they both can run around. On our way back to Virginia we met Grandpa Motondo & family for breakfast.

Last week we moved out of our house on Monday and into our new house on Tuesday. We are so blessed to have such a busy and exciting summer but are definitely looking forward to things slowing down a little bit before I go back to work…and Landon turns 1!  

You have to have a Maid Rite in Iowa.

Too cute for words!

Welcome to my crib!

Month 10: Uh-Oh, Uh-Oh, Uh-Oh...

Uh-Oh....Don't Blink....Landon is changing daily more now than ever and I have a feeling we have a daredevil on our hands. I fall more in love with this little guy everyday! He now loves to say Uh-oh several times when dropping anything. We are also saying Uh-Oh a lot more because he has now learned to open cupboards, bang on the glass doors, and can get into just about everything!

We began the month standing up in our crib for the first time. We also took him on his first ride at the pungo strawberry festival. He has begun to push his toys while walking behind them. He also loved standing up in his stroller pretending to "surf" while we were in cocoa beach.

We also mastered drinking from a straw this month and he no longer wants to be fed lunch or dinner so finger foods and lots of cleaning are a daily routine.

Landon also can identify if a friend is coming over to hang out or to babysit and immediately cries when we leave him with a sitter. Although they tell us its not for that long.

Silly Landon...We don't eat the tickets for the rides!

My first roller coaster!

Good Morning Mama! Time to lower the crib!

Learning how this birthday thing works from Gage!

I'm the KING of the world!

Landon turned 10 months old on Father's day and as of June 8th I am home with him for the summer. I love getting to spend more time with him and I think he likes it too. Landon and I tagged along with David on a work trip to Cocoa beach last week. Grandma and Grandpa Reeves met us there and we had a lot of fun. Landon is definitely no longer afraid of the pool but is not too fond of the sand and ocean.

Other Family Updates (We have been a little busy...)
1. We recieved an offer on our house and have had an offer accepted on another house. We will be moving July 10th!
2. Mom has just one more chemo treatement to go and will then begin radiation. She is amazing and I love her so much!
3. I have accepted a new job and will be a reading specialist at Carver Elementary in Newport News in the Fall!

Month 9: Landon the Explorer

Can you believe 9 months have gone by already? I continue to be amazed at just how quick Landon is changing and learning all sorts of new things. I love his personality and unique facial expressions. Exploring everything around him is his goal everyday. He can now crawl on his knees although he still prefers the army crawl and pulls himself up to standing a few more times everyday. He weighs 17 pounds 2 ounces (10th%) and is 27.5 inches long (18%)

Landon loves being near David and I. He has learned how to maneuver himself under the end table to climb over the blankets and get to the kitchen. Just this week he has extended this move to now work his way from one side of the kitchen table to the other. He will also entertain himself playing with his toys now and is seems to always have a plan for what he wants to play with. Pushing buttons and making noise are always a priority on his list!


I got here all by myself!

 Landon is not saying any words yet but he loves to babble all day long and loves to "pretend" chomping and wave bye bye. I am predicting his first words are going to be uh-oh or up but maybe I will get lucky and it will be mama. Landon ate peas for the first time this week but of course he fed 10 to the floor for every one that went into his mouth. 

Biggest Milestone of this month: We took a trip to NY and when we got back to VA Landon snapped back into his routine the first night! This was great since he had been sick before we left and did not sleep through the night while we were there at all. He is great at going to bed at night and loves having scout, peter the bunny, and his glow worm in bed with him.

Other Milestones this month: He loved the hotel pool in NY as well as wagon rides with cousin Tyler! He also loves the swings at the playground!

9 Months Old today...Mom has to be quick to get one with me still on the blanket!

As soon as the water turns on he is on his way...Loves bath time!

Life in our household the last month has gotten pretty crazy so just in case you missed it...
1. Our house is on the market and we have had several people take a look.
2. Mom started her chemo last week. We are grateful the cancer had not spread anywhere else. She has a positive outlook and we are ready to help whenever we can.
3. Carly graduated college last weekend while we were in NY. We are super proud of her!
4. Landon had his first fever and David has been sick the past week so keep him in your prayers that he is better soon.

From the other side...

There are always so many sides to every occasion, event, argument, or decision. I have known so many people who have come to tell me a loved one is sick. I always respond with I'm sorry and tell them that I can pray for them and I think to myself I can't imagine what that is like and I always wished I would know what to do for people. Knowing what to do for others has never come easily for me.

Well, now I find myself on the other side. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer two weeks ago. You don't have to know me very long to know my mom is one of my best friends and family is just a "little" important to me even though I live far away. Not a day goes by we don't talk on the phone. 

I have struggled with how to tell people because I am not sure how to respond. How do you tell people when they are just going to have so many questions no one has the answers to? I also don't like to bring other people down and telling them what is going on doesn't exactly brighten someone's day. It's also awkward to then change the conversation. There are times I can talk about it and not cry at all but then there are the times the smallest thought brings out the "ugly cry." It feels wrong when I can say it and it doesn't upset me but then I wonder if its just me putting it off and not addressing the situation. I always thought if I was in that situation I would then be able to help others but I'm now there and I have no clue where to begin.

So here is what I do know...
1. My family is strong and are being so understanding that I can't be home right now.
2. My mom is being taken care of by someone with more power than any of us. God knows how amazing she is and He is with her.
3. I can say I am humbled by the number of people praying for my mom and our family everyday. I am inspired by the stories of survival and appreciate hearing about the paths people have taken to remission. 
4. Through all of this I never once want to lose my faith in God that he will provide and lead the doctor's and our family to make the right choices and get us through this.

These song lyrics were on in the car this morning and this afternoon when I first got in the car. Thinking about them led me to put my thoughts down about today.

Am I proof
That You are who you say You are
That grace can really change a heart
Do I live like Your love is true

I want to live like that
And give it all I have
So that everything I say and do
Points to You

~Angela

Month 8: Busy, Busy, Busy

Another month has flown by and our little guy barely stops to eat! Landon does not skip a beat. He crawls everywhere and I love getting me to follow him from his room into the living room and playing peek-a-boo as we turn the corners. Landon loves this game too as long as the hair dryer or my brush are not in sight! Landon's other favorite toy this month is the wooden rod that is used to keep the sliding door closed. He will make his way through many toys to get to this and will find a way to get around anything we try to use to block his way. He has also pulled himself to a standing position once and can now easily go from sitting to crawling.

Over Spring Break we celebrated David's 30th birthday! Landon was my partner in crime as we set up several surprises for Daddy including a suprise visit from Grandma and Grandpa Reeves. David was shocked to be at dinner and see his parents walk into the restaurant. They were then able to stay with us for a few days and were a huge help! We put together the jumperoo and the walker. Landon loves the walker and was able to move in it almost immediately!

For Easter we had 4 families to our house and had a fabulous dinner. It was a lot of fun and having 4 kids under 18 months kept us all moving!

The weather this month has also been wonderful allowing us to introduce Landon to the outdoors. Unfortunately he has received his mom's allergies but he is a trooper and enjoys being outside. Last weekend we also had my cousin Blake in town and we hiked the 5 mile Noland trail with Landon on David's back. He also went to his first little league game sporting his baseball clothes and Cubs hat!

Being home for Spring Break made me wish for Summer to get here even sooner!

8 Months Old Today!

Reverse....Beep, Beep, Beep!

And we are on the move! Although this was the first month we did not travel or have visitors here we have certainly been on the move playing and figuring out how to get around. Landon is just weeks away from crawling and has spent most of this month scooting backwards and getting angry he is not moving forwards. His other signature move when not rolling over this month is pivoting around in a circle.  In the mornings he loves exploring aound the dresser and entertainment center while David and I get ready for work.

While the reverse title is for Landon moving backwards we have also gone in reverse on how often Landon sleeps at night and needs to be fed through the night. We are working on both of these as we head into month 8.

 

In other news....

1. We now have 2 teeth! There were a few rough nights and lack of appetite but we have our first two teeth on the bottom.

2. He rolled over in his crib about 2 weeks ago for the first time and as of yesterday is no longer swaddled when he sleeps. He is all over his crib now when he sleeps and prefers sleeping on his belly. 

It is crazy to think 7 months have gone by already while at the same time I can't imagine my life without Landon. He is so happy all the time and I can't wait to spend my spring break with him in just two weeks.

Just a little taste of his personality if you can see the smirk on his face!