Firsts and Lasts

Landon (and his mama!) had some very BIG moments over the weekend! Some firsts happened to my last baby, which is kind of a hard deal to swallow. These days, he seems to be just growing so fast that I can't believe when some of these milestones show up out of no where! Still cute and fun nonetheless! Still so hard to see my babies get bigger!

Saturday, I got gutsy (or tired) enough and took him to the barber shop to get his first haircut. I was digging my heals to get this done for a looooong time! (I usually wait until they turn 18 months.) His curls have always been so sweet to me but here as of late they were becoming unmanageable and hard to comb through without his comb getting caught in his hair. And his hair when wet reached his shoulders. Unfortunately, it was time! John and Andrew dropped us off so they could go vacuum the van out. The girls got their haircuts at the beauty shop next door first and then I sent them over to the book store together to hang out while I focused on a cranky and tired 1 year old. I was expecting to do this deed with John with me. The original time I was going to do this was first thing in the morning but John woke up with a migraine so all plans quickly changed. 

{His curls a few days before}

Cutting off his baby hair and cute curls was sort of a daunting process for me. At first. It ended up not being as hard as I thought it would be. So thankful for that! Probably due to having done this a time or two before! ;) We took our number at the door and had a seat. Graham crackers definitely helped pass the time with him impatiently waiting his turn. When one of the barber's was finally free, I sat down with him in the chair and explained to him that this was his first haircut and that I wanted to keep a strand of his curls as well as to NOT give him a military hair cut! Haha. Just in case. You never know what they'll do! So he started snipping here and there but leaving a lot of the curls all around his head. Basically, he wasn't cutting much off. So I told him again that while I loved the baby hair, he needed a boy cut. It was time for the baby stuff to go. He then proceeded to give him his actual haircut. But because he started off only trimming, it didn't leave much hair to get the strand of curl I was hoping to keep. Just a half inch section or so. I quickly let it go. (Of course not before I kept part of it!) He held really still in my lap while the barber worked around us to give him a cute little boy haircut. :) When he'd spray his hair, he'd scrunch up his nose and laugh. At the end, he turned on a small pair of clippers to clean up around his ears and neck. The buzzing sound got him curious so he was turning towards the sound a lot, looking to figure out what was going on. He is such a goofball! 

I must say, he looks pretty handsome with his new do! 

And I have to give myself a huge pat on the back for making it through that as well as I did! :)

Next up on my little guy's "getting bigger" agenda was to start nursery at church! Landon is now a SUNBEAM!! This is always such an exciting time for, well, the parents mostly! haha :) But an important thing for the little ones too. They start going to nursery at the age of 18 months through 3 years. Technically, he turns 18 months tomorrow but we didn't think one day would be that big of a deal. I think he was well and ready to go. And maybe I was ready too? So hard to entertain and hold and manage a wiggly child for the entire 3 hours of church. I'd be silly not to welcome this change with open arms!  

Before Andrew went to his class, he helped me walk his little brother to the nursery. His two sweet teachers helped him adjust and feel right at home as soon as we walked in the door. It was a very inviting and laid back atmosphere for the kids which I loved right away. I knew he'd love his time there as I watched him help the teachers set out cups on the table for their snack. And the fact that he didn't notice my presence after just a few minutes. After a few quick photos from my phone, I was out the door without him making a peep. One of those sad and happy moments! Happy he was doing well and not crying and hanging on me....but sad he was doing well and not crying and hanging on me! :) I checked on him from time to time through the door window for the next 1 1/2 hours (as well as when I brought him his sippy that they were looking for) and he was happily playing with toys and doing so well. He looked right at home! So proud of my baby!

When it was time to pick him up, I raced with Jocelyn and Andrew down to the nursery and this is what I found....he was so cute standing on a little wooden chair looking out the window at the birdies with his teacher cutting up a pear and feeding him. She said that so often, they have extra food from the day laying around but not today! He was happily eating anything and everything they gave him! :)

He totally tugged on his mama's heartstrings today! I'm so happy for him and this new experience he gets to enjoy. And sad too, as crazy as it sounds, not to be walking the halls or holding my baby during sunday school anymore. :( My, they grow so so fast! I'm certainly cherishing all these sweet moments with my children. Just love them all!!!!

{big brother and sister greeting Landon after church let out}

Landon's 1 Year Photos

For a while now, I have been taking my children's photos instead of booking a session at the mall. One, I really enjoy photography. And two, I love natural light a whole lot better!

When Landon turned one, the weather here in Frankfurt was GORGEOUS! For weeks on end actually! But with him sick around the time of his birthday, I kept holding off taking his photos until he felt better. Then, what do you know? The weather turned spring-like and stopped acting like summer. As it should I suppose. It's only March! But still! That's the way it goes sometimes. (More like how luck would have it!)

I was persistent though. I just decided to take them indoors if the outdoors wouldn't cooperate. I opened up the window treatments in his room and took some photos at his happy moment time in the morning. After he's fed and before nap time approached. Some were done in his room and some were taken in the hallway. Here's a few that I think turned out pretty well. I think they're cute anyways! :)

Landon's 1st Year Photos:

Landon Turns ONE!

My cute little Landon turned ONE years old today! And the poor little guy is currently sick with a cold. Poor thing! Thankfully it didn't seem to slow him down any so we went through with our day of fun as planned! :) I did end up simplifying and changing things up a bit though. So cupcakes and a trip to the park was easier and just as fun as my original plans for his party. Especially since we didn't have any friends over.

I can't believe my newest baby is already one! How it's even possible, I don't even know. Other than the obvious...it just seems like the past year has flown right by. He's growing up MUCH too fast - much like his brother and sisters - and it's always a hard and sweet thing to see them grow up. Love the cute little feet and hands and chubby cheeks but also love when they learn and discover something new, interact more and more and such a delight to watch him play and toddle around the house and playground!

We sure lucked out and are so blessed having such great children! Landon has been a calm and laid back baby since day one. Very sweet and easy going with a happy go lucky kind of attitude. (And the big time tantrums he throws as of late. Tantrums we let him throw while we pretty much ignore!) :) He melts my heart and always has a way to brighten my day with his cute 5 toothed smile! He seems so much more advanced than his siblings in terms of development but I have a hunch it's not only because he has "big brains=smart" as Jocelyn loves to say but also because of his determination to do what his brother and sisters do! He's never too far behind them! He is taking a few steps now and we are all so excited (and scared) at the same time! :) 

In the morning, Andrew and I started on some cupcakes. He LOVES to help me in the kitchen and really wanted to make something special for his little brother. (In his t-shirt and underwear, nonetheless!) Oh well :)

He did an awesome job! I love my little helper!

While the cupcakes cooled, we took him to play at the playground. It's still pretty chilly out so it was short & sweet. At least 30 minutes of playtime fun!

So sweet! I love this photo of them all!

We sang him "Happy Birthday" and lit his candle to make a wish...

and then it was time to DIG IN AND DESTROY (I mean, EAT)!!!

It's pretty safe to say he loved his cupcake. It didn't take him long at all to make a crumbly mess! Mmmm!!!!

With Landon (and then John) not feeling well, we waited on present opening for the following day after we got back home from church. (It's not like he knows any different (yes, I used that to my advantage) so I didn't feel too bad having him wait an extra day - I think he liked more birthday festivities anyways!) We kept things simple and sweet. Just like our now ONE year old!

Love you sweetie!

Happy Birthday!

 xoxo

Christmas Time is Here!

{Christmas Cards 2011}

I wish my brain wasn't always mush!

I find that my creative energy comes mid day - when I'm still running around getting things done at the homefront and keeping a baby clean, fed and entertained while big brother snoozes for his nap. Oh how I can't wait until they are both on the same nap schedule! :)

Until then, it's go, go, go!!!

(And I feel like a walking zombie!)

Don't get me wrong - I LOVE being busy caring for my children. They are most definitely busy bodies and most days they make me want to pull my hair out but they are the love of my life and I am so grateful for them and all their cuteness! I just feel the need to write things down to preserve memories and I honestly don't have as much time to do it as I used to. But I will find a way! Sleep just seems to be more necessary in this time of my life. Especially with a husband who's about to start his Master's Degree!

On a happy note...it's starting to feel and look like Christmas here. More so if it will snow in the next couple of days like it's predicting it will. I can't wait! Winter here started a few weeks back with darkness starting around 4pm. Not one of my most favorite traits of winter, that's for sure! I miss the sunlight!! And we had heavy fog for days. Now it's just cold, windy and rainy. Days aren't any warmer than the 30's and 40's. I left my kids in the care of a friend for a bit today to run through the hurricane like weather, which was pushing it's way towards us from France, to get some packages mailed off to family and friends in the States. And oh how I'm missing them all! I am getting a bit homesick again. Skype, how I love you so! It truly has been a great thing for us to see and talk to people from afar!

I am so relieved that all the Christmas cards have been written and presents have been shipped. I was losing a lot of sleep (and so was John as he and I stayed up until 1am last night) trying to get so much done in the past few weeks in between tending to a sick Jocelyn, an on-the-go Landon, a potty training Andrew and a homework busy bee Aubrey. NOW I feel I can enjoy the holidays. Thankfully the kids stuff has been bought and made for a while now and all is done except wrapping. I leave that for last minute. Got to keep up with tradition on most things! ;) Who knows...I might surprise myself and get it done earlier but I'm not banking on it.

We have so many wonderful and busy things to look forward in the next 9 days - by the time Christmas arrives! Especially with my brother and his family coming out for a week to spend Christmas with us. The tree is up, Christmas break starts NOW and 4 more days until they arrive! Woo hoo!

And off I go to catch this little guy! Heaven help me...Landon learned to do this amazing trick as well as pull himself to stand along furniture just a few days ago. He's NINE months! We're smelling TROUBLE now! None of our other kids did it this early. I'm sure he's got the notion to stay up to speed with his brother and sisters. Boy do we have our hands busy! Gates are going up pronto!

Celebrating Baby #4

Today, Landon and I went to lunch with some of my close girl friends to celebrate his arrival. I decided that even though he's our fourth child that I still wanted to celebrate him but not in the traditional baby shower kind of way. Because we already have a boy, we were pretty much set for boy #2 so having a baby shower didn't make a lot of sense anyways.

We all met up at Panera Bread and had a fun time eating and talking while Landon just snoozed away next to me in his car seat! Living far away from family is hard, especially in times like this with a new baby, but at least I have great friends!

New Life

I always forget what it feels like after having a baby. The feelings. The changes. The adjustments. But so much love for this new little one that I never imagined I'd have until the moment I met him. After having three children though, I knew that there was more than enough love to go around. Aside from the obvious excitement and happiness a new baby brings, there comes other emotions. Definitely a roller coaster of them due to the wonderful post baby hormones, a new found love for another sweet child I am so blessed to have and raise, sleep deprivation from around the clock waking to feed, maternity clothes that are finally too big but the pre-pregnacy clothes, well, let's just say I'm not going to try and see if they fit yet, the disconnect I feel from my other children as I rest and let their daddy take over a majority of the household tasks - to name just a few. I'm missing all of the time I used to have to play with them and seeing how hard this change has been on them has been hard on me as well (and seeing how much bigger they look and feel after only being away for a few days in the hospital!). All of these things have thrown me through a loop all the while getting to know this little boy of mine.

My "once was" routine with the kids and my daily schedule has been tossed around and thrown upside down like a tornado and I'm slowly trying to get back into the swing of things so I can eventually establish a new routine that fits for my four children. Right now, my days are mixed with sleeping when I can squeeze in a few more minutes, feeding and changing a newborn, crying at the drop of a hat, feeling lost in my motherly role and frustrated with the fact that there have been SO many changes in the past few months that nothing feels "normal" anymore. Andrew's gone from pacifier to no pacifier, sleeping in a crib in our room to a big boy bed in his own room, Jocelyn and Aubrey now sharing a room, driving a new van instead of the truck I drove everyday for the past 4 years, John deployed for six months and me having a routine with the kids while he was away to him being home a few weeks before baby's due date (a GOOD thing but still a huge change!) and basically switching roles with me while I have Landon so he can take care of the kids and then readjusting to us all being back together again. It's sometimes more than I can handle. It even seems too overwhelming for me to even start thinking of how my days are going to go once John returns back to work. Obviously one minute and one day at a time. I'm sure in a few months, I'll have things down like I did after the other children were born. Luckily, Landon is such a good and laid back little guy. He sleeps much of the time, is happy and content and curiously looking around when he's alert and hardly ever cries. The kids have been really enjoying having their baby brother here. It's very cute to see how much they love him already.

Aside from all of the challenges and stress I've been faced with, life after a baby is rewarding, fun and enjoyable. Nothing worth it is EVER easy so I expect to have bad days and hard times mixed in with the good days and fun times. I try to keep that in mind when the going gets tough! I really love being a mom and count myself blessed - and remembering that will help me get through this! I have the best husband ever that supports and stands by me and picks up the pieces when I am not able to put them together. I also have amazing friends and family to pull me through. Each day has been a little easier than the previous one and I know that I will get through this change in my life. It might be with baby steps...but I will get there!! In the meantime, I'm just going to snuggle and enjoy my little baby boy and three older children and hope that my new normal will come soon!