Tuesday, September 25, 2007

I know it has been a while. I have been trying to get caught up but can't seem to get anywhere. We have had a lot going on. I took a trip to Arlington, VA for my grandmother's burial. It was a wonderful service and I know my grandmother is pleased to be back with her husband. I was also able to catch up with a few friends on the trip. However, I must admit it was a very long drive for someone as pregnant as me. I was uncomfortable for a few days afterwards as my body was mad at me for spending about 16 hours in a car over 3 days. I didn't even take a camera on my trip so no pictures but it was very scenic.

Ella and Landon have been busy with school and enjoying that a lot. We have also had family visiting, football games, birthday parties, wedding receptions, family reunions, dinner club and lots of other stuff going on. I am posting some pictures from the last couple of weeks. The kids favorite outing was to a place called Bounce U where it is a large indoor place with inflatable gyms. It took a while for Ella to warm up but by the end of the evening they didn't want to leave and I was worn out just watching them. Mike had a good workout as he had to help Ella climb up most of the tall inflatables and he bounced with Landon for over an hour.

Mike also had another bout with a sinus infection and then the kids had a little cough virus that they caught. I think everyone is better now and luckily they only lasted a day or two for the kids. We were able to visit with Delane, Amy, Jackson and Benjamin over the weekend and they had so much fun. Even though Landon wasn't 100% he took on Jackson in Delane in UNO and watched Star Wars with Ben and played some fun video games. Of course Landon isn't humble in his UNO abilities as he warned Delane and Jackson, "I just have to let you know I am really good at UNO". From what I heard he beat them 5 games in a row before someone else was able to get the glory of a win. Ella enjoyed the attention of Amy and can't wait to go back to play.

As for baby #3, he is only a few weeks away. I am bigger than ever and Mike took this cute picture of Landon and Ella giving some love to "Shuper Tobo". I hope everyone else isn't looking as round as I am. I enjoy all of the different feelings of the baby moving but a lot of times they catch me off guard with a much needed trip to the restroom. I think Mike is getting a little overwhelmed the closer we get but that is to be expected. I am ready physically but I can think of 100 things we need to get done. Any suggestions on names, getting prepared and preparing Landon and Ella are much appreciated.

Monday, September 10, 2007

I posted last week on Landon's birthday. However, it had been a while since I had posted prior to that date. We have been busy and overwhelmed. On the fun front, Ella is now sleeping in Landon's room or shall we call it "their" room. It has gone so much better than I had anticipated. Ella sleeps on the trundle beside big brother and although he was sad after the first couple of nights because she talked she has limited that tremendously. She loves sleeping in there and I only have to threaten to send her back to the crib to get her to behave. Landon and Ella also started preschool 3 days a week. I wasn't sure about sending Ella that much as I hadn't sent Landon 3 days until this year but it is working out well. Ella likes to carry her backpack but would much rather play in brother's classroom as he has a kitchen area where she can make food for everyone. They both enjoy music time and circle time. I missed the first morning they went, but there are some cute pictures of both grandmothers trying to get Ella's hair fixed. Now they understand why I wait until Ella is strapped into the carseat before attempting to even brush her hair. The kids have also started a new game of playing night night where they ask Mike or I to go night night and they bring every toy within a 30 foot radius to us to hold as we pretend to go to sleep. This was one game Mike was happy to play while feeling under the weather. They would bring him everything and then they would take it all back and start over again. After a couple of times we will switch places and see how many toys I can hold. Ella is also fascinated with shoes and feeding people. She comes into a room several times a day in someone elses shoes and wears them around until she can find a better pair. Landon will often join in and we find shoes in the strangest places. Ella's deal with feeding people is she likes to either play like she is giving you food or to go outside and collect leaves and pine needles to bring to you as various types of food. I think she enjoys playing this with Pops more than anyone. We eat lots of chicken, rice, french fries, brocolli, and ice cream (all being nice brown crunchy leaves or imaginary food that we have to chew up dramatically.

On the sad front, my grandmother passed away. She had been in hospice for only about 2 weeks and they thought she would make it many more or even in the months. I am certainly thankful that she is no longer trapped in a body that didn't work and a mind that had suffered the vengence of alzheimer's for many years. Unfortunately they were unable to bury her at the time of her funeral as she is to be buried in Arlington Cemetery with her husband. Luckily, I am still able to travel and will be heading that way for her burial later this week. She was an amazing woman who was the most independent, strong-willed, outspoken person I knew.
She taught me a lot through the years and I was blessed to be her granddaughter. That same week our dear friends lost their precious little girl, Lillie, who had been diagnosed less than a year ago with Neuroblastoma cancer. She put up a grand fight and we all prayed that this would be taken from her. Her family was a true inspiration to me with their strength, courage, and most of all their faith. We all miss Lillie dearly and Landon is excited that one day when he goes to Heaven that he will be able to run and play with Lillie. We love you Lillie Boyte!!

Lastly, we are getting ever closer to the arrival of baby #3. Still no name chosen but we have several in the running. Landon and Ella often comment on the size of my belly with an overall expression of "BIG". I am looking forward to some cooler weather towards the end of the week as I think this is the hottest summer I can remember. I am starting to get tired in the afternoons as it is harder to sleep soundly at night. I am sure all of you mothers out there know what I am talking about, the many times you awake to go potty, the waking up to baby's jumping around, the uncomfortableness of having a watermelon attached to your tummy. It is all very much worth it but I could use some extra nap time during most days.

I hope you have all had a great end to your summer!

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LANDON!!! Landon turned 4 years old today! We have celebrated over many days but today was the actual birthday. Saturday night we went to dinner with several friends at a Japanese Steakhouse where they sang to Landon and gave him icecream with a candle in it. He actually ate half of it which I was surprised after he ate Beave's shrimp, most of Dad's shrimp, and all of my shrimp and asked for more. Then, we had a party on Sunday afternoon and Landon enjoyed lots of attention from family and a cake with Thomas, Bob and Larry (just like his cake from last year by his request). He opened lots of presents and has enjoyed them all. I think Dad and I have played Connect 4 at least 30 times each, Ella has even attempted to play on many occassions but doesn't have the attention span for games that Landon has. We have also learned Chinese checkers (I have relearned it since it has been so many years) but have yet to break into chess (since I don't know how to play I can't teach him). He has also enjoyed his Thomas scooter and prefers to ride it indoors where he doesn't have to wear a helmet. We waited until Monday to give him his bike so that he would have a chance for us to help him out even though he didn't need that too much. He is good at riding it on the driveway with his helmet on and of course training wheels. He is so excited and comments at how fast he is, faster than Jimmy Johnson, Kevin "Hargick", and Reid Sorenson.

Today I woke Landon up to a decorated door and breakfast all together with pancakes, eggs and bacon (his favorite Saturday morning meal). Of course we had to sing again and have a candle. Then off to preschool where his name was on a birthday poster, he had a birthday crown, a birthday sticker, had cupcakes with sprinkles on it for snack (and got 3 m&m's rather than one), and his class sang to him twice. I think he was so worn out from all of the celebrating that he actually took a real nap today, I was shocked. I hope tomorrow won't be too much of a let down after all of the fun we have been having with his 4th birthday. There was a little crying this morning after Daddy told him he would never ever be 3 again - still don't quite understand why that made him so sad. I cry when I turn older but I have a lot more years on me than he does.

I will post another time on all the updates over the last couple of weeks.