Landon will be four weeks tomorrow. We've been doing well. We haven't done much. Considering the fact that now I have three kids, going anywhere just got a million times more difficult, and it's been snowing a lot, so any desire to go anywhere just got reduced to about zero. The snow has been nice, actually, because I don't feel guilty for keeping my kids cooped up inside. Other than Josh being sick these past few days, we haven't had much excitement.
I take that back, we have some news: Ryan passed his 2nd set of boards! He did really well on them, and since he took them early (a week after Landon was born...good timing, huh?), we don't have that stress hanging over our heads anymore. He took his NERB (licensing test) and hopefully passed, and now the last major thing he has is where he'll do some dental work on patients and be graded on it (can't remember exactly what the "test" is called, it's for his license though). After that, I'm hoping it will be easy sailing. Is that even a saying, or am I making it up? And I think the final dental school news we have is that we find out next week where we're going for our residency with the army. Oh yeah, Ryan also got a residency! Our top three choices were Colorado, Washington state, and Kentucky.
I'm going to be running the Washington DC half marathon the end of March. I have some friends running one for the first time, so we're all going to go down and run it together. Should be fun, if I don't die. If I die, hopefully it's still fun up to then. I actually feel pretty good, and I've started "exercising" again, but let's be honest: "pretty good" postpartum fitness isn't quite half-marathon material. Oh well, too late now!
Josh has been sick lately, but he's been such a trooper. He hates taking medicine, but luckily we just have to reason with him and down it goes. He's definitely a logical thinker. As long as we can find a reason he'll accept, we can get him to do what we want....but if he doesn't agree, you're in for a long argument! Honestly, he's often right and I'm wrong, but don't tell him that. He's doing well in the big brother department. He's remembered to be soft with babies, and he's patient with Carter, who likes to bug Josh when I'm nursing because he knows that's the time he can get away with it.
Carter is a hoot. Unlike Josh, if he doesn't want to do something, you're out of luck, but he's a great helper and listener minus the stubborn times. We have a happy announcement about him: He's gone peepee in the potty! (What good conversation:)! We just have the little potty out in our bathroom, and one day while I was talking on the phone to grandma, Carter had me take of his pants and diaper, and walked away. I had no idea what he was doing until I walked in the bathroom and there he was sitting on the potty. He's done it a few times each day since then. He's only 21 months, so there's a good chance he will have himself potty trained by two. Hah. We pushed Josh way too early, so we haven't thought of doing anything with Carter. I guess he decided to take matters into his own hands.
Lastly about Landon: he started officially smiling today! I know it's early, so if I didn't see it myself, I wouldn't believe it. He's been faintly smiling for a little while--both Ryan and I asked each other if he had slightly smiled for the other--and today he's actually smiled big smiles in response to my gibberish. Maybe that means he'll be a jolly, perfect, chubby baby! All of my babies have been perfect. :).....I wrote this yesterday, and I haven't gotten him to smile today. I think we might have to edit out "officially" and put "randomly" in its place...
Landon is showing off his cute rock star outfit...kind of. He's getting big so fast; he's too big for most of his newborn clothes. Carter and Landon (so far) have both been chubby, it makes me wonder if Josh was underfed!
The boys and Grandma Allen. She was a lifesaver. The boys loved having her here to play with them. When Ryan and the boys dropped her off at the airport, Josh said, "I don't like it when people come to visit and then leave." I don't either, bud.
One of the many cute newborn poses we get from Landon. I love the startled arms, the funny faces, the gassy smiles, and the poses newborns make.
Carter rocking his baby, which he appropriately named Landon. :)
Josh was reading a book with two huge apple slices sitting in his mouth for quite some time, so I went up to him and asked him what was in his mouth. He turned the page and nonchalantly said, "Nussing".
My three sons. I think--no--I know I've really lucked out with Landon being so easy and the other boys being so accepting. It's been a wonderful transition for us.
This is how Landon is if he is awake-Mr. Content. He'll be awake maybe an hour in the morning, and then maybe another hour at night, and I often have to wake him up to feed him. At night, he'll wake up two to three times. Not bad, except it takes awhile for him to eat.
The boys with aunt Nikki. We miss her as well. The other night we were watching a home video of me and Ryan, and Josh asked, "Hey mom, is that aunt Nikki?" I said no. The video then cut away and came back to me again and Josh asked, "Well is that aunt Nikki?" I guess we do look alike!
