Halloween 2010

Our costumes:  Joe & I were from India.  Michael obviously is a pumpkin/jack 'o lantern.  We took this picture Friday evening before our ward Halloween party & trunk or treat.  I didn't end up going since Landon was not too happy about getting shots earlier that day.

 After trunk or treating Michael ran in the door to show me all his candy.  He was really excited about it.  He has already eaten all his candy.  I figured I'd just let him eat it & get rid of it.  Of course I helped after Michael went to bed.  :)

Saturday I took Michael to the store to pick out a pumpkin & carve it.  I told him he was incharge of the seeds.  He enjoyed playing with them.

 The finished product:

Brothers

 Halloween night we put our pumpkin out & lit it.  After every trick or treater that came Michael had to check on his pumpkin before we shut the door.



Day out with Thomas!

 Riding in a passenger car being pulled by Thomas!  It was super stinky due to the exhaust but once we finally got going there was a nice breeze.   Michael was really into blowing his train whistle during the ride.

 Landon was just enjoying his late morning nap.

 Daddy & Michael on the train after the 20 min ride.

 Enjoying the train tables.  Glad he had chosen to bring his backpack with a train in it so he could play a bit.  Just about every boy or girl there had on a Thomas shirt.  Several had on the same one as Michael.  Only theirs was long sleeve, I think I was the only one to think to shorten them so my kid wasn't sweating as much in the heat.

 A very temporary tattoo of Rosie.  It was already wearing off, just after getting it.

 Waiting in line to take a picture with Thomas.  We only had about a 20 min gap of time until he took off again & we barely made it.  We were the last ones to take a pic in that time slot.  Glad we didn't have to wait until he got back, although I felt bad for the little boy behind us.

 You can see the steam coming out of Thomas getting ready to take off.

 This guy was a clown/magician.  All Michael kept saying was "What's he talking about?"  Joe and I were cracking up laughing because we didn't know half the time either. 

 You have to enlarge this pic of Michael it's hilarious.  :)

 I had to get myself in a picture to prove I was there.

We really enjoyed taking Michael to see Thomas & ride on the train.  It was worth the two hour drive there.  At one point we thought we weren't going to make it on time due to traffic but thanks to Joe's driving skills we got there safely & quickly.  Really we did get there just in time for a quick bathroom break before boarding the train.  At one point we went to the gift shop, which we knew was a mistake before going. Michael set his eyes & hands on a train named Murdoch, Christmas can't come soon enough for him.  For several days after he kept talking about getting Murdoch for Christmas.  Michael loved his "Day out with Thomas" and didn't want to leave but a promise from Joe about a special lunch changed his mind.  It's not often he gets a Happy Meal.

Michael turns 3

 My attempt at a train cake.  It turned out better then I thought it would.  Landon even slept the entire time so I could get it done.  He's already so giving, allowing his brother to have a decorated cake.

We celebrated Michael's 3rd Birthday Friday night with a few good friends.

 Michael's favorite thing to do with the tools Grandma Shoemake gave him.

 Birthday breakfast, morning after his party.  He decided he wanted to have candles & be sung to again.  I couldn't say no, after all it was his actual birthday.

Michael is such a sweet boy.  He LOVES his brother Landon & is so sweet to him.  If Landon is crying Michael is right there trying to console him.  Michael loves to dance & must dance to any commercial with music.  He has gotten really good at shaking his booty & expects us to laugh every time, we are happy to oblige.  We love our little helper & so happy he is ours!

Landon's birth story

I have to start off by noting what I said to Joe the night before I went into labor... on Wednesday night I was telling Joe that I was worried for some reason that I wouldn't be able to tell I was in labor.  I also mentioned that I really liked going into labor with Michael in the middle of the night because the contractions woke me up. 

Early Thursday morning I couldn't sleep.  I had gone to bed after 11pm.  I'm not sure what time it was but I was having contractions - yet I was thinking they were braxton hicks.  I couldn't get comfortable, I kept turning from one side to the other.  I sat up at 1:30am and felt my water break.  I was sure that was what it was but I was in denial.  I never expected that to happen.  I first called my mom to make sure she could get on the first flight that morning since she had a two hour drive to the airport.  I waited a bit to wake Joe up because I wanted to be all ready to go before I did.  We arranged for a friend to come pick up Michael and we were off to the hospital around 3:30am.  It was 4am by the time we got to the hospital and I was check in right away.  Everything went so fast once we were at the hospital.  By the time I had a room I was having the worst contractions (insert screaming- which is totally not my personality) and was waiting for my epidural.  The Anesthesiologist did a great job but while I was getting it I was ready to start pushing. So as soon as my epidural was done I was ready to have the baby.  The epidural kicked in just in time and a few pushes later Landon came into this world at 5:33am.  He came out screaming & was cleaned up, Joe held him first then he handed him to me.  It definitely felt more natural to hold him since he was my second born.  I remember with Michael I felt like I didn't know what to do with this baby they just handed me. 

After delivery I was brought breakfast.  I have to say it was the best thing.  It was nice giving birth & then being able to eat right away.  Plus with my Gestational Diabetes no longer an issue I was free to eat what I wanted.  Yay!

We were able to discharge early, staying only one night instead of two nights.  It is impossible to sleep in the hospital.  I was grateful to be home sooner than later.

Here are the results of my attempt of a photo shoot:

Introducing Landon Josiah

Born September 16th, 2010 at 5:33am weighing 6lbs 14oz and 20.5 inches long.  He is healthy and doing great.  I'm recoving quickly & enjoying a new baby in the house.  Enjoy the pictures & video of Michael holding Landon.  Birth story to come.

Landon Josiah

Changes

I've been making some changes gradually to Michael's room that he'll later share with his brother Landon.  I finished the quilt/blanket for Michael a while back & have been meaning to post it.  Michael loves his blanket & I'm so glad he does.  It was a lot of work but I was persistent & got it done.  I repainted Michael's block letters to match the new color scheme.  I painted over some cheap canvases I got at Hobby Lobby with a cute train.  Michael loves them.   I even found a super nice & clean crib bumper that nearly matches my color scheme at a thrift store for only 7 bucks!  Michael will be using the twin bed sometime after my mom's visit & then we'll convert the toddler bed back to the crib.  I also decided I wanted the headboard white since the crib & headboard didn't match in wood color.  I think I'll like it better once it's in Michael's room & after I repaint Michael room.  Yup repaint.  I don't care much for the green anymore.  You'll just have to wait for the final makeover and I do mean wait.  Who knows when it'll get done once this little guy makes his entrance. 

Going going gone!

I am happy to report that Michael no longer uses a pacifier to sleep with!  Yay!  The fuff(sorry not sure how to spell a made up word), as Michael called it, is gone.  The story on how it became called that is when he was first learning to call it a pacifier he'd say puff fuff and it got shortened to fuff.  I decided last Thursday that it was time.  I asked him about giving it to a neighbor's baby and he said yes.  I'm pretty sure he wasn't completely sure what he was agreeing to but I went with it.  I kept repeating to him what we were doing and that at night he wasn't going to have it anymore. Right after we gave it to her I decided I wanted to go get him a toy so he picked out a James train at Target.

That first night it took him close to an hour and a half to fall asleep.  He'd cry a little bit off and on and I'd go in and talk to him telling him he was a big boy. But once he finally fell asleep and stopped asking me what he was hearing outside he didn't wake up 'til morning. The next nights went much better and last night he didn't  ask for it.  The bad thing is he hasn't taken a nap since giving it up.  I hadn't tried to put him down and didn't want to until he was used to not having it at night.  I tried yesterday for the first time to put him down for a nap but he refused so we might be done with naps. Bummer.  It was so nice to get things done or have the opportunity to take a nap myself. But he'll be 3 in a month and has been such a good napper- always more than two hours- usually three and sometimes three and a half. 

I can now cross off one more thing off my "De-Baby Michael" list before the baby comes.  Michael is successfully sleeping in a toddler bed, is nearly completely potty trained, can usually dress himself, goes to nursery at church with no problems saying bye & now he doesn't use a pacifier!  I am so glad I've worked hard to get all these things accomplished before the baby comes next month.  I was really starting to worry about him not getting adjusted to nursery since they were having trouble with finding leaders for a while.  Now they are stable and he absolutely loves it.  I have a big boy now!

Grandma came to visit!

My mom came to visit last Wednesday night to Monday evening.  We enjoyed having her here and had lots of fun.  She helped me and spent some time with Michael by bathing him and putting him to bed.

 

  On Monday we went downtown, so I turned in my membership to the Children's Museum.  We had a great time.  Michael loved it and it was fun to let him run around and try new things.  He really liked this section of the ball area where he could put a ball into the basket controlled by air.

 

  

 After the museum we ate at Rainforest Cafe.  The food was great and we were entertained by a gorilla coming to life every 10-15 minutes. There was also a thunder lightening storm every half hour.  Michael told me at one point that he was scared with tears in his eyes.  I told him it was just pretend and for fun.  He was then able to get over it and enjoy it.

Things to remember: 

• Saw Toy Story 3 at the movie theater- technically Michael's third movie, second was Shrek The Final Chapter.  The first was a movie for Joe and I when he was young.
• Went swimming at the pool on post.
• Bought a few items at Joann's to alter a couple dresses, after I have the baby.
• Attended church.  Mom enjoys our ward & thinks we have some fun women in RS.
• Walked the mall & Mom found a swimsuit cover up & a cute bathing suit top on clearance for Hawaii. 

Have I mentioned my entire family is going to Hawaii?  Two months after I have the baby, in November.  Also Tyler is engaged and is getting married there.  We are staying home.  Bummer.  My idea of going to Hawaii does not include a 2 month old though.  So that's what I get for having another baby in September.  Okay I'm done with my rant now.

We can't wait for my mom to come back when the baby comes.  When dropping my mom off at the airport Michael was sad we weren't going either. I told him we didn't have a ticket to get on the plane with my mom.  He said all teary eyed that he wanted a ticket.    We miss you mom & look forward to your return!

Family Talent

Joe has some pretty talented eyebrows as he can do "The Rock". He can nearly manipulate them in any manner he'd like.

Michael has a fun time trying to manipulate his eyebrows in different ways as his daddy does.  We think it's pretty funny and cute.  This video was made over a month ago. Enjoy.









































As for my eyebrows, they are nearly nonexistent. ;)