The fun stuff of recent life

We've had some new, fun things happening lately. Landis is really on a roll with his walking! We have been taking walks since it's not scorching hot anymore. He'll take one of his walkers and we push it down the sidewalk and around the corner almost to the next street down, and then we turn around and come back!! He's usually pretty tired by then, and he's falling down, but he doesn't want to give up. Today he was stopping and letting go of the walker and just standing there for a few seconds, and then we'd move on! It was so cute to see him toddling around down the street!

We have also officially given him his first haircut!! I was nervous to do it myself, but I went ahead and used to longest attachment we had. It looks pretty darn good! I kind of wish I'd just taken him to have it trimmed a bit around his ears. His hair has filled out on the top and sides, but the back is still kind of sparse, especially at the bottom. It's not really soft anymore either :o( Hopefully that will change in a few days. Anyway, he wasn't scared at all. I was all ready to go and waiting for Brandon to get ready with the camera and I was holding the cutters close to his head so he could investigate, and he bent his head down and touched it to the cutters, as if to tell me, "Well, come on! Let's do this!" He's so funny!

Now that he's one, and temper tantrums and not listening are becoming a regular occurrence, we have started doing time out. He had timeout twice today. It's like he totally knew what he was supposed to do, and he didn't try to get back up too many times. I'm sure it gets harder, but I think having a one year old accomplish timeout without much fuss is pretty good. And it seemed like he understood why he was IN timeout to begin with. We'll see what happens!

Broccoli has been added to Landis's food list recently. He seems to really enjoy it... although the aftermath is not something I really want to deal with, but as he gets older it will get stinkier no matter what I do, so bring on the broccoli poop! At least he likes veggies right now. He's doing pretty good with his cheese, yogurt, and milk, as well. I'm pretty sure he has gained weight already! He just all of a sudden looks bigger. He really likes the cottage cheese. Since we have to get the whole milk yogurt, I can only find it in plain flavor, and it's really sour!! I can't seem to find anything to mix in with it to make it taste very good. He does pretty well with eating a good amount, but he doesn't usually finish the whole bowl. I've tasted it and I don't blame him! I guess I need to make some fruit puree just for mixing in with it so he can keep his variety of dairy. I can't quite tell if he likes the milk or not. He always takes one sip and then stares at the cup, like he's confused, but he doesn't make a bad face. Then he will take another sip every now and then, but he doesn't guzzle it like he does water. I tried putting some juice in his water again recently and he still doesn't like it. He really eats a LOT of fruit, so it's not like he needs the juice to get his fruit servings in. Plus, since it's so dry out here, he needs to be drinking water anyway. We've been on the go a lot lately, so he's been out in the heat.

I made a bold move at church and volunteered with the youth. Then I opened my big mouth and said I'd like to play the guitar and have some music time at meetings or whatever. So, now me and my big mouth are trying to learn the guitar by the 13th and have 15 minutes worth of singing!! How is it that I don't know anyone else that plays the guitar out here? So, wish me luck with that one!!!

I like to cuddle with pillows and blankets on the floor these days. And I stick my tush in the air, like an ostrich.

Kaden came to play recently, and I showed him just how cuddly our pillows are. I think he agreed.

Kaden and I had a delicious lunch together.

And then it was back to lounging on the floor.

This is me trying chicken and broccoli for the first time! It sure was yummy :o)

Cup o' 6G soup

He's been doing this funny sideways mouth thing a lot recently.

I'll save you purple fishy!!!!!

Tom and Karen sent this for Landis's birthday! We had played with it in Toys R Us about a month before his birthday, but when we went to actually buy it, they didn't stock it anymore. I was pretty bummed. He was very excited about it when it came in the mail though! He didn't let me get it out of it's box first before he was pushing it around the house.

He's getting the feel for the clippers before his haircut

This time it's turned on and making that funny noise. He seems okay with it.

Right down the middle!! There's no turning back now!

Whoa! What did you just do to me?!?!

All done and brushed out, looks pretty good for my first baby haircut.

The Professor has been tamed!

He hasn't been very still for pictures recently so this is the best one I've got of his haircut!

Landis knows how to brush his hair

First Half of Birthday videos and 12 month checkup...

Landis is a year old! Hooray! We have successfully kept a human being alive and well for an entire year... and still counting! I think we are going to make it through. Landis had his 12 month check up on the 24th. He is 17 lbs, 14 oz (3rd - 10th percentile for his age), and 28.5 inches tall (also the 3rd - 10th percentile). The doctor wants me to start giving him Pediasure so he can gain some weight, but I'm just going to go on with my plan and see what happens. He is now having whole milk, cheeses, and yogurt. I think he will gain some, but I certainly do not want him to be fat, by any means. He's eating lots of very nutritious foods that include: peas, carrots, banana, avocado, pears, peaches, cantaloupe, watermelon, grapes, black beans, corn, cheerios, kix, yogurt, Monterrey Jack cheese, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese,noodles, whole milk, green beans, brown rice, oatmeal cereal, wheat cereal, goldfish, and oyster soup crackers (because they are bite sized)... and I still breastfeed him, which is a great source of nutrition still. I make sure he gets at least one thing from every food group in each meal, and that he has a good variety of things to get his nutrition from. I let him eat until he refuses to eat any more. His weight is proportionate to his height, so he's really just a small little guy. There are a variety of petite people in both sides of the family, so it's not a big surprise that he's little. He's very happy and plays and talks and moves around like crazy and takes good naps and is very social and friendly. He's just little. I'd rather not give him something that is high in calories and sugar and fat just to get him to gain a few pounds. I will keep track of what he's eating and how much he is eating, and bring it to his follow up weight check on October 1st, and let her know that he really is getting plenty to eat.

I noticed this morning that he has a new tooth!! His third on the bottom. Brandon has been telling me that he's taken a few steps as well, but I've yet to see this happen. I'll be sure to let you all know when it becomes official! We are almost all ready for Landis's big birthday party. We are decorating on Friday, and preparing what food I can, and then Saturday is the big day. Our good friend Callie has been so generous to have offered us her house for the occasion. She's been a life saver! Or, at the very least, a budget saver!! I would have had it at our house, but there were a number of non-military friends I wanted to invite, and I just can't sponsor that many people on base at one time. So, Miss Callie to the rescue!!!

Enjoy the first half of the videos!! I may just have to make the grandparents a CD of pictures and videos from Landis's birthday. The video of him diggin' in to the cake is so long that it has been loading for over 24 hours... well, now it's actually been 48 hours, and the power went out last night. It may not be meant to be!!! I'll post what videos I can, but contact a grandparent for the cake video.




Landis was excited about his birthday breakfast






Singing Happy Birthday!

Happy First Birthday, Landis Dean!!!!

Yay! Landis turned ONE today!!! I think our very first, First Birthday was a great sucess. As you'll see from the videos I'll post tomorrow, he really did have fun... especially when it came to the presents, which... hey, you can't blame him!! I made us some blueberry muffin tops for breakfast. He really enjoyed it! Then we all went to church and they said a special birthday prayer for him. They do birthday and anniversary blessings every Sunday during the service, and they usually do the same prayer for all birthdays, but this morning, we said a little bit of a different one, meant for a baby or child, and since he was the only birthday for the week. It was neat :o) Then we went to McDonald's for lunch and he got to try his first Happy Meal. We got him Chicken nuggets and apple slices, but he really only wanted the apples. He didn't care much for the chicken. I took the breading off, because I've never really noticed just how greasy the nuggets are until I started breaking one up for Landis to eat. It was a little gross! But he did eat a good 2 nuggets worth. And lots of apple... which is good, since he was refusing apples for a while. After we got home, the boys played and napped and I worked on the cake. I'm not thrilled with how it turned out but I know what I will do differently for Saturday. It was kind of fun. Aaron and Crystal stopped by and got to join in the fun of the cake mauling... We have video of the cake and opening the presents which I will be working on posting tomorrow. They are kind of long so they will take a while to load, but you will see the fun very soon!!! He had a lot of fun opening his presents. He was also pretty hyped up on his cake, so he did not get to bed until 9:30 or so! I hope he doesn't sleep TOO long in the morning, because we have to be at the doctors office at 8:25 am! I'm excited to see how tall he is and how much he weighs! I'll post all that as well, with the videos.

Well, here are the pictures of the fun! Enjoy...

Did I really have to get up early on my birthday, Mom?

My very first special birthday breakfast! It was delicious!!!

Please, let me have it!! I'm begging you!!!! (We really weren't teasing him with it, this is just how he "asks" for things now.)

Yeah... the green and yellow writing icing was kind of runny. I didn't anticipate that. Otherwise it came out kind of cute.

Family picture!

He's turning smurf! He's very clean at this point.

Diggin' in!!

I like cake!!!! You guys have been holding out on me...

So, Mommy... I see YOU have cake too...

Birthday Loot

Fun new bath toys! A fishy basketball set, and some foam letters, numbers, and sea shapes. They stick to the walls of the tub when they are wet, too. Fun, fun, fun!!

Our neighbor had this mailbox, and Landis LOVED it, so we had to get him one of his own!!

Lemme give this the old college try...

That wasn't so hard! (He caught on to that REALLY fast!)

Wooden blocks for stacking and more cars!!

Had to get some clothes, of course! He is going to be STYLIN'! Whenever he gets to wear 12 month clothes anyway...

And he got some fun play clothes. I loved the little retro shirts. They were on sale at Target! Captain America and the Mighty Thor! Old School boy shirts are awesome...

The 365th Day of Landis Dean

We had a lot to do to prepare for Landis's birthday! Even though we are having a big, fun party on the 29th for him, Brandon and I still wanted to have his first birthday actually on his birthday! I had fun brainstorming ideas for his cake to destroy, and came up with a great idea for the cakes for his party. I'm going to experiment with his cake he gets to maul tomorrow and see what works and what doesn't. Hopefully it will still turn out pretty cute.

Otherwise, here are some things Landis did on his 365th day of life :o)

I got to take a bath in the morning, since we were visiting mommy's friend late into the evening last night. I discovered that I can stand up all by myself!!! (Meaning, he was on all fours and then cautiously stood up without pulling up on anything!)

Whoa!! Did you guys see that?!?

Not sure how he accomplished this, but he was not impressed with the outcome.

I also have no idea how he managed to fall asleep sitting in his chair!! I was in the back of the house, he yelled, I told him to hold on a minute, I'd be right there, and then not 3 minutes later, he was passed out!! So cute!

Yay, 3 videos!

Hello everyone! This is what Landis has been up to lately!

My friend, Kaden, and I got to play at his house last week. We're really good buddies!! (Look at the tan on my child!! He's definitely got my complexion... and let me add that we do NOT go outside. This is from riding in the car.)

Look at those pearly whites!!! (He didn't enjoy having this picture taken, obviously...)

I sat at the big kids table at Abby's house! We had our playgroup there a few weeks ago.

Doesn't this look uncomfortable?!?!?

Got a new bath toy! His nose lights up and squirts water like a fountain!

Part of my very first birthday present! 3 new shirts, a pair of shorts, and big boy PJ's.

The rest of my very first birthday present! The Panda book has lots of fuzzy animals inside, and a set of keys that are VERY noisy! The backpack is awesome, too. There are a lot of lights and buttons and sounds. A canteen and a cell phone go in the yellow pockets on the sides, but I had lost them by the time Mommy got to take the picture of it.

I just thought he was adorable napping on the couch. I love this little guy :o)

I learned this trick from my good friend, Kaden. I pushed my dinner chair across the room.

It wasn't hard at all!

Bedtime story with Daddy. He sang the story to me!

Keona sniffs me a lot. Her nose is cold...

I can tell Mommy I'm finished now!

This video is about a month old. It's from when he first started standing on his own...

Landis likes to roll this car all over the house!