Beach Vacay - part 2

Well, six months later part 2 is here.  I'm a lot later posting this than I intended on being.  Click here to read part 1 of our trip.

As the week went on, the tide improved.  It was so clear each day too.  We had perfect weather on this trip!

When Nana and Puddin' left, they left Eli a little money to treat himself to a sno cone by the pool each day, and that's what he did!

We spent just as much time at the pool as we did the beach.

 Eli had just had swim lessons and was quite the little fish.  He would jump in and swim back to the wall over and over again.

Every day was basically the same:  beach in the morning before it got too hot, then back inside for lunch and naps, and then we'd hit the pool before dinner.  After dinner we'd hit the beach again, or take it back to the pool.

Keeping Landy cool on the beach was a chore.

Landon and I spent a lot of time standing at the water's edge and watching the waves crash.

My three favorite guys.

One night the resort had a movie showing by the pool at dusk.  We grabbed our floats and glow sticks, and headed down for a late night swim.

Jumping waves

A mix of sunscreen, sweat, and sand, but this swimsuit may have been my favorite that he wore all summer!

We're always sad to say good-bye.  We love our week at the beach!

Landon - 21 months

Landon boy, Mommy is late posting this, but that's because we've been loving life this month!  You are at SUCH a fun age.  You haven't met a stranger, and will go to just about anyone, but you are stingy with your hugs and kisses.  We count ourselves lucky when you shower us with love!  You love to laugh, play outside, and anything your brother Eli is doing.  We pray that you will always love God, and love people as much as you do now.  We love you, Landon boy!

Firsts:  Iron Bowl tailgate with Nana, Puddin', Z, Amber, Eli, Mommy, and Daddy (then Z, Amber, Eli, and Daddy went to the game while we went with Nana and Puddin' back to our house in Phenix City).  Nana came to eat Thanksgiving lunch with you at your school.

News headlines:  ISIS terror attacks in Paris, Alabama lost to UGA and Bama (we finished the regular season at 6-6), Cam Newton is still undefeated in his season with the Panthers (we love to cheer Cammy Cam on!)

Milestones:  You are doing your best to hang with Eli and any big kids we're around.  You think you are the stuff when you can run around and keep up with your brother.  Mommy still tries to hang on to the little bit of baby that's left in you.  You are babbling and talking (more and more real, understandable words) all the time.  You also dropped your final nursing.  It was a little sad for Mommy, but we self-weened, and you were ready.  I'm so grateful for the 21 months I was able to do this.  I never imagined we'd be as successful with this as we were when you had all your reflux issues and every precious ounce mattered while I had to pump at work, but we did it!

Measurements: Size 4 diapers, 18 mth clothes (pants) and 24 mth (tops), size 6 shoe, about 27 lbs

Like Mommy:  We love to sit with a good book and enjoy a little along time.  Sometimes we catch you sneaking into the living room and getting on Mommy's spot on the couch and snuggling with her blanket.

Like Daddy:  Of course, all my boys love anything outside.  You love to play with balls.

Like Eli:  You like to have your tennis shoes on all the time, even if we're just being lazy around the house.

Favorite Toys:  You LOVE books.  You also like to grab Eli's ninja turtle toys or swords and go point to Eli's sight words that are hanging around the kitchen and pretend to say all the words like Eli does.

Sounds: Mama, dada, nana, EI (Eli) bye bye, uh-oh, awww, hey,  daw-dee (doggie), thank you, diaper, boo-boo, tee-tee, ball, baby, more-more, no no no!, choo-choo (every vehicle/mode of transportation is a choo-choo), truck, bus, uh-uh (no sound), button, light, off/on, hot/cold, shhh! (hilarious), "mim-me on" (Mickey/Minnie Mouse), moon, mine,  Melmo (Elmo), brub-er (brother), Lan-E (Landy), ewww, ho ho (for Santa).  You love to rock in a rocking chair and have a little tune you sing whenever you rock (bahhh ba ba).

Challenges:  

You're cutting your 2 year molars and so you've got the runny nose, nasty diaper, and sleepless nights that go along with cutting teeth.  Mommy can tell you're growing too.  You are eating and snacking a lot.

Our Days:  

You wake up about 6:20 each day, we're walking out the door by 6:45.  You nap 2 hours a day at daycare.  You LOVE your teachers (and so do we!).  Daddy picks you up around 3:30 each afternoon.  You and Eli race down the hall and then you walk to the car while holding Daddy's hand.  We get home and help brother with his homework, play play play, eat supper, and get baths.  We shoot for bedtime around 8:30.  At bedtime we sing songs, read a Bible story and a book, plus say prayers.  You're usually either 1) asleep during this, or 2) climbing all over the bed.

Funny/Favorite Moments:

Mommy's favorite-  Watching you play outside with cousins over Thanksgiving like a big boy.

Daddy's favorite-  Watching you play with the cars and ride the golf cart during our time in Elba over Thanksgiving.

Nicknames: Landy, Landon/Landy boy, Lando, sometime we call you monkey boy because you're always climbing

Upcoming Events:  We are looking forward to Christmas, seeing family, and all the time off we'll have together in December/January.

Wow...look how much you've grown in 2015!

And because I love a good comparison, here's you and Eli at 21 months:

Oh Christmas Tree

A live Christmas tree is a necessity for Christmas.  We do have fake trees (the Auburn tree), but our family tree must be real.  I converted Wesley.  It was a stipulation when we got married.  : )

The boys picked out the perfect tree, and I have to say I agree.

Decorating was a lot of fun this year too.  Eli is old enough to really be a help with it.

Landon actually wasn't as bad as I thought he was going to be with the tree.  He was completely mesmerized by it.

I love this picture.  This is how he was through most of the decorating.  I will forever have this mental picture.

Our finished tree.  I love all of our ornaments.  With each vacation, we buy an ornament from our trip.  I also started last year making a photo ornament of the boys picture with Santa and on the back listing their Christmas list from that year (thank you, Shutterfly).  I also made one this year of a family picture we had taken back in May, and put Matthew 5:16 on the back (our family verse for 2015).  Between those and all of the ornaments the boys made at school this year, there were several new ones to add to the tree this year.

He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.

Upward Basketball

Eli is playing Upward basketball at our church this year, and it's been so fun to watch him try something new.  From the time the uniforms were handed out, he's been wearing it around the house!

Here the little rascal put on some silly glasses and said he looked like Puddin'.  It was too cute.  I couldn't resist getting his picture.

The first night was really exciting getting to run out of the tunnel and having your name called over the loud speaker.

Eli finally managed to talk Daddy into coaching one of his teams.

The only pictures I have of him playing are all blurry.  The boys is all over the court!

Christmas Eve

Be warned...picture overload is about to happen.  It was a humid, rainy fun day full of lots of memories!  Christmas was awesome as a kid, but I think as a parent, it's even more fun!

We made cookies for Santa.  I had some great help from my three sous chefs!

For lunch we had Jam-mama's spaghetti and fudge pie at Aunt Jan's house and then opened presents.  We had fun reminiscing about Grandmama.  This Christmas Eve marked three years that she's been with Jesus.

In Jam-mama fashion, Aunt Jan wrapped a note for Eli to go look somewhere else in the else for his present.  What made it really fun was that this year Eli read the note all by himself!  I love hearing him read.

Unc Morrow outdid himself with a huge nerf gun!  Oh my!

Eli's excited and Mommy's scared!

Landon boy got a train on a tumbling track.

Nana and Puddin' drove up to spend Christmas Eve night with us.  We ate taco soup, decorated our cookies for Santa, made reindeer food, and prepared breakfast for the next morning!

Landon takes cookie decorating very seriously...

Every recipe needs a little quality control....

Eli made reindeer food, but we only spread it on the driveway because the yard was so soggy and lightning was popping all over the place!

After that, it was time to set out Santa's snack and then go to bed ourselves.

...those baby feet!

Love this age!

We said farewell to our elf on our way upstairs.  It was fun, Collins.  We look forward to you coming back next year!

Just before I fell asleep, I heard a noise.  Turns out, Santa had stopped by.  Looks like the boys made it to the nice list!

Landy got his very own chair, Elmo, a ball, and several books and clothes.

Eli got plenty of toys, clothes, and books too!

It seems Santa approved!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!