All about Landry

Since today is officially Landry’s last day of pre-k, I thought it only fitting to make this post about her.  Landry is my first born, my only girl and my best friend.  She made me a mama and makes me proud to see what I’ve accomplished when I look at her.  (Yes, Tim had a hand in some of it too :))

 

Just some facts about Landry:

 

She’s silly

 

She loves her baby brother and takes being a big sister seriously

 

She loves her babies

 

She is my mini me (rollers, dessert, crossed legs and all)

 

She has the best attitude

 

She’s lost 3 teeth

 

She starts kindergarten in the fall, and is so excited!

 

She loves to perform and puts on a show for us and her babies almost every night

 

She loves to be playing outside

 

She loves donuts

 

She loves to accessorize just like her mama

 

She’s my girl

 

This year in Pre-k has taught her a lot.  She’s grown so much in these 9 months.  A lot has come her way.  She takes everything in stride and never complains and at the end of the day when I think I haven’t done a good job of being her mama, she gives me a hug and tells me “I’m the best mama ever” and I’m reassured I’m doing a pretty good job with her.

 

Love you LKS

Memorial Day weekend

Well, it’s Tuesday so that means it’s a short week for us here in the Smith house!  

 

We had such a great weekend, that getting up this morning to get to the gym was almost impossible, but I did it!  

We spent most of the weekend at my parent’s house with our family and had such a great time!

 

Here we are, Friday morning ready to take on the day and get our 3 day weekend started!

 

Friday, when we arrived at my parents, Landry was more excited than Christmas morning.  A few months ago, my parents decided to buy a play set for my kids and their future grandchildren.  Landry has been waiting for this weekend for months now and was so excited to play and swing.  

 

This little guy loved his baby swing

 

My parents are so good to my kids and we are blessed that they have the backyard they do and have the room for this.  

 

Saturday morning, Tim put Landry in bed with me so we could sleep some more and I caught her at the window staring at it and I asked her what she was doing and she said “just looking at my swing set”.  She is so sweet.  

We decided we had made Landry wait long enough, so we put her swimsuit on her and let her get in.  

 

Saturday night, we went to see Million Dollar Arm with my parents.  

 

Sunday, we got our suits on and waited.  Hayden was so cute with his suit and hat on, I just love this boy.  

 

It reminded me of Landry on her first summer with her swimsuit and hat on.

 

Bobby and Dani and my in laws came too.  My kiddos love playing on the floor with Dani and Bobby.

 

Here I am with my little man, upset that we didn’t get to get in the pool.  It ended up raining for most of the afternoon, and I didn’t want any of us getting sick, so I let Landry get in for a bit, but kept Hayden out.  He didn’t seem to mind much though, look at that smile!  

 

We ended the weekend yesterday by hanging out at Tim’s parent’s house and then we came home and crashed!  Such a fun weekend followed by a short week, I love it!

Clyde weekend

Hmm, why has it taken me all week to get last weekend’s post up?  Two words… sick kid.  Landry came home Monday from school with a high fever and stayed home Tuesday, and then I’ve been playing catch up ever since.  

 

Last weekend we made our annual trek to Clyde to visit my Aunt and Uncle for their garage sale day.  My mom and I have been doing this for years, and just a few years ago Tim started going and now I take both my kiddos too.  We love getting to see them!

 

Friday, Landry wanted to dress like me and wear a tank top and shorts!  I’m guessing I only have a few more years of her wanting to dress like me?

 

Here we are, packed up and ready to make the 3 hour drive!

 

Landry loves to read, and so does my mom.  She read her favorite, Pinkalicious to her.  I think Landry knows this book by heart by now!

 

Then, because she is her mother’s child, approximately 10 minutes after the above picture, this took place.

 

Here we are, bright and early Saturday morning ready to get our garage sale on!  

 

Landry loved Uncle Steve!  She wanted to sit by him and spend all her time with him!  So sweet.  

 We had such a good time with them.  I definitely want to make a trip back this summer!

 

Sunday, after church we came back to my parent’s house and pretty much did this all afternoon.  

 

My sweet boy was pooped!

 

Agh, another weekend is upon us!  And, it’s a bonus one, we get three days!  I plan on relaxing by the pool, and spending some much needed time with my people!

Being a Mom

The greatest job God has ever bestowed upon me is being a mom.  Being a mom is my favorite job in the world.  My kids are so important to me, and I take being a mom very seriously.  That being said, this house runs on lots of laughs.  We do not take things to seriously.  

 

6 years ago, I found out I was pregnant with Landry, and my world changed forever.  I never knew what being a mom consisted of.  

 

It takes guts

 

It takes laughter

 

It takes humility

 

It takes determination

 

But most of all, it takes love

 

I have a full time job outside of the home, but ask me what my job is, and I’ll tell you it’s being Landry and Hayden’s mom.  Nothing comes before them.  

 Except Tim.  I’m a firm believer that God comes first, then my marriage, then my kiddos.  And it works for us.  

 

So today, when I reflect on what being a mom has meant to me, I think about all the joy my kids bring to me on a daily basis.  My little family completes me, and makes me who I am.  

 

I believe in supporting other moms.  I have lots of friends.  And most of them are moms.  Some seasoned, some new, and some in the same place as me.  Whenever I get asked for advice, I will always give them what works for me, but then I always end it with “but you are their mom, and you know what is best”. Every mom is different.  But, we all should support each other no matter the beliefs.  

 

 Yesterday, I got to spend some time with my mom.  Growing up, I always thought I had the best mom.  She did everything for Dani and I, and I mean everything.  She loved us unconditionally.  I never thought for a second that she didn’t.  And seeing her as a grandmother makes me love her even more, because she is the same way with Landry and Hayden.  I strive every day to be just like her.  She is a Godly, sweet, caring and passionate person.  

 My mother in law Debbie is such a great mom too.  I have known her since I was 17, and I consider her a mom too.  She treats me as if I was her own child, and I love that.  Tim and Steph even joke sometimes, that I’m her number one kid!  She loves my children and never hesitates to do anything for us when I ask her.  I pray someday to have that kind of relationship with Hayden’s wife that her and I have.  

 

God has blessed me with two wonderful role models to look at.  

 

Landry and Hayden continually challenge me and make me strive to be a better mama.  I’m learning something new every day.  

 

Happy Mother’s Day!

Hayden is 7 months old!

Seven

I just cannot believe how fast Hayden’s first year is going.  It is flying by to me.  Every day I wake up, I thank God for this little boy and all the joy he brings to us.  His smile lights up a room.  He’s hardly ever in a bad mood.  He smirks.  He’s quirky.  He has the easiest personality.  All the things you would expect from a second child.  He is definitely our second baby.  But, he doesn’t care!  He’s so go with the flow anyways, that nothing makes him upset.

 

Here are our updates from the last month:

 

Eat:

We just bumped him up this week to 8 oz. bottles.  He is eating 8oz. of formula every 4 hours 4 times a day.  He’s also eating breakfast and dinner.  His favorite foods this month are apples and pears with cinnamon and bananas with blueberries.  He hates broccoli and peas still, but I keep trying!  We have him on a great schedule, and I’m so thankful.

Our schedule goes like this:

6:30-wake up

7:00- bottle

9:00- cereal

9:30-11:00-nap

11:00- bottle

1:00-3:00-nap

3:00-bottle

5:00-cereal

6:00-bottle

6:30-bed for the night

This has worked great for us.  He knows exactly what to do and takes good naps and sleeps 12 hours at night!  The daycare is really good about keeping this schedule for me too.  

 

He also started eating puffs this month too!  

 

He loves them.  He is still trying to grasp them and put them in his mouth, but his chubby little fingers can’t quite seem to get the hang of it.

 

We also gave him his first bite of frosting the other night.  

 

Agh, sugar, mom’s worst enemy.  I don’t think he will be getting any more of that for a while!

 

Play:

He is now sitting up for longer periods of time.  

 

He loves his baths!  

 

He still loves his exersaucer, but only for short periods of time.  

 

Sleep:

Oh this boy still loves his sleep.  Like I mentioned, he takes two good naps a day, sometimes he will sneak in a third one before dinner and then sleeps 12 hours a night.  

 

When we get him up in the morning, this is what we are greeted with.  

 He’s such a morning person, just like his mama.  

 

 

Here are a few things we have done this month.

 

I took him for his 6 month exam and he weighed in at 19 pounds, 11 0z and was 27 inches long.  

 

At Easter, my cousin Stephanie wanted to feed him.  I still remember when she was his age!  I was 13 when she was born, and I was obsessed with her.  I always wanted to feed her and hold her, and now she’s doing it with my kids, and I love it!

 

His first Easter was a success and he got lots of good stuff from my parents and Tim’s parents

 

He loves snuggles with his mama!

 

He bumped up to the next car seat this last month!  He looks like such a big boy now.  He loves this seat!  

 

Oh you are your father’s child (that is the same look Tim gives me 90% of the time)

 

This boy has my heart and he knows it.  He and Landry mean the world to me and I thank God for them.  

 

Love you baby boy!