Copy Cat

I'm 3 months old today?  You're kidding! 

That's so cool!

I can hardly believe that this little guy is 3 months old, I have no idea where time is going, and I swear each day goes by faster than the last!

I'm very happy to report we are still sleeping through the night.  Since my last report Landon has slept every night consistently from around 8:00 to about 7:30-8:00.  The best part is, he's just so darn happy when he wakes up.  Just this morning I looked at the monitor and saw him smiling in his crib by himself.  It really makes waking up in the morning, fun (I had no idea it was possible!)

Landon rolled over for the first time last week, and I'm a little angry with him over it.  We've been waiting and watching and wondering when he would roll over for the first time and he of course did it when no one was looking.  We were having our usual round of morning tummy time on his bedroom floor, and while he was giggling and smiling to himself I got up to check out what warmer clothing items he had for Ohio, to see if we needed anything.  I was looking in his closet for 2 minutes, turn around to check on him and he's lying on his back looking a bit bewildered.  I stood there, confused myself, and realized he rolled over.  Kevin was on cloud nine that I missed seeming him in action with that first roll.  He has yet to roll over again, but you can see the determination in his face when he tries.  He knows he's done it once and is just trying his darnest to do it again!  He'll be rolling all over the place before we know it!  Watch out Vedder, Landon's coming for you!  (Cue the Jaws music...)

We have a little copy cat on our hands.  Landon has started watching your mouth very intently and will try to mock and imitate things that you do.  His favorite is trying to match the purring sound we make with our voice.  It usually just comes out as a grunt or a mouthful of bubbles come out, in which he smiles and giggles over but once in awhile he'll get the noise right and he just gets over the moon about it.  He also likes to imitate you saying the letter "o" and the newest one is blowing air through your lips to make the motor boat noise.  That almost always ends up with drool all over his face and bubbles everywhere.

Besides copying noises, he's also started to copy us if you open and close your hand like a wave.  He hasn't quite gotten it down yet but he's working on it!  He'll be ready for his grand marshal parade debut before we know it!

Bath time has always been a favorite of Landon's, but we just turned up the heat with his new and improved tub.  The first phase of his tub was a little mesh sling that he sat in, and we could pour the water over him and it would drain out as it was poured.  After realizing Landon was a little squished in his sling, we took the big step to transitioning his tub to phase two (sigh, he's growing so fast!)  This has a little bar where he sits his tiny tush on and you can fill up the tub so that water is all around him.  Landon's never been submerged in water so this was all very new for him.  The first day, he was mostly bewildered at what was going on but by day two he was an old pro and had his feet kicking and splashing the water around, squealing in delight.  Who needs TV when you can just put your baby in the bathtub?

"Mom!  I'm in the tub!"

Dad dressed me, maybe mom should start leaving clothes out for him so I match. 

Oh Hey!

"Be Hoppy"

I spy a little eye...

Baby products apparently are good for puppy brothers too! 

Ready to go close some deals with dad. 

Only cool cats wear their mom's sunglasses. 

Look, my puppy's picture is on my PJs!

Two little monsters.

The bottom lip pout, it's always makes Kev and I laugh. 

I ride in style. 

Thanks to Grandma Jill, mom and dad were able to get out of the house for a concert!  We had a blast, and it was nice to be responsibility free for awhile!

Sleeping Beauty

I think it's safe to say, our child is officially sleeping through the night (although I am currently banging my head on the desk, so I don't jinx it.  And as I type this I realize he is inevitably going to wake up 5 times tonight because Kev and I are going to a concert...)

Landon's been waking up in the middle of the night, playing in his crib like a happy camper.  Being a mother, I wake up to these coos and snorts and rush downstairs to get him a bottle and go feed him.  I started to wonder though (being incredibly wise as I am) if he really woke up because he was hungry or if he just woke up because he felt like he need some play time.  I had just worried that he was bound to start SCREAMING for food and by the time I got downstairs, warmed a bottle and got back upstairs to him we'd be in full melt down mood.  Being that we live in a townhouse, and even though the walls are thick I do tend to worry the neighbors are ready to kill us all in our sleep.  (Then I remember they're actually pregnant with their first child and I could just tell them to buck up, this is about to be their life...) Anyway, the past two nights I have let him enjoy his secret play time and eventually he goes back to sleep, because of that we have had to wake him up at 7:30 to feed him so that we can start our day!  I wake up and feel like a normal person and I can go for a run in the morning while it's still cool.  It's been fantastic!

The trade off for sleeping all night, has been that he has realized that during the day it is WAY more fun to play with someone opposed to by yourself.  Because of our open floor plan, in the morning I can put Landon on his activity mat and from the kitchen I have a great view of him playing and I can accomplish things.  However, now that playtime is way more fun with a friend my multitasking is coming to an end.  Who needs to unload the dishwasher when you have a smiling baby anyway?

I've finally decided it's time for me to go back to work.  There are only so many projects that I can accomplish around the house, and as we all know I'm not one to be idle.  Thankfully my boss has agreed to let me come back for 2 half days, which is absolutely perfect.  I get to be an adult and leave the house, make some money, and yet I don't have to leave Landon for a long period of time.  The scary part is we've started the daunting task to find a nanny for that time.  I'm not as scared, being that I was once a person looking to nanny but Kevin is very apprehensive.  We are fortunate enough that we can time our time on this search and not only would this person watch him during the day, but it would allow for us to have time together on the weekend and get out for the occasional date night.  We don't want to overwork Grandma Jill!

I'm officially running the Thanksgiving Day Half here in Atlanta, what better way to kick your butt back into shape than with a half marathon?  I'll be back to my prebaby weight in no time!  It's also great motivation, thinking about your little one waiting for you at the finish line with his dad, cheering you on!  I bet I have my best time yet :)  So ladies and gentlemen, let the training begin!

Kevin and I are so lucky to not only have a healthy baby, but one seriously happy camper!  We love every minute with him!!

Whooo hoooo for my activity mat!  (Although the piano is still my favorite.)

When you can't go out to dinner, why not have a date night at home? 

Don't you wonder what Vedder's thinking here? 

Vedder meets a turtle.

What are all these things above me? 

"Hey our mom's were roommates in college, wanna room at OU together?"

Best breakfast burrito in Atlanta.

Heyyyy, I slept until 7:30!

Hey, puppy brother this couch of yours is just my size, mind if I hang out?

Mobiles are the best!

Happy Baby!

Puppy brother fascination.

Our second date.  Sorry ladies, I'm taken. 

Bobcat butt

The next cover of GQ.  

Reading puppy brother a story.

Gooooo Bobcats!

Puppy Kisses and Dancing Feet

We have a tiny dancer folks.  Give that boys some dancing shoes and his feet won't stop.  We took Landon's love of kicking his feet, added a foot piano and some foot rattles and he's a seriously happy camper.  He'll kick one of the keys, smile in delight and then continue kicking until he's worn himself out.  We all win, it's hilarious to watch and he's happy and tired!  

Playing mommy a song on his piano.

This would be after some serious play time on our mat with the foot rattles.  He just passed out in the middle of play time.  

I think since the letters the boys have worked out their differences and they are in a much better place.  Yesterday we seemed to make some serious headway on the puppy front.  Vedder rolled over and let Landon pet his belly and head.  Which he then followed up by giving Landon several kisses on his face.  We have decided that Vedder secretly loves him.  I'll let you be the judge by the pictures... 

The boys enjoying a little story time together. 

Relaxing after a serious dance party.

Morning piano play time. 

Landon lovingly looking at Vedder.  

Ok, this photo might have been forced.  

This was all on Vedder's own.  It's enough to melt anyone's heart. 

We have the most adorable little girl that lives across the street, and she loves Landon (although Vedder would be glad to know that she probably loves him even more.)  She likes to come over to see the baby, and watch Vedder go up and down the stairs.  She wanted to read Landon a book on her most recent visit, it's quite possibly one of the cutest pictures ever.  

He's already got the ladies swooning over him.  I don't blame them.  

Covering him up.  

Here are a few of my other latest favorite pictures!  I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!  I think our phones are running out of space, we might need to get one's with a bigger memory! 

The laundry had to be put on hold, this was far more important. 

Tummy time in our PJs

Yes mom?

We love, love, love being this little man's parents.  Every smile, coo and snuggle is ten times better than the late nights out at the bars, and believe me, I never thought I'd say that! ;) 

Vedder's Response

Dear Baby Brother,

Look here, before you I was king of this castle for 6 years, do you hear me?  6 YEARS.  All of a sudden you come barging in this house and take over and quite frankly, I don't appreciate it.

You have officially taken over my walks with that giant contraption that you have to ride in.  I mean, are you seriously that lazy that you can't walk?  It's great exercise, and with the way that mom and dad call you a porker it sounds like you could use to burn some calories.  Just saying... Oh, and if your contraption runs my paw over one more time, I'm going to puncture a hole in the tire, so get it together.

I am a person who enjoys my sleep.  That means, when you cry and make mom get out of bed, you're not only interrupting my enjoyable snuggle time, you're waking me up.  I am exhausted from these shenanigans of yours.  We like to sleep in this house, and if you can't get it together I'm going to be sending you back to where you came from.

I don't know if you haven't noticed, but we share in this house.  Mom shares her food, Dad shares his food, I'd share my food (I've offered, but no one seems to want it, shame.)  However, you seem to share with no one.  You don't share that stuff you drink, you don't share your toys, you don't share your crate.  Nothing.  How is that a way to go through life?  Never sharing?  It's good manors to share.

I really dislike the fart noise, and I'm not sure what's going on in your bum region, but I hear a lot of that noise coming from there.  Seriously, it's not polite to make that noise, so maybe you could also work on that.  Mom should just enroll you in a class about manors.  You seem to have a lot to learn.

I'll give ya the crying, only because I have a serious barking problem.  It's my only way of communicating so I guess I can understand.  Maybe if you just stepped it down a level or two, you can't always get what you want you know.  Now when I bark too much I get sprayed with water, so I'd be careful if I were you...

Now, if by chance, you are able to get yourself together I'll be happy to show you the ropes around this place.  Like, they keep all the good stuff in the pantry.  So if you kick the door, and maybe give it a bark or two they'll give you a treat.  Sometimes you have to eat all your food before you get a treat.  Or go potty outside.  Which, I can teach you that too.  Maybe if you're lucky I can teach you how to lift your leg.  Also, if you want to snuggle, Mom's the better snuggler.  Dad tosses and turns too much, plus he snores which gets a bit annoying.  If you give them the most adorable face ever, they usually cave into giving you what ever you want, but try and save it for the really good stuff.

I really love Mom and Dad, so I'm willing to give this thing a shot since apparently you came from them.  In the meantime, I'll except bribes in the form of belly rubs, new toys, treats and walks.  Just for future reference.

Sincerely, (I'm not sure I'm ready to drop the L word with you...)
Your Puppy Brother  

Wizzing By

I always felt that the older I got, the faster time went by.  Add a baby to the mix and I'm not sure where the days go!  I can't believe that Landon is already 2 months old, time, slowwwwww downnnnn!!!

Monday we took Landon for his two month check up.  I have to admit Kev and I were a bit nervous about our little porkers weight.  This boy can EAT.  We were happy when the doctor assured us that no, our baby was not in the ranks of childhood obesity.  Landon came in at 12 pounds 6 ounces, which put him in the 67th percentile for his weight.  He measured in at 23.5 inches (although Kev and I both think she measured a bit wrong and he's closer to 24 inches) which puts him in the 71th percentile.  Ladies and gentlemen, we have a healthy, growing boy!

As most of you know, the 2 month checkup comes with the dreadful 2 month shots...  I think that Kev and I wanted to cry more than he did.  He cried for the first shot, and the second and third he could have cared less.  I couldn't even watch her stab those shots into his little chunky legs.  Poor guy.  Landon was pretty fussy at his bedtime feeding, but after we were able to get some Tylenol in him he happily ate his food and proceeded to sleep like a champ, until 4:00.  The longest he's ever slept at night.  I, of course, woke up at 3:00 worried about him and went in to his room to check that he was still breathing!

Landon's new favorite thing is to tell us stories while he's getting his diaper changed.  He has all sorts of coos, gurgles and chatters.  I could listen to his little stories all day long.  It's the favorite part of my day.

He has also figured out that instead of a pacifier, he has these handy appendages that could also be used for sucking.  However, he hasn't quite mastered the skill of only putting his thumb into his mouth.  Occasionally he'll find it, however it's mostly him shoving his whole fist into his mouth and trying to suck.  Lucky for us, that slobbery hand usually finds our face and clothes.  

Aunt Moe and Aunt Peg came for the weekend to meet the little guy, and I think it's safe to say they were smitten.  Since we have switched climates with Seattle we had awful weather the entire weekend, but we made the best of it! Along with them came one of Kevin's favorite childhood memories... Doggie.  He came out of hibernation to meet the next Freaney babe! The jury is still out on Landon's thoughts on him.

Kev has been reunited with doggie! 

Doggie! 

Can you find the baby?  

Someone found their thumb! 

Happy cowboy!!  (One of my favorite pictures of him)

He's a genius, not that any of us would doubt he would be with the parents he has! 

Yes mom, can I help you?

Ceiling fans!  (I now go into places and look at the ceiliing fan and think, oh Landon would love to look at this fan.  I think our child has a problem.)  

I love puppies!

Tummy time is so much more fun when I'm naked on my fluffy blanket.  

Being a puppy brother deserves a nap.

Slumber party part two.

Protecting his brother.

Vedder hurt his paw on our walk, so he hitched a ride in his brothers stroller.