Potty Training... The Early Stages

Landen has started to want to "go potty" in the toilet. We have not yet successfully had that happen yet. I was about to fall over laughing tonight though when he wanted to go potty in the toilet just before he got in the tub. He is standing there buck naked on the step stool in front of the toilet looking down into the water. He stood there for a few minutes with nothing happening so I asked him to try and squeeze some pee out. He promptly bends his knees slightly, puts a hand on the outside of each thigh, grits his teeth and squeezes his thighs together as hard as he could! Nothing happened. He was trying with all of his might and no matter how hard he squished those thighs, no pee came out. He finally gave up and got in the tub. I wanted to take a picture so bad but it didn't seem too appropriate.

Prayers

I was folding laundry when Abbey and Braxton came in fighting. We starting talking about being nice because they are brother and sister. Abbey brought up that she is his ONLY sister and probably will always be the ONLY sister. And then the conversation went a little something like this:

Braxton (to me): I want you to get pregant with a girl.

Mom: It is up to Heavenly Father if he sends us a girl or not. (I am not pregnant by the way)

Braxton: I know the name of the girl that he will send us, Addie.

Mom: If you want something from Heavenly Father then you need to pray to him and ask him for it. And don't you think it would be confusing to have an Abbey and an Addie in our family?

Braxton: Heavenly Father will send us an Addie cause Parker got one (his friend from preschool... his mom had a little girl the same time I had Landen and they named her Addie). Can I go in the garden and pray?

Mom: Why do you need to go in the garden?

Braxton: Cause that is where Jesus went to pray when he needed to talk to Heavenly Father.

Mom: (How could I say no to that????) Ok Braxton. You can go in the garden and pray.

He ran out the front door and Abbey started bossing him about something to do with the prayer. I missed out on the rest of their conversation cause the door closed. Not even a minute later he came back inside full of confidence and announced to me that Heavenly Father will send us a girl! ...and her name will be Addie.

I thought that was so sweet! It is amazing what he understands, is listening to and how much faith he has in Heavenly Father! I guess we will have to wait and see what happens. :)

I had to stop doing laundry right that moment and come write that down since I for sure want to remember this little experience!

Happy Birthday Landen!

Landen doesn't like cake so we had to make a pan of brownies. He didn't want me to take his picture and each time he would look up and see me with the camera, he would cover his ears. We just laughed cause I have a few pictures with him giving me crusty looks with his hands over his ears. Not sure how that was helping him not be photographed... :)

Saturday morning, opening presents from us! He is "keeping it real" with his pirate pj's.

Landen decided to have a birthday at one of the busiest times of the summer! Between Strawberry Days (lasting a week), Father's Day, our wedding anniversary and his birthday... we have a few celebrations going on in one week. I worry that he will feel shafted or overlooked with everything else going on but he hasn't seemed to mind yet.

We celebrated Landen's birthday a day early and combined his party with a Strawberry Day's BBQ. He opened his presents from us on Saturday morning and continued the festivities again after the parade was over. He had LOTS of cousins over and it was hard to get a good picture of him since everyone else was so excited for all of his presents! We gave him a bike helmet, a camp chair and a tire swing. He didn't appreciate the tire swing at all when it was vertical so Bryce changed it to sit horizontally and now all three kids can have fun at the same time.

Landen is holding on for dear life and isn't sure why the kids think that this is so much fun.

Finally a bike helmet of his own! He can stop wearing the pink "mushroom head" helmet that he has become so attached to! Of course Bryce helped him decorate his helmet with motorbike stickers as well.

Landen loves balls and ESPECIALLY loves to throw them! WATCH OUT!

Thought that this was a cute pic with his serious face. :)

THANK YOU so much to everyone who came to his party! I just feel so grateful to be surrounded by so many people who love us so much and my kids are always so spoiled by them and their generosity! Landen loved ALL of his presents and is glad to have some more things that are "HIS."

A few things about Landen now that he is two:

*He LOVES t-ball! He drags all of the stuff out of the garage and begs you to play with him constantly!

*He can ride a 3-wheeled scooter REALLY well and a 2-wheeled one pretty darn good for a 2 year old! He has quite the athletic ability!

*He is strong willed and strong minded! It is Landen's way or a screaming fit... the neighbors must think we beat him constantly for all of the screaming they must hear!

*He has adorable blonde curly hair!

*He wakes up in a good mood about 50 % of the time... we always pray for the good 50 %.

*He loves to say prayers but you can't understand a word he says since he burys his head into his arms and mumbles most of the words anyway. But he is very excited when it is all done and he said it!

*He says "DANG IT!" when he messes up on something... loud and clear!

*He loves to hide...especially when he needs his diaper changed, it is time to get dressed, get his hair combed, etc.. He has 2 favorite hiding spots... in the corner by his crib and in his closet.

*His smile, hugs and slobbery kisses just melt my heart.

We LOVE YOU Landen!!! Happy Birthday!

Love,

your mom.