Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer

Summer days around here can be summed up in two words: chalk & popsicles. We spend most of our days using sidewalk chalk and eating popsicles. Landon loves coloring with his chalk. He even tried to color on me and Tinkerbell!

Landon's other favorite summer time activity is eating a popsicle after a long, hot bike ride or after playing at the park. Publix recently had popsicles on sale for BOGO (buy one get one free) and I stocked up the freezer. I think we are set for at least two months with popsicles. For the past couple of months I have been placing a baking cup over Landon's popsicle stick to catch the drippings. I then discovered a popsicle holder at the store and have been in love with it ever since! It was one of the best purchases that I have made. I am no longer having to get on to Landon for trying to tear off the baking cup and having to clean up popsicle juice from the floor.

Guess Who!

Guess who's smiling face we can see from the front seat of the car? Landon's!

We made it to our goal of two years for Landon to sit rear facing. Actually, we made it to 2 years, 1 month, 2 weeks, and 1 day. When I went to turn Landon's other car seat around the top tether broke. I called the car seat company and after 90 days the car seats are out of warranty. A three month warranty on a convertible car seat that has a 6 year expiration date is a little crazy if you ask me. Since they wouldn't bend on the warranty issue they offered us a new seat at 50% off. We took them up on the offer because we knew we couldn't find a new seat for under $100 (the half off price), especially a safe, quality seat for that price. Of course, they were all out of the color that we originally had and were also out of our backup color choice. We wound up with the brown and black option (my least favorite), but it is starting to grow on me. Landon's seat does rear face to 35 pounds and I was contemplating just holding out until he reached to 35 pounds. However, he is quickly approaching that point and I didn't want to push the limits of the seat. These hot Florida days have also been making rear facing tough on Landon. He is usually happy to be in the car and never fusses in his seat. Lately, Landon has been fussing and he is soaking in sweat within minutes of being in the car. The a/c doesn't reach him too well with him rear facing and car rides have become quite miserable for him. He's such a happy camper now that he is able to feel the full blasts of the a/c!  

Landon still sits in his seat with his legs crossed!

Landon's last day rear facing- 6/21/10

Not Me! Monday!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by Mckmama. You can head over to Mckmama to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.



I did not forget all about my "first born" and leave Tinkerbell at my mom's house one night when we were leaving. I then, did not only remember that I had forgotten her when Landon started calling for her. Even if I had forgotten about her, I most certainly would never make this mistake twice in one week! I would never be so caught up and preoccupied with Landon and forget all about bringing Tink back home with us (twice in one week)! Nope, not me!

I did not throw caution to the wind and allow Landon to splash in the rain puddles two evenings in a row. I did not join along with him in the splashing mayhem. I also did not enjoy splashing in the puddles so much that I practically carried Landon outside the following day after the rain and ask him to jump in the puddles with me. Nope, not me! I would never be so carefree and child like at times. I also was not reminded in our puddle splashing that it is the simple things that matter most and cause the biggest smiles.

Legos!

Landon received several Lego sets for his birthday. I pulled them out the other week for Kevin and Landon to build them together. I think Kevin had more fun than Landon! Landon was mainly interested in making the siren light up. He still doesn't have the patience that it takes to build the Legos, but he did enjoy the final product. Kevin and Landon were so cute together as they were working on the fire truck that I took a few pictures.

Landon showing off the finished product!

Express Yourself!

These days Landon has a strong sense of what he wants to wear. Some days go better than others. There are days when he decides on a really cute outfit and other days where people probably think I'm nuts for allowing him to go out dressed the way that he is. The other day Landon refused to change out of his Buzz Lightyear pajamas. Since we had nothing to do that day I allowed him to stay in his pajamas. When it was time to go outside he still wouldn't change and instead insisted on wearing his shark sandals and his swim vest! So out we went with Landon dressed like this:

The very next morning he picked out his outfit and was as cute as could be in a blue striped t-shirt and a pair of overalls.

For two nights in a row Landon has decided to wear his Tigger pajamas with fish pajama shorts over top of them. At least Landon knows how to express himself!

1st Camping Trip

Last weekend I took Landon on his 1st camping trip. The city of Jacksonville hosted a camp out at a local park. I have been wanting to go camping for a little while now, but was never sure how Landon would handle being out all night. This camp out gave me the opportunity to try out camping for free just a few miles down the road. I figured if we had to come back home at some point, then no harm was done. I didn't waste any money on a camp site and it would only take a few minutes to get back home. However, Landon had a blast camping and we made it all night long.

Hot dogs were provided for dinner so Landon got a taste of his first hot dog. He ate that hot dog in seconds it seemed. He absolutely loved the hot dog.

I wasn't expecting there to be so many people there, but every where we turned there was another tent. At least Landon had plenty of other kids to play with. He loved that the park was right by our tent and spent most of his time on the play ground. He even made a little friend who had the same shirt on as Landon. It was really cute watching the two of them play together.

They even had a big movie screen set up outside so that everyone could watch a movie. Landon was too interested in just walking around collecting sticks and stuff to be bothered with a movie. After the movie they provided the essentials to make s'mores and I roasted Landon a marshmallow. He ate his marshmallow (or two!) and then we went over to look at the telescopes that they had set up. The one minute walk over to the telescopes is all it took for Landon to fall asleep. I wasn't going to miss the chance of seeing Saturn so I carried a very heavy, sleeping Landon over to the telescopes. I was able to see Saturn with its rings and the two moons around Saturn as well. It was so clear and completely worth the pain in my shoulders from carrying Landon around! I also got a look at Mars as well.

We then headed back to our tent and attempted to get a good night's rest. With so many tents around us and all of those tents containing several other children, I knew we were in for a very long and loud night ahead. Landon slept well through all of the noise, but it seemed as if every time my eyes would close another mother was yelling at her child to go to sleep. Once everyone started to fall asleep the rain started. It poured all night long and the rain hitting on the tent kept me up. I was glad that Landon was able to sleep through the night for the most part.

Morning came very early, especially since I didn't sleep at all. Breakfast was provided for us, but we had to cook it. They provided us with cans that had to be hole punched and smaller cans that contained wax and saw dust to make a fire with. My mom was pretty handy when it came to cooking breakfast. She had our bacon and eggs cooked by the time Landon finished playing on a nearby tree.

 

Landon and I had a really good time camping out, even through the insane heat and the pouring rain. There is definitely camping in our very near future. I can't wait to take Landon camping again. We are on the hunt for a larger tent and some other camping essentials that we will need for a real camp out in the woods.

  

It's a Jungle in Here!

Landon has been obsessed with animals from day one it seems. Walmart use to carry plastic jungle animals for $1. Every time we went into Walmart, Landon would receive a new animal. It only cost us $1 and it made Landon smile from ear to ear. The $1 purchase also allowed us to bribe Landon to behave through the store as well, which I am sure all the parents out there would say that a well behaved child in Walmart is priceless! I always thought those jungle animals were the best $1 ever spent. Unfortunately, Walmart no longer carries these animals. They have been replaced with dinosaurs. Landon likes dinosaurs, but he loves animals. The dinosaurs never come back home with us because they don't catch his attention like the animals. I think every time we go into Walmart now Landon looks for the jungle animals and can never find them. As soon as we step through the sliding doors he makes a bee line for the toy department and the area where they use to sell these jungle animals.

While Walmart carried the jungle animals, Landon obtained quite the collection. A few of these animals (a tiger,  lion, and giraffe) have been going with Landon everywhere this week. He won't put them down! Every morning Landon wakes up and goes straight to his toy bin to dig out his animals. I then go to the bathroom and by the time I come back out he has lined his animals up. They are in a different spot every day.

Landon even enjoys meal time with his animals.

These next two pictures are back from February. I can't believe how much Landon has grown and changed in just 4 months. Although a hair cut and growth of an inch or two have not changed his animal obsession!