Noe News is Good News

Things with Wheels

Landen's obsession just grows. IT's so funny to get a little glimpse into his brain... he seems to think about things with wheels every second of the day. Randomly he will say: "mom, you know what I'm thinking about?"

me- "What?"
Landen- "Excavators. They're my favorite."

Then he'll go on with all the other things... dump trucks, cement trucks, trains, monster trucks... you name it. It's so adorable. But it's seriously an obsession. He can spot one 2 miles down the road and he's ALWAYS looking out for them. And always requesting made-up songs about them. As I write, Adam is singing a song to Landen (for bed time) about a train... "going down the tracks, had a long day... pulling in the station..." something like that.

Anyway, I got home the other day from a photo shoot and Adam had helped Landen line some of his stuff in a row where the living room meets the kitchen/dining room. Landen warned: "mom, don't go in the kitchen because there are too many cars."

He is growing up so fast... and despite having his moments, Landen has stayed true to himself... very sweet and tender hearted. He says big words that astound people and talks just as good as Joselyn... but with a baby voice. And he still curls up with his 'kiki"

Water Fountains

When Landen started getting really into balls and trains or anything with wheels we were not all that surprised. He is, after all, a boy. But with his boyish obsessions also came an unexpected quirky obsession. Water fountains. It first started when we took him and Joselyn to see Disney on Ice. Yeah, he was somewhat amused with the ice skating and special effects, but his main focus was on the fake water fountain. At first we thought it was a one time thing, but he started asking to see water fountains and water falls over and over again! We decided it would be kind of fun to take him and Joselyn on a mini-tour of the fountains in Lexington. He just watched and watched the fountain at Thoroughbred Park. Could he be any cuter?

I keep thinking there must be something soothing about the sound and site of the water to him. I admit it has a calming effect on me too. It's definitely a change of pace to his running, boyish ways. I like to think he has a softer more sensitive side to him deep underneath that all-boy exterior of his. Of course- I've always thought this. The waterfalls just seem to bring out that side of him more lately. He is such a sweet boy. Joselyn just loved the horses- and that is so her too :)

The Water Hose

When we initially found Squirly Squirly the caterpillar, I was going to the side of the house to turn on the hose and water the flowers. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, and I was going to enjoy every bit of it! Joselyn came outside with me and that's when we spotted the caterpillar. Well, the watering of flowers kind of got put on hold... Joselyn ran in the house to get daddy, and Adam eventually watered the flowers while we played with Squirly. Landen eventually woke up and joined us too. While Landen was on the driveway, Adam finished the watering and threw the hose down- which triggered the sprayer- which sprayed all over Landen soaking him. He was so wet poor guy- and cried his little heart out. But after an outfit change, he was as good as new ready to play. And play he did as he laughed and giggled carrying the water hose around trying to spray us all!















None of us got wet though because we were smart and turned the hose off before letting him play with it. :)

Train Underwear

Today when we were at Wal-Mart I passed by the "underwear" section for boys. Landen saw a package with Thomas the Train on it and HAD to have it. I've been wanting to keep some for him around the house anyway 'just in case' I decide to start potty training him on the fly one day... so I got it for him. He was so anxious to wear his underwear he begged me to put them over his diapers. And he won't take them off. It took some convincing for him to let us put pajamas over on top of them. Love my little guy and his obsession with trains.

Helping with the Laundry

Almost forgot one really important Landen funny- but this one deserves it's own post!

I often have the kids help me put away the laundry. The easiest task is for them to put away the kitchen towels since it is the very bottom drawer in the kichen. They love to do it! A few months ago, Adam went into the kitchen to get a towel out of the towel drawer and found the kids' pajamas in there. We thought it was so funny and thought Joselyn had done it. Well, I folded a bunch of clothes yesterday and had the kids' pajamas sitting on the ottoman one minute and the next minute they were gone! I couldn't imagine where they had gone and had forgotten about the kitchen drawer incident. This morning, I was folding even more pajamas (we've gone through a lot with the sickness in this house) when Landen saw the folded Pajamas and immediately took them to the kitchen drawer. What a good little helper! It brought a big smile to my face :)

One Squeeky Chic

Landen found an old easter egg in the shape of a chic. He tried to open it and realized it made a really silly squeeky noise. I reacted with a big gasp- hand over my mouth and he thought that was soooooo funny! Watching him giggle is seriously one of the best things this world has to offer. His whole face gets involved.















It's usually impossible for me to get Landen to smile for the camera... when the camera comes out so do the blank stares.  So this was one of those rare moments that I will always treasure!

Landen is a two year old...

I still don't quite know what to think about it. My youngest is 2. I've been trying to think how I can sum up the feelings I feel about Landen into words but it is quite difficult. I'm in love with him in every single way. Every single thing he does is adorable. Every little facial expression and silly thing he says brings a smile to my face that makes my cheeks hurt. This is all still sinking in for me... so I have to let my feelings sit for a while before diving into what I feel about Landen growing up. It's just all so bittersweet.

I wasn't going to let myself do this, but I did. I promised myself to not get so busy during the holiday season that Landen's birthday party would be pushed aside... but I kind of failed. I never completely planned his birthday party - although I really really wanted to! Instead, we had a small get together with family and I made sure to decorate really good and make a cake.  Joselyn and I got him a bunch of balloons too.



I also made a resolution to have a fun summer half-birthday party for him. I'm really going to! I just can't do this Christmas thing especially with lots of photography clients begging for pictures to be done! (understandable of course!) It's just too hard. On his birthdays he will still get a cake and a present and even a small family party, but his big party will be in the summer. I've always wanted to plan a summer party anyway :)

So here's my humble cake :)


 
Funny- I didn't even have 2 cake pans (which I thought I used to have?) so instead I used 1 cake pan and one pie plate. It still worked, I guess. Just funny.


Landen got 2 cool cars for his birthday. The blue one is a Toyota FJ cruiser which Landen thinks is "Daddy's Jeep". He loves that thing and even slept with it last night. The red car pops wheelies and is super cool too. He loves his new cars. What perfect gifts from grandparents and aunts and uncles!





I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE his party hat and am so excited I found it and that he actually WORE it! In fact, he LOVED it!

I love love love my little guy. My little buddy. And maybe here in the next few days I will find the words I am looking for to express it all.

Preschool Thanksgiving Party

I love this holiday season so much because it has been filled with so many fun things! And my kids are old enough to enjoy everything- I love it so very much! Last week Joselyn had her preschool thanksgiving "feast". They made little indian hats and she had her face painted- so adorable!! Later, the art teacher offered to make Landen a little hat too and he was thrilled!







Joselyn with her two homeroom teachers



Landen- his little smile just melts my heart!

Landen

I just got back Landen's 2 year pictures from Stacie. I cried! Getting pictures back is always so emotional for me- probably because they have always been my greatest treasures. I remember feeling the same way when I got my pictures back from Kasey earlier on this year. They are a window to the past- one that allows you to still get the same feelings you did when they were taken. We all know how fleeting childhood can be- our babies change so fast and there is really no other way to bottle up their personality at a specific time in their lives than through photographs.

I remember once my mom said she felt like she had "love affairs" with her children- kind of like your life is almost consumed by them. You can't get enough of just about every thing they do and the love you have for them just bursts from within you. I feel that way about my children. When it comes to Landen, there is something about him that just makes me want to kiss his little cheeks all the time and hug him until he almost breaks. His bright red hair, big brown eyes, squishy cheeks and chubby legs just get to me, not to mention his really sweet disposition and the way he sometimes just bursts our singing Boy's II Men's "Mama... mama you know I love you..." He doesn't love anyone else the way he loves me... he doesn't let anyone else hug him like I do. I am seriously in love with this boy. I can seriously say that Stacie capture EVERY LITTLE THING that I love about this boy. And the little facial expressions that he makes now that might disappear as he gets older... I have a record of all of that now and I am so so very grateful!

Thanks Stacie from the depths of my soul!!







Future GQ Cover Model... this one makes me laugh out loud!





 



This is the face Landen makes when the camera is pointed at him or he is saying "please" in his so adorable high pitched tone.





Oh so many more. I'll share them ALL on facebook later on today!

Thanks again Stacie!

Photo Shoot at Waveland

There were so many reasons why a photo shoot was in order...

1. Birthdays coming up and I needed to document
2. Christmas updates
3. It was a beautiful fall friday and we had nothing else to do!

I came very prepared with lots of orange tic-tacs (Great idea Kauti- works like a charm!!) and other treats and brought along some props. I was expecting the worst, but hoping for the best. But I wasn't going to let it stress me out. Mainly I just wanted the kids to have some fun!

But they surprised me and did wonderfully!! I am so happy to have these pictures of my children to remember them and how they are right here and right now! I mostly got pictures of Joselyn and a few of the 2 together since Landen just had his photos taken by my talented friend Stacie!! You MUST go look at them!

Here are the pics I took of the kids (pre-dog bite!)

I love Joselyn's little finger to her mouth... she does this when she is acting shy or she's nervous. She is definitely acting here. Landen just wants his candy and is taking it very seriously.


I love that I caught this part of Joselyn- her silly laughing cute little self.

I can't believe I actually got my kids to do this!! It was one of my first shots... I don't know if they would have done this further in to our shoot...

These just about make me cry... Joselyn seems so grown up here in my eyes...

Some cute Landen faces with his pouty bottom lip. Don't you just want to pinch those cheeks? They are so pincheable!!









I was being very very silly but nothing I was doing could get Landen to laugh! Silly boy.







This took a lot of breaks and a lot of bribery. But OH so worth it!! I love my babies!!