Happy Birthday, our sweet boy Landon

Happy 2nd Birthday, Landon!!!!!!!!!!!

This year was so much fun celebrating Landon's birthday.  Landon and my birthday are only 5 days apart from each other.  When he was born I was and still am excited about our birthdays being so close.  I am sure one day he will not share the same excitement about celebrating birthdays together but I can hope.
Unfortunately Josh had to work an overnight the night before Landon's birthday so although he might have had to work since Landon's birthday was on a Thursday this year, he sleep through the morning of Landon's birthday.  I decorated 2 balloons for Landon to find when he woke up in the morning.  He was very excited about them!






He spend some time playing with them as I made breakfest.  We had one of his favorties, bagel and cream cheese.  I made it kind of like a bagel cake and let him attempt to blow out the candle.  He was thrilled. 




After breakfast, we did our normal Thursday morning activity of going to the library for Toddler Time at the library.  We love the lady who regular does it and this day she came and talk to us afterward.  She wanted to tell Landon how much she appreciated him being a good listener and participator. 

Toddler story time at the library, our Thursday morning favorite!

After lunch, Josh and I watched Landon open up his presents.  Landon wore his "Birthday Boy" ribbon we picked up at the dollar store. 





He got a fire truck that came with tools so you can take the whole thing apart.






Landon also got Play-Doh

Working on his cool new truck







Landon playing with his cars and his "garage"






Landon is learning and growing so fast.  I can hardly believe it was two years ago that he was born. 

Landon can count to 5 and sometimes 10 without any help.  He can spell "dog" most of the time.  He knows a couple of his letters and can point them out in a book.  He has seveeral words in his favorite books memorized.  He "helps" read with us.  He tends to to get stuck on the number 3.  He talks to the baby every day.  He frequently gives my belly a kiss and says: "Love you too, baby."  I know he is going to make a great big brother.  He also started staying "love you too" which melts Mommy and Daddy.  We are so proud and blessed to have such a wonderful little boy!

Some of Landon's favorites

Food- Edamame, noodles, fish, popcorn, cashews, and frozen corn

Books- Gerald the Giraffe, Mighty Movers Emergency Vehicles, The story of Noah and Daniel, and book with babies in it. 

Toys- Bobby his little stuffed Hippo,  Markers, trains, cars and truck (Especially fire trucks and police cars), stuffed animals, Little People, and any insects he finds that don't bite.

Color- Orange
Number -2
Animal- Hippo

Lunch at the park

I heard that a local church was having a local picnic day at Westside Park.  They were serving free lunch.  We decided it would be nice to meet some new local Christians and have a free lunch.  We meet some really great people.  They have two certified clowns that attend their congregation so they add free face painting and balloons for the kids.  Landon asked for a sword (I think he thought of that only because the little boy in front of him also got one) and he asked for a snake painting.  Well while waiting in line he asked for a frog, then a alligator, and finally a snake.  He didn't change his mind be the time it was his turn so... he got a snake.  I loved it and talked about it for the rest of the day.  We played on the play ground until it was time to go home for nap time. 

Strawberry the Clown

Landon was telling her about the sword balloon the other clown made for him

Almost done

She added sprinkles, who knew snakes had sprinkles

Check out my snake Mommy and Daddy

Landon with his "smile"

Time for the playground

"Swing higher Daddy"

What fun!

A wrap up of August

 A week with playmates!


Kayla and Zach came over for the week, while their parents were having a much needed get away (Mike was gone out of the country for 6 months!).  Landon loved having them over.  We had lots of fun playing with cars, make believe, art projects and lots more fun.  Thanks guys for coming over and playing!

Watching the BIG fish tank

Zach helped Josh fix the truck

Landon was more interested in filling his truck with sand and rocks

Sally also stayed a couple weeks with us between apartment leases, Reesie loved Sally's things

Kayla is so great with the boys... reading books

I think the kids tired out Chang

Bike rides!
  Sincethe weather cooled down a little (surprisingly for August in Florida)  and before my belly gets too big to ride the family enjoyed a couple of bike rides together. Bourbon even came on one or two!

Nap Time

A Sunday favorite for the boys in the house.

Girls Night Out

Sally and I joined a couple of girls from our youth group for a girls night.  There weren't a lot of us but we still had fun eating dessert, playing card games and talking.  I only wish I had more time to hang out with all the girls, I really do love spending time with them.

 Rain, Rain, come and stay!

Landon loves the rain!  In Florida there aren't too many rain showers, but when there are I try to let him out to play in the rain.  This particular day the rain was freezing, I don't know what is up with the weather this summer in Florida.

The Swamp!
A day out at the mall playground which Landon loves!

Touch a Truck Day!

At the fairgrounds they had a day event called Touch a Truck Day.  Since Landon loves trucks and our friends Ashley, Matt, Noah, Jen and Even were also going we took Landon.  He had a lot of fun but we didn't stay long.  It was a typical August Florida summer day and there was no cover from the sun.  Landon did get a couple of coloring books, with trucks in them of course, a free bike helmet, and a couple of other souvenirs. 

Landon the fire fighter

The truck table

Landon Loves trucks!

Look at me, Mom!

 Concert Time
 Landon went with Josh to a concert held at Harvest.  Since they both love music they had lots of fun and Mom had a great night of relaxing at home!

A Day at The Museum (August)

Josh had more overnights so Landon and I decided to get out of the house so he could sleep peacefully.  We went to the University of Florida's Museum of Natural History.  It is free to get in so that made it even better.  They have a kids section where there are things to touch, play with and make.  Landon seemed to like the fossils of the mastodons, woolly mammoths and the butterflies the best.  We didn't go into the Butterfly Forest area (you have to pay for that) but there is plenty to see about the butterflies in the museum.  On our way out we also stopped in to take a quick look at the Museum of Art.  Landon did really well, he was quiet and really was interested in the weird abstract art they had on display.

I know Grandpa Gorman was happy to hear about this day, he always loved taking me and my brother to as many museums as possible when I was growing up.  I always enjoyed it so I guess I will be carrying on that tradition with my family.

We also stopped to eat lunch at Chic-Fil-A.  I had a coupon to get free chicken nuggets.  I got a big surprise when I went to pay, apparently the 100th customer gets their meal free and Landon and I were their 100th custom!  So our we got both meals for free and I got to keep my coupon!  

It was a fun day for both of us and we didn't spend a penny!

Posing in front of the Ocean Wall

Coloring at the art area in the Kids Center

MASTODON!

I like the orange ones the best!

Baby butterflies, otherwise know as caterpillars and cocoons

The day at the museum tucked this little man out!

Landon's Room (Almost finished)

We have been SLOWLY working on completing Landon's room.  We have waited to find things for free or on sale (maybe things needed a coat of paint and some times so other little fixes)  so it takes a while.  Here are the pictures so far. 

Helping Daddy paint the GREEN wall

This is the one wall that I think is completely finished.

Landon has 3 yellow walls and the one green wall.  We bought this dresser and another one for $20.  This one was really dirty and a weird olive green color with contact paper over parts of it in a green wood grain.  It looks pretty bad.  With some sanding, two coats of paint( that we already had) and new painted pull handles (they came off another dresser we had gotten free but was falling apart). 

This is the fabric for Landon's curtains.  I have only finished one so far.

One of my favorite things about Landon's room is that he loves it so much.  He sees anything that is a bright green or a soft yellow and he says, "match Landon wall."  He calls his room the bug bed room. I found the fabric on sale at Jo-Ann's when they were going out of business.  As well as the fabric for the curtains.  Landon really loved being able to paint the walls with Daddy.  I think he helped on each of the walls, but the green one is his favorite.