Monthly Newsletter #52

Dear Landon,

Man, that was a fast month. Or maybe it just feels like we didn't do anything because I decided that the very best way to spend a week was to get as close to death as possible through coughing and phlegm. You, for some unknown but totally miraculous reason, did not get sick. And I appreciate that more than you will ever know.

I finally got it through your thick little skull that the crying and whining at me when I leave you at day care is for the birds and you had better cut the crap. I explained that I would be much more likely to hug and smooch a few extra times if asked nicely instead of being screamed at and clung to. And you know what? It worked! All it took was me leaving one day after you started your fit without comforting you. Awesomeness.

Also awesome? You are reading. I bought a couple sets of super duper easy books and you read two of them to me. Granted they are not terribly difficult, but it's the path, we've begun the journey, and since the journey leads to me not having to read 47 books to you in one sitting, I’m all for it.

Your daddy and cousin Jay took you and Noah to your first monster truck rally. I have a feeling it may become an annual event for you, because you LOVED it. Loved. It. You talked about it for days and days; you gathered up all your monster trucks and did a demonstration of what happened for me. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this excited.

We babysat Baby Jack one night this month. About 2 weeks later you told me you thought you'd have a baby brother or a baby sister by now. I told you to be patient, and things happen in strange ways and we may very well get one for you eventually, but for now, you need to enjoy Baby Jack. That evening we went over to Baby Jack's house and he beat the crap out of you. I asked if you still wanted that baby brother and you said no. Problem solved!

I took you to Chick Fil A on a night when they had Phineas and Ferb and Perry the Platypus. Apparently they are not nearly as popular as Toy Story 3, which is awesome, because there weren't many people there, but sad because I bet they never come back. You were so excited, your little head nearly popped off when they entered the room, but when we got to the front of the line? You took off in the other direction saying you were scared of them. After much coercion and deals, I finally at least got photographic proof of you seeing Phineas and Ferb - even if I had to be in it. Perry looked a bit odd - wrong shaped bill, but whatever.

This week, we're getting a hard freeze. Last year during the hard freeze our sprinkler bell thingy popped off. This year I was smart enough to turn off the sprinklers and wrap everything including that bell back flow thing-a-ma-jigger. So I was out wrapping the 3 faucets and the sprinkler thingy and I told you where I would be and I set you up watching TV. I was wrapping up the last faucet and I hear "Moooooooooommmmmmy, where aaaaaaaaaaare yooooooooou?" loud enough for all our neighbors to hear and then subsequently call CPS because they must believe I left you alone at the house. I kept answering you, because I hoped that even if you couldn't hear me, the people who heard you could hear me and know I'm here - and if I thought for a second you were hurt or truly scared I would have dropped everything, but you were fine and I knew it. I can only hope that my future grandchild does this to you at some point so you will understand why I was so frustrated with you.

Oh and this month we signed you up to play Tball. You do not like the idea of having to use the tee, you want to play REAL baseball where someone throws the ball to you. We do not know your team yet, but will find out in the next couple of weeks. In the mean time, we're working a bit on catching the ball and throwing the ball.

I think if there's one thing you could work on, it's your attitude. When things don't go your way, you burst out in tears. I said "don't open the bubbles in the car", you said "ok, but just let me check if the thingy is in there", I say "I already checked, it's in there and I said don't open them". BOOM tears. Not necessary. The teacher in Sunday school handed you the wrong sticker laden paper piece of bread, BOOM tears. I’m just not sure everything it worth tears.

Love,

Mommy