Oscar

Landon got a fish and we named him Oscar. And then he died. 

I guess we keep the house too cold at night.

I guess fish are something we need to have in the summer :)

We keep busy!!

 

We are working on our fork and spoon skills. We're getting the hang of it, but then sometimes we forget what we use it for and act like it's a phone! (Just like everything else)

We love to visit the museum and the butterfly house. It's nice and warm and a good place to walk, admire some butterflies and of course- stop to smell the flowers!

 

    
Landon loves to go on slides! He is now brave enough to go down himself and I have to pry him away from going down all day long

 We now know how to get up on to the sofa. We have not mastered getting down the correct way!

 We like to walk around the Duke gardens. The coy fish pond seems to be a favorite. He's baffled why I wont let him get in the water with them.

He has recently become obsessed over the moon. Any time he sees it, he babbles on and on over it. Outside, in the car, in books....he LOVES the moon.

Dr Cheeker Pants MD is now seeing patients!!

 We're working on the potty chair still. He's very busy, so you have to catch him at a good time. Or just corner him on the heater with a toy!














Lastly, I must say I am very proud that Landon asks to color 3 to 4 times a day!

A White Christmas!

We made it to Michigan...aka as the tundra for the Holidays!! It was Landon's first plane ride and he actually did a lot better than I thought he would. We left on a Thursday evening and that weekend it was supposed to be in the 70s. Michigan was 17 degrees, full of ice storms and people without power. If no other time would convince me that I cannot live through another Michigan winter- being home for Christmas did it. I showed Landon snow for the first time by holding some out in my hand. He shook his head and body "no" like I was trying to get him to stick his hand in fire. Ah...my southern boy :)

Helping decorate the tree

Hanging his first ornament

PRESENTS!!!!

A present a day...spoiled?

Cookies for Santa

Unwrapping takes a long time when you're one

Aftermath

This is what happens when you have broken cookie pieces to use up

Mama's birthday..I'm 29

Yes, I said I'm 29

Headed home. 12.5 hours all in one day. It's the only way to do it with a one year old!

Christmas in NC

*There are too many good photos to post, so this is going to be a long one! 

Santa Train

We went on the Santa Train at the museum with Nick and Marcia and decide to take some pictures in front of the fire before hand. Landon got all dressed up for Santa, but everything was outside and it was "the coldest night of the year"....35 degrees.

These are huge balls made from twigs with lights strung around them. I'm thinking this is a good summer project and thought they would be fun just as lawn lighting throughout the year

Landon was mesmerized by them

This is on the Santa Train. Not the best, as we couldn't get off the train and Santa just comes to the side. No opportunity to take a photo with Santa. We'll have to see him when he's visiting another location.

This was their "snow". It's a cooler full of white fluff. I made Kyle take a photo because it was so ridiculous. Looks like someone left their Sofie behind!

Christmas / Snowman craft

We stole the idea from a free Christmas event in town we went to. There was a lot of people, a very long Santa line and a high school drum line which I think Kyle thought was super cool ;)

Ollie the Elf had to help

Ta Da! Look at that fabulous coloring in the background!

Decorating Christmas Cookies

Landon had a great time decorating cookies for the two of us to eat. Sprinkles were all over the floor (as expected) and he hated touching the frosting. He certainly didn't mind eating it though. And don't judge my burnt cookies. I didn't roll them out and I guess they don't flatten and cook a little weird. Glad I only paid $1 for the mix

MMMmmm

Landon's favorite things about Christmas in the South

This is Landon's hand made ornament for the year. It's his hand print turned upside down. He actually hated making it, but it's too cute not to add to the list

We didn't get a tree this year because we would only have it up a couple weeks and then be gone in MI. This is our substitute tree- a bunch of branches with select ornaments hanging from them. The monkey is the one he picked out of the box

Now, for real- his favorites...#1 Christmas lights. They are everywhere we go and he's loving it

#2 This pop up book. He points to it multiple times a day and demands it be read to him. If you don't..he'll march in place and whine

#3 Ollie! Ollie is our Elf on a Shelf. Since Landon doesn't really understand the concept right now, he's more or less a toy. He carries him all over the house and likes to give him kisses

#4 His countdown calendar. He likes to bend the flaps...and eat the chocolates.

#5 Snowflakes! Since we don't have any snow of our own, I had to make some. I'm not going to downplay this...I think I have some pretty serious paper snowflake game.

 

We're having a little Christmas dinner with Nick and Marcia tomorrow (Wednesday) night and then we leave for Michigan. I cant wait to see what Landon thinks of snow!