Living In a Boys World

22 Months

2010-02-09T10:33:00.001-08:00

Landin at 22 Months:

• Weighs 30lbs, not sure of height yet but still really tall for his age

• His words are crazy now! He actually talks in sentences now and it still creeps me out that he is that old.

• Knows all his body parts

• Knows most animals but refers to them by their sounds (cat=meow, cow=moo) but he does say puppy, horse, duck

• Knows the colors blue and orange

• Working on counting. We have gotten to 3 but he says 1 and then the rest is mushed together

• Still loves to clean and do chores - is a super helper

• Eating is somewhat improving. We still have therapy every Monday but we have noticed slight progress with him. Still no meals that he will eat but the snack food is widening :)

• Started to become interested in the potty and likes to sit on it. Be careful if you come to our house unannounced though because he has to take all his clothes off to go (socks included). Our therapist Vicki found this out the hard way Monday when he came running out naked :)

• SUPER ACTIVE!!!!!! Not kidding you the kid never stops! Ask anyone…they always comment on it!

• Started at a new baby sitter this month and loves it. If you ask him how his day was he says "Good". IF you ask him what he did he says "ball".

• Since the last post he has had his arm cast removed, been to the ER for croup, and had tube surgery…we have been busy :)

• Favorite activities: running, running, running, hiding from "puppy", not sitting still, "tooking"=cooking, washing the dishes, taking a "bat"=bath, watching "Helmo and Bit Birt"=Elmo and Big Bird or the "oh oh oh"=Curious George

I will say that besides the eating situation Landin is a blast right now! WE are desperately longing for some warm weather to get this kid outside but the new house has made the indoors all that much better :)

January 2010

2010-02-01T13:28:00.000-08:00

I have been following blogs for about a year now and I always find something inspiring about each one of them. I decided that I need to step mine up a little bit and so I will be trying to post on here more often about all sorts of things.

Every month I want to do a 'month in review' so that I can look back over our year together. So here goes January...

January was cold, cold, cold. We didn't do a whole lot this month but it seemed we were still super busy. Here is my little cook working hard in the kitchen. (He likes to cook to ladies :) This little man loves to bake and wants to everyday when we get home.

We took a lot of these this month to 1) keep us warm and 2) to entertain us! For those of you who don't know Landin well...he never stops! He always is in motion, always has to be doing something, and his attention span is about 1/2 second long. IN other words, the bath is the best thing for him :)

"A smile on the face is a sign that the heart is at home."

This month we also got to go and see his cousin Ava! They are two years apart (April 7th and April 18th) and they always have a blast together! Landin loves to chase her in circles and Ava always ahares her toys with him. I hope they always grow up to love one another the way they do now.

January was a long month to say the least, but as we get closer to April we are going to try and enjoy our time indoors with one another. February has some fun things coming up so I can't wait to share them with you all!

Cleveland Children's Museum

2010-01-28T10:11:00.000-08:00

This last weekend Landin got to go and spend some time with his cousin Ava. Ava took us to this awesome children's museum (Moms in the area...GO!).

This place had so much stuff going on that a kid could spend all day in there...no joke! The first room we went into was a giant room of sand! They had shovels and dinosaurs and wheelbarrows...it was amazing! Well if you know our little Landin you know now that he has sensory input issues. He HATED the sand! It took a lot of work to get him to go in it and it lasted about....2 minutes.

The next couple of rooms had a grocery store, a bus (wish I would of gotten a picture of this), and a kitchen. I love this picture because even though the background is a blur it reminds me so much of Landin. So busy and fast!

Here is his cousin shopping like your typical girl! She was a HUGE fan of the shopping :)

Now the next room was hands down one of Landin's favorite. It was giant watertables! He wanted to spend the whole day in this part.

Thank you cousin Ava for a fun filled day at the museum! We love you!

Those smiles...

2010-01-28T10:02:00.000-08:00

"If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love." Maya Angelou

Bath Time...

2010-01-28T09:57:00.000-08:00

Landin loves his bathtime! I swear the kid could stay in the water all day if we let him. In these cold months, I think it is something fun for him to do. Well these neat little bath paints have brought a whole new experience to Landin's tub time.

His face now looks like this when he is busy working...

And when he is done, he looks like this :)

To be a kid again :)

Sunrise

2010-01-22T08:38:00.000-08:00

"Next time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leave you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing, and listen as heaven whispers, "Do you like it? I did it just for you." Max Lucado

"Cheese"

2010-01-14T13:17:00.000-08:00

Does it get any cuter than this?! I am telling you the kid loves to cook and bake and clean. I guess I can deal with the temper tantrums for a little bit of that :)

Randoms in 2009

2010-01-14T13:15:00.000-08:00

Some leftover pictures. I promise I am going to get better at this in 2010.

It's Playtime

2010-01-14T13:12:00.000-08:00

I had two weeks off at Christmas and it was my goal to do something fun with Landin everyday. During the work week we are pretty lame and just stay at home so I told myself this week was going to be different.
One of the things I wanted to do was take him to It's Playtime! It is an indoor play area for younger children and he loved it! So much for them to do and really cheap.

In these first two photos, Landin was climbing up this giant slide (with three individual slides). He was having so much fun that I didnt' even notice until he came down that he had a bloody lip! Some little kid kicked him the mouth on accident.

In the room they had about 20 different cars that you could ride on and Landin stuck to this one like glue. He is so cute!

And what is a day without a little cooking. I promise he is going to be a good husband one day. He even likes to clean :)

Christmas 2009

2010-01-14T13:07:00.000-08:00

Christmas was so much fun this year! Landin was definitely more into it this year than last. Every present that he opened was a big "ohhhhhh" and then he would have to completely open it and play with it. I believe each family Christmas took about 4 hours for just his presents. I am not even kidding when I say this kid was SPOILED! He received so many presents that I put some away for his birthday.

This first picture is Landin climbing up on teh box and peering over because he was so excited! He just kept screaming "Ohhhhh" and "Ewwwww". Notice we had a wardrobe change mid Christmas party too. I think the kid strips down to his diaper every Christmas at the Zern's.

O Christmas Tree...

2009-12-16T04:41:00.001-08:00

Oh how we love thee :) Just a couple of photos to show you our tree this year! (We are quite proud of it!)

Winter Morning

2009-12-16T04:36:00.001-08:00

Have I ever said how much we love our new home!!! Every morning, (well they have been MIA for a little while) we have about 12 giant Clydesdale horses in our backyard. It is one of the coolest things I have ever seen! This particular morning Landin said he needed his hat, which he does by patting his head and saying Hat, and stood on the bench for about 1/2 an hour watching them. Now if you know Landin you know that is a big deal!

We are so blessed this Christmas to be in such a wonderful home with so many things for us to see!

20 months

2009-12-04T09:54:00.000-08:00

This little man is cracking me up lately! He is finally feeling better and you can tell it :)
I look at these photos and I can totally see a little boy now. He melts my heart in every way and can also drive me crazy in a second flat! He is starting to say more words now and can tell you things he wants with words, grunts, or hand motions. (When he wants Gams dog to lick him he plays with his tongue...seriously!) He is so active, never slows down, and at times I wish he would I wouldn't have it any other way. He is starting to like cartoons now and will sit for about 5 minutes :) He loves his Veggie Tales and Blues Clues (we don't have cable so videos it is).
He loves, loves, loves to play in the sick with cups and anything I will throw in there and the detergent rocks because it makes bubbles. He likes to eat out of pots and pans, but whatever works.
We love you little man! We love watching you grow and learn about this world. We love to see the world through your eyes and, although at the end of the day I am exhausted, I wouldn't trade one second of you for a day of relaxation.

18 Month photo shoot

2009-10-28T05:09:00.000-07:00

OH this little man is busy, busy, busy right now! I wanted to get some 18 month photos to commemorate his cast so we headed out to the park and I think we were successful.
Landin is so funny right now and his vocab is really starting to take off, or maybe the phrase "uh-oh" is starting to take off :)
He loves the park and we had a great time exploring. As you can see from some of the pictures Landin was very intrigued by the sticks, ladybugs, leaves, play equipment, squirrels, dogs, etc. He is all boy!

18 Months

2009-10-07T08:05:00.001-07:00

18 months! I remember when he was like 3 months old thinking 18 months is so old and yet he still seems like my little baby. Well this month (last two days) has been very interesting to say the least. I know that I have said on many "monthly posts" before that we have a little daredevil on our hands, but this month proved it to be true. Monday night Landin broke his arm and is now in a full arm cast! He fell off of the top of a slide and hit his arm on something on the way down breaking both of the bones in his lower arm. As of now we are in the cast for 2 weeks and then we see the doctor to make sure we can just keep the cast on. They are a little worried about his nerves over the one bone and our hoping that we don't have to set it or have surgery on it. Prayers were much appreciated these last two days and we still need them to get through the next couple of weeks with some sanity, mine not his :)

At 18 Months:

· Weighs 26 lbs and not sure of height (go to doctor on Friday)
· Still horrible, horrible, horrible eater! Actually the last two days he has barely ate…no joke! He starts his therapy very soon…thank goodness!
· words: mama, dada, cow, dog, duck, truck, down, done, (new ones) stuck, ouch, and uh oh or uh uh oh oh…not sure where he picked that one up at
· body parts: nose, ears, hair, mouth, eyes, and belly (if you come to our house be prepared for him to lift up your shirt to find your belly)
· Lets you "eat his face", yes this sounds weird but he will stick his face by your mouth and let you do this and he will do it back to you
· loves his books now and will let me read to him every night before bed
· loves his vacuum sweepers and anything that plugs in to an outlet (freaks me out!)
· Wants to do everything on his own! Pour his drinks, use his spoon, wants to put socks/shoes on
· Puts deodorant and cologne on (he also lifts up his shirt like Daddy to do this) and loves to brush his teeth
· Likes to help me cook and usually once a day wants to get in the "cooking cabinet" and make something
· Doesn't really play with toys but more just runs around getting into things
· Can throw a mean mean mean temper tantrum…it is so sweet…(insert sarcasm)

Apple Picking 2009

2009-09-24T12:48:00.000-07:00

This morning Landin and I got to go apple picking with our MOPS group for the morning. To say that this place is a boys heaven is an understatement! Acres upon acres of wide open space, play equipment (which I included a picture of), cats, roosters, apple trees, a hay ride…let me just say that Landin was in his element!

We spent the first part on a hay ride, which he hated the hay and wouldn't sit on it and kept saying Yuck when it would get on him (Oh I swear he will be a country boy one day) and then the rest of the time we picked apples and made cider. Landin was running around everywhere the entire time and at one point wiped out completely! If you look at some of the pictures he is covered with grass on his face but he honestly didn't care. He was also obsessed with the 4-wheeler (more so than the apples) and wanted to ride on it so bad! (I see one of these in our future in the next couple of years).

We had to leave early so I could get to work and I am not kidding when I said Landin we need to go bye-bye he started crying! He is so sweet!

Loving our new back yard

2009-09-02T05:30:00.000-07:00

(Picture overload)

I took some pictures of Landin last night in our new backyard. We have 1.6 acres of land for this little guy to explore and he is loving it! His favorite right now is picking apples off of our 2 trees (which by the way the lady never took care of so they are all dead).

Our Dream House :)

2009-09-02T05:10:00.000-07:00

We are officially there (well we have been for about 3 weeks) and we are LOVING IT!!! I seriuosly can't explain how nice the space, the yard, and even the barn is for us to have. We love being back in Woodburn surronded by hay fields, amish, cows, and horses :)

Here are some pictures of our "humble abode". This house definitley needs a lot of work still, but it is coming along and we can't wait until all of this hard work pays off!

This is our great room. I thought I had a before shot but I am missing it. Let me just say it was SCARY! It was all this barn siding on all the walls, the one wall was blue, and the mantle was WHITE! With the help of Adam's Aunt Tina...it looks so much better! Now just picture it with curtains and decorations and oh yeah, glass in the bar and it will be finished. It is huge and we spend all of our time in there now. Landin actually just runs circles around the furniture because he loves it so much :)

This is my kitchen!! The pictures don't do justice the paint job in there. That light blue wall is actually a teal/green and it is beautiful! Next summer we are going to be painting the cabinets off-white but for now I will just stare at my gorgeous walls :) P.S...don't mind the laundry room in the background. That is getting a makeover too :)

And this folks is Landin's room! I love it!! It is supposed to be painted for his big boy room :) As you can see I haven't put anythign on the walls because I am OBSESSED with awesoem they turned out. So besides that and curtains we are done in there.

I will update this more as we make improvements, but for now we are enjoying it!

16 Months

2009-08-11T13:21:00.001-07:00

sorry...no pics on this one...we are super busy right now but I will add some soon...

At 16 Months:
· Takes 1 nap a day and sleeps about 11-13 hours a night
· Still doesn't eat :)
· Constantly, constantly moves
· Says: cow, ball, duck, truck, that, dog, mama, dada
· If you ask where something is he shrugs his shoulders and holds up his hands
· took his first vacation and LOVED IT! He is a complete beach baby…loved the water and wouldn't stay out of it
· obsessed with brooms, mops, sweepers, crayons, blocks, and dumping toys
· He "sits on people" where he backs into them and will pop down on them (he does it to Millie all the time)
· Loves, loves, loves to dance…we actually dance about every morning and every evening to the radio

All I want to do is dance...

2009-07-31T12:35:00.001-07:00

and dance he did! In the middle of Harlan Days this kid broke it down!

OBX Part 2

2009-07-31T10:37:00.001-07:00

(blogger is acting weird so I have to do this in two parts)

Landin loved to play with his cousin Ava. They played at the beach, at the house, and every morning Landin would clap his hands "Yeah" when she would come upstairs...so cute!

Here are some family photos that we also took on the beach...until next year :)

Outerbanks, North Carolina 2009!

2009-07-31T10:17:00.001-07:00

What a vacation we had!!! We had so much fun and I am already counting the days until we go back next year.
After 2 days of driving (which Landin rocked it out), we arrived at our amazing house...love Happy Childhood. Landin was so excited to run around this big 3 story house and the pool area...wow that was a hit!
Landin's first day at the beach started off not to good. He hated the sand but after 20 minutes he was running all over the place. This kid had no fear! He would run into the water, get knocked over by waves, and run right back into the water. We don't call him our Little Daredevil for nothing.

The beach was wonderful there...super clean, family oriented, and we were only three blocks from our house. We would spend all morning there, head back to the house for lunch, and lay out at the pool. I can't think of a better way to spend a vacation.
Adam and I also got to celebrate our 4th anniversary while we were there with a great dinner, where Adam said it was the best steak he had ever had!

OBX 2009!

2009-07-17T10:21:00.001-07:00

This is where we will be for the next week...OBX!!!

July 4th & 15 Months

2009-07-06T11:58:00.000-07:00

Our July 4th was spent relaxing, eating, and hanging out with family and friends. Saturday we spent the day with my Mom while Adam golfed and then we headed up to my best friend Alyson's families lake cottage. I always love going up there and it was AWESOME for Landin to spend some time at a place filled with some hilarious memories.

These pictures are taken during the day of the 4th. My sister HATES these outfits, but come one, it was $1 last year at Target so I had to get it. He loved playing with the flags, but I think throwing the balls was more of a hit.

We didn't make it up for the fireworks this year again (a 15 month old and 10pm don't mix) but Adam sat on the back porch and watched the neighbors setting them off. It was weird to think that this will be the last year we watch them at our house now. 4 years of being there and it is over. However, I can't wait for the 4th of July party at our house next year!

Anyway, at 15 months:

• Weighs 23lbs and is 32inches long
• Takes one long nap a day (2-3 hours) and sleeps from about 8:30pm-8am
• Still hates food :) He ate a peanut butter sandwich (the only real table food I could get him to eat) twice, but twice since then he has thrown it on the floor!
• Will be meeting with an occupational therapist to deal with his food issues…I will never let him live this one down :)
• Says Mama, Dada, Dog, and Duck
• Loves to brush his teeth…he does it twice in the morning because he loves it so much
• Tricks = blowing kisses, can find his nose, moos for a cow, Says How Big and Ta-Da, Dances like a Maniac
• Loves = To be outside, trucks, tractors, books, any place new, water, buckets, outside toys, the bubble wand (so gross), climbing up slides, his stuffed animal dogs, Millie, throwing things :)
• Hates = Timeouts, food, Mommy leaving him, shots (2 of those yesterday)
• Will be going on his first vacation to the beach in 2 weeks!!

The Zoo

2009-07-01T09:25:00.000-07:00

Landin absolutely loved the zoo!!! His favorite parts where feeding the ducks and the goats...oh and the misters...a huge hit!! You can see from the pictures how much fun he had in those. This baby sure is turning into a little boy right in front of our eyes! He is so fun and so sweet and I love spending time with him.

I will let the pictures do the talking:

14 Months

2009-06-09T13:00:00.001-07:00

At 14 Months:

· Weighs 22 lbs and not sure on height but he is ridiculously tall!
· Now has 7 teeth
· Takes one long nap a day
· Enjoys going places now (loves the library, the park, the basketball court, and the Anchor Room)
· Thinks that when his toast comes out of the toaster it is the best thing ever…he screams with excitement
· Loves the water…the bathtub, his baby pool, a bucket…it doesn't matter
· Still just says Ma-ma and da-da…but babbles a lot in his own language :)
· Is starting to enjoy books with mommy…likes lift the flap and touch and feel
· Is working on puzzles and can find some pieces on his own
· Cleans up (my little helper)…he will put everything in a drawer or a basket…he even threw his trash away last night
· Likes to open and close the dishwasher and claps yeah every time…also does the same with the microwave, the refrigerator, and the pantry door
· Plays with his trucks and says "Vrroooommm"
· OBSESSED with other kids and almost stalks them when he sees them places
· Still on baby food because he gags at table food…talking to the doctor about this in July…he needs more because he is always hungry still after dinner

I want...I need?

2009-05-21T12:28:00.000-07:00

Right now I am really wanting these things off of Etsy...however, do I need them?!

If we weren't contemplating moving I would get them in a heart beat, but the thought of moving just one more thing makes me cringe....but they are sooo cute!

I would love this for my kitchen! The colors would match perfect and I think the message is wonderful! With kids, I think that this is what life is all about...those little day to day things that they do that make you remember what it is all about.

I need a reminder of this every minute of my life! I tend to worry and stress a lot and I need to learn to stay calm :)

I just love this period! I think we all get so bogged down in the everyday woes of life that we forget that God has it all planned out. While going through this house ordeal, I am trying to remember that no matter what happens, God has our perfect home waiting for us out there.

I want to do antique pitchers in my kitchen with bright colors of green and yellow and this one works perfect!

Philipians 4:6,7

2009-05-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

This week has been tough for us. We are playing the waiting and praying game about our home. I have a peace of mind though that it will all work out because God is in control!

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds." Philipians 4:6,7

6411 Verandah Lane

2009-05-14T12:45:00.000-07:00

This is the house that Adam and I first bought together, our first dog was brought home here, the first place I brought my first child home to, and all Landin's first happened here. It has treated us well these last four years and I will always love this house. However, the time has come that we need MORE SPACE! Landin is so mobile now and he needs some room (and so does Mommy). Adam needs his own space (and so does Mommy). We need a bigger yard (and so does Millie.)

We put the house up for sale on Monday and have put a contingent offer in on another house but we first have to sell this one. I hope that it goes fast...I have very little patience and I can't help but to dream about this other home and all the possibilities. This other home has a yard, a barn, and SPACE!

It will be a nice home for another family...I just hope they love it as much as we did. So if you know anyone in the market for a cute little ranch...send them our way.

I forgot to get a picture of the outside, but hopefully I will get one soon with a sold sign on it :)

Mothers Day 2009

2009-05-14T12:39:00.000-07:00

What a special day and year it has been for me as a mom. I can honestly say that last year I don't remember much of mothers day. I think I was going on about 4 hours of sleep and was a little postpartum still, but this year was COMPLETELY different!

I won't get to mushy here but I can, without a doubt, say that Landin is the best thing that has ever happened to me. He keeps me busy, he makes me realize what is important in life, and makes my heart melt with one little smile.
Thank you Angel Baby for making me a Mommy and for being an answer to my prayers.

This year we spent the day at the Woodburn Park and Landin loved it! He loves slides and watching other kids...it was a blast!

Here are some more pictures for the grandparents (Sorry BZ...I didn't get one of you and Landin)

13 Months

2009-05-07T09:21:00.001-07:00

I was sitting at my desk thinking Landin's 13 month birthday is coming up and I need to do some updates and then I look at the calendar...OH MY GOODNESS! Landin is 13 months old today!

At 13 months:

Walking all over the place...today he walked from the living room to the back bedroom
Obsessed with outside and cries when you walk away from the doors and you don't let him out
Loves to go on bike rides in his new seat (as long as there are snacks)
Still eats baby food but hopefully he will expand his horizons - he did eat cheese crackers today so that is an improvement
Slides are his favorite outside activity...doesn't care for swings because he is to mobile for him
Pushes everything around (wagon, cart, lawn mower)
Loves having picnics in the front yard (this is also Mommy's favorite too)
Pretends that Millie (the dog) is getting him and runs away from her laughing
Has been completely off of bottles for a month now. This was my biggest surprise! I thought that there was no way this was going to work and it was going to be a long road ( I have heard horror stories) but he rocked at it and was fine without it.
Laughs at himself in the car and laughs at you when you put on your sunglasses
Talks a lot, in his own language of course but when he starts saying words...WATCH OUT!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO ALL!!!

I will be posting our Mother's Day event later next week.

Gail Did It Again...

2009-05-01T09:52:00.001-07:00

Here are some of the AMAZING photos done by my good friend Gail Werner. To see all of them and the beautiful slideshow follow this website:

http://www.gailwernerphotography.com/slideshow/zernfamily0409/

1 Year Sneak Peak

2009-04-28T11:01:00.001-07:00

Our good friend Gail Werner did us the honor again of shooting Landin's 1 year photos on Sunday. I was shocked today when I got into work and there was a sneak peak already up (yes, I am crazy and check her blog daily). If this is any indication of what is to come, I am SO EXCITED!

I will let you all know when the rest are up. Or you can check your website yourself...she always has some interesting stuff up :)

Little Bird...

2009-04-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

Highway by Ingrid Michaelson

I love this song and when I hear it I instantly want to hold on to him when he is this little.

Cousin Ava turns 3!

2009-04-20T08:53:00.001-07:00

We had an AWESOME weekend for our favorite little niece's 3rd birthday party. It was warm and sunny on Saturday and we were lucky enough to enjoy spending the whole day outside. Landin even ventured out onto the grass without his shoes!!! We will turn him into a hillbilly. Happy Birthday Ava...thanks for letting us join in on your fun party!

Raising Children

2009-04-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

I love this article...because I live like this a lot and I need to learn to enjoy this little man before he tells me to.

Raising Children by Anna Quindlen, Newsweek Columnist and Author"All my babies are gone now. I say this not in sorrow but in disbelief.I take great satisfaction in what I have today: three almost-adults, two taller than I am, one closing in fast. Three people who read the same books I do and have learned not to be afraid of disagreeing with me in their opinion of them, who sometimes tell vulgar jokes that make me laugh until I choke and cry, who need razor blades and shower gel and privacy, who want to keep their doors closed more than I like.Who, miraculously, go to the bathroom, zip up their jackets and move food from plate to mouth all by themselves. Like the trick soap I bought for the bathroom with a rubber ducky at its center, the baby is buried deep within each, barely discernible except through the unreliable haze of the past.Everything in all the books I once poured over is finished for me now. Penelope Leach., T. Berry Brazelton, Dr. Spock. The ones on sibling rivalry and sleeping through the night and early-childhood education, all grown obsolete. Along with Goodnight Moon, and Where the Wild Things Are, they are battered, spotted, well used. But I suspect that if you flipped the pages, dust would rise like memories. What those books taught me, and finally what the women on the playground, and the well-meaning relations -- well what they taught me was that they couldn't really teach me very much at all.Raising children is presented at first as a true-false test, then becomes multiple choice, until finally, far along, you realize that it is an endless essay. No one knows anything.One child responds well to positive reinforcement, another can be managed only with a stern voice and a timeout. One child is toilet trained at 3, his sibling at 2.When my first child was born, parents were told to put baby to bed on his belly so that he would not choke on his own spit-up. By the time my last arrived, babies were put down on their backs because of research on sudden infant death syndrome.To a new parent this ever-shifting certainty is terrifying, and then soothing. Eventually you must learn to trust yourself. Eventually the research will follow.I remember 15 years ago pouring over one of Dr. Brazelton's wonderful books on child development, in which he describes three different sorts of infants: average, quiet, and active. I was looking for a sub-quiet codicil for an 18-month old who did not walk. Was there something wrong with his fat little legs? Was there something wrong with his tiny little mind? Was he developmentally delayed, physically challenged? Was I insane? Last year he went to China. Next year he goes to college. He can talk just fine. He can walk, too.Every part of raising children is humbling, too. Believe me, mistakes were made. They have all been enshrined in the "Remember-When-Mom-Did " Hall of Fame. The outbursts, the temper tantrums, the bad language, mine, not theirs. The times the baby fell off the bed. The times I arrived late for preschool pick-up. The nightmare sleepover. The horrible summer camp. The day when the youngest came barreling out of the classroom with a 98 on her geography test, and I responded, "What did you get wrong?" (She insisted I include that.) The time I ordered food at the McDonald's drive-through speaker and then drove away without picking it up from the window. (They all insisted I include that.) I did not allow them to watch the Simpsons for the first two seasons. What was I thinking?But the biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while doing this. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three of them, sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4 and 1.And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less.Even today I'm not sure what worked and what didn't, what was me and what was simply life. When they were very small, I suppose I thought someday they would become who they were because of what I'd done. Now I suspect they simply grew into their true selves because they demanded in a thousand ways that I back off and let them be. The books said to be relaxed and I was often tense, matter-of-fact and I was sometimes over the top.And look how it all turned out. I wound up with the three people I like best in the world who have done more than anyone to excavate my essential humanity.That's what the books never told me. I was bound and determined to learn from the experts. It just took me awhile to figure out who the experts were."

One of those days

2009-04-16T12:35:00.001-07:00

Ever have one of those days? The day where the morning just doesn't seem to go the way you wished. The sun is out yet you feel like you want to sleep just a little longer?

On those days...this is what gets me through. Everyday I look forward to lunch so I can have this and it makes everything better. I love you DC!

Easter

2009-04-14T10:08:00.000-07:00

We started our day off by celebrating the reason for Easter by going to church. We were dressed in our Sunday best and enjoyed another great Sunday at our favorite place to be.

Easter celebration was a BLAST! Let me just say that when you are 27 and are still hunting for eggs you know your family is CRAZY! (In a good way Mom and Brenda)

Landin had a lot of fun too and got to hang out with his favorite cousin Ava. She is so good with him and shares all her toys with him...and even pushes him around in his car.

However, the night ended on not such a fun note for me. I got home that evening and came down with what I thought was the flu but ended up to be strep throat. So, I haven't seen Landin since Sunday evening and I am dying to get my hands on him now that I am not contagious. On another note, Adam is now sick! You know it is bad when he calls into work. He NEVER calls in sick! Please pray for our little family. We need to finally get better and pray that Landin is safe from all the germs and stays healthy.

Birthday Week...

2009-04-14T09:03:00.000-07:00

COMES TO AN END!!!

I can hardly believe that it is all over. It is like a wedding...all that work and it is done. The week was very busy getting ready for his big party on Saturday and luckily we have grandparents close by to help and watch Landin.

Friday was spent baking an AWESOME truck cake (which I made myself) and 40 cupcakes to go with it. Then we were lucky enough to have our good friends come and spend the night with us. Kevin and Katie brought Landin's friend Carter who is exactly 1 month younger than him. They played with some toys and then slept :)

Saturday morning the grandparents and aunts helped set up the party for the church and it looked great!

The party was a huge success and Landin was exhausted! He made it about 5 miles before he fell asleep in the car and then took a 3 hour nap...his longest ever! He was very spoiled and came home with some great clothes, books, and summer toys. We can't wait to use everything.

It is still unreal to me that this little baby we brought home a year ago is one. I remember the day we brought him home I was scared to death. Am I going to know how to feed him, nuture him, sleep (ha ha), love him, help him grow as a boy and a man. Will we get to know each other, how does he know I am his mom, will we have that bond one day? All these questions, fears, anxieties...it was hard to have the unknown and the lack of control. Everyday I had to learn to roll with the punches and there are still days that it is hard for me, but something happened in this year that will forever change me and our life as a family. He made us a family, he made me a mother, and he made me love deeper than I thought possible. Throughout this year I have bonded with this little man and I can now say that is weird now to just lay around the house or have spare time because my life is all about him now. He consumes it and I want to do the best I can for him. In his one short year on earth Landin has changed my life in the best way possible and I look forward to many more years of growth, love, adventures, worries, and FUN!

Thank you all for celebrating with us and loving our little guy! I will leave you with a couple more pictures of our little mans celebration.

Birthday Party #1

2009-04-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, April 7th we decided to celebrate Landin's birthday at our house with our parents, Aunt Kellie & Zech, and Great Grandma G for a small party. Landin was really excited for his first present from his Gams. He couldn't stop jumping and hitting the box:

We opened some more presents which included another truck (this boy loves trucks) and the coolest Four Wheeler Power Wheel (he was standing up on it trying to kick start it...such a boy), a farm set from Mom and Dad, and some much needed pjs from Great Grandma G. She also made him a "crayon roll" for vacation this summer...mommy was excited about this.

Then it was time for CAKE (or cupcakes). Now for those of you who know our sweet little Landin you know he is very picky and inquisitive about his food. I knew going into this he wouldn't be like most 1 year olds and just dive right in. I knew I was going to have to put it in his mouth before he would eat it.

This was him all done...he at about 1 bite started choking on it and just wanted his milk.

To top the night off he got to put on pajamas and open up his two final gifts...an awesome wagon and balls for a ball pit from Aunt Kellie and Zech!

Thank you family for filling our home with toys and love...literally! See you Saturday for Party #2!

Turning 1...

2009-04-07T08:48:00.001-07:00

(Photo heavy)
It is true, this little boy turned 1 today. It was the most exciting, exhausting, happy, worrisome, blissful year of my life! I am blessed to have him in my life and I couldn't imagine what I did before him (besides sleep and lay around all day).
Last night my sister came over and helped me decorate the house so when Landin woke up there were streamers and balloons everywhere (in blue and yellow of course...Daddy was happy with the color choices). Here is what the house looked like after we were done:

Landin woke up a little early this morning (6 am...I usually pray for a 7am wake up call) and he was definitley not ready to wake up. He pretty muched whined the whole morning which I explained to him was not the way to start the day. Here he is whining for my camera and then drinking his bottle:

After about an hour nap (which Mommy also got...hey, we have a big day ahead of us) Landin woke up a lot happier and was playing with his toys. If he only new what was coming tonight :) I will post more photos of his parties later this week.

Inspiration

2009-04-06T09:19:00.000-07:00

My mom gave me this a month or so ago and then I found it again online randomly and thought I would share it with everyone:

The Last Weekend

2009-04-05T16:06:00.000-07:00

This is Landin's last weekend before the big birthday and we celebrated it by...being stuck inside all weekend long!! (Except for a short trip to the mall...which he was not excited about but Mommy had to get Easter outfits). Sunday was the hardest for him because by then he was over being stuck inside so Adam and I decided that we would go for a Sunday drive. We decided at that point and time that we are OLD! Especially when Adam was rocking the plaid pajama pants and the bright yellow sweatshirt.

Here are pictures of Landin staring longingly outside at his playset. This kid is going to love to be outside!!!

And one more for good measure...this is Landin's idea of loading up his dump truck with of course...another dump truck. I swear this kid is EDIBLE!!!

Who Am I?

2009-04-01T08:37:00.001-07:00

I AM a Christian who knows that my Savior died for me and that one day I will be in heaven with him
I AM NOT a "go-getter"- I procrastinate like I was getting paid to do that

I KNOW that I am a good mom and that I am doing the best that I can
I THINK that there is always room for improvement in every aspect in life and the second you think you have it figured out you don't
I DON'T THINK about the economy to much - it depresses me

I WANT a bigger home back in Woodburn
I HAVE a nice home now - but I need more space - don't we always!
I LIKE being outside, traveling, driving in my car, watching Landin play, watching Landin sleep, listening to Adam talk about politics (even though he doesn't think I do), being at church, being around my best friends, shopping with my mom and sister, reading a good book that leaves a mark on you, going to a good movie, drinking a Diet Coke and eating cookies, grilling out, taking photos of Landin

I DISLIKE rude people; smelly homes; spiders; dirty house; cleaning the shower; not being busy at work

I HATE being sad and feeling out of uncontrol
I DREAM of the future - what will our children be like, where we eventually live, what will our grandkids be like - a happy future
I FEAR not being able to move back to Woodburn - are you noticing what is on my mind :)

I'M ANNOYED with people who expect handouts and don't work for what they want
I CRAVE Diet Cokes and Chocolate shakes
I USUALLY am happy but I worry way to much about things that are out of my control

I SEARCH for houses way to much when we aren't ready to move yet :)

I HIDE under the covers when I don't want to get up

I WONDER about our future - I dream of it and look forward to it
I REGRET not relaxing more - I am constantly working on this - living in the moment and not worry ing so much about things - Adam can testify to this

I LOVE Adam and Landin more than I ever thought was possible
I CAN actually cook - I didn't think I ever would be able to but I am actually good at it when I do

I CAN'T bake...I stink at it but I am going to always bake my kids birthday cakes :)

I TRY to get "me" time in sometime everyday - it is ESSENTIAL!
I ENJOY reading outside, taking walks, photography, going out, traveling

I DON'T CARE what other people think of me anymore. I used to and now that I have Landin I don't have time for that.

I ALWAYS worry - I need to stop!
I NEVER do laundry - Adam always does it - He rocks!
I'D RATHER be on vacation with my family than working right now
I RELY on Jesus Christ to get me through every situation both good and bad
I BELIEVE in Jesus Christ

I DANCE like a "white girl"
I SING in my car or to Landin - it puts him to sleep :)

I ARGUE rarely but when I do I am ANGRY!
I WRITE on my blog
I WIN in life :)
I LOSE every game I play against Adam

I WISH for a happy healthy family; a bigger home in the country; a lifetime of memories; a simple life; great friends; a good job

I LISTEN to country and christian music; the birds in the morning; Landin's laugh all day long
I DON'T UNDERSTAND people who believe in abortion...I get very heated about that subject
I'M SCARED of losing someone I love or getting really sick
I FORGET to go easy on myself
I AM HAPPY when I see Landin smile

Now the question is:
WHO ARE YOU???
Consider yourself tagged!

So Thankful!

2009-03-31T07:38:00.000-07:00

Today I was reading about a little 5 month old that is facing severe health issues. I can't imagine what his mother is feeling right now. So helpless and so sad. There are days I am so overwhelmed with taking care of a one year old. Those days where he won't eat, where he won't sleep, or when he fusses for no reason. However, I read about this story and I am so thankful that I have a healthy baby who can do these things. Remember to give those babies an extra hug tonight!

No More "Trump" Do

2009-03-26T18:05:00.000-07:00

I swore I wouldn't do it! I said I was going to wait until he was 1 year...April 8th was going to be the appointment...and then we woke up on March 26th and I couldn't believe it! The kid, no joke, looked like he had bed head for 10 days and there was no taming this thing! I made the phone call to Adam and told him I was ready...I was ready for the first haircut! So on March 26th, my baby became a little boy and the newborn hair was cut away :(

He of course did AWESOME! There was no crying, fussing, whining (and he has a cold right now) but he just sat there all calm like he was waiting for this.

This is his before..however, you can't see the rattail/mullett that has grown in the back

Now the after (well as good as he would let us):

This is how it all begins

2009-03-25T17:19:00.000-07:00

For a year I have been reading blogs and I am so intrigued by them. I have always loved to get a glimpse into peoples lives. I have finally decided that now that Landin is 1 I would love to start my own to chronicle his life. There are so many things I want to show and tell people and this seems like the perfect way to do just that. I hope you all enjoy this and seeing a "peek" into the Zern household, but more importantly I am doing this for Landin so one day he can look back and read all about his life. After all, I am just one Mommy living in a little boys world!