Intense Migraine, Incredible Mother, and an Irresistible Munchkin

My morning started out different than I had planned. Had a migraine that would not go away, so Shawn was late getting started on a job because he was trying to help me and then got the boys dressed, fed, and delivered to grandma. He was actually already planning on taking Ethan to work with him and my mother, Landon, and I were going to go have some fun. So he just dropped Landon off early for me and took Ethan. Well, I took a hot shower and then went to lie down, which did help. I still had a slight headache for almost the whole outing with my mom, but boy, that didn't stop us from having fun!
First, my mother surprised me when I went to pick her up. She had made this beautiful pink baby blanket for me. She already had quilted one earlier. She spoils me.
Then, she took me to one of my fave food places (don't go there much since it's not down my hubby's alley!) and we ate until I about popped!
After that, we spent an hour in Target, browsing at the things we needed to buy. She told me she wanted to buy me something and I told her I was really needing some "foot pampering" so.....
...Off she took me to the mall and bought me some incredible foot stuff at Bath & Body Works. Like I said, she spoils me.
I had so much fun today! Landon was a complete angel, not hardly a little whimper or complain out of him AND a very, very dry diaper the whole morning!!!!
My mom is so great! Thanks mom, for making my day and for helping these last EIGHT days go by a little faster! I love you!

God laughed - I did too!

As I have said in an earlier blog, Landon is already doing the terrible two stage. The first two pictures: The boys have started to really get into looking at their books, so it didn't bother me that the books were all over the floor. What DID bother me was the fact that there were branches all over, too. My puny tree! Ahh! Guess who pulled each one out - you guessed it! As Ethan would say, "Landon did it!" Luckily, I was able to "put it back together again."
The other picture: He was actually being great on this shopping trip. He was having fun making a tower.
Well, I would like to know if other mothers are going through these frustrations with an almost two year old!!! Let me know.
Landon is being potty trained because I was trying to get him out of diapers before the baby comes. He loves getting on the potty and really does a great job. Well, I use pull-ups and big boy undies for him lately. He has the "dirty" part down good. :-) He takes off his undies and then proudly "dirties" on the floor, leaving little droppings everywhere. He has NOT "dirtied" in his diaper for over a week!...just on the floor! Yesterday I saw him with no undies and went after him. There was a puddle of urine on the bathroom floor with just one lone "dirty" mixed in! Ha ha I just had to laugh. He knows not to go in his pants, just can't get the rest accomplished. He still does wet in his pants, but I think he might be starting to catch on. Anyway, my mom got him a potty chair since he doesn't get on the big toilet by himself, she thought this might help. We shall see.
Well, I am not giving up. It is pretty funny. He isn't even two yet, and it helps that he does a majority of going potty in the toilet. So I guess we have succeeded a little. Keep you posted. Thank God for Melaleuca. (And everyone who knows what this is - is laughing right now!)

Green AND Red Snot

Landon is so into everything! Today, the boys are playing with play-do and I discover Landon stuffing red play-do in his nose! I had to get the tweezers and pick and pick! Luckily, he had a runny nose so I told him to blow and thus a big chunk of play-do came out. Then, I had to keep going back to the crib - because he would climb IN but couldn't climb OUT! He loves walking around in my shoes and as you can see, he likes to put on his brothers skates. Who cares if he didn't have the correct "sportswear" on, he thought he was cool! Ahh! Terrible Twos have already begun!

Belly Pictures

Yesterday, the boys and I went to get our picture taken. I surprised Shawn and my mom. They were so excited. Well, my mom was! Shawn was "excited" in his own way! haha I thought it would be fun to get "pregnant pics" before the baby arrived. Ethan is thrilled about having a baby sister. He asks me every day, "Is Morgan awake? Is she moving around?" So adorable.
Shawn got on my case after he found out about the pics. "I hear you complain about how you say you are SO BIG and you don't want to go out in public until after the baby is born -- AND THEN you go and get pictures taken of yourself!!!" To a women this is totally in a different category. All the women said, "Right, sister!" All the men said, "Huh?!"

Happy Birthday, Ethan Chandler & Auntie Em!

January 8th was Ethan's Birthday. He turned four years old! Time sure does seem to pass rather quickly. We did a fishing theme for his pictures and his birthday. He had gone fishing with his dad some months ago and really enjoyed it. Thanks to Shawn's help, I made his b-day cake. Devil Food Chocolate cake filled with a ton of chocolate chips and then we had mocha punch with whip cream to go with it. (click on the pic to make it bigger) His cousins, Konrad, Reagan, and Makenzie were able to be there. And his Pawpaw and Mawmaw Kuhn and his Auntie Emily who turned 15 on the same day! He got some really neat gifts and we got him skates...he did really good, but of course the best picture I had of him in them was one of the times he wiped out! He did really good, though. Landon was loving holding Makenzie. Connie Joslin (Makenzie's G-ma) said he is going to be a big helper because he put a pillow under her head while she was holding him. I sure am nervous about bringing such a tiny baby home to live in close quarters with my boys. Oh well, a lot of babies survive their siblings! Less the 30 days before Baby M. arrives! Yeah!!!! I am so ready!

More Christmas Memories

Christmas morning we woke up and I fixed homemade biscuits and scrambled eggs and coffee. While I was trying to be "Martha Stewart", Landon was adding frustration to the whole process. The lid was off the Crisco, so he thought he would take the measuring cup (which had milk on it) and put it in the Crisco. Then, I turned around again, only to find him shaking salt into the Crisco. Ahh!! Crazy kid. Well, the candy cane, heart, and circle biscuits were a hit!
Later we went over to Shawn's parents for Christmas. All 6 boys got sleeping bags and the oldest ones got a tent. Ethan spent the night at Nana's....of course, he was the last one to sleep and the first one up!
Trust you all had a fabulous Christmas....I know we did!

Mamaw, is this one mine?

This past Thursday evening, we went over to my parents (Kuhns) for Christmas. My mother had made a scrumptious meal - b-b-que meat, cheesy potatoes, her famous lima beans, a great new salad, and her deliciously sweet tea. Topped off with a ho-ho cake and my dad's wonderful coffee making abilities. Yumm!!!
Ethan did really good waiting to open his presents. He calmly ate his meal-very unusual!- But, when it was time to open the presents, oh my! "Mamaw, is this one mine? Can I open it?" ...just repeat this phrase over and over and you will get a feeling as if you had been there with us! haha Landon could care less about opening the gifts. He would just carry one right after the other to my dad and had them piled extremely high on his lap. He did open just one present, but after that he just played with the wrapping and then his toys. Mom hit the jackpot with a couple of their presents, so the adults were able to enjoy opening their gifts. I got some great things -of course! my mom is a great gift shopper!- but she surprised me with an extra special gift....she scrap booked a "recipe" book for me that was full of old pictures and recipes past on from at least one great, great grandparent, aunts, and my owngrandparents. She wrote something about each recipe. It was so great! I will treasure it.
Oh, the picture of the flowers with the candle on top...my mother made that! Beautiful, huh? The picture with my parents - the boys are wearing their pajamas they got from mom.
Well, one Christmas down (so fun!) and a couple more to go!