Just Like His Grandmothers

For the past few weeks, Landon has been focusing on running, climbing, and jumping...which doesn't leave too much time for talking. After three days at home with joint colds, and stuck inside because of the rain, Landon changed his tune yesterday. Maybe he was inspired to compete with the loud rain showers, but for whatever reason he started talking up a storm! Yes folks, I'll be here all night...

Landon said about 10 different words yesterday, but this is definitely my favorite conversation from the day:

Me: Come on honey, let's go to the kitchen so I can check on the chili.

Landon runs right up to me for a taste when he sees me take a spoonful out of the crockpot

Me: No sweetheart, this is too hot for you. Mommy will give you something else though...

Landon: a doughnut?

Me: (laughing) No, not a doughnut, but we'll find you something else.

This was especially funny to me since Landon has only tasted one bite of a doughnut, and we've never had them in the house. I concluded that he must have inherited the Krispy Kreme gene from BOTH of his grandmothers! Phillip and I always joked that his Mom never gave driving directions without including Krispy Kreme locations as landmarks :)

Touchdown!

We know that Landon isn't a doll that we can play dress-up with, or a performer that we can teach tricks to. We know that he is a developing young man whom we must teach important life skills. But sometimes we can't help ourselves :)

Since the weather has been so warm lately, it didn't quite feel like football season. So, we spent one day a few weeks ago teaching Landon to throw his arms up in the air like a referee, signaling a touchdown. It's pretty friggin' cute. What other baby can you take to a football-viewing party and have signal a touchdown when everyone yells "TOUCHDOWN"?

Of course, Landon has taken this celebratory sign and ran with it...using the touchdown signal to signify any great accomplishment. Yesterday he tried for about 2 minutes (eternity for a one year old) to knock over his learning playground toy. When he finally accomplished his task, he yelled "I did it!" and then threw his arms up to signal a touchdown. Too funny.

I have also taught Landon to give mini back massages. This one is not my fault; it can be blamed on genetics, and the fact that I am becoming my Mom, and my Grandmother. Before you know it, I will be asking him to rub my feet at the end of the day!

But if you are at our house and have a tired back, Landon can oblige. He will take any toys that he can find, one held in each hand, then give you a massage by beating on your back for about 30 seconds. It feels surprisingly good. Sometimes if you are lucky, he will even dig an elbow in there...ahh, who would have known how much my spa experiences would have changed pre-baby to post-baby?

Where has September Gone?

Landon and I have had a whirlwind last few days! Now that he is older and less content to stay in one place stacking blocks and listening to me read or sing to him, I am trying to plan some activities outside the house. This plan is also based off the fact that Landon LOVES people and other children, and enjoys getting out and about.

Phillip and I informally practice child-directed parenting. Maybe it's my Montessori background, but I tend to let Landon spend time on what he is most interested in at the time. Right now it's girls. Hmm, this strategy could be tough if his interests continue to stay the same in high school!

All joking aside, if he wants to run, explore nature, meet new friends, and play with old ones (even though I had planned some drawing and verbalization games for the day), then that's what we do.

Last week we visited the State Farmer's market to see the colorful pumpkins, gourds, and mums. Then, we made Landon's first trip to The Cupcake Shoppe for a little afternoon pick-me-up. To round out our downtown trip, we headed to Nicole's Studio to soak up some more beautiful colors and brainstorm ideas for Landon's big-boy bedroom.

Thursday we had a playdate with Josi, Amy and Adrienne, which included a photo shoot of course, a fun lunch at CPK, and some shopping at Nordstrom Rack.

Friday, the art/culture outing continued with a trip to the Liberty Antique festival with Grandmother and our friend Heather. Because of the heat we ditched the festival and headed to nearby Asheboro for some leisurely browsing in the antique mall and the Circa gallery.

After all that activity, we are taking our cue from the much-needed rain and staying inside for a bit. Maybe we will finally get to the drawing and verbal lessons today?

Or maybe not; when we tried to teach Landon baby-sign-language for "more" yesterday, he decided that it was just easier to say "more" instead. This child-directed stuff might work out after all!

Lively + Daredevil

Not my words...those would be words that other Moms used to describe Landon in Little Gym today. If only they knew that he acts the exact same way at home! We are quickly finding out that he is applying his newfound skills at home as well as the gym; only problem being that our house isn't covered in gymnastic mats. Time to redecorate?

On a up-note though, Landon only put away four balls today (instead of stealing all of the other children's bouncy balls), and I'm happy to report that they were all orphans that he found forgotten in corners and behind mats! That's quite a bit of progress for one week, eh?

He's Got the Moves!

This morning Landon was carrying around his portable radio on his shoulder (kind of like the guys carrying their boomboxes down the street, be-bopping in the '80s). Every once in awhile he would put the radio down on the floor or the table and drop a move on me. I said to him, "Wow Landon, you're a good dancer".

Do you know what the little stinker replied?....."I know"

The Roof

Now that Landon is getting older, more aware of people and his surroundings, and therefore more impressionable, I need to get my "Mommy" act together. In some ways this is easy; others, not so much. I have found myself in a few situations lately where the kid in me thinks that something is awesome, while the Mom in me (belatedly) realizes that it might not be a good idea.

Case in point: our 7 year old neighbor pushing his plastic tricycle to the top of the hill, then riding down at top speed, yelling at the top of his lungs. I thought that it looked pretty fun and something I would have done when I was younger. I did think it was slightly dangerous, but then dismissed that idea because you are supposed to skin your knees when you are growing up; it's a right of passage to me.

His Mom didn't agree. Hmm. Maybe there is a parent code that I'm not aware of, or a secret email list-serve that tells you when to say "First Middle Last (name)...stop that right now!". Or maybe everyone just does what their parents did? Who knows? But I better figure it out soon!

Until then I will just stay the course. Which sometimes includes funny detours. Tonight I was reading a lift-the-flap book to Landon, and was showing him a roof that was hidden under one of the flaps. I was trying to act silly to keep him engaged in the book, so as I lifted the flap I said in a funny voice, "the roof, the roof" and then finished it spontaneously with, "the roof is on fire!". I didn't even realize what I had said until I heard Phillip chuckle in the other room and ask if that was really in the book.

Thank goodness Landon isn't old enough to ask what song I was singing. How do you explain that Mommy was singing an old-school rap song whose lyrics were never officially recorded, but only sung at live concerts, because the rap artists knew that the radio stations wouldn't play it because of the curse words. Yikes!

Memories

Landon and I have so many special moments together - usually quiet times when I sneak a little snuggle together with him in his glider. But sometimes he takes the initiative and creates magical moments that I know will stay with me always...and he gave me a great one yesterday evening!

Phillip was flying in late from Philadelphia, so I took Landon up to his room to sing and talk to him in his rocker before I put him to bed. About 30 seconds after I sat down with him, I heard obnoxiously loud snoring noises. I looked down and his eyes were closed, but after a second, he barely opened up one eye; as if to check and see if I was watching him. All of a sudden it dawned on me that he was playing a joke on me! I asked him..."Are you pretending to be asleep Landon?" and before I could even get the sentence out, he started cracking up! We laughed together for a few minutes and he made some more fake snoring noises to see if he could trick me again. What a sweet boy. Don't you wonder what goes through toddlers heads sometimes?

Earlier in the day he gave me another memory - this one more funny than sweet. After he finished eating his breakfast, I cleaned his face and hands then let him run off and play. As I was down on all fours cleaning up the floor around his booster seat, he must have noticed a tasty morsel that he wanted to eat, because all of a sudden he shoved my butt from behind and said "Scuse you!"!!! Don't get in the way of Landon and his bagel sandwich people!