Naptime Blues

Here is a blog that I wrote months ago. For some reason I never posted it. Better late than never! Enjoy!

Usually on the weekends I try to sneak in a nap while Kevin keeps an eye on Landon. I don't get to take naps too often because we are rarely home on the weekends, but after seeing the pictures that Kevin takes while I'm napping, I never want to nap again. Landon waits for me outside of the bedroom door until I emerge from our room. He just sits by the door waiting patiently for me to wake up.

Landon even fell asleep while waiting for me. Ok, he really just blinked, but for a second I thought he was waiting so long that he fell asleep and it broke my heart.

These pictures make me never want to take a nap again! Landon looks so sad while waiting for me. Now if he'd only learn to sleep longer, I would never need to nap again!

Extended Rear Facing

Landon is 16 months old and is still rear facing in his car seat. I have done a lot of research on car seat safety before Landon was even born and I have learned that it is best to keep a baby rear facing for as long as possible. I am getting sick and tired of having to hear crap from other people that I am "crazy" or "over-protective" because I am keeping my baby as safe as possible. Just because the law minimum for forward facing is 1 year AND 20 pounds does not mean that it is best to turn a baby around at that point. The law is a minimum requirement and I believe that Landon deserves better than just the minimum. Landon deserves the maximum and not the minimum and that is why he will continue to rear face until he can no longer do so, which will be at 35 pounds or until his head is 1 inch from the shell of his car seat. Am I a bad mom because I am not willing to risk internal decapitation for Landon if by chance we get into a car accident? I don't think so, but there are plenty of people lately who want to make me think so. If we ever do get into a crash and Landon is fatally injured then I want to know that I did everything that I could to prevent it. I could never live with myself if something happened to Landon because I was in a hurry to turn him around in his car seat. I can wait a little longer to check off that milestone.

In a car crash, a baby is 5 times safer by rear facing. When a baby is forward facing their head is thrown forward during a crash and it puts an enormous amount of strain on their neck. This can cause their spinal cord to stretch up to two inches. It only takes a 1/4 inch of stretching before the spinal cord ruptures. This means that their skull is literally ripped from the spine causing an internal decapitation. A babies vertebrae does not completely ossify until 3-6 years of age. Extended rear facing gives the baby's incomplete vertebrae and spinal cord more support and protection. Here is a video to show what happens in a car crash while rear facing and forward facing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvyIv9QVRBE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8gU9zzCGA8&feature=related

I am not wanting to lecture people on extended rear facing, but I am wanting to educate people on what is best for their babies. I especially would like to educate those who like to criticize my decisions.

Terrible Twos Too Soon!

For the past couple of weeks Landon has really been testing his boundaries. His favorite past time as of lately is to take anything that is on the floor and throw it into anything with a hole. He'll throw things into the toilet, the dog's water bowl, and the bathtub.

Landon put a soccer ball and a pair of flip flops into the toilet!

Landon was finally put into timeout for the first time today. Since he started crawling he has been getting into Tinkerbell's water bowl and trying to go swimming in it. He is now beginning to take the tupperware out of the cabinet and filling it up in the water bowl and dumping it all over the floor. No matter how many times I tell him "no" he continues to do it so he went into timeout. He was not happy about it, but hopefully he will soon understand that he can not dump the whole bowl of water all over the floor.

Landon pleading to get out of timeout.


Even though Landon constantly tests his limits he is still so darn cute. Whenever he knows that I am mad at him he will tilt his head to the side and flash the biggest smile. I can't stay mad at him for long. He knows how to melt my heart! Landon has also been incredibly helpful lately, even if it does mean that I have to clean up behind him. He will now take the broom and dump it into the mop bucket as I am mopping and try to mop the floors with the wet broom. Landon has also learned how to carry dishes into the kitchen and how to take things and throw them out into the trashcan when asked. He is such a good little helper. I can't wait until he can learn how to fold the laundry! Landon is also seeming to be ready to start potty training. He has been pointing to his diaper every single time he goes to the bathroom to let me know that he is going for several weeks now. I think I am about to take the plunge and start potty training him. I thought he was too young for it, but if he can tell me that he is going to the bathroom I guess it's the right time. He is growing up way too quickly.

Cookie Monster

Landon was able to enjoy his first cookie the other day-a snickerdoodle. He kept coming back for more and wasn't a happy camper once I cut his cookie flow off.

Enjoying his cookie!

Landon's mad face once the cookies were cut off!

Landon also enjoys animal crackers and Kix cereal. I need to stock back up on his apples and pineapples so that we don't make snacking on junk a habit. Although a snack bowl of Kix is so much easier while on the go, then having to worry about keeping his fruit at a cool temperature while out and about. I did start Landon on some egg as well. I made him french toast for breakfast and it was a big hit. He was able to enjoy french toast made on regular bread and with egg. Of course I still added a banana into the egg mixture. He ate the whole slice within minutes and was smiling from ear to ear while eating it. Landon had absolutely no reaction to the egg so I may make him a scrambled egg tomorrow morning for breakfast.