Happy HAPPY Birthday, Landon Dear.

My baby is one! AAGH! Brandon and I were talking about it last night, he seems to think it has definitely felt like a year... I seem to think it hasn't. I can still remember that first week of his life like it was yesterday.

Landon has been such a blessing! They make child three different, I've decided. More resilient, more content.

Here are a couple things I love about Landon:

This kids makes the craziest faces. I love it. He is a kook!

His little starburst eye. It's kind of morphed into a half blue half brown eye, but I love it.

His cheesy chin. Man can this kid turn on the charm.

His curiousity.

His mischief. They start child three younger I suppose, Landon is in to things so much faster and more frequent than any of my others were at this age... I think this coincides with his curiousity. His favorite things right now, the dishwasher, the trashcan, and the pile of rubbish when I sweep the floor.

His love for his family. Landon absolutely adores his older sister and brother. And the second his dad comes home from work Landon goes "running" to him. I may just be his favorite though (probably not)

Holy Freakin' Halleluja!

It's about time! My baby said my name this morning.

Finally

I was beginning to think he hated me.

It was so precious,

I'm debating letting his big brother beat him up more often just to hear him cry out "momma. momma."

{I won't. Of course.}

By the way, baby turns one tomorrow!!?! Wait anxiously for that legendary post.

(Pictures taken a week ago. What a goob!)

Play Date

Had one of Kami's little friends spend Tuesday morning with us while her mom was gone at a doctors appointment. Kami was, obviously, thrilled. Even more so when she noticed they were twinners. So we took a picture.

(Kami's first response when she sees this picture: Wow my hair's kind of crazy.)

Best part of the day was when they were cleaning up their messes. Kami was asked where to put a certain toy. To which she responded:

"Just leave it on the ground and my mom or dad will pick it up."

CLASSIC!

Baby threw his very first tantrum today

So adorably funny:

Full fledged face in the carpet and pounding fists and feet of fury.

Parenthood is the best.

I will fully enjoy these next few displays of frustration until, of course, they are no longer cute enough to be considered hilarious, or vise versa.

It's made all the more adorable due to his current cold,

which makes his little squeally voice deep and husky.

(I think he looks slightly similar to my little brother Brandon in this picture... just slightly)

If you want to be ridiculously good looking...

Get yourself one of these.

Poor little man was walking into Costco when he tripped over his own little feet and plummeted into the pavement. Good thing his forehead broke his fall.

This happens all the time.

Of course we were on our way into Costco, and me being the overly prepared mother I am (gawk) I didn't have my "customary" first aid kit with me. (Really, with our track record, I should consider not only traveling with a first aid kit, but our own personal medic)

So there we go, waltzing into Costco with a bloody and screaming child. I quickly make my way back to the bathroom to clean up the whole mess. Cooper, of course is crying, actually it was a mix between sobbing and screaming.

Well, the second he sees his little scrape in the mirror his face contorts into this odd little screwball face and I think "Oh no, he's going to be a puker..."

Next thing you know, I hear soft giggles intermixing with his decreasing sobs. He thinks its funny. Actually, I can tell from his giggles and his glances in the mirror that he is excited. He is loving the way he looks (who wouldn't?) He keeps tilting his head and smiling as he checks out his scraped up face in the mirror. "Man I look good." is written all over his face.

To tell you how proud he is of his new rugged good looks, when I mentioned taking a picture of his owie to post on the blog he sat down right where I told him and burst out a big smile (Cooper NEVER does that.) So proud to have such a handsome boy.

I think I gave birth to Dennis the Menace

and that about sums up my day thus far...

Of course, we've already had this scenario about 5 times... today.

It's noon.

I'm not sure if my child knows how to do anything that isn't naughty,

or at least excessively messy.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think he does it on purpose (most times)

I'm just not sure if he ... I don't even know what to say. Everything with Cooper is big, and messy, and everywhere, and fast. He's all over the place, all the time. And I'm pretty sure this isn't just boys... Maybe a choice few boys, but not boys in general. And I know for a fact it's not just because he's two.

After all, three is the new two.

Really, I don't think my son understands the concept of what a good activity actually is...

Today his choices were emptying the movie drawer, trying to cut apart a baby toy, covering his brother in chap stick, and somehow using my hand mixer to make his own concoction of Gatorade and flour.

HE'S TWO!?!

The problem is, every time I say "Cooper!? We don't do that." He says "Oh...?" like the idea never occurred to him. Then he happily moves on to choose a "better" activity, like filling every container he can get his hands on with water.

why??

I'm so tired...and sticky...and messy....and...oooooh.

(that, my friends, is what a sigh of despair sounds like.)

I promise I'm a good mom, and I don't leave my child unsupervised to make all forms of destructive terrorism...

he's just really quick...

and creative.

Yet endearing,

but tiring.

oh boy.

No More Monkeys...or Vampires, for that matter...

While in the shower I was privileged to this little conversation

(which was directed to me, of course. What with me being the mom, I am not allowed to be in the bathroom unaccompanied. My kids must not trust me in there by myself.)

"Mom! I was jumping off the bed...but that's okay... and Cooper fell on top of me and that made me sad." (sniffle sniffle, sob sob)

Funny girl. I'm glad it's okay to jump off the bed... I always get confused on that rule.

Also, baby 2 (Cooper) decided to mix a lovely concoction of hot chocolate and garlic seasoning in our popcorn popper this morning.... Hope it still works.

Needless to say, our home smells just LOVELY.

Here's to hoping I didn't just infuse all of our pants with the smell by washing the rag in the same load. If so, I guess we are vampire proof. Which is a relief because I was kind of getting scared... what with all the vampires running about and what not.

Don't You Think....?

That sometimes it is so fun to clean your house. The nerd side of me actually gets really excited some times . . . like today, for instance. I am so excited to deep clean my house.

NERD!!

Apparently I'm not alone.

I went to call Kami for breakfast this morning. I couldn't find her, so I called out

"Where are you Kami?

"I'm cleaning my room!"

"You're cleaning your room?" I asked as I followed her voice, turning the corner into my room.

"Well... I'm cleaning YOUR room, actually."

isn't that the best?

Affection

Apparently PDA (public display of affection) tends to really urk our little Cooper. Not every one's, mind you, just his parents. Something about seeing his dad kiss his mom just sends this child into fits of rage.

So, now kissing is completely forbidden in the Bowen house. At least, kissing between Brandon and I is completely forbidden.

Unless of course Brandon wants his eyes dug out by an angry 2 year old mobster.

"Daddy NO! You no kiss my mommy! No touch mommy - DAD! No!"

It's just so funny to see him so traumatized. And to watch him attempt to pry Brandon from me by all forms of brutal force available to a two year old. Too funny.

Kissing is enjoyable on all new levels now. Being a parent is the best.

artwork from here