I'm falling behind!

It's a good thing that I am not teaching now because I don't know how I would get everything done and still keep my sanity. I know a few of you who read this have multiples, and I don't know how you do it. Lately, Landen has been demanding attention and he gets very upset if I leave the room or don't play with him for a little while. He has been a little happier the last few days because he can sit up on his own for a long time. Today he was actually content to sit and play with a toy and look around for about a 1/2 hour. Wednesday was the first day that he sat up straight for longer than a few seconds and he has just gotten stronger since.

We have had a lot going on since my last post. Last Saturday, Connie, Larry, Landen, Elliot and I went to Grand Island to go shopping for the day. Landen was pretty good. He got a little fussy in the mall because he was hungry and tired. He fell asleep about as soon as we left the parking lot, so Larry sat in the van with him while the rest of us went to the next store. The rest of the day went well and Landen slept all the way home and still slept through the night. Then Sunday we put up Christmas lights. It was such a nice day that we decided to get it over with. Landen enjoyed sitting outside in his activity center wearing his new cowboy hat (see picture). Wednesday I spent the day baking pies for Thanksgiving which we spent at my parents' house. Friday we went to a wedding in Logan, KS for my Dad's uncle...we didn't realize that it would be snowing and the hour trip there took 2 hours to get home (we got stuck behind a scared driver going 30 mph). We spent Saturday at Connie and Larry's house. Sunday, we had Landen's 6 month pictures taken here. I decided to do it early so that they would be ready in time for Christmas cards.

Pictures: 1 - my Dad and Landen on Thanksgiving Day; 2 - showing off horse p.j.s and cowboy hat; 3 - sitting with uncle Wendall (he gave Landen the outfit); 4 - playing outside (explained above); 5 - Sitting up all by himself!; 6 - sitting on the changing table after a bath (look at that tooth)!; 7 - switched hats with uncle Adam...I don't think they fit!; 8 - sitting in the rocking chair that has been in the family for 100 years.

mmmmmm

Today when I was feeding Landen his lunch, I thought of something that I wanted to share. For the past few days, when I put a spoonful of food in Landen's mouth, he "says" 'mmmmm'
as he closes his mouth around the spoon and swallows the food. It is so cute. He started doing this because I would make that sound when I was trying to teach him to eat with a spoon. Now, he eats so well that I am giving him larger portions and nursing a little less. We have also noticed that when he is hungry he makes the 'mmmmmm' noise instead of crying. It's pretty funny.

5 months old!

These past two weeks have been crazy, which is why I have not posted anything new. A lot has happened in those two weeks, so I'll try not to let this get too long. Landen has had a taste of "real" food, and loves it. So far I have given him sweet potatoes and squash. I've also tried apple juice, but he is not crazy about that (it could also be that he doesn't really know what to do with a bottle...yes I am still nursing even though he has a tooth.) I have decided that since I am staying home, I am making my own baby food. I'm glad that I made this decision because Landen doesn't seem to spit up the home made stuff as much as the store bought. Last week I had a good reason for not posting anything new; we had a heat pump installed on Monday afternoon, Tuesday and Wednesday, so I left. Tuesday I actually went to Norton for a doctor's appointment for Landen. He weighs 16 lbs 8.5 oz and is 25.5 in long. The doctor couldn't say enough good things about him! On Wednesday, I spent the day at my parents' house. That was fun because my dad was actually home for a while and my mom got off work early that day. Saturday was another busy day. We went to a funeral for a close friend of the family in the morning. In the afternoon, we went to Norton to the craft shows. Landen was a real trooper. He was hungry and hot most of the time, but he wasn't too fussy. When we were all shopped out, we went to my grandma's house, and Landen ate and ate and ate some more. He made it as far a my parents' house (half way to Arapahoe) and he got fussy, so we stayed there for a while. He just really needed to lay down and move. Then we decided to go to Beaver City to eat supper. We had to buy some baby food at the grocery store and he ended up eating both containers of squash...he was hungry! Sunday we got to relax and enjoy the nice weather. Monday, I had to make a quick trip to Norton again because Landen had chewed on his thumb enough that it broke the skin. The sore just kept getting bigger and it looked a little red and swollen, so the nurse I talked to said that I needed to bring him in. Luckily, everything is fine. I just have to watch it to make sure that it doesn't get bigger and it doesn't get pussy. Since he sucks it, there is nothing we can do to help it heal faster. Landen is working on some new skills. He can sit on his own for about 30 seconds before falling over. The other night he was getting his knees under him like he was trying to go somewhere. I won't be surprised if he is crawling before Christmas. YIKES!

I actually didn't take a lot of pictures in the last two weeks, so most of the pictures are some that I wanted to share last time. The last three are recent. In the second picture, Landen was helping Daddy drink some wine...well, maybe just making it difficult for him to drink it...he just wanted to chew on the glass. The fourth picture is Landen with Grandma and Grandpa Hoefs on Halloween. In the sixth picture Landen had just finished his sweet potatoes and cereal, and it looked like he had a cereal mustache. The next picture is his 5 month picture. The last one really shows off that tooth! (Yes, he has bit me while nursing, he gets a thump in the cheek and he quits.) He has been fussy the last couple of days and chewing even more than before, so we think he is getting another tooth. We can't feel anything yet, but we didn't feel the one he has for very long before it poked through. I just hope his crabbiness doesn't last too long.